A fine effort, the 2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon wafts from the glass with notes of white flowers, crisp yellow orchard fruit, fresh pastry and blanched almonds. Medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, it's elegant and fine-boned, with—as I observed last year—none of the blockiness of yesteryear's Clavoillon.

The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru, Leflaive’s largest vineyard at 4.8 hectares, has a very perfumed bouquet with mirabelle, crushed pebble and a touch of sherbet blossoming from the nose. The well-balanced palate offers a touch of spice on the entry, good acidity, moderate depth and a suggestion of ginger toward the sappy finish.

Lower elevation than Meursault Sous le Dos d'Âne. Very clayey soils. Soils are amoureuses , says manager Brice de la Morandière, because they cling to your boots. (Les Pucelles has much finer clay.) Wines from here tend to be structured more than balanced and can lack elegance but he believes that biodynamic farming has made a real difference. Copes well in dry years. Clavaillon is 5 ha but very homogeneous. 20% new oak, as for all the premiers crus. Tank sample. Oak spice is more evident here on the nose. Deep and really marked by oak spice, rich and spicy but not heavy. A touch of struck match. Very mineral. Intense and spiced on the finish with citrus core and mouth-watering finish. (JH)