Wow really good last bottle. One hour decant and this was excellent last bottle with grilled pork chops. Tasty fruit/cherry and spice, in the well done Rhys style
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Stood up for 1 week. Decanted off fine sediment for 1 h in morning. Back into bottle for evening tasting. Took another 1.5h to open up. Nice, seamless aromas of stems, bark, earth, herbs, some sous bois, and red cherries. Palate is still tight. Tart cherries, stems, lots of herbs, minerals, bark and a bit of earth. Excellent acids on a medium( body. Mild tannins. Nice savory finish. This is nice but it's still tight and coiled on the palate. I'll open the next bottle in 3-5 yrs. 91+
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My final bottle of this wine, last had it about 4 yrs ago. Enjoyed abut 1/3 bottle on nite 1, then the other 2/3 on day 2. I thought this wine was on the downhill on the first nite, showing some slight stewed black and blue fruit notes on the palate. On the 2nd day, there was a burnt rubber note (Seth R called it a "greenness" that dominated the wine). I find it is a bit distracting, but the wine is so pretty, the obvious pedigree shines through. Moving to more black and blue fruits, with notes of tea leaves, cinnamon, and brambly wood/stems. There is a nice acidity, with resolving finely grained tannins, and good grip on the solid finish. I would drink this one up right now, give it a decant and let it settle in.
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Hour decant and this was superb. Smooth cherry, black tea, some tobacco notes Most excellent with grilled wild sockeye salmon w/ my special rub(lotsa brown sugar) Prime time Drink up
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Took this to dinner at Fawn. At first I really liked this - the fruit was great with exuberant and complex red-blue fruits: raspberry & blackberry, along with some nice spice. A back note of the classic Rhys stemmy-green-herbal. The herbal note was more prominent on the palate but still in check. But with time the green stemmy note grew on the nose and palate until it dominated. Ok on the nose but the palate was bitter with it. Still drinkable but it was just too much. Early on it was probably a 16-16.5/20 but it settled into a 13-14/20.
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At the age of 13, the tastes are fairly resolved and the nose is good. I wish, though, that the mouth was a little less acidicly tart, and perhaps softened a bit by some lightly soft tannins rather than the slightly sharply aggressive ones here.
Still, a nice drink, if a bit tart.
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This paired beautifully with a pork chop. Bouquet of dark cherry with a deft oak touch, and some funk. On the palate an intense but at same time delicate cranberry, with strawberry and sour raspberry. Long aftertaste.
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Showing some age now, garnet and bricking around the rim, sous bois alongside the tangy dried red fruits, still cranberry tones, plenty of acidity and freshness and a very long finish. this is fully mature now
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Opened and decanted. Saved half in a 375ml bottle. Dark ruby color. Nose offers a dark fruited profile with tones of forest floor and dried herbs. Some dried tangerine peel as an accent. Intro on the palate is a tangy cranberry, strawberry note. Lively and fresh with acidity and touch of macerated red berries. Quite enjoyable.
I have previously found a crunchy fresh cranberry note to the Rhys Alpine pinots when opened young (4 years or less from vintage). This with its 12+ years of age, shows some darker woodsy elements. The cranberry is still there - just more like a dried cranberry.
Following day - enjoyed the balance in the 375ml bottle. I had also saved some in the original bottle and refrigerated. The 375ml retained the fresh light re berry touch. The wine that was exposed to air for a longer period showed a darker black fruit profile. For me, I preferred the fresher, lighter, red berry style.
Quality Cork; branded with vintage and vineyard. 13.7% abv.
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Dinner at Irene's: Lots of berries and well-balanced with acid. After about 45 minutes in glass that seemed like it was becoming sharp and maybe falling apart. That lost it 1 point in my book, and a bit sad that these Rhys pinots take a long time to mature yet quickly nose dive, at least this one.
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A Mix at Irene's (Irene's House, St. Paul): Murky Medium plus red color. PNP, drank a glass over 75 minutes. Tart cherry, red currants, cranberry nose. The palate is ripe but sour red fruits, sour chranberry, sour cherry; a bit much.
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-- decanted approx. 30 min. before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 3 hrs. --
NOSE: expressive; moderately aged red berries, and a healthy dose of bottle funk; high-toned; flip-flops between aromas of cherries and purple berries.
BODY: garnet color with medium-light bricking throughout --- color is of medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: high acidity; medium-light oak; straddles red/purple berries line; tastes moderate aged; very light earthy/aged fruit funk (not brett); no tannin; medium+ concentration of fruit flavor; background hint of strong mineral. Strikes me as being in its prime drinking window. Drink Now.
50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = 92
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Is in its drinking window, sadly my last bottle as its the best one yet. PnP. Very aromatic with cherry, cranberry, earth, pencil shavings, spice, cedar, earth and dried herbs. The palate leans more toward cherry, pomegranate, earth, slight herbal, spice and plum, Medium body. Long, silky smooth finish. Should hold for many years.
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Delicious black berry, mushrooms, and forest floor notes on the open nose and savory palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. Drinking beautifully!
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This is what we were waiting for - pencil shavings and black pepper, pomegranate dropping into a touch of plum. This has evened out nicely. Plenty of energy and no rush, but strikes me as mature. No comment as to whether this is “unmistakably CA”, or as to whether that matters… to me, this is very good Pinot in a relaxed, mature, possibly-peaking fashion. And it gives me confidence to continue aging Rhys.
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Unmistakably California showing ripe flavors with dark fruits. The wine is at the beginning of a long peak. Drink now over the next ten to fifteen years. California fans should love this wine.
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Beautiful, elegant and restrained. All elegant forest floor and fall leaves on the nose, dark black raspberry, not red fruit really, maybe some dusty cherry if that. Blood orange, tobacco and mushroom. Delicious!
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PnP. Medium dark red. Unusual nose of pine/wood shavings, dark fruits, and spice. Medium weight on the palate with nice balance and some awkward acid and tannins on the finish. I have a checkered history with this wine and just don't know what to make of it. Will wait on last bottle but not optimistic.
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Tasted over 2 hrs and day 2 -med dark red mild edge clearing -rhubarb spice -med acidity, med/med- weight rhubarb spice red fruit takes on medicinal note on day 2, med/med- tannins -nice complexity, ready to drink now
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Decanted and drank over 2hours w roast chicken. Red and some blue fruits, medium body, fresh. Excellent balance of ripe Cali fruit and the femininity that makes Pinot special. Bravo!
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Great bottle... probably as good as a Cali Pinot can be. Lots going on and still seemed youthful will plenty of energy and structure to go another 10 years sideways. Lots of dark red berries amd a touch of plum skin, in a bit of stemmyness framework - with a beautiful mouthfeel. Presented itself in a strong very full way with a long finish.
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My 3rd of 4 and it is at a perfect place. It has richness and dark fruit flavors with a lusciously long finish. There is nothing negative to say except the cork broke.
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Final bottle, and as luck with have it, this appears to be beginning its preferred plateau. Fresh and full, with broad, and deep, flavors that tend to the dark red spectrum. Very good balance, elegance+, long finish, etc. Should easily continue to drink at this level for another 5+ years. Wonderful. 12,7% abv. highly recommended
Awesome. 2 hour decant. Then consumed over 2 nights. Cedar and strawberry on the nose. On the palate, dark cherry, strawberry, minerality, hint of herbs (? oregano), orange zest, and fine tannins. Long finish and good acidity. The second night, I got a bit of a stemmy note that wasn’t really present the first night - maybe because the wine was a bit colder after spending the night in the refrigerator.
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Very similar to my previous bottle. Forest floor, with a faint nod to vegetal elements, tart cherry and cranberry. Relaxed, not showing much spine. A good wine.
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Showing some age, slight bricking at rim. Nose was Cali cake spice , but wine presented more burg like. On the lesser side of sweet, mature berries. Some notes of soy, tea and damp earth. I think this bottle is at peak or passing it.
