Lot 782 2017 Tuscany Rebo
This obscure offering might be the first time you’re hearing of Tuscany Rebo. That’s ok. Created in 1920, Rebo is a crossing of Merlot and Teroldego brought about via efforts to find alternatives to Merlot for regions where Merlot struggled to grow in Italy. The result was a wine with the best of both worlds; Teroldego’s intense coloring and tannic structure with Merlot’s velvety texture and overall goodness, quite literally, built to embrace the Italian soils.
Lot 782 comes to us from a long-established Tuscan estate with a knack for the local rarities and age-old natural vinification methods, complete with a well-travelled winemaker, trained in France and blessed with stints at some of the more well-known California houses before returning to their ancestral home in Tuscany. Mature fruit is hand harvested and immediately pressed before aging in French oak for a minimum of 12 months, resulting in an intensely fragrant, highly quaffable glass.
Intensely ruby on the pour, the nose of this Tuscany Rebo hints at plums, cherries, and blackberries over a bit of earthy Tuscan terroir. The entry continues the darker fruit notes over medium acidity accented by soft, round tannins and a beautiful note of spice. The finish is all barrel maturation; further spices kissed by oak with an overtone of vanilla essence that makes for great length while still retaining a dry character. Excellent on its own, it’d be a welcome accompaniment to any bacon-based dish (or any pork preparation, come to think of it).
Watch as Chris Lafleur, Sommeliers Creed for Cameron Hughes walks us through a tasting of this Tuscany Rebo.