1988 Olivier Leflaive Clos de la Roche

Olivier Leflaive was established in 1984 when Olivier Leflaive, a negociant, decided to make his own wine with help from his brother Patrick and his famous uncle Vincent, of Domaine Leflaive. Today the Puligny-Montrachet Olivier Leflaive domaine owns 30 acres of vineyards. There are Premier Cru parcels in Meursault and Chassange-Montrachet, as well as red and white village wines. Burgundy wine writer Clive Coates calls the domaine “recommended.”

Clos de la Roche is a 41-acre Grand Cru vineyard in the Morey St.-Denis appellation in the Cotes de Nuits, in northern Burgundy. The tiny village of Morey St.-Denis is just south of Gevrey-Chambertin and Clos de Roche is considered the appellation’s most superior Grand Cru. The vineyard’s elevation ranges from 270 to 300 meters, and its soil is extremely rocky with excellent drainage. The soil is largely limestone, and in some places it is barely a foot deep. Writer Clive Coates calls Clos de Roche “the classiest of the Morey Grand Crus.” The largest landholders are Ponsot with 8.35 acres; Dujac, 4.88 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.7 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.