Initially flashing the stem inclusion hard. That integrates and this takes on that cool, haunting quality great Pinot can often do. Quite dark fruited for Pinot with a straight up blackberry quality. Very fine tannin yet makes the finish quite focused. Minerals and rocks. Citrus. Pretty damn good. Loses some depth overnight but not expression. Worth the wait.
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So my experience with aged Rhys have not been as good as I had hoped, having been buying since the 06 vintage. I feel like some bottles were a bit old, some too young and some just fell flat. This however was humming on all cylinders. Popped and poured at cellar temp. Still very dark purple color, no signs of bricking. Lovely nose of violets, blueberry fruit, Asian spices and lovely rich earth. The descriptors aren’t doing justice to what is a really intoxicating bouquet. Lovely blue and black fruit notes on the attack, with some exotic Asian spices on a velvety mid palate and refreshing acidity on the finish. Really, really nice. Drinking perfectly to my taste, but no signs of fading and should have several good years ahead of it.
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While I’ve had mixed luck with aging Rhys, this one is a winner. 2006 is a lovely vintage for Rhys, and this has matured into a suave, velvety Pinot that’s very well proportioned. There’s still a lot of fruit, but this now also shows some earth and a dusting of spice. Not a blockbuster but quite good
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PnP. Some evolution over the evening. Would not recommend decanting. Color showing a bit of age. Fruit, acid and light tannins in balance. Elegant and interesting. Still with some years ahead.
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While this wine had nice fruit and some complexity, I found it a bit hot. During extended aeration, it was more hot sometimes and less others. However, I did not find the balance compelling. While this wine will certainly last 5+ years, the alcohol will only become more obvious over time.
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Decanted for a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next several hours. The decanting helped as it started out a little closed, but then opened. Ruby color, showing no hint of going on 15 years. Very aromatic with plum, black cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Starting to show more complexity than earlier bottles. Plum, black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and spice flavors. The stems are minimally present now, just adding to the flavors. Long silky finish. At a really good place now. At 15 years, not showing any signs of decline. Better than my last bottle a few years ago.
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Light stem and that slightly old clothes closet note on the nose, then rich, deep dark raspberry fruit, strong acidity, quite rich, tasty, with a slight sweet note on the finish; still very youthful, can go for years.
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Rhys Dinner (Golden Triangle, Los Gatos): In a great spot right now. Red berries, spices, and a hint of new leather on the nose. Good acidity with tart cherry flavors on the palate and good finish.
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This has been a different wine every single time I've had it. This time it's as soft and plush as a teddy bear with a red-fruited profile and Chinese five-spice aromatics that make you think of Vosne-Romanee. Not even recognizable as the inky fruit bomb it was on release.
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Perfectly fine but not the complex wine I expected. Ripe red fruit with a stemmy mouthfeel and good structure. I like where Rhys went in later vintages more than this.
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Old school Rhys here. Dark raspberry, blackberry and really more of a dark fruited wine. This would not be mistaken for a more current vintage Rhys Swan. There is structure here and I don't see the wine fading but if you drink Rhys for the more elegant, polished and precise flavors, this one is more old school and riper, plusher. Listed at 14.0% ABV on the label, seems like an accurate #.
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Impossible that this wine is 11 years old. Nose was fresh and vibrant with red fruit, and a touch of spice and herb (?) underneath. No bricking on the color, which was a shade darker than your average Pinot. Laube said to drink by 2011, which seems demonstrably false. Fantastic wine.
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Pinot Noir (Edina Country Club): The nose is fresh, lively, complex and intoxicating. The palate is rather straight-forward. I love this nose, I wish the palate was in the same league. Nose is 94, palate is 89.
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Edina Country Club Domestic Pinots: Cork in terrible shape. Kevin had to perform what seemed like major surgery to fix my horrible attempt to open. Still quite youthful. Very ong, balanced, pure and rich. Kept changing in the glass going from strength to strength. Impeccable balance. Very fine, smooth tannins. We reflected how this was $59 on release, while pricing for this bottling has crept up and is now $99.
My #1, Group #2.
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After being a bit underwhelmed by the Home I figured it would be worth taking a look at how the 2006 Alpines are doing right now. This one is in a much happier state and may be now proving itself as the more serious wine. It is still holding on to plenty of its tannic structure but isn't closed down at all. It starts out with a red-fruited personality with some blacker fruit and sapid flavors clenching inwards, and over time turns deeper and deeper in tone until the fruit is all blackberry.
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Decanted for a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next several hours. It benefitted from decanting. Ruby color, showing no hint of going on 10 years. Very aromatic with plum, black cherry and strawberry. Starting to show more complexity than earlier bottles. Plum, black cherry, strawberry, spice flavors. The stems are minimally present now, just adding to the flavors. Long silky finish. At a really good place now. Not sure if it will continue to improve, but not going to decline in the near future.