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With ham steak, sweet potato. Deep, rich ruby. Really lovely nose, dark fruit, cherry & more. Medium weight, mouth watering acid. Really nice wine, good length and great finish.
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Deep ruby, cloudy. Pungent spice, menthol, red fruit, and floral notes on the nose. Medium bodied on the palate with good presence, slight astringency on the finish.
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Great Rhys. Soaring, clean Pinot fruit on the nose and palate, which has layers of dark and red fruit. This has some Christmas spice and definitely has a touch of sweetness, but it's really quite delicious. This is probably near peak.
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Absolutely delicious. Show stopping. Bought directly from winery.
Four wine people for dinner that night. It was The Wine of the Night. Other bottles opened: Anderson's Conn Valley Eloge '11 Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon '12
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Cloudy appearance. Open from the moment the cork was pulled. Showed a bit of green and herbaceousness on the nose, and while “interesting” not sure I found it “good”. Dark cherry favors, even a hint of cola. Spice notes add depth. Long finish. Typically I find the alpine bottles to be very pure and focused—didn’t get that impression on this bottle. Less impressed than my bottle last year.
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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.
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PNP and aromatic. Cherry, cranberry, spice, cedar, earth and dried herbs. Medium body. Silky smooth. I was surprised at the amount of sediment this threw. Finally hit its drinking window, no hurry.
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Slightly corked. On a bad streak as this is the second corked wine in a week. There was a whiff of wet cardboard when I pulled the cork, the nose seems a bit muted, and there are some cardboard flavors on the palate too. Too bad because there are some lovely black fruit aromas/flavors with forest floor, eucalyptus and spice notes.
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Drinking well on P&P. Not earth shattering but a quality pinot for sure. Mature fruits, some earth and adequate acidity. These wines will last a long time in a cool cellar.
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cherries dipped in brine. Very tasty but has this touch of intrigue that dominates, almost to a fault as it is the predominant taste here. With proper air, the brine subsides. very pure cherry. excellent wine.
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Rhys @ My Place--Part 5 (My House In The South OC): From our Rhys tasting yesterday we did here at the house. We single blinded this wine alongside the 2010 Horseshoe. For the 2010 Alpine, I jotted down that I found the aromatic a bit fumey, which perhaps is tied into the alcohol, which for the Alpine was a full point higher than the Horseshoe (13.7 versus 12.7). Spicy cherry, a little meaty with a pretty texture. Like with the 2010 Horseshoe, I was not able to retest either 2010 today, as the leftovers went home with other people last night. Ultimately, I preferred the Horseshoe in 2010.
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-- I believe cork was pulled approx. 2 hours before tasting -- -- tasted single blind over approx. 20 minutes --
Nose was very expressive – loose – earthy red fruits with a light funky/cigar aspect. Some age apparent in the color, which seems premature to me. Light bodied and tight on the palate. 13.7% alc.. Too bad the palate didn't deliver on the promise suggested by the Nose. I wonder if this would have revealed significantly more to me in a setting where this wine was given the benefit of solitary focus. Excellent.
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Rhys Alpine/Horseshoe Tasting at Frank's (Frank Murray's Casa): Bagged but knew all but which vineyard was in which bag. Still quite grapey on the nose. This also showed a strong celery stems note. Again the Alpine was richer on the palate. This one showed some baking spice and wood notes. It also seemed simpler and a touch sharp. Almost sullen. This one also probably could have used quite a bit of air I'm guessing. Kind of brooding and really allowed the Horseshoe to steal it's thunder. But I wouldn't be worried. It seems like there is a good wine here that's just sort of sulking in how we woke it
On day one with an hour of air in bottle this seemed very odd. Not corked but definitely not on. Very menthol and other chemical notes. No fruit. Waited for a bit and had a glass that was improving but not amazing, put cork in and back in the fridge.
Two days later I went back and a totally different wine that is really nice. Red fruit, nice forest notes, resolved stems. Really nice. I suppose this means it means more time or a lot more air. Good stuff.
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1st of 2 bottles. On the nose, ripe and sweet red cherry fruit, followed by spicecake, cola, and wet leaves. The palate really separates this wine from a typical Cali PN, showing the upfront rich cherry and raspberry fruit, alongside earthy wet soil and brambly stems. There is an inner perfume that repeats again and again, filling the entire nasal cavity from the back of the throat, delivering more mineral and wet tree bark flavors to add complexity and depth. The tannins are still a bit chewy, yet finely grained, and there is perfectly moderating acidity to add a refreshing lift to the 45+ sec finish. This is a seriously delicious, complex and utterly complete PN from Rhys. At $73, it competes with Red Burgundies and is a re-buy for me.
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Uncharacteristic of most of the Rhys Santa Cruz Mountains pinots I've had, this had a strong nose of olives and blood, and was relatively dark and rich. There were some lifted elements of orange peel and fennel. Yet it almost read like something from Anderson Valley. Still delicious, but different.
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Only tasted on day 2. This came across a bit ripe. Red fruit, mushrooms, berries, and a bit of cheese notes on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with good acidity and more red fruit. Good finish. I don’t think this is a representative bottle. Was good nonetheless, but the nose seemed a bit off. I would rate the bottle ~91.
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The nose on this is different from earlier vintage Alpines, showing some definite sweet and ripe character. That comes across on the palate, this is the ripest of the 06-10 Alpines, and comes across a bit on the simple side as well.
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Aromatic with orange peel, spice, and mineral notes. Nice fruit notes on the palate but maturing—not as primary as expected. Strong length on the finish. Seems like a drink or hold. Really enjoy the poise and elegance of the Alpine bottlings.
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Dark red color, very floral nose mixed with black fruits (currant, blackberry, cherry), dense black fruit, mineral, a bit of spice on palate, good level of acid, tannins are almost noticeable but the finish is long and very smooth. A very precise wine with many years ahead still we think. Served with veal marsala It was tasty too! Wine was decanted 90 minutes before dinner and improved steadily over 3 hours to the last drop.
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Cranberry essence with some tasty rhubarb notes in there as well. Not big and syrupy like some RRV Pinots (which we like as well), but complex and somewhat understated which makes for a very interesting wine. Drinking great today though I do suggest a 1-2 hour decant.
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Perfume, red berry jam, seaweed and aged balsamic vinegar make for a big, complex wine. It's delicious right now, and I am not qualified to judge its aging potential, but if it holds it could end up being a profound and unique bottle. 4+
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Two of us remarked that this just might be the best Rhys Alpine we've had. Serious dark fruit under layers of minerals. Wish it had just a touch more acid, because after a while it seemed a bit heavy. But it was really good.
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Best Rhys in memory. Super-expressive nose and deep, brambly palate. Fresh and focused but with impressive breadth and length. Still primary and dominated by sweet fruit, but boy is this nice.
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Really coming into its own. Losing that California primary fruit and developing more complex notes of dark fruits, bramble and sous bois. Lovely nose, not Burgundy but transcends most New World efforts. Almost mature but I look forward to watching this develop over the next 5+ years. Love these Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards!!!
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Drinking very well right now although will last 5-10 years easy. Black cherry, strawberry, red plum, compost, mushroom, baking spices, fine chewy tannins, really nice balance. Very nice.
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Absolutely murdered the two 2010 burg it was against. When I first popped the cork I had a tiny taste and I thought naw. But hours of air and this turned into something really special. I understand the comparisons to burgundy but I really think this is just Santa Cruz mtns. Black tea, dark black fruit, forest floor, leaves. I can only compare it to arnot Roberts or mount eden and that makes sense. Still has 10 or more years. Lovely.
