Domaine Leflaive

Winemaking

Once harvest commences, only healthy, perfectly ripe fruit is accepted. Fermentation takes place in 228-liter (132-gallon) oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. The oak for the barrels is sourced from the forests of Allier and Vosges, and Anne-Claude works primarily with Damy Cooperage. The wine is transferred, usually no later than September, to stainless-steel tanks in the cellars where it remains through the following winter. At every step, vigilant attention to cleanliness is demanded — both in handling the grapes and in the winery — in order to preserve the delicacy of fruit aromas and flavors.