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PnP, tasted, then let a large Riedel Burgundy glass half full sit for an hour at cellar temp before tasting over two hours. Very fresh, young, high class black cherry, rhubarb, baby powder, Xmas spice/incense, celery/bright pleasant green notes, slight hint of sassafras/cola nose. The purity of fruit and baby powder/mineral delineation is what makes this really work. Medium bodied with significant lift, very pure primary fruit in balance with other elements - a nice hidden acidity and refreshing green bite hides underneath and provides tension. Sneaky long, persistent, dry silky finish. An austerity and light body that, combined with the balance and structure bodes beautifully for the future. Significant silky buried tannins assert themselves after sipping this for an hour. At the 2.5 hour mark this is even better - subtly candied red fruits appear, in a very clean, precise way. My first Rhys single vineyard, this has been laid down in my cool cellar since release. If this is any indication (and this bottle is from extremely young vines), my guess is Rhys will be the DRC of North American pinot noir in 20 years. Bright fresh lifted precision, silkiness, and balance are its hallmarks. Nothing here clumsy, ponderous or remotely over extracted. A long distance runner, this is just barely showing its potential, and could be amazing in another decade. This tasting inspired my continued patience on my remaining stash. Phenomenal work and huge kudos to the whole team for crafting such a gem. 94-95+pts pure quality, 97+pts personal preference.
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From memory. Complex aroma of spice, berries and barnyard. Deep pure fruit on the palate, lovely juice, long finish. A beautiful wine, both voluptuous and enigmatic. 50 + 18 + 17 + 9.
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A little more sunshine here - everyone pegged it as the Rhys. Had just a bit of that new world cherry cola. Amazing concentration for a young vine wine. New world, but great. A bit of Christmas spice. Erol thought this was oak; Jim said it might be the clone used for this vineyard.
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Burg / Pinot blind: nose - cinnamon, clove, smoky enchanting barrel type nose mouth - broad mouthcoating dark berry fruit, voluptuous yet clean, delicious, concentrated, and showy. Lots of dry extract. hints of cherry cola per chris. Sexy.
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Cherry and candied orange rind; creamed minerality, salty riding shorts. Seems to vacillate between smooth and tangy. Blue fruits. Golden turkey skin. Charcoal corduroy. Gains edge with air. Beyond great but also unassuming, making it hard to score. More Oregonian than Californian.
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Served blind, finished 1st out of 5 Rhys wines from 06-10. Beautifully spicy and airy nose with a lovely cherry and subtle clove note. Very polished and supple palate, with a silky mouthfeel and lovely texture.
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My first swan terrace. Decanted for an hour. The stems stood out the first hour of drinking. Then, it became fuller with beautiful fruit. Complex and lush. The finish is clean and a few more years may extend it. Wait a few years for last one. The best Rhys to date. WOW stuff.
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Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): This was fantastic, drank alongside the Alpine and Alpine Hillside (both 2006s). This Swan beat those other 2 by a good margin. The stems add a potpourri note, and while there is some density here, maybe a little liqueur-like, it shows a polished, juicy black cherry core and as it sits in the glass, shows a rocky quality. Like the other two 2006s above, there is plenty of life left here and this is already for me a beautiful wine, one that I see advancing and becoming even moreso. Bravo.
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This was the first Swan bottling I've opened, and I was very impressed. After an hour open, the aromatics were very delineated, with clear floral notes distinguishing themselves from darker fruit. The palate was elegantly textured, as is the reputation of this vineyard, with smooth fruit and mellow tannins. It was also rich and full without ever giving the impression of weight. Lovely wine, worthy of all the praise it gets.
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Decent enough but nothing special. Quite delicate at first but the fruit is a bit sweet and the finish is very short. Some tannins present. I don't see any point in aging further.
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Wanted to try an aged Rhys and this was very nice. Not sure worth the price but a very nice pinot. Missing a little depth and complexity but still very pure fruit. I enjoyed very much.
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Steve brought this to dinner as it was my first Rhys with any age to it. Poured a glass and was struck with its sweet nose of ripe plum, bright cherries and a hint of strawberry. One of those wines that you could just sniff all night. Finally took a sip and the taste is very similiar to the nose with no tartness and balanced acid. Not anything that wows you or anything complex just a pleasure to drink and savor.
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14.0% alcohol. Dark cherry color. Pretty nose of ripe cherry, stems, and minerals. In the mouth, a lovely mouth feel and balance. Terrific cherry fruit with good sap, back end structure from the stems, and bright acidity. This is quite youthful, surprisingly so. A-
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Nose is beautiful but really has to open to reveal classic pinot characteristics. Easy drinking and perfect weight despite it's length and potency. Without distinctive components, the overall impression IS distinctive. Tails off so nicely. Something you can savor for minutes. So well balanced doesn't pull strongly in any dimension. Turns and changes in the glass.
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I don't know about all of those other reviews, but this my second bottles, was exactly like my first. A bit of intellectual nicety I guess, but to me, not so good, worse than I wrote of three years ago.
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Opened and poured, this wine gave an excellent showing. This was tasted side by side with the 2006 Chevillon, "Les Bousselots". This wine compared favorably with the Chevillon. The