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Usually with Rhys, I wonder what people mean about them tasting "Burgundian;" they always taste like a (well-made) California pinot to me. This one, though, I could see the Burgundian take. Savory elements predominated: sous-bois and herbs, accompanied by tart cherry, cranberry and lingonberry. Texture and body were very good: not at all heavy, but firm and with enough concentration to avoid being light or watery. Consistent notes the first and second day. Excellent overall.
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Opened by WineSparty. This South facing mountain vineyard has Burgundian spacing (rows 6 ft. apart and plants every 4 ft.). Ruby color. A light to medium bodied Pinot Noir (lighter than I expected). This was the first time I have had a wine from this producer. More of a feminine style and elegant. Silky tannins with notes of bing cherries, chalk and smoky plums. You can tell the grapes come from cooler hillside fruit based on the style. Some salinity on the finish. Excellent. 94 points.
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PnP. Perfect cork. Day 1 - medium dark red. Spicy nose with whole cluster notes and a strong herbal tea component. On the palate this is still quite tannic and dominated by the herb/tea notes. Day 2 - bottle corked and kept at room temperature O/N. Nose a bit more subdued and a bit more fruit showing. On the palate this shows more depth and the herbal tea notes have diminished and integrated. Better now than day 1. This may need a good decant or a few more years.
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Pop and pour note after 2 hours. Earth and tea on the nose. Dark fruit on the initial palate finishing with a mineral and soy streak. A slightly fruit forward Vosne-Romanée? A really enjoyable wine that is approachable now and should have a long life ahead of it.
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PopnPour, tasted over 1.5 hrs and day 2 -opaque dark red faintest hint of clearing at edge -spicy rhubarb-y red fruit stems -med acidity, med/med- weight fading red-black fruit and soil tones somewhat medicinal quality and a mild spicy caramel oak signature on long finish with med/med- fine tannins, fleshes out with air -while it's not fair compare to a Burg I often do anyway as a frame of reference, and this has some features stylistically reminiscent of Meo-Camuzet
Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.7%. I can't recall if this was aerated or not but when it arrived, I put it into the lineup, joining a # of the other Rhys 2010s that were already being tasted. This seemed like a bigger styled wine, stem influenced with olive and game. Rich red and blue tones, kind of a fruit bowl quality. Reminds me some of the 2007 Alpine Hillside, with some syrah-like quality where the gaminess/complexity is on display. I should also note, for context of my 'richness' comment here, is that I tasted and wrote my note on this 2010 Alpine right after tasting the 2015 Bearwallow, which was a broader shouldered wine. That could have influenced how I 'read' this 2010.
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PnP. Perfect cork and fill. Medium red. Fragrant nose but with an odd note to it (bacon?). On the palate this is quite awkward/angular with a lot of stem influence and that bacon note again. Perhaps needs more air and more time or is quite possibly a bad bottle. Will wait and see tomorrow - reserving judgement. Although the bacon (brett? as one fellow wine person suggested) has faded,the wine is still out of balance with a dominance of stem-like flavors. There is underlying fruit but not appealing.
Pretty, expressive nose on this one. Lots of bright red fruit and spice. Drinking well now. I'll probably drink my other bottle over the next 2-3 years.
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Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Showing a lot of stems, not bad but it is in kind of a rough place now where the fruit is having a hard time integrating with the stems. Much better than a bottle tasted a few months ago that was downright unpleasant and overwhelmed by vegetal character, this bottle gives me hope that the fruit is slumbering and that it just needs time to come together.
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Wow, explosive aromatics leap from the glass -- spice, stemmy herbs, floral, smoke, are all intermixed with bright red cherry fruit. Palate is medium body with racy acidity. Poised and bright on the mid-palate. This is a really precise and sharply focused wine. Bright, layered, zesty finish. Excellent.
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Medium bodied Cali PN. Pomegranate and rhubarb flavors intermingle with a black cherry fruit base. There is a smoky, savory note interspersed that has become more prominent since the last time we tasted this. Maturing nicely.
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A freewheeling style that seems atypical of Rhys. Tart cherries and rhubarb. The fruit profile is wild, even extending to citrus. Lots of nutmeg and cinnamon. Typical pinot earthiness.
There is way more going on here than in the other Rhys pinots (and chardonnays) I have tasted. I prefer the purer, more elegant style of those other Rhys wines.
Unlike the last poster, I believe this wine is affected by brett. I'm curious what motivated him to say "no brett detected" given that no prior poster mentioned brett.
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Dark red. This was dark fruit, very complex, lots of earthiness and mushroom that really adds complexity to the multiple layers of fruit. Good acidity to make it pair well with food. Really good juice!
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Cloudy pale purple; ripe purple fruit and cherry syrup, earthy strawberry--pinot fruit for sure, but tasted this blind and thought of a leaner NW grenache being so ripe; good dusty dry tannins, good lift, and quite tasty actually, just seemed a bit over ripe for a balanced PN.
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Pop and pour, note after 4 hours. Intense nose of dark fruits, even a little cola. Fruit forward palate with a long finish. This seems to be one of the bigger Rhys pinots. Probably needs a few more years.
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Slow ox'ed 4 hrs. Gorgeous aromatics but the palate is still a small step behind. Rich red fruits, all-spice, cinnamon, soil, stems, and a bit of orange peel, with fresh integrated acid and a whisper of fine tannin. Attractive style. My first Rhys but certainly not my last. Drink or hold but delicious now.
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A very good balance between old world and new world PN. Spicy nose with fruits towards the back. In the mouth ripe cherry starts then the spices take over with a hint of mossy earth. Good tannin structure. This hold for another 4-6 years maybe longer.
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Delicious pinot with a lot of stuffing but also great balance and layers of flavor. Can't wait to see how this will evolve as it still has some time to go. Crushed cherries, flowers, herbs. Fascinating nose and nice finish.
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750ml; PnP; semi-opaque dark reddish-purple color, no bricking; fruit forward aromas of sour cherry with lots o' rhubarb upon opening, turning with time to darker cherry/berry flavors with spice and very slight vegetal. Flavors of cherry and berry cinnamon cola. Fruit forward but still light, not thick. Small light tannins and great acidity. Wait another few years on this baby.
Nose - very spicy. Nutmeg & rootbeer Mouth - spiced more than fruity and in fact went better when accompanied by spicy food. Per Ross ' it has an edge'. I was seeking purity of fruit and textural mouthfeel here and didn't find either. Perhaps I'm drinking this too young?
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Very darkly colored with notes of jasmine, spices and dark red fruits.
Plate generally follows the nose with a copious amount of dark red fruit with some plums coming through. Lots of spice with some orange rind and white flowers lurking in the background. The fruit is fairly ripe and reminds me a bit of 2006, but plenty of acidity keeps everything in check. Finishes medium+. While I dig the spice and complexity, the fruit is a touch too ripe.
This should improve over the next several years. If you have several checking in wouldn't be a crime, but recommend a hold.
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Pure California there is no mistaking it for anything else. Rich Fruit, with hints of cinnamon and a balance that is seemless. There is no not liking this a very nice effort and one that has a good 10 years left. This is approaching its peak and a downright delicious wine. Drink or hold... Enjoy!
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Death by Lobster (Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta): More open and a little richer than the 2007, but otherwise very similar, with plenty of dark fruit, some minerality, and a fair bit of the menthol I associate with Alpine Vineyard Pinot.
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Shows quite dense and dark on the first sip. However, after a couple of hours in the decanter the palate shows some of that whole cluster lift and the wine becomes more fun to drink. This shows to me as riper than other vintages of Alpine, and I will definitely be waiting awhile before opening my next bottle.
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Took a full 24 hrs after opening to come around but when it did it was glorious. Dense yet ethereal with a lot of structure and stemminess from the whole cluster. More toward the black than red fruit end of the spectrum. Needs time but great raw material here.
