Olivier Leflaive Saint Aubin 1er Cru Combes Sud 2022 75cl.

The 100% Chardonnay grapes are harvested entirely by hand in small perforated boxes. This prevents premature crushing of the fruit and prevents unwanted oxidation during transport to the winery. Whole bunches are transferred directly to pneumatic presses. A progressive and gentle pressing is applied to obtain a fluid must free of bitterness. Subsequently, the must undergoes a cold static decantation for 12 to 24 hours to separate the coarsest lees.

The decanted must is transferred to French oak barrels where alcoholic fermentation begins with native yeasts. After completing it, it carries out 100% malolactic fermentation, transforming the malic acid into lactic acid to soften the palate and provide creamy notes.

The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, using between 15% and 20% new oak. During this period, a controlled bâtonnage (removal of fine lees) is carried out that takes advantage of the clay structure of the soil to develop volume, breadth and silkiness in the mouth.

After one year in the barrel, the wine is extracted from the wood and collected in stainless steel tanks for a final 2 months. This period of rest in stainless steel homogenizes the batch and "tenses" the mineral acidity before proceeding to light clarification, gentle filtration and bottling by gravity.