Vinous (92+)

(purchased fruit from vines on the Puligny side of the cru near the Chassagne border): Wet stone and menthol dominate the nose. Chewy and vinous but tighter at present and less harmonious than the Grandes Ruchottes. In a powerful style but not thick or heavy. The echoing finish is salty and dry. This will need time in bottle.

Vinous (94)

White plum, fresh apricot, hazelnut, honey and nutty oak on the nose, perked up by a whiff of pineapple. Sweet, deep and powerfully structured, with the wine's fresh fruit flavors currently held under wraps by surprising acidity. Not showing the personality of the Clos de la Mouchere, but this grand cru's sheer energy and very long, rising finish promise a slow and eventful evolution in bottle.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)

Mid lemon yellow. There is a slight reduction to the nose. All the weight appears on the palate with a gorgeously sensual deep white fruit, not heavy at all. White pepper. There is no sign of the reduction on the palate. An exceptional example with more tension at the back, great potential for the long term. Guillaume Boillot has dialled down to 50% new wood here and that is plenty. Tasted: 10/1/2021

Wine Spectator (95)

Solid and compact right now, this is a powerful, concentrated white, showing a chalk flavor under the butter and apricot. Gathers speed across the palate, building to a long finish. Needs time to integrate and realize its full potential. Best from 2011 through 2024. 103 cases imported. -BS

Burghound (96)

Here the nose is notably tighter and more reserved with aromas of citrus blossom and zest, spice, smoke, fennel and hints of acacia that introduce big, muscular and wonderfully complex broad-scaled flavors that culminate in a long, focused and explosive finish of breathtaking length and intensity. This should reward at least a decade in the cellar and drink well for a similar period thereafter. This too is terrific and very Bâtard and like the Combettes, the '08 version is one of the very best young examples from Leflaive that I have ever seen.

Burghound (96)

Here the nose is notably tighter and more reserved with aromas of citrus blossom and zest, spice, smoke, fennel and hints of acacia that introduce big, muscular and wonderfully complex broad-scaled flavors that culminate in a long, focused and explosive finish of breathtaking length and intensity. This should reward at least a decade in the cellar and drink well for a similar period thereafter. This too is terrific and very Bâtard and like the Combettes, the '08 version is one of the very best young examples from Leflaive that I have ever seen.

Wine Advocate (95)

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet 2011 from Anne-Claude Leflaive is slightly deeper in color than its peers. The nose is a little austere at first, but it unfolds nicely with impressive mineral (slate and flint) scents, well defined and poised. The palate is well balanced with a keen thread of acidity. There is a bright citric heart to this Bâtard-Montrachet with fleeting touches of nectarine and citrus lemon joining the edgy mineral finish. This is a classy Grand Cru – regal but not imposing.

Burghound (95-98)

(Don't Miss!) Once again a subtle but not invisible application of wood frames cool and ripe aromas of green apple, acacia blossom, petrol and airy zest-tinged nuances. Interestingly, the middleweight flavors aren't quite as dense as those of the Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet yet the intensity is even higher, indeed it's almost painful, while flashing impressive power on the gorgeously complex, sneaky long and equally well-balanced finale. This is also stunning but patience required.

Emanating from the celebrated slopes of Burgundy, France, the Pierre Girardin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2018 is a brilliant exemplar of viticultural artistry. Pierre Girardin, a 13th generation winegrower, meticulously cultivates the time-honoured Chardonnay vines, rooted in a rich terroir laden with limestone and clay.

The thoughtful oak maturation process ensures a layered and complex wine. It opens with an aromatic bouquet of ripe fruits, nuanced by subtle hints of vanilla and almond. On the palate, this lustrous golden-hued nectar offers a harmonious blend of richness and acidity, leading to a resounding finish.

The Pierre Girardin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2018 embodies the refined elegance synonymous with Burgundy's Grand Cru domain. A sensory delight for discerning oenophiles, this wine showcases the Girardin family's centuries-deep understanding of their land, their vines and the magical process of transforming grapes into a stunning lucid potable.

The Pierre Girardin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2021 impeccably captures the spirit of Burgundy's terroir. A product of vigilant biodynamic farming, this vintage presents the Girardin family's dedication to meticulous, hands-on wine crafting. The producer, operating from Puligny-Montrachet, has expertise spanning thirteen generations and cherishes its intimate connection with every vineyard plot. The wine reveals the unique expression of Batard-Montrachet, one of the most exalted Grand Cru vineyards.

This 2021 single-vineyard Grand Cru is carefully vinified and aged for 18 months in pure French oak barrels, with an illustrative demonstration of precision and balance. The Pierre Girardin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2021 offers an opulent bouquet of white flowers, citrus aromas, and the merest hint of nutmeg. The palate demonstrates generous depth and complexity, with a long, refined finish. Captivating, elegant, and utterly unforgettable.

Vinous (97)

The 2011 Batard-Montrachet boasts serious richness, depth and structure. A wine of pure brawn and intensity, the 2011 impresses for its exceptional balance and harmony, but it is also very reticent and nowhere near ready to show the full breadth of its personality. The finish alone is simply sensational. Readers should give the 2011 at least a few years in bottle to settle down. The Batard is imposing, sensational and regal in every way.

Vinous (93+)

Pale yellow. Tangy aromas of ripe peach, ginger, clove and smoky minerality. Youthfully austere today, but showing lovely cut and finesse to the flavors of citrus fruit, crushed stone and flowers. With its penetrating acidity and outstanding density of texture, this extremely backward grand cru is almost bitter now and should be slow to unfold. Colin noted that his Batard vines did not suffer during hot, dry weather in August.

Vinous (95)

My evening began with Pierre Rovani handing me a glass of Ramonet’s 1992 Bâtard-Montrachet, which was an incredible wine with which to start the night. Served from magnum, it was deeply-colored and packed with fruit and sweet toasted oak notes, showing stunning length on the palate and extraordinary balance. In a word: awesome.

Burghound (94)

An exceptionally attractive and impressively complex white flower, spice and crushed herb aromas are trimmed in noticeable wood toast and lead to rich, nicely powerful and gorgeously detailed flavors of equally impressive depth and excellent finishing persistence. This is a really lovely if just shy of truly compelling Bâtard that is drinking well now though will continue to hold without difficulty in this format, indeed it should be capable of holding for another 20 years. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Vinous (88-91)

Exotic liqueur-like nose; in a slightly oxidative phase today. Dense and plump, with a captivating honeysuckle flavor. Shows good depth and power, not to mention length, but finishes with a trace of alcoholic bitterness. Still, Noel and I agreed that this, like the Ruchottes, is more typical for its site than most of his other 2003s. (Ramonet's Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet showed a more exaggerated nut skin character and was impossible to assess with confidence, while the impressively fat Le Montrachet was rather heavy as well as a bit tired. I will report on these wines next year after they're in bottle. ).

Vinous (96)

Ramonet’s 2004 Bâtard-Montrachet was another wine endowed with staggering energy, focus and brilliance. It was simply majestic.

Burghound (95)

Here the nose is firmly reduced so in the unlikely event you're interested in opening a bottle right away, be sure to give it 30 minutes or so of air and decanting it would be better still. Otherwise, there is slightly better underlying energy to the rich yet nicely detailed, even precise, middleweight plus flavors that also deliver impressive length on the bitter lemon-inflected finale. While this isn't as structured as it usually is, it's still going to need close to a decade if you wish to see the '19 Bâtard at its peak.