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decanted for several hours before consumption. deeply hued, there is bright raspberry and blackberry on the nose with subtle baking spice, violet floral notes, freshly cut pine and a streak of dusty minerality. on the palate there is fruit up front but the wine quickly pivots to a savory character. seems all wrapped up at this point and i think this still needs quite a bit of time in bottle to fully reveal itself.
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Full bodied style with plenty of ripe cherry flavors. Not as fruit forward as many Cali PN though, and this has a particularly fresh and crisp aspect about it. A consistently terrific producer in this region.
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Great nose of red fruit and spice. On the palate, I agree with the previous note that the wine is brawny with concentrated red fruit flavors and subtle spice. Wine has a silky texture. As much as I liked this wine it left me wishing it had some more zest; more acidity.
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Pop and pour. Enjoyed over 3 hours and re-corked last glass or so in the fridge. This is almost painfully young, at least texture wise. It's silky upfront but quickly transitions to a big wallop of dense flavors with robust structure and finishes a bit sour. Tasty, just brawny and untamed. Aromatics are stunning though. I loved a chalkiness that hovered above all the fruit. This is an interesting wine to drink right now but feels years away from balancing out into something special. I knew a hearty meal should have been it's partner, but home-made pizza with onions and black pepper was on the table and the wine didn't like the pepper. The next day it tamed down a bit, but was more interesting the first three hours on day 1, after which it seemed to shut down. I'm excited to see how this one turns out as the raw material is pretty serious.
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Wow, smoking nose of black cherry, evergreen, spice and herbs. Palate is medium rich with a deft balance. Savory with more herbs and spice. Great stuffing and already showing its potential.
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An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: Absolutely gorgeous and stunning nose of dark red fruits, rhubarb, wild flowers, fresh picked berries, spice tones, and raspberries. There is a lot of depth and style going on with a layered effect to the tones already.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity and silky, but noticeable tannins. The feel is polished and gorgeous with dark red fruits, rhubarb, wild flowers, spices, and raspberries.
Overall: This is a stunning young pinot. There is much room to grow, but also a ton here already. Given where it's at right now, I can only imagine where it will go from here.
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This one was a big, brawny pinot that was all about fruit at this stage. Started with forward notes of cran-raspberry and pine. Dark, sappy berry fruit eventually took over the fore complemented with exotic Asian spices; after a few hours, stems and a menthol note showed. Very young but still an enjoyable wine.
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Snow-Day Wines (Washington, DC): At first quite closed on the nose, but after an hour it opened and started showing tons of cherries, pepper, dried flowers and strong potpourri flavors, rose hips, lavender and sage. The palate shows crisp, refreshing acid, fine tannins and a pleasant amount of bright red fruit. Nice grip on the palate, but very clean. No vanilla cola here, this wine is more about the earth, herbs and fresh red fruit. Long, tangy finish. Delicious stuff, this Alpine Vineyard will improve for quite a few years.
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First bottle was spectacular but this bottle was affected by a good bit of reduction and no air or pennies could completely clear it. Nevertheless less it was enjoyable and the bottles shows good level of complexity that will show up with more cellar time.
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Very early to drink this one but in typical Rhys fashion it delivers. Limpid beet red color, on opening nose a bit closed but after a few hours revealing red cherry, mint and very well integrated oak. In the mouth the wine really stands out though with a great balance of tannin, acidity and fruit. Need to hide the rest in the cellar now for 10 years...
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Opened and poured, this wine gave an outstanding showing for its youthful, primary fruit. At this stage the wine seems somewhat one dimensional on the bouquet and palate; however there is sufficient underlying structure, acidity and tannins to balance the youthful fruit. The bouquet offers primary red and black fruits mixed with subtle spicy stem and stone notes. The medium bodied palate shows accessible fruit that will require a couple of years of additional bottle age to fully integrate with the underlying structure. This bottle seems somewhat like a barrel sample and based on this showing the wine will benefit an additional two to three years of bottle age.
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April 2012 Rhys Visit--Taste The 2010s (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): Listed alc of 13.6% with 66% whole cluster and 50% new oak. For me, this was the richest flavored of all the 2010s. Shows a black fruit, and a note that Alan Rath who was seated next to me called "meat juice". Pretty dead on descriptor. Some of the menthol from the stems is also in the palate. Finishes with a mineral tone and orange zest.
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3/29/2024 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow really good last bottle. One hour decant and this was excellent last bottle with grilled pork chops. Tasty fruit/cherry and spice, in the well done Rhys style
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3/15/2024 - James Kim Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stood up for 1 week. Decanted off fine sediment for 1 h in morning. Back into bottle for evening tasting. Took another 1.5h to open up. Nice, seamless aromas of stems, bark, earth, herbs, some sous bois, and red cherries. Palate is still tight. Tart cherries, stems, lots of herbs, minerals, bark and a bit of earth. Excellent acids on a medium( body. Mild tannins. Nice savory finish. This is nice but it's still tight and coiled on the palate. I'll open the next bottle in 3-5 yrs. 91+
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12/1/2023 - drrobvino wrote: 93 Points
My final bottle of this wine, last had it about 4 yrs ago. Enjoyed abut 1/3 bottle on nite 1, then the other 2/3 on day 2.
I thought this wine was on the downhill on the first nite, showing some slight stewed black and blue fruit notes on the palate.
On the 2nd day, there was a burnt rubber note (Seth R called it a "greenness" that dominated the wine). I find it is a bit distracting, but the wine is so pretty, the obvious pedigree shines through.
Moving to more black and blue fruits, with notes of tea leaves, cinnamon, and brambly wood/stems. There is a nice acidity, with resolving finely grained tannins, and good grip on the solid finish.
I would drink this one up right now, give it a decant and let it settle in.
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11/30/2023 - gesusser Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hour decant and this was superb. Smooth cherry, black tea, some tobacco notes
Most excellent with grilled wild sockeye salmon w/ my special rub(lotsa brown sugar)
Prime time
Drink up
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11/18/2023 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cherry, black tea and spice
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10/7/2023 - Seth Rosenberg wrote:
Took this to dinner at Fawn. At first I really liked this - the fruit was great with exuberant and complex red-blue fruits: raspberry & blackberry, along with some nice spice. A back note of the classic Rhys stemmy-green-herbal. The herbal note was more prominent on the palate but still in check. But with time the green stemmy note grew on the nose and palate until it dominated. Ok on the nose but the palate was bitter with it. Still drinkable but it was just too much. Early on it was probably a 16-16.5/20 but it settled into a 13-14/20.
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9/21/2023 - jbaron wrote: 91 Points
At the age of 13, the tastes are fairly resolved and the nose is good. I wish, though, that the mouth was a little less acidicly tart, and perhaps softened a bit by some lightly soft tannins rather than the slightly sharply aggressive ones here.
Still, a nice drink, if a bit tart.
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9/18/2023 - JRB1 wrote: 95 Points
This paired beautifully with a pork chop. Bouquet of dark cherry with a deft oak touch, and some funk. On the palate an intense but at same time delicate cranberry, with strawberry and sour raspberry. Long aftertaste.
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8/16/2023 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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7/25/2023 - Pinotfanbg Likes this wine: 89 Points
All the elements to be really good but a bit disjointed, with spikey acidity needing further integration. Will it ever get there?
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7/17/2023 - jjct Likes this wine:
Mature, drinking very well.
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6/24/2023 - kingkanu wrote:
Showing some age now, garnet and bricking around the rim, sous bois alongside the tangy dried red fruits, still cranberry tones, plenty of acidity and freshness and a very long finish. this is fully mature now
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6/7/2023 - t_moderne wrote: 94 Points
Opened and decanted. Saved half in a 375ml bottle.
Dark ruby color.
Nose offers a dark fruited profile with tones of forest floor and dried herbs.
Some dried tangerine peel as an accent.
Intro on the palate is a tangy cranberry, strawberry note. Lively and fresh with acidity and touch of macerated red berries.
