- Darwin Discovered 12 Distinct Species in the Galapagos
- There Are 27 Premier Crus Within Pommard
- And They Are All Different
- Rebourgeon's Style is Perfectly Suited to Understand The Distinct Climats within Pommard
Our New Burgundy Prodigy
- Raised in the Vineyards
- His First Vintage at 18
- Amazing Wines at 18 Years of Age. 18.
- The French Have Bought Almost All of His Wines
- Style Is Polished Traditional: Less Rustic, Very Elegant, Amazing Fruit
You Will Want to Pop One of These at a Tasting in 10 Years when Whitehead is Famous ... And He Will Be
- These Wines Already Place Whitehead as a Top Producer
- And HE IS ONLY 19 YEARS OLD NOW
- His Upside Is One of the Top Producers in Burgundy. Full Stop.
2017 Domaine Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Charmots"
- From the Upper Part of Pommard (More Elegant Wines)
- High Toned Macerated Cherries, Glorious Spice, Minerality
- Stoney and Spicey and So, So Mineral
- Exuberant and Insanely Pungent
- Cherry Flower, Ripe Midseason Cherries
- Explodes on the Palate with Tiny Berry Fruit Intensity
- Intensely Sweet and Concentrated
- Can Age 20+ Years
- Under 31 Cases Made
2017 Domaine Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Arvelets"
- Slightly Larger Production: Fewer Than 41 Cases Made
- More Tannic and Structured then the Charmots
- Nose: Gorgeous Sappy Red Cherries, Loads of Spice, Ethereal/Layered
- A Floral Cornucopia - Truly Masterful/Incredible Florals/Pastilles
- Sappy Red Cherries, Raspberry Wild Strawberries, Cherry Flower
- Loads of Spice, Minerals
- Palate: Superb Fruit Denisty But Terrific Finesse and Elegance & Big Stoney Ripe Tannins
- Remarkable Depth, but So Linear and Pure
- Gorgeous Finish: Cherry Flower, Spice, Raspberry
- Drinking Now with a Decant - Will Age 10-15 Years / Will Be Better in 5 years.
Darwin's Finches and Pommard
We all know Darwin's theory of evolution and how he came up with it while studying the animal life on the Galapagos Islands. Specifically, he studied what turned out to be 12 distinct species of finches. The finches, while all finches, were highly specialized and had evolved so that they could survive in their particular niches. Of course, if I looked at them, I would just say that they were a bunch of birds, but I'm not an ornithologist.
Pommard is one of those regions that everyone thinks they know. The wines are big, burly, rustic and need 10-20 years before you can drink them. And of course, that is true ... for some of the vineyards. But not for many of them. I have been guilty of Pommardism (applying generalizations to the different climats) but I am learning by drinking through Rebourgeon's collection that Pommard has as much variety within it as any region in France. It's been great to drink them but also a fascinating journey of learning for me. I encourage everyone to buy at least a couple of bottles of each of the wines to compare now and at a future date.
William Whitehead, Today's winemaker, made these wines at the age of 18.
On my last trip, I tasted the four samples over two days and each bottle was brilliant. The kid is a genius. At 18. How could he do this? The style here is to die for as it really works well in the Beaune. You have glorious red/black cherry fruit and also unreal freshness, depth and length plus a keen reflection of the site the wine comes from. I can unequivocally say they need to breathe and all my samples were remarkable after 3 hours open and after 24 hours open. The murderer's row of Pommard 1er Crus is stunning at this estate and since I only have tasted four wines so far, I will taste the rest when I have them sent to me in Germany this summer. But the four I tasted were insane. With Pommard, you get the density and fruit of Pommard but these are not old school wait 15 years Pommards. They can be enjoyed young with a decant.
OK - these wines can compete with some of the most experienced winemakers in Burgundy ... and THE WINEMAKER WAS 18 WHEN HE MADE THEM. Yes - I am using caps but for a reason.
Most great winemakers are halfway decent at 25 or so and really hit their stride at maybe 35.
After tasting through more 2017s I can confidently say Williams's style is like Billard-Gonnet, our old Pommard producer crossed with Hervé Murat, who was our first Burgundy producer. Rebourgeon has the finesse, polish and elite high toned delicacy of Hervé Murat, the somewhat similar holdings to Billard-Gonnet and also that intense mineral drive that those classically styled old school Pommards had.
You know that you will want to pop one of these in 10 years when Whitehead is famous and you can say that he made this at the age of 18.
Up first is the 2017 Michel Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Charmots" for $65.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. The Rebourgeon wines are still insane value. It's the perfect combo and it really comes together in this Charmots. Located just north of the village of Pommard this 1er Cru is in the upper section of Pommard known for its most elegant expression of Pommard. Wines on the other side of the road that separates the north and south are more muscular and dense like Rugiens Bas for example.
Soaring nose. Gorgeous. Wow. Super high toned macerated cherries, glorious spice and minerality, amazing cotton candy, just an outrageous nose. Stoney and spicey and so, so mineral. Just exuberant and insanely pungent. A stand on your chair to smell this wine. Some smoke, game and leather as well. So transparent. Cherry flower, ripe midseason cherries. A 9.5 on Delectable just on the nose.
Palate is incredible and loaded with sweet fruit and florals. Such thunderous and elegant fruit. Gorgeously defined end ephemeral cherries. Such flavor intensity. Wow. Just explodes on the palate with tiny berry fruit intensity. So so well made. This is incredible. Intensely sweet and concentrated but remains so so fine and so so elegant. This is so good. It has that sense of nobility that only the top Burg 1er Crus give. Such wonderful ripe tannins and exquisite energy and freshness. Top class. Nothing I love more than an elegant Pommard 1er Cru. Drink now through 2040. This will age but I don't see it shutting down.
Next up is the 2017 Michel Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Arvelets" for $65.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. Les Arvelets is relatively small at 8 hectares but does border the above Les Charmots but could not be more different. This is the steepest vineyard in the appellation and the soil is rich in iron oxide, alluvium and silt. It also has Clos des Verger as a neighbor which is a very fine and rare site that our old producer Billard-Gonnet made as well. Arvelets means "Ancient French Field." So different from the Les Charmots.
Nose is more ethereal and layered. Redcurrant, blackcurrant, soil tones and so complex. Cherry and cherry flower but it is so lacey and nuanced. Gorgeous. Incredible florals. Pastille. Sweet raspberry. Just stunning. So delicate. Some BBQ and smoke as well. After some air the nose is crazy. Such detail. On day 2 it was even better. nose is stunnng. Ethereal, layered, stoney and superbly complex.
Palate has a painfully sweet intensity and incredible concentration yet remains light on its feet. Gorgeous purity and wonderful ripe tannins. Wow the freshness in this wine is off the charts. This is more tannic than the Charmots and will need some time in the cellar. Maybe 3-5 years. On day 2, palate is juicy, intense and wow what tiny berry fruit intensity. Sweet with insane freshness and density. So pure, and mineral. What a wine.
So long and what a stoney finish. Awesome. Amazing intensity and sweetness. This wine might be the better of the two down the road, actually it will be but it needs patience for It to reveal all its secrets as the Charmots is more friendly and effusive today. Both incredible wines.
2017 Michel Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Charmots" - $67.99 ($263.96 4-pack) (*Including Tariff of $7.68)
2017 Michel Rebourgeon Pommard 1er Cru "Les Arvelets" - $67.99 ($263.96 4-pack) (*Including Tariff of $7.88)
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