Olivier Leflaive Frères
Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives
2016
Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives showcases the mineral purity of Burgundy's northernmost white wine appellation, crafted by a respected négociant known for elegant, terroir-expressive Chardonnays from premium vineyard sources.
Country
France
Region
Bourgogne - Northern Burgundy
More information
Producer
Olivier Leflaive Frères is a leading négociant-éleveur specialising in white Burgundy, based in the heart of Puligny-Montrachet. Founded in 1984 by Olivier Leflaive, the House sources Chardonnay from Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards across the Côte de Beaune, working closely with select growers to craft wines that combine traditional Burgundian winemaking with precision and consistency. The resulting portfolio is recognised for its clarity, balance and faithful expression of terroir.
Quick Facts
- Location: Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
- Founded: 1984
- Founder: Olivier Leflaive
- Producer model: Négociant-éleveur
- Ownership: Family-owned
- Primary grape: Chardonnay
- Key appellations: Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Bâtard-Montrachet
- Focus: Premier Cru and Grand Cru white Burgundy
- Winemaking: Traditional Burgundian techniques with controlled fermentation and extended lees ageing
- Signature wine: Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru
- Style: Fresh, mineral, aromatic complexity with oak integration
- Ageing potential: 10-20 years for Premier Cru and Grand Cru bottlings
A Négociant-Éleveur Rooted in Puligny-Montrachet
Olivier Leflaive established his House in 1984 with a focused vision: to craft exceptional white Burgundy through careful sourcing, meticulous vinification and patient élevage. Operating from Puligny-Montrachet, one of Burgundy's most prestigious white wine villages, the House built relationships with growers across the Côte de Beaune whose vineyards matched its exacting quality standards.
Rather than simply purchasing finished wines, Olivier Leflaive Frères functions as a négociant-éleveur, taking control of fruit selection, vinification and barrel maturation. This approach allows the House to shape each wine's development from harvest through bottling, ensuring consistency and terroir transparency across the portfolio.
The White Burgundy Portfolio
The House's range extends across the Côte de Beaune's most distinguished Chardonnay appellations. Village-level wines from Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet provide accessible introductions to each commune's character, while Premier Cru bottlings from sites such as Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles and Meursault Charmes deliver greater depth, precision and structure.
At the summit of the collection stand Grand Cru wines from Corton-Charlemagne, Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. These bottlings represent Burgundy's most revered Chardonnay terroirs, combining power with elegance and offering exceptional complexity when given time to develop in bottle. Each wine reflects the limestone-rich soils, precise exposures and microclimates that distinguish the Côte de Beaune.
Precision Through Élevage
Winemaking at Olivier Leflaive Frères emphasises controlled fermentation temperatures, careful oak selection and extended lees contact. Barrels are chosen to complement rather than dominate the fruit, with Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines typically receiving higher percentages of new French oak than village-level bottlings.
The House maintains extended élevage periods to allow gradual integration of oak, development of texture and expression of each wine's underlying minerality. The result is a signature style that balances freshness and aromatic purity with weight, structure and the capacity to age gracefully. These are white Burgundies built for both near-term enjoyment and long-term cellaring, appealing to collectors seeking authentic expressions of Chardonnay from Burgundy's historic slopes.
Country
Region
Bourgogne - Northern Burgundy
Northern Burgundy is a respected wine region in eastern France, encompassing the historic appellations of Chablis and the Auxerrois. Known primarily for exceptional Chardonnay grown on Kimmeridgian limestone and fossilised oyster shell soils, the area produces distinctive wines celebrated for their minerality, precision and remarkable ageing potential. The cool continental climate and unique geological composition create ideal conditions for expressing pure Chardonnay character, making the region a benchmark for unoaked and terroir-focused white wine production.
Chablis remains the most recognised appellation within Northern Burgundy, with seven Grand Cru vineyards including Les Clos, Vaudésir and Blanchot producing wines of notable depth and complexity. Premier Cru sites such as Montmains, Fourchaume and Vaillons offer refined expressions of the region's signature style. Respected producers including Domaine William Fèvre, Domaine Raveneau, Domaine Vincent Dauvissat and Domaine Christian Moreau consistently demonstrate the region's capacity for world-class Chardonnay that balances steely minerality with elegant fruit character.