Quite enjoyable.
I have previously found a crunchy fresh cranberry note to the Rhys Alpine pinots when opened young (4 years or less from vintage). This with its 12+ years of age, shows some darker woodsy elements. The cranberry is still there - just more like a dried cranberry.
Following day - enjoyed the balance in the 375ml bottle. I had also saved some in the original bottle and refrigerated.
The 375ml retained the fresh light re berry touch.
The wine that was exposed to air for a longer period showed a darker black fruit profile.
For me, I preferred the fresher, lighter, red berry style.
Quality Cork; branded with vintage and vineyard.
13.7% abv.
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1/22/2023 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Dinner at Irene's: Lots of berries and well-balanced with acid. After about 45 minutes in glass that seemed like it was becoming sharp and maybe falling apart. That lost it 1 point in my book, and a bit sad that these Rhys pinots take a long time to mature yet quickly nose dive, at least this one.
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1/21/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
A Mix at Irene's (Irene's House, St. Paul): Murky Medium plus red color. PNP, drank a glass over 75 minutes. Tart cherry, red currants, cranberry nose. The palate is ripe but sour red fruits, sour chranberry, sour cherry; a bit much.
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12/9/2022 - grafstrb wrote: 92 Points
-- decanted approx. 30 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 3 hrs. --
NOSE: expressive; moderately aged red berries, and a healthy dose of bottle funk; high-toned; flip-flops between aromas of cherries and purple berries.
BODY: garnet color with medium-light bricking throughout --- color is of medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: high acidity; medium-light oak; straddles red/purple berries line; tastes moderate aged; very light earthy/aged fruit funk (not brett); no tannin; medium+ concentration of fruit flavor; background hint of strong mineral. Strikes me as being in its prime drinking window. Drink Now.
50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = 92
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11/5/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Is in its drinking window, sadly my last bottle as its the best one yet. PnP. Very aromatic with cherry, cranberry, earth, pencil shavings, spice, cedar, earth and dried herbs. The palate leans more toward cherry, pomegranate, earth, slight herbal, spice and plum, Medium body. Long, silky smooth finish. Should hold for many years.
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10/10/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious black berry, mushrooms, and forest floor notes on the open nose and savory palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. Drinking beautifully!
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9/20/2022 - davudvl wrote: 92 Points
Earth , mushrooms, forest, a bit of barnyard. Well integrated with fruit. Not a fruit bomb. Wife loved it.
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6/20/2022 - davudvl wrote: 93 Points
Very nice. Well integrated. An old school Burgundian palate and nose with a touch of new world fruitiness. Great acidity and very long finish.
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4/9/2022 - Jahull03 wrote:
This is what we were waiting for - pencil shavings and black pepper, pomegranate dropping into a touch of plum. This has evened out nicely. Plenty of energy and no rush, but strikes me as mature. No comment as to whether this is “unmistakably CA”, or as to whether that matters… to me, this is very good Pinot in a relaxed, mature, possibly-peaking fashion. And it gives me confidence to continue aging Rhys.
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11/21/2021 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Unmistakably California showing ripe flavors with dark fruits. The wine is at the beginning of a long peak. Drink now over the next ten to fifteen years. California fans should love this wine.
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11/19/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful, elegant and restrained. All elegant forest floor and fall leaves on the nose, dark black raspberry, not red fruit really, maybe some dusty cherry if that. Blood orange, tobacco and mushroom. Delicious!
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10/9/2021 - rosenst1 wrote: 88 Points
PnP. Medium dark red. Unusual nose of pine/wood shavings, dark fruits, and spice. Medium weight on the palate with nice balance and some awkward acid and tannins on the finish. I have a checkered history with this wine and just don't know what to make of it. Will wait on last bottle but not optimistic.
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10/9/2021 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 2 hrs and day 2
-med dark red mild edge clearing
-rhubarb spice
-med acidity, med/med- weight rhubarb spice red fruit takes on medicinal note on day 2, med/med- tannins
-nice complexity, ready to drink now
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8/23/2021 - DaleW wrote:
Stemmy, crunchy cranberry and raspberry, a little pine. Interesting, but this needs to integrate a bit to be tasty. For now B/B-
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8/15/2021 - Tree512 wrote: 92 Points
A point. Spicy, crunchy, cranberry and plum, good balance. Medium bodied and a long finish. Will hold but I doubt it will get better.
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7/17/2021 - bonedoc wrote: 95 Points
Decanted and drank over 2hours w roast chicken. Red and some blue fruits, medium body, fresh. Excellent balance of ripe Cali fruit and the femininity that makes Pinot special. Bravo!
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5/30/2021 - jgreco wrote: flawed
poor storage
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4/26/2021 - gzim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great bottle... probably as good as a Cali Pinot can be. Lots going on and still seemed youthful will plenty of energy and structure to go another 10 years sideways.
Lots of dark red berries amd a touch of plum skin, in a bit of stemmyness framework - with a beautiful mouthfeel. Presented itself in a strong very full way with a long finish.
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4/22/2021 - Diane (LI) wrote:
My 3rd of 4 and it is at a perfect place. It has richness and dark fruit flavors with a lusciously long finish. There is nothing negative to say except the cork broke.
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4/8/2021 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Final bottle, and as luck with have it, this appears to be beginning its preferred plateau. Fresh and full, with broad, and deep, flavors that tend to the dark red spectrum. Very good balance, elegance+, long finish, etc. Should easily continue to drink at this level for another 5+ years. Wonderful. 12,7% abv. highly recommended
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2/20/2021 - Rhwinetracker Likes this wine:
Awesome. 2 hour decant. Then consumed over 2 nights. Cedar and strawberry on the nose. On the palate, dark cherry, strawberry, minerality, hint of herbs (? oregano), orange zest, and fine tannins. Long finish and good acidity. The second night, I got a bit of a stemmy note that wasn’t really present the first night - maybe because the wine was a bit colder after spending the night in the refrigerator.
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1/18/2021 - Diane (LI) wrote:
California’s interpretation of Burgundy. Spice, cherry, black tea ending on a long finish. I don’t see it getting better than this.
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12/19/2020 - mhauser Likes this wine:
This is simply delicious and drinking beautifully.
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11/26/2020 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
Very similar to my previous bottle. Forest floor, with a faint nod to vegetal elements, tart cherry and cranberry. Relaxed, not showing much spine. A good wine.
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11/5/2020 - gzim Likes this wine: 89 Points
Showing some age, slight bricking at rim. Nose was Cali cake spice , but wine presented more burg like.
On the lesser side of sweet, mature berries. Some notes of soy, tea and damp earth. I think this bottle is at peak or passing it.
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9/12/2020 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 92 Points
With ham steak, sweet potato.
Deep, rich ruby.
Really lovely nose, dark fruit, cherry & more.
Medium weight, mouth watering acid. Really nice wine, good length and great finish.
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8/29/2020 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby, cloudy. Pungent spice, menthol, red fruit, and floral notes on the nose. Medium bodied on the palate with good presence, slight astringency on the finish.
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8/18/2020 - rc@ughey wrote: 93 Points
Great Rhys. Soaring, clean Pinot fruit on the nose and palate, which has layers of dark and red fruit. This has some Christmas spice and definitely has a touch of sweetness, but it's really quite delicious. This is probably near peak.
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7/6/2020 - dbermanmd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious.
Show stopping.
Bought directly from winery.
Four wine people for dinner that night.
It was The Wine of the Night.
Other bottles opened:
Anderson's Conn Valley Eloge '11
Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon '12
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6/14/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cloudy appearance. Open from the moment the cork was pulled. Showed a bit of green and herbaceousness on the nose, and while “interesting” not sure I found it “good”. Dark cherry favors, even a hint of cola. Spice notes add depth. Long finish.
