Leflaive appoints new leader

Shareholders at Domaine Leflaive have announced Brice de La Morandière as the Burgundy estate’s new manager following the death last month of Anne Claude Leflaive.

r Brice de La Morandière

Representing the fourth family generation to run this highly regarded white Burgundy domaine, 50-year-old de La Morandière is the son of Anne Claude’s first cousin and great-grandson of founder Joseph Leflaive.

The Puligny-Montrachet estate’s new director brings with him a more corporate perspective, having spent 27 years managing multinational companies, including as CEO of Sperian Protection, which makes protective clothing, and his current role as CEO of Hyva Group, a manufacturer of hydraulic mechanisms.

Despite this business background, de La Morandière maintained: “I have always kept my roots in Puligny-Montrachet and in our domaine, participating in its major events, contributing to our board of directors and renovating a new family house in the village.”

Announcing the board’s decision, he pointed to a continuation of the biodynamic approach implemented by Anne Claude, saying: “We will continue with the same family philosophy of respect for the great ‘terroirs’, humility towards the forces of nature and rigorous in our relentless pursuit of excellence in wine making.”

The appointment sees de La Morandière take charge not only of Domaine Leflaive but its subsidiaries, including SCE Joseph Leflaive, which owns vineyards in the Mâconnais.

Looking ahead, he commented: “I am very excited about this new step in my life, enabling me to share my passion for wine with all our customers and enthusiasts of the great whites of Burgundy.”