2018 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

The 2018 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a terse, stoic, delineated bouquet with scents of wet limestone and sea spray, just a slight menthol note developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A very pretty, elegant Bienvenue that reveals hints of blood orange and sour lemon on the precise, persistent finish. This is a gorgeous Bienvenue. (NM)

Like much of the domaine, this vineyard also enjoys the benefits of old vines, planted in 1958 and 1959. Light in colour, with a tight and tense nose, there is a thread of steely salinity through the middle. Thereafter there is a background of currently inexpressive white fruit, fair intensity. I think the wine is just in a quiet phase at the moemnt. All will surely be revealed in time.