Typically I find the alpine bottles to be very pure and focused—didn’t get that impression on this bottle. Less impressed than my bottle last year.
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5/27/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 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.
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5/25/2020 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid wine with good red fruits but not overly complex. Consumed over 2 days with consistent results. Purchased direct from winery.
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5/24/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP and aromatic. Cherry, cranberry, spice, cedar, earth and dried herbs.
Medium body. Silky smooth. I was surprised at the amount of sediment this threw. Finally hit its drinking window, no hurry.
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5/2/2020 - GrapeScott wrote: flawed
Slightly corked. On a bad streak as this is the second corked wine in a week. There was a whiff of wet cardboard when I pulled the cork, the nose seems a bit muted, and there are some cardboard flavors on the palate too. Too bad because there are some lovely black fruit aromas/flavors with forest floor, eucalyptus and spice notes.
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4/14/2020 - tbone wrote:
Drinking well on P&P. Not earth shattering but a quality pinot for sure. Mature fruits, some earth and adequate acidity. These wines will last a long time in a cool cellar.
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2/25/2020 - Backdoctor wrote: 95 Points
Just WOW! Red fruit on palate. perfectly balanced. drinking great
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2/16/2020 - lolo66 wrote: 94 Points
cherries dipped in brine. Very tasty but has this touch of intrigue that dominates, almost to a fault as it is the predominant taste here. With proper air, the brine subsides. very pure cherry. excellent wine.
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1/12/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys @ My Place--Part 5 (My House In The South OC): From our Rhys tasting yesterday we did here at the house. We single blinded this wine alongside the 2010 Horseshoe. For the 2010 Alpine, I jotted down that I found the aromatic a bit fumey, which perhaps is tied into the alcohol, which for the Alpine was a full point higher than the Horseshoe (13.7 versus 12.7). Spicy cherry, a little meaty with a pretty texture. Like with the 2010 Horseshoe, I was not able to retest either 2010 today, as the leftovers went home with other people last night. Ultimately, I preferred the Horseshoe in 2010.
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1/11/2020 - grafstrb wrote:
-- I believe cork was pulled approx. 2 hours before tasting --
-- tasted single blind over approx. 20 minutes --
Nose was very expressive – loose – earthy red fruits with a light funky/cigar aspect. Some age apparent in the color, which seems premature to me. Light bodied and tight on the palate. 13.7% alc.. Too bad the palate didn't deliver on the promise suggested by the Nose. I wonder if this would have revealed significantly more to me in a setting where this wine was given the benefit of solitary focus. Excellent.
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1/11/2020 - WetRock wrote:
Rhys Alpine/Horseshoe Tasting at Frank's (Frank Murray's Casa): Bagged but knew all but which vineyard was in which bag. Still quite grapey on the nose. This also showed a strong celery stems note. Again the Alpine was richer on the palate. This one showed some baking spice and wood notes. It also seemed simpler and a touch sharp. Almost sullen. This one also probably could have used quite a bit of air I'm guessing. Kind of brooding and really allowed the Horseshoe to steal it's thunder. But I wouldn't be worried. It seems like there is a good wine here that's just sort of sulking in how we woke it
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11/11/2019 - amoryb wrote:
On day one with an hour of air in bottle this seemed very odd. Not corked but definitely not on. Very menthol and other chemical notes. No fruit. Waited for a bit and had a glass that was improving but not amazing, put cork in and back in the fridge.
Two days later I went back and a totally different wine that is really nice. Red fruit, nice forest notes, resolved stems. Really nice. I suppose this means it means more time or a lot more air. Good stuff.
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10/22/2019 - drrobvino wrote: 94 Points
1st of 2 bottles.
On the nose, ripe and sweet red cherry fruit, followed by spicecake, cola, and wet leaves.
The palate really separates this wine from a typical Cali PN, showing the upfront rich cherry and raspberry fruit, alongside earthy wet soil and brambly stems. There is an inner perfume that repeats again and again, filling the entire nasal cavity from the back of the throat, delivering more mineral and wet tree bark flavors to add complexity and depth. The tannins are still a bit chewy, yet finely grained, and there is perfectly moderating acidity to add a refreshing lift to the 45+ sec finish.
This is a seriously delicious, complex and utterly complete PN from Rhys. At $73, it competes with Red Burgundies and is a re-buy for me.
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9/22/2019 - rhit wrote:
Uncharacteristic of most of the Rhys Santa Cruz Mountains pinots I've had, this had a strong nose of olives and blood, and was relatively dark and rich. There were some lifted elements of orange peel and fennel. Yet it almost read like something from Anderson Valley. Still delicious, but different.
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9/18/2019 - glou.sf wrote:
Only tasted on day 2. This came across a bit ripe. Red fruit, mushrooms, berries, and a bit of cheese notes on the nose. Nice mouthfeel with good acidity and more red fruit. Good finish. I don’t think this is a representative bottle. Was good nonetheless, but the nose seemed a bit off. I would rate the bottle ~91.
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9/17/2019 - alanr wrote: 88 Points
The nose on this is different from earlier vintage Alpines, showing some definite sweet and ripe character. That comes across on the palate, this is the ripest of the 06-10 Alpines, and comes across a bit on the simple side as well.
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8/17/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aromatic with orange peel, spice, and mineral notes. Nice fruit notes on the palate but maturing—not as primary as expected. Strong length on the finish. Seems like a drink or hold. Really enjoy the poise and elegance of the Alpine bottlings.
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6/14/2019 - Schwarzer Hund Likes this wine:
Dark red color, very floral nose mixed with black fruits (currant, blackberry, cherry), dense black fruit, mineral, a bit of spice on palate, good level of acid, tannins are almost noticeable but the finish is long and very smooth. A very precise wine with many years ahead still we think. Served with veal marsala It was tasty too! Wine was decanted 90 minutes before dinner and improved steadily over 3 hours to the last drop.
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5/2/2019 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cranberry essence with some tasty rhubarb notes in there as well.
Not big and syrupy like some RRV Pinots (which we like as well), but complex and somewhat understated which makes for a very interesting wine.
Drinking great today though I do suggest a 1-2 hour decant.
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4/15/2019 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfume, red berry jam, seaweed and aged balsamic vinegar make for a big, complex wine. It's delicious right now, and I am not qualified to judge its aging potential, but if it holds it could end up being a profound and unique bottle. 4+
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3/1/2019 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Two of us remarked that this just might be the best Rhys Alpine we've had. Serious dark fruit under layers of minerals. Wish it had just a touch more acid, because after a while it seemed a bit heavy. But it was really good.
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1/13/2019 - rc@ughey wrote: 93 Points
Best Rhys in memory. Super-expressive nose and deep, brambly palate. Fresh and focused but with impressive breadth and length. Still primary and dominated by sweet fruit, but boy is this nice.
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12/30/2018 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. A bit stemmy at first. Slowly integrated and the fruit came to the front. Became more beautiful over 3 hours.
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12/25/2018 - Burglover13 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really coming into its own. Losing that California primary fruit and developing more complex notes of dark fruits, bramble and sous bois. Lovely nose, not Burgundy but transcends most New World efforts. Almost mature but I look forward to watching this develop over the next 5+ years. Love these Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards!!!
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11/18/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now although will last 5-10 years easy. Black cherry, strawberry, red plum, compost, mushroom, baking spices, fine chewy tannins, really nice balance. Very nice.
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10/27/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Singing.
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10/24/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Ready.
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6/28/2018 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely murdered the two 2010 burg it was against. When I first popped the cork I had a tiny taste and I thought naw. But hours of air and this turned into something really special. I understand the comparisons to burgundy but I really think this is just Santa Cruz mtns. Black tea, dark black fruit, forest floor, leaves. I can only compare it to arnot Roberts or mount eden and that makes sense. Still has 10 or more years. Lovely.
