For many collectors, Domaine Leflaive is the benchmark for white Burgundy. The family has been in Puligny-Montrachet since 1717, and the domaine has been farmed biodynamically for decades. Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is the smallest of Puligny’s grand crus, sitting just below Bâtard-Montrachet, and Leflaive owns just over a hectare of vines planted in 1958 and 1959. Those old vines on clay-limestone give a wine that’s typically floral and creamy, a little more delicate than its big brother Bâtard. The 2014 vintage was a superb for white Burgundy, and many consider it the finest in a generation. A cool, damp summer was rescued by a glorious Indian summer in September, and the wines combine ripe fruit with wonderful freshness, precision and minerality. This is classic Burgundy at its best. Neal Martin scored it 93–95 and called it one of the best 2014 Bienvenues he’d come across, an absolute delight. Now twelve years on, it’s just entering its drinking window. 

This case has pristine provenance having been bought on release from J&B where it remained unmoved, under bond, until it was transfered to our bonded warehouse earlier this year. The below note by Allen Meadows is from magnum but is the most recent of any critic. 

A reserved but ultra-elegant nose reflects notes of honeysuckle, ripe white orchard fruit, citrus rind and a background hint of wood. There is fine mid-palate density to the delicious, refined and punchy medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent depth and persistence on the still firm finale. This is both quite stylish and notably classy and in large format, still very much on the way up, indeed it should easily last another 20 years. With that said, the natural generosity of a fine BBM allows it to be appreciated today, even if more depth should progressively develop. In a word, excellent.

95/100 Allen Meadows, tasted 2025

The 2014 Bienvenue Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru has a come-hither bouquet that is very immediate: passion fruit, apricot blossom, cold stone and even a faint touch of strawberry winegums. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity, good weight in the mouth with a touch of citrus lemon and lime, but perhaps just needing more complexity and terroir expression to come through on the finish. This is one of the best 2014 Bienvenues that I have come across — an absolute delight.

93-95/100 Neal Martin, tasted 2017

Price is quoted in bond. Immediately avaiable.