Reblochon Steals the Show

Producer: Various
Type: Soft Cows milk - washed rind
Origin: Savoie, France
Price: $13.95 to $31.50 each (various brands and sizes)
Weight: 240 gr - 450 gr
 
Description
Reblochon is an AOC cow's milk cheese from the Savoie in France.  The name Reblochon comes from the verb reblocher, which means "to milk again", or in the Savoyard dialect reblessa, which means "to steal, swipe or engage in thievery".  This is because Reblochon is made with the thicker, richer milk from the second milking.  We can thank the farmers of the 14th century for this technique.  At that time, their rent and taxes were partly paid with milk, cheese or butter.  Some farmers would not fully milk the herd.  Then the farmers would return to milk the herd at night for their own use.  This resulting second milking produced the rich, creamy milk that Reblochon is known for.

The cheese is made from the milk of Abondance, Montbeliard and Tarine cows.  Having AOC status since 1976, the regulations state that the milk must be brought to the place of production as quickly as possible after milking, and that renneting must be done within 24 hours of the last milking.  The cheeses have an affinage of two to four weeks from the date of production, during which they are turned frequently and washed with whey.  The brine stimulates growth of a thin crust.  The cellar must be kept below 61oF.  Cheeses marked by a red casein label on the rind are made on a more industrial scale, but cheeses marked by a green label are known as "Fermier" or farm made. 

The aroma of Reblochon is reminiscent of fresh milk and hay with slight herbal hints.  It has a creamy supple texture and a delicate, nutty taste.  It is a wonderful addition to a cheese course, or served melted over baked potatoes.  It is also the main ingredient for the recipe "Tartiflette", a Savoyard gratin made from the cheese, bacon, onions, cream and potatoes. 
 
Suitable Wine Types: Vin de Savoie / Riesling / Pinot Gris

89 Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Reserve 2005
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AB $20.99 private wine shops; BC $24.99 specialty listing; MB $21.95; ON $17.95 LCBO
The Reserve comes off the limestone-rich soils of the Beamsville Bench home to the oldest and lowest-yielding vines. Love the nose here very clean and fresh with lime rind and grapefruit flavours. Lovely weight (Pfalz-like) and texture, even at this young age. Very crisp finish that disguises the 10 plus grams of residual sugar. Well made.

89 Kim Crawford Dry Riesling 2003
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
AB $20.65 fine wine boutiques; BC $23.99 specialty listing
Winemaker Kim Crawford uses two Marlborough vineyards that ripen later and offering differing flavour profiles he can use to make this wine. Lots of petrol, Vaseline, orange, smoky, green apple skin nose. Round, elegant, fresh palate and balanced with juicy orange, red apple, Vaseline, lime and apricot flavours. Well balanced, crisp, juicy finish with some fruit intensity. Great wine.

88 Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Reserve 2004
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AB $20.99 private wine shops; BC $24.99 specialty listing; MB $21.95; ON $17.95 LCBO
The Reserve comes off the limestone-rich soils of the Beamsville Bench home to the oldest and lowest-yielding vines. Traditionally tight and firm when young it has a track record of opening up after three or four years to offer up mineral citrus fruity aromas and similar flavours spiked with grapefruit, lime rind and nectarine skin. Love the structure and firmness here. The finish is just off-dry.

88 Cono Sur Visión Riesling 2004
Bio-Bio Valley, Chile
CDN $18.99 retail
The Visión Cono Sur riesling comes off the gravel-base Quitralmán Estate in Bio-Bio. This is juicy fruity riesling with red apple and peachy fruit everywhere. Fresh ripe juicy wine with flecks of honey in the back end. This is vibrant, impressive Chilean Riesling that should turn heads in the export market.

88 Golden Mile Riesling Luckhurst Family Vineyards 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $18.00 winery direct, VQA wine shops
The first riesling we have tasted from Golden Mile shouts more. Love the fresh, citrus lemon fruit aromas with just a hint of honey and flecks of mineral. Winemaker Michael Bartier uses two German yeasts, ferments the grapes very cold and tosses in a pinch of muscat Ottonel to lift the fruit in what is a very well made wine with texture, weight and a lip-smacking fresh fruit finish. Bravo

88 La Frenz Small Lots Riesling 2005
Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.00 winery direct, restaurants
Ripe apple, honey, clover, peach, floral nose. Ripe, round, fresh palate with some sweetness but nice acidity. Baked pear, green peach, lime, mineral and floral flavours with a fresh, tart, fruity finish. Well made wine for food or sipping.

88 Pacific Rim Riesling 2004
Washington, United States
AB $16.95 private order - Calibrium 519.941.6864; BC $18.82 specialty listing
Very consistent from year to year now with its floral, slate, leesy, green apple skin aromas. It's drier than previous editions a la Austria perhaps but we love the fresh front end with the nectarine/green apple skin, slate-y petrol flavours. The finish is flatter showing slightly bitter lime rind. Very food-friendly.

88 Tantalus Riesling 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $19.90 winery direct, VQA and private wine shops
Inviting floral, orange, peach nose with baked pear notes and a minty, gooseberry streak. Round, full, fresh palate with lime rind, green apple, floral, green peach and mint flavours. Very crisp, lip smacking austere style riesling with a zippy finish that is near dry. Sophisticated styling for food. Well done.

