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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.8 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 206 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jlm on 5/11/2024: This is drinking well, fully ready to go on the palate, leaning a little lower in acidity than some vintages but still fresh. Nice round fruit on the palate, velvety texture, and nice finish with berry fruit and soil. (283 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 12/16/2023 & rated 94 points: Delicious black berry, minerals, and forest floor notes on the open nose and savory palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. From Magnum. (842 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 12/10/2023 & rated 90 points: Not quite sure what to make of this. Quite austere and stemmy. Not really giving even after an hour of air. Starting to lose energy as well. Similiar to other notes this hasn’t aged as well as one would expect (828 views) | | | Tasted by jlm on 9/3/2023: I decided to open this after seeing dbkitc's worrisome note yesterday, and I'm happy to report an entirety different and better experience. On initial opening and for about the first hour, the aromas were red-fruited and sweet -- raspberry and strawberry -- but a little simple. After some air, however, the nose developed a much more intriguing profile, with chalky earth underpinned by blackberry. The palate is fleshy and round with some oak gloss to the texture. It's low in acidity by Rhys standards, and the tannins are fully resolved. A lengthy finish carries this through nicely. This seems to be in its prime drinking window now and was a pleasure. (1227 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 9/2/2023 & rated 72 points: Boy, this wine is a huge disappointment. I loved bottles tasted years ago on release - but I think I blew it - based on this bottle it has not aged well at all. This wine is soapy, green mean and devoid of anything pleasant. I don’t see any flaws. It’s just totally fallen apart. What happened ? No idea but avoid. (72 - onlly because there are no obvious flaws. 50 from a pleasure standpoint ) (1212 views) | | | Tasted by davudvl on 8/29/2023 & rated 92 points: Old world style (1244 views) | | | Tasted by AJBurt on 4/14/2023 & rated 94 points: Prime time for this. Wonderful acidity that keeps all that fruit in check. There’s some earthiness, mushroom, licorice, and wet slate.
Rhys once again proving that their wines reward time in bottle. (1318 views) | | | Tasted by Kloseframe on 3/20/2023 & rated 94 points: Wow. This is still going strong. Opened well over a few hours. Better still on night two. It's rich and flavorful - lots of spice, earth and mineral. I have had Rhys syrah and Rhys chardonnay, but this is my first pinot experience. I have to say, I get it now! Drink up, if you like, but no rush on this one. (1431 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 6/8/2022 & rated 94 points: Another delicious bottle still drinking beautifully with similar tasting note to previous bottles! Delicious black berry, minerals, and forest floor notes on the open nose and savory palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. (1839 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 6/2/2022: Tasted over 2 hrs
-saturated med dark red
-exuberant sweet stem spice violets rhubarb faint maturity
-med/med- acidity, med/med- weight a bit diffuse with some faded though still quite sweet red fruit and notes of eucalyptus licorice and tar, med- tannins and a bit of sweet oak on the long finish
-nice marriage of ripe yet mature new world pinot fruit and stems and well-integrated oak, overall works pretty well but the palate is not nearly as pretty balanced or complex as the aromatics; similar to a bottle 4 years ago but with less fruit (1716 views) | | | Tasted by jlm on 12/3/2021: Dark ruby color, with a hint of magenta at the rim still. Effusive nose of sweet fruit notes: black raspberry, cherry, with some rhubarb emerging. This was very attractive, if not particularly complex or showing interesting savory elements. The palate is medium-full bodied, fresh but a little on the low side for acidity, and has some nice bottle sweetness at this stage. The finish is not especially long. I found this very nice but not great, not as complex and delineated as a recent '07 Alpine PN. (2350 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 11/7/2021 & rated 88 points: Purchased on release, and according to my records, the first bottle I've tried from this vintage. In all honesty, this was a bit of a disappointment, particularly at this price point. I own a lot of Rhys (almost 400 bottles in inventory...thanks CT), dating back to 2004, and on the plus side, they really seemed to hit their stride beginning around 2012. But the early years are a bit hit-and-miss in terms of ageability. This showed rich boysenberry, black cherry and brown sugar flavors, but was a bit fat and unbalanced, and the high stem inclusion is still not quite integrated. Fell apart by day 2, which leaves me a bit pessimistic about its future. My wife, who usually likes this style of pinot, was also not impressed. (2338 views) | | | Tasted by Charlie Carnes on 10/13/2021: This is super tasty tonight. It’s pretty dark and saturated in color, with dark fruit but with light body. It has dark earth and strong earth mineral traits. It’s quite crunchy, if I can borrow the term… I really liked it! (2445 views) | | | Tasted by jbaron on 10/1/2021 & rated 94 points: The slight reticence that this wine exhibits in the nose is more than compensated for by the velvet, liquid mouth and the incredible length.
Didn’t need any decanting. (2096 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 3/18/2021 & rated 89 points: -- decanted 1.5 hours before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours --
NOSE: high-toned; dark red fruits; a bit earthy; now some tertiary aspects, too.
BODY: slight bricking throughout; dark ruby color; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: medium to medium+ strength note of sweet oak; red-fruited; a touch bitter; hint of stony mineral; seems to be thinning out. Drink Now.
50, 5, 12, 15, 7 = 89 (2643 views) | | | Tasted by dbermanmd on 2/14/2021 & rated 93 points: Amazing wine.
Great nose.
Delicious fruit.
Strong backbone.
Drinking perfectly now, and no doubt for years to come.
Enjoy. (2202 views) | | | Tasted by Jon Mills on 12/30/2020 & rated 94 points: Great Pinot. Lovely balance. Drinking beautifully. (2039 views) | | | Tasted by xwine on 12/18/2020: Very spicy nose, then develops some coffee notes (which I'm not wild about, though it's never over the top or intrusive). This is full on the palate, expansive, deep dark fruit, and is very well balanced. While it's not a "big" wine, it is fairly richly textured. I prefer a more elegant style (think Skyline or Swan Terrace), but this is still a very nice pinot! Seems to have a number of years ahead of it, so I don't think there's any rush to drink up. Riedel Burgundy stems. (1878 views) | | | Tasted by bobdobilina on 12/5/2020 & rated 91 points: World of Pinot Noir Tasting (13 Pinots from Burgundy, Germany, New Zealand, Oregon and California); 12/5/2020-12/6/2020 (Zoom): Mid and slightly cloudy currant color.
Expressive nose of sassafras, cherry and baking spices.
The (red and black) fruits are showing quite sweet here. There's a good amount of spice and a bit of noticeable oak. The palate is very long. (2266 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 10/22/2020 & rated 88 points: -- cork pulled one hour before initial taste; decanted immediately before first taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours --
NOSE: very expressive; warm red fruits; hint of cola; rhubarb; crushed raspberry; smells pleasantly moderately aged.
BODY: dark ruby color with slight bricking; color is of medium depth; medium-light to light bodied.
TASTE: good acidity; hint of leather/funk; seems to be thinning-out a bit; non-descript baked red fruits --- seems a bit past peak, surprisingly; lightly tannic; 13.3% alc. noticeable a little; the Nose makes promises the Palate can't keep; I see this as already on its downslope. Drink Now.
50, 5, 12, 14, 7 = 88 (2044 views) | | | Tasted by Tree512 on 9/12/2020 & rated 92 points: Ripe red fruits - very similar to 2005 Gevrey Chambertin with loads of power yet to unfurl with CA density. Has some earthiness on the nose to add complexity. Still has some tannin so I think this will round out but tasty now. (2142 views) | | | Tasted by Schwarzer Hund on 6/27/2020: Dark ruby red, little aroma upon opening but after an hour in decanter dark berry notes started to appear (2-3 hours airtime probably better), dense dark berry and plum fruit, some spice and mineral, smooth tannins, perfect balance, med-long finish. The first of these that we had tried. This was a terrific bottle and indicates that patience was needed. Will try another bottle in a couple of years. (2465 views) | | | Tasted by azb on 6/25/2020 & rated 93 points: Probably at peak, but I expect to hold well for at least 3-4 more years. Needs decanting. (2430 views) | | | Tasted by mdefreitas on 5/28/2020 & rated 93 points: This was fantastic. Accessible, but still has miles to go. Dark fruits, baking spices and underbrush. Grippy, bright and long. Very nice intensity, yet not too heavy. Good future here. (2472 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 5/27/2020 & rated 90 points: Rhys Alpine Virtual Tasting (Planet Earth): In vertical. I found the 2009 and 2010 to be very similar, both rich and ripe with lots of density, just finishing a tad warm. (3447 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Rhys Producer website2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine VineyardAs in 2008 this is one of our most promising wines and we again chose to blend the hillside component into the Alpine blend. This bottling showcases all of the hallmarks of Alpine Pinot: iron-laden wild black and red fruits, distinct spice and floral elements with a characteristic dry chalky minerality on the finish. While approachable now with air, this is a wine that should mature gracefully for the next 7-10 years.Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Alpine Vineyard On weinlage-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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