Rebourgeon

Keith Levenberg

Keith Levenberg
Promising young (very young) Burgundy talent via Fass Selections:

Michel Rebourgeon 2019 Beaune 1er Cru Chouacheux
I don't think I've ever had a Chouacheux from anyone besides Jadot before, where it makes a really deep, characterful wine that would probably get more attention if it were easier to spell and pronounce. This one is also quite a rich style but fruitier than Jadot, opening with super-fresh, primary, just-crushed flavors with a cranberry-like zing and segueing to overt jammy sur-maturite over the course of the bottle. I preferred it in the former stage (the latter reminded me more of a 2018 than a 2019) but it was nice for the price nonetheless and it could get better if it mellows out. B, or B+ if taking price into consideration

Michel Rebourgeon 2019 Pommard La Vache
Terrific Pommard from vines planted in 1902 which are among the very oldest vines in Burgundy it's possible to get bottled by themselves. They are clearly now being put to good use at Rebourgeon and this is more than worthy to be put alongside other members of the genre like the centenarian Perrieres at Launay-Horiot or Pillot's Clos St Jean. This opens with fresh berry aromatics with much of the initial zip of the Chouacheux, but somewhat more reserved and restrained and with serious muscular tannins and a crushed-rock minerality true to all the stereotypes of Pommard you'll read in the books. At the core the fruit is densely packed in that fashion that practically screams old vines / small berries / thick skins but it holds onto enough freshness and energy to rescue itself from austerity, and unlike the Chouacheux managed to avoid crossing the line into too-ripe. A-, or solid A if taking potential future into consideration
 
Gtk. I've been following Lyle's enthusiastic encomiums with interest, but the only Rebourgeons I've come across, from around 2015 or so, have been underwhelming. But these more recent ones are supposedly a cut above, thanks to the youngster who took over more recently.
 
A bottle opened a few weeks ago was corked which was disappointing especially since I dragged it to Montreal to find out that corked burgundy is a terrible match with raclette. But the reblochon was epic. No comment on availability, even in la Belle provence.

2019 arvelots tonight is pretty darn delicious but will improve for sure. Good spatburgunder!!

Speaking of...wasenhaus 2020 base spatburgunder is the shiznit. That is all.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Holy crap. It hadn't occurred to me that reblochon could be acquired in Canada. Might call for a weekend trip.

Well, the BYOB raclette place had it on the plate which sent me into hard search mode but I could not find it at retail.

But La Raclette is highly recommended by this crew.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
... more than worthy to be put alongside other members of the genre like the centenarian Perrieres at Launay-Horiot...

Are you a fan of the Launay-Horiot Perrieres? Is it a wine for aging? I've tried a few bottles of the 2016 in recent months. I know not the prime time for drinking, but I wanted to see what it was like. Actually quite enjoyable, nothing too awkward, but wondering if it kicks into other gears with more age.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Holy crap. It hadn't occurred to me that reblochon could be acquired in Canada. Might call for a weekend trip.

not sure where you live, bu reblochon is certainly available in america.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Holy crap. It hadn't occurred to me that reblochon could be acquired in Canada. Might call for a weekend trip.

not sure where you live, bu reblochon is certainly available in america.

hmmm. . .on further reading, they say that reblochon is not available in the u.s. it is by AOC made from raw milk, and apparently is less than 60 days old when ready for sale. and yet i am certain that i have seen reblochon served.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Holy crap. It hadn't occurred to me that reblochon could be acquired in Canada. Might call for a weekend trip.

not sure where you live, bu reblochon is certainly available in america.

hmmm. . .on further reading, they say that reblochon is not available in the u.s. it is by AOC made from raw milk, and apparently is less than 60 days old when ready for sale. and yet i am certain that i have seen reblochon served.

Pretty sure it used to be available, but off limits now for more than 10 years. But ok to bring back from a trip.
 
Correct. Reblochon has been banned in the US for awhile, could be nearing 20 years now. For awhile it was possible to get Abbaye de Citeaux as a worthy substitute, then Murray's (who had the exclusive on it) stopped getting it for whatever reason. The closest thing to Reblochon you can get here is domestic Oma, which is excellent, but not close enough.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
... more than worthy to be put alongside other members of the genre like the centenarian Perrieres at Launay-Horiot...

Are you a fan of the Launay-Horiot Perrieres? Is it a wine for aging? I've tried a few bottles of the 2016 in recent months. I know not the prime time for drinking, but I wanted to see what it was like. Actually quite enjoyable, nothing too awkward, but wondering if it kicks into other gears with more age.
Can't say for sure how it will age as they have only been making it a few years and I don't think they separated out the Centenaires for the first few. But the plot of vines was under the Boisset umbrella for awhile where Pascal Marchand used it to make a Perrieres Vignes Centenaires under the Raymond Launay and Charles Vienot labels in 2002. That was an epic wine and still is.
 
I did find a thing called brebichon at fromagerie Atwater. It’s apparently a Quebec cheese and was very nice, if not reblochon.
 
originally posted by mlawton:
I did find a thing called brebichon at fromagerie Atwater. It’s apparently a Quebec cheese and was very nice, if not reblochon.

calling it brebichon makes it sound like they are hinting at it being a sheep milk cheese, (brebis = sheep). reblochon is a cow's milk cheese, so that could be the source of the cheese being a whole different thing.
 
BTW, Reblochon is considered a cheese at its best in late spring and summer, and its worst in winter. Indeed, advice on cheese shops in France usually says not to patronize ones that stock Reblochon in winter.
 
Uh, yeah, this went in the wrong direction.

But to summarize my earlier points:
I had some good wine and a corked wine. All 3 bottles were Pinot Noir from different places in Europe.
La Raclette in Montreal is a BYOB Raclette and Pierrade restaurant that was a big hit.
La Raclette put Reblochon on the plate for our dinner. It was very, very good.
I tried to find more at retail in Montreal but was unsuccessful.
Brebichon is a Quebec cheese that I found at Atwater market, it was also a nice cheese.

No names were changed to protect the innocent or guilty and past performance does not indicate future results.
 
originally posted by mlawton:
Uh, yeah, this went in the wrong direction.

But to summarize my earlier points:
I had some good wine and a corked wine. All 3 bottles were Pinot Noir from different places in Europe.
La Raclette in Montreal is a BYOB Raclette and Pierrade restaurant that was a big hit.
La Raclette put Reblochon on the plate for our dinner. It was very, very good.
I tried to find more at retail in Montreal but was unsuccessful.
Brebichon is a Quebec cheese that I found at Atwater market, it was also a nice cheese.

No names were changed to protect the innocent or guilty and past performance does not indicate future results.

You're just a soul whose intentions are good.
 
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