88 Tantalus Riesling Old Vines Riesling 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $0.00 TBR spring '07
Mineral, floral, green apple skin, light Vaseline, peach pit aromas. Very dry, round, crisp and fresh with mineral, lime rind, granny smith, green peach and mint flavours. Very high acid, crisp finish that is a touch too austere at this point but shows very good aging potential. Will not be released until the spring of 2007. Better get on the list. No estimated price yet so check back we will post when someone let's us know.

88 Wild Goose Stony Slope Riesling 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $15.95 Speculative - Peacock and Martin
Very floral, perfumed, peach, ripe apple nose. Crisp acidity but somewhat sweet entry with floral, red apple, peach and citrus flavours with a very floral finish. Good style if a bit sweet and on the heavier style. This is somewhat more akin to Alsace than the winery's normal Germanic style. Continued solid quality.

87 Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Off Dry 2004
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AB $15.98 private wine shops; BC $18.99; MB $14.99; ON $13.95 LCBO
This fresh all stainless steel fermented riesling with a dash of residual sugar is as good as it gets for the price. In fact, the Ontario price is probably too low for the quality of this wine. Semi-dry it offers a mix of grapefruit with peachy/orange undertones and just enough mineral to keep it interesting. Should be perfect with a wide variety of spicy Asian dishes. good value.

87 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2005
Columbia Valley, Washington, United States
BC $15.99 specialty listing
Ste Michelle's so called 'everyday' riesling appears to be reaping some residual benefits from the Ernie Loosen / Stimson Lane Eroica project. Look for a fresh fruit nose that mingles pear and melon with a streak of mineral. Crisp and round the slightly off dry flavours of nectarine and green apple skin should make this perfect with spicy Asian dishes.

87 Deinhard Lila Riesling Brut Sekt N/V
Rheinhessen, Germany
AB $11.00; BC $13.99 specialty listing; ON $12.95
It's difficult not to like a sparkling wine that offers taste and style for such a small price, but that's what you get from the Deinhard Lila Riesling Brut Sekt. Its attractive floral nose melts into a dry, round, elegant, but taut, sparkler with green apple, petrol, slate, mineral, citrus and peach flavours. Weddings anyone? Or, try as a kir (with crème de cassis or raspberry liqueur).

87 Kim Crawford Small Parcel SP Bone Dry Marlborough Riesling Anderson Vineyard 2004
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
AB $20.65 fine wine boutiques; BC $23.99 special order - Vincor International
Vaseline, nectarine skin, floral, green apple, lime aromas. Very dry, clean, delicate palate with mineral, green apple skin, smoky, lime rind flavours. Crisp, dry finish. Much like a dry Kabinett.

87 Nk'Mip Cellars Riesling 2005
Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
BC $15.99 winery direct
Friendly open aromatic nose with red apple, nectarine, honey, floral mineral aromas. Very clean, crisp and fresh on the palate but not a lot of riesling character this year. A bit sweet but balanced and as usual fun to sip.

87 Paul Zinck Riesling 2004
Alsace, France
BC $19.45 speculative listing - Red Dog Sales & Marketing
Alsace riesling is always much drier in style than anything from across the border in Germany. The Zinck is particularly clean and dry with a floral, dried fruit nose. Very clean and fresh on the palate with a touch of oily citrus rind and pineapple. Four square and dry in the finish. Try with grilled fish.

87 Selbach Riesling Dry (Red Fish Label) 2005
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
AB $14.50 fine wine boutiques; BC $16.90 specialty listing
Big fresh, juicy clean riesling with hints of Mosel mineral and nectarine skin. It is very crisp on the palate with juicy green apple, white peach and spicy mineral flavours. Well structured with plenty of acidity and perfectly suited to a wide variety of foods. Love the screwcap here.

86 Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Off Dry 2005
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AB $15.98 private wine shops; BC $18.99; MB $14.99; ON $13.95 LCBO
Not quite as clean as the 2004 at this point but still sporting the same aromatics and that mouth-watering peachy mineral fruit flavours. I suspect this will progress in bottle. Try again in early 2007. Love the price. Should be perfect with a wide variety of spicy Asian dishes.

86 Cono Sur Riesling Limited Release 2005
Bio-Bio Valley, Chile
CDN $9.99 retail
Fresh bright simple fresh white wine that is stainless steel fermented. The Limited Release or entry level riesling boasts decent aromatics of fresh citrus fruit with alight mineral streak. Clean easy sipping white that delivers for the price. It's early days for Bio-Bio region but I'm sure you will hear more from this southern region.

86 Hawthorne Mountain Riesling 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
AB $12.99 private wine shops; BC $12.99 specialty listing, vqa and private wine shops
Open floral ripe red apple fruit nose with streaks of honey. The entry is fresh with mineral, nectarine skin and peachy citrus fruit flavours. A bit warm (alcoholic) but otherwise well made. It has many food possibilities or simply serve it solo on the patio.

86 Kendall-Jackson Riesling Vintner's Reserve 2005
California, United States
US $10.00 retail
Open round sweet fruit nose with apricot and peach aromas. Similar on the palate with sweet orange blossom dried fruits and spice. Winemaker Randy Ullom bolsters his mostly Monterey riesling with 9 per cent gewürztraminer and 8 per cent viognier. Serve well chilled with spicy Asian foods or serve solo as a patio-style sipper.

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