Puligny - Les Combettes		1988	Dom. Leflaive

9/95. Acquired from England Aug-95 for $54 (imported for $65 net).
This 'super second' Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru by one of the best (B) winemaker accompanied Friday evening dinner. Dinner consisted of blinni-caviar for starters followed by veal in mustard and apricot served with roshti potatoes.
COLOR: Very beautiful golden yellow.
NOSE: Powerful bouquet of apples, minerals and spices. More forward than most P-M, but lacking the 'honey & butter' nose sometimes found in Meursault. Immensely satisfying aroma.
TASTE: A super-duper taste! Again, like an extremely successful hybrid of a good Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. Very elegant yet full of flavors. Not somber or reserved, yet not as 'fat' and viscous as Meursault. Steely tones combine with richness to make this wine extremely tasty.
LENGTH: Very long and complex aftertaste preserve the essence of the flavors long after the mouth is empty.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Doesn't feel like a hefty wine in spite of its 13.5% alcohol. Excellent balance between fruit, wood, acidity and alcohol. IMHO the wine is fully mature now as 1) there is no 'bitter end' sometimes found in '88 (B) and 2) though in perfect balance now, this wine lacks the extra acidity needed for long-term freshness.
OVERALL: A superb wine from a superb winemaker.
MARK: 18+/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.