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Grapes
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most important and prestigious white wine grapes, renowned for its remarkable versatility and ability to reflect both terroir and winemaking style. Most famously associated with Burgundy and Champagne in France, Chardonnay is cultivated across virtually every major wine-producing country and can produce everything from precise, mineral-driven whites to rich, complex wines with exceptional ageing potential.
In Burgundy, Chardonnay reaches some of its most celebrated expressions. The limestone-rich vineyards of Chablis are known for wines combining vibrant acidity, citrus character and mineral precision, while the Côte de Beaune, particularly appellations such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, produces some of the world’s most sought-after and age-worthy white wines.
Chardonnay also plays a fundamental role in Champagne, where it contributes freshness, finesse and acidity to blends alongside Pinot Noir and Meunier. When produced exclusively from Chardonnay, the resulting Champagne is known as Blanc de Blancs, a style prized for its elegance, precision and capacity to develop considerable complexity with extended ageing.
The grape’s character varies significantly according to climate, terroir and winemaking. Cooler regions can produce wines showing citrus, green apple, white flowers and mineral notes, while warmer conditions can bring peach, melon and tropical-fruit character. Oak fermentation, barrel ageing and malolactic fermentation can introduce additional layers of toast, vanilla, butter and hazelnut, demonstrating Chardonnay’s exceptional stylistic range.
Beyond France, Chardonnay has established important expressions in California, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and numerous other wine regions. From the mineral whites of Chablis and the great vineyards of Burgundy to Blanc de Blancs Champagne and modern New World interpretations, Chardonnay’s combination of versatility, complexity and terroir expression has established it as one of the defining grape varieties of fine wine.
History and Style
Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives is an estate wine that captures the essence of Chablis—Burgundy's renowned appellation for pure, mineral-driven Chardonnay. Produced by Olivier Leflaive Frères, a distinguished négociant-producer based in Puligny-Montrachet, this wine draws fruit from vineyards on both banks of the Serein river, hence the name "Les Deux Rives" (The Two Banks).
Quick Facts
- Producer: Olivier Leflaive Frères
- Classification: Chablis AOC
- Region: Northern Burgundy
- Appellation: Chablis AOC
- Country: France
- Style: Dry, mineral-driven, unoaked white wine
- Grape Composition: 100% Chardonnay
- Ageing Potential: 3-7 years from vintage
- Alcohol (ABV): 12.5-13%
- Tasting Profile: Green apple, citrus, wet stone, oyster shell, white flowers, flinty minerality
- Food Pairing: Oysters, seafood, shellfish, goat cheese, sushi, grilled fish
- Serving Temperature: 10-12°C
- Bottle Status: Estate Wine
- Vintage: Non-Vintage (multi-vintage release)
Vineyard, Terroir and Style
The Olivier Leflaive house, established in 1984, has built its reputation on meticulous vineyard sourcing and minimal intervention winemaking. For this Chablis expression, the producer selects Chardonnay from sites planted on the region's signature Kimmeridgian limestone and fossilized oyster shell soils, which impart the distinctive flinty minerality that defines classic Chablis. The vineyards' cool northern climate preserves natural acidity and promotes slow, even ripening.
History and Reputation
Vinified in stainless steel to preserve purity and freshness, Les Deux Rives exhibits the hallmark Chablis profile: crisp green apple and citrus notes layered with wet stone minerality, oyster shell salinity, and subtle white floral aromatics. The palate shows vibrant acidity, medium body, and a clean, persistent finish. This is Chablis in its most authentic form—unoaked, precise, and terroir-focused.
Ideal with oysters, seafood, goat cheese, or as an aperitif, Olivier Leflaive Chablis Les Deux Rives offers excellent value for those seeking genuine Burgundian Chardonnay. Compare prices on Sipfind to discover this elegant, food-friendly estate wine.