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6/24/2018 - ChrisR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Usually with Rhys, I wonder what people mean about them tasting "Burgundian;" they always taste like a (well-made) California pinot to me. This one, though, I could see the Burgundian take. Savory elements predominated: sous-bois and herbs, accompanied by tart cherry, cranberry and lingonberry. Texture and body were very good: not at all heavy, but firm and with enough concentration to avoid being light or watery. Consistent notes the first and second day. Excellent overall.
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6/20/2018 - Vino Me wrote: 94 Points
Opened by WineSparty. This South facing mountain vineyard has Burgundian spacing (rows 6 ft. apart and plants every 4 ft.). Ruby color. A light to medium bodied Pinot Noir (lighter than I expected). This was the first time I have had a wine from this producer. More of a feminine style and elegant. Silky tannins with notes of bing cherries, chalk and smoky plums. You can tell the grapes come from cooler hillside fruit based on the style. Some salinity on the finish. Excellent. 94 points.
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6/14/2018 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Perfect cork. Day 1 - medium dark red. Spicy nose with whole cluster notes and a strong herbal tea component. On the palate this is still quite tannic and dominated by the herb/tea notes. Day 2 - bottle corked and kept at room temperature O/N. Nose a bit more subdued and a bit more fruit showing. On the palate this shows more depth and the herbal tea notes have diminished and integrated. Better now than day 1. This may need a good decant or a few more years.
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4/8/2018 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cranberry, tea overtones and tart cherry that was complex and delicious
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3/4/2018 - cookie7 Likes this wine:
Pop and pour note after 2 hours. Earth and tea on the nose. Dark fruit on the initial palate finishing with a mineral and soy streak. A slightly fruit forward Vosne-Romanée? A really enjoyable wine that is approachable now and should have a long life ahead of it.
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1/19/2018 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 1.5 hrs and day 2
-opaque dark red faintest hint of clearing at edge
-spicy rhubarb-y red fruit stems
-med acidity, med/med- weight fading red-black fruit and soil tones somewhat medicinal quality and a mild spicy caramel oak signature on long finish with med/med- fine tannins, fleshes out with air
-while it's not fair compare to a Burg I often do anyway as a frame of reference, and this has some features stylistically reminiscent of Meo-Camuzet
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12/25/2017 - lolo66 wrote:
stemmy, olivey, darker fruit profile. nice wine, but kind of like an all star linebacker. Had with xmas buffet so went with prime rib and lamb well.
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10/1/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.7%. I can't recall if this was aerated or not but when it arrived, I put it into the lineup, joining a # of the other Rhys 2010s that were already being tasted. This seemed like a bigger styled wine, stem influenced with olive and game. Rich red and blue tones, kind of a fruit bowl quality. Reminds me some of the 2007 Alpine Hillside, with some syrah-like quality where the gaminess/complexity is on display. I should also note, for context of my 'richness' comment here, is that I tasted and wrote my note on this 2010 Alpine right after tasting the 2015 Bearwallow, which was a broader shouldered wine. That could have influenced how I 'read' this 2010.
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8/25/2017 - rosenst1 wrote: flawed
PnP. Perfect cork and fill. Medium red. Fragrant nose but with an odd note to it (bacon?). On the palate this is quite awkward/angular with a lot of stem influence and that bacon note again. Perhaps needs more air and more time or is quite possibly a bad bottle. Will wait and see tomorrow - reserving judgement.
Although the bacon (brett? as one fellow wine person suggested) has faded,the wine is still out of balance with a dominance of stem-like flavors. There is underlying fruit but not appealing.
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5/31/2017 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
Pretty, expressive nose on this one. Lots of bright red fruit and spice. Drinking well now. I'll probably drink my other bottle over the next 2-3 years.
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5/13/2017 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
This is very nice right now.
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5/2/2017 - MikeATL wrote: 90 Points
Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Showing a lot of stems, not bad but it is in kind of a rough place now where the fruit is having a hard time integrating with the stems. Much better than a bottle tasted a few months ago that was downright unpleasant and overwhelmed by vegetal character, this bottle gives me hope that the fruit is slumbering and that it just needs time to come together.
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4/16/2017 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Continues to improve.
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3/14/2017 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Wow, explosive aromatics leap from the glass -- spice, stemmy herbs, floral, smoke, are all intermixed with bright red cherry fruit. Palate is medium body with racy acidity. Poised and bright on the mid-palate. This is a really precise and sharply focused wine. Bright, layered, zesty finish. Excellent.
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1/15/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Medium bodied Cali PN. Pomegranate and rhubarb flavors intermingle with a black cherry fruit base. There is a smoky, savory note interspersed that has become more prominent since the last time we tasted this. Maturing nicely.
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9/1/2016 - rmalloy wrote: 87 Points
A freewheeling style that seems atypical of Rhys. Tart cherries and rhubarb. The fruit profile is wild, even extending to citrus. Lots of nutmeg and cinnamon. Typical pinot earthiness.
There is way more going on here than in the other Rhys pinots (and chardonnays) I have tasted. I prefer the purer, more elegant style of those other Rhys wines.
Unlike the last poster, I believe this wine is affected by brett. I'm curious what motivated him to say "no brett detected" given that no prior poster mentioned brett.
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8/18/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Nose is intoxicating. Blue fruit rather than red, elegant, Burgundian, earth. No Brett detected.
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8/18/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark red. This was dark fruit, very complex, lots of earthiness and mushroom that really adds complexity to the multiple layers of fruit. Good acidity to make it pair well with food. Really good juice!
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4/27/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
Great balance of tart but ripe dark cherry, acidity and a touch of brine and earthiness. This is a great Pinot.
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1/16/2016 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Cloudy pale purple; ripe purple fruit and cherry syrup, earthy strawberry--pinot fruit for sure, but tasted this blind and thought of a leaner NW grenache being so ripe; good dusty dry tannins, good lift, and quite tasty actually, just seemed a bit over ripe for a balanced PN.
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1/15/2016 - cookie7 wrote:
Pop and pour, note after 4 hours. Intense nose of dark fruits, even a little cola. Fruit forward palate with a long finish. This seems to be one of the bigger Rhys pinots. Probably needs a few more years.
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1/6/2016 - Redguy wrote:
Slow ox'ed 4 hrs. Gorgeous aromatics but the palate is still a small step behind. Rich red fruits, all-spice, cinnamon, soil, stems, and a bit of orange peel, with fresh integrated acid and a whisper of fine tannin. Attractive style. My first Rhys but certainly not my last. Drink or hold but delicious now.
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11/17/2015 - kietkopelli Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very good balance between old world and new world PN. Spicy nose with fruits towards the back. In the mouth ripe cherry starts then the spices take over with a hint of mossy earth. Good tannin structure. This hold for another 4-6 years maybe longer.
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10/24/2015 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious pinot with a lot of stuffing but also great balance and layers of flavor. Can't wait to see how this will evolve as it still has some time to go. Crushed cherries, flowers, herbs. Fascinating nose and nice finish.
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10/22/2015 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
still a baby, but wonderfully balanced and great acidity
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9/27/2015 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
WOTN…ND football party -
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9/14/2015 - BornToRhone Likes this wine: 92 Points
750ml; PnP; semi-opaque dark reddish-purple color, no bricking; fruit forward aromas of sour cherry with lots o' rhubarb upon opening, turning with time to darker cherry/berry flavors with spice and very slight vegetal. Flavors of cherry and berry cinnamon cola. Fruit forward but still light, not thick. Small light tannins and great acidity. Wait another few years on this baby.
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9/5/2015 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - very spicy. Nutmeg & rootbeer
Mouth - spiced more than fruity and in fact went better when accompanied by spicy food. Per Ross ' it has an edge'. I was seeking purity of fruit and textural mouthfeel here and didn't find either. Perhaps I'm drinking this too young?
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9/2/2015 - bonedoc wrote: 94 Points
This was really delicious. Dark fruit profile, fresh and vibrant acidity. Very well made.
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8/22/2015 - CMN wrote: 90 Points
Very darkly colored with notes of jasmine, spices and dark red fruits.
Plate generally follows the nose with a copious amount of dark red fruit with some plums coming through. Lots of spice with some orange rind and white flowers lurking in the background. The fruit is fairly ripe and reminds me a bit of 2006, but plenty of acidity keeps everything in check. Finishes medium+. While I dig the spice and complexity, the fruit is a touch too ripe.
This should improve over the next several years. If you have several checking in wouldn't be a crime, but recommend a hold.
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8/18/2015 - TLR Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pure California there is no mistaking it for anything else. Rich Fruit, with hints of cinnamon and a balance that is seemless. There is no not liking this a very nice effort and one that has a good 10 years left. This is approaching its peak and a downright delicious wine. Drink or hold... Enjoy!
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7/24/2015 - pismo45 wrote: 91 Points
Not the usual Alpine for me. A little too much towards the big and fruity side. Not a lot of structure. Still tasty, though.
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6/26/2015 - Tom Warden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and fruity for a Rhys Pinot...very nice.
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5/20/2015 - domco wrote:
Similar to last time. Great stuff.
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3/5/2015 - domco wrote:
Dark fruits, tart cherry and finishes with a bit of spice and citrus (orange?). Delicious. Great now, has years ahead of it I would think.
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2/21/2015 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 91 Points
Death by Lobster (Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta): More open and a little richer than the 2007, but otherwise very similar, with plenty of dark fruit, some minerality, and a fair bit of the menthol I associate with Alpine Vineyard Pinot.
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12/26/2014 - rm wines Likes this wine:
Shows quite dense and dark on the first sip. However, after a couple of hours in the decanter the palate shows some of that whole cluster lift and the wine becomes more fun to drink. This shows to me as riper than other vintages of Alpine, and I will definitely be waiting awhile before opening my next bottle.
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12/24/2014 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
Took a full 24 hrs after opening to come around but when it did it was glorious. Dense yet ethereal with a lot of structure and stemminess from the whole cluster. More toward the black than red fruit end of the spectrum. Needs time but great raw material here.
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11/26/2014 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 93 Points
Stunning Pinot. Beautiful... dark, spices, smokiness, great acidity and length.
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11/26/2014 - kthornton78 wrote:
decanted for several hours before consumption. deeply hued, there is bright raspberry and blackberry on the nose with subtle baking spice, violet floral notes, freshly cut pine and a streak of dusty minerality. on the palate there is fruit up front but the wine quickly pivots to a savory character. seems all wrapped up at this point and i think this still needs quite a bit of time in bottle to fully reveal itself.
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10/28/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
No decant.
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10/17/2014 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Full bodied style with plenty of ripe cherry flavors. Not as fruit forward as many Cali PN though, and this has a particularly fresh and crisp aspect about it. A consistently terrific producer in this region.
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10/3/2014 - scorrea Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great nose of red fruit and spice. On the palate, I agree with the previous note that the wine is brawny with concentrated red fruit flavors and subtle spice. Wine has a silky texture. As much as I liked this wine it left me wishing it had some more zest; more acidity.
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10/3/2014 - Timporter wrote:
Pop and pour. Enjoyed over 3 hours and re-corked last glass or so in the fridge. This is almost painfully young, at least texture wise. It's silky upfront but quickly transitions to a big wallop of dense flavors with robust structure and finishes a bit sour. Tasty, just brawny and untamed. Aromatics are stunning though. I loved a chalkiness that hovered above all the fruit. This is an interesting wine to drink right now but feels years away from balancing out into something special. I knew a hearty meal should have been it's partner, but home-made pizza with onions and black pepper was on the table and the wine didn't like the pepper. The next day it tamed down a bit, but was more interesting the first three hours on day 1, after which it seemed to shut down. I'm excited to see how this one turns out as the raw material is pretty serious.
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7/18/2014 - Nanda wrote:
Wow, smoking nose of black cherry, evergreen, spice and herbs. Palate is medium rich with a deft balance. Savory with more herbs and spice. Great stuffing and already showing its potential.
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7/18/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: Absolutely gorgeous and stunning nose of dark red fruits, rhubarb, wild flowers, fresh picked berries, spice tones, and raspberries. There is a lot of depth and style going on with a layered effect to the tones already.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity and silky, but noticeable tannins. The feel is polished and gorgeous with dark red fruits, rhubarb, wild flowers, spices, and raspberries.
Overall: This is a stunning young pinot. There is much room to grow, but also a ton here already. Given where it's at right now, I can only imagine where it will go from here.
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5/26/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright red fruit and vibrant acidity. Should continue to improve.
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3/3/2014 - wineaux2 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This one was a big, brawny pinot that was all about fruit at this stage. Started with forward notes of cran-raspberry and pine. Dark, sappy berry fruit eventually took over the fore complemented with exotic Asian spices; after a few hours, stems and a menthol note showed. Very young but still an enjoyable wine.
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1/21/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 92 Points
Snow-Day Wines (Washington, DC): At first quite closed on the nose, but after an hour it opened and started showing tons of cherries, pepper, dried flowers and strong potpourri flavors, rose hips, lavender and sage. The palate shows crisp, refreshing acid, fine tannins and a pleasant amount of bright red fruit. Nice grip on the palate, but very clean. No vanilla cola here, this wine is more about the earth, herbs and fresh red fruit. Long, tangy finish. Delicious stuff, this Alpine Vineyard will improve for quite a few years.
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12/26/2013 - LSussman wrote:
- Ruby color.
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12/24/2013 - Brunello123 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now for a young wine. I'm going to forget my other bottles in the cellar for a few years.
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12/12/2013 - scorrea Likes this wine: 90 Points
First bottle was spectacular but this bottle was affected by a good bit of reduction and no air or pennies could completely clear it. Nevertheless less it was enjoyable and the bottles shows good level of complexity that will show up with more cellar time.
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12/4/2013 - locovino wrote: 92 Points
Very early to drink this one but in typical Rhys fashion it delivers. Limpid beet red color, on opening nose a bit closed but after a few hours revealing red cherry, mint and very well integrated oak. In the mouth the wine really stands out though with a great balance of tannin, acidity and fruit. Need to hide the rest in the cellar now for 10 years...
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11/29/2013 - scorrea Likes this wine: 92 Points
No formal notes but I can say that this has non of the cherry cola notes of many Cali PN. I can see why people compare it with Burgundy. Really nice.
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9/21/2012 - sehill Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and poured, this wine gave an outstanding showing for its youthful, primary fruit. At this stage the wine seems somewhat one dimensional on the bouquet and palate; however there is sufficient underlying structure, acidity and tannins to balance the youthful fruit. The bouquet offers primary red and black fruits mixed with subtle spicy stem and stone notes. The medium bodied palate shows accessible fruit that will require a couple of years of additional bottle age to fully integrate with the underlying structure. This bottle seems somewhat like a barrel sample and based on this showing the wine will benefit an additional two to three years of bottle age.
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4/11/2012 - alanr wrote: 92 Points
Tasting at Rhys; 4/5/2012-4/11/2012 (Rhys Vineyards): Rich black cherry, grilled meats, orange peel, good balance.
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4/6/2012 - Frank Murray III wrote:
April 2012 Rhys Visit--Taste The 2010s (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): Listed alc of 13.6% with 66% whole cluster and 50% new oak. For me, this was the richest flavored of all the 2010s. Shows a black fruit, and a note that Alan Rath who was seated next to me called "meat juice". Pretty dead on descriptor. Some of the menthol from the stems is also in the palate. Finishes with a mineral tone and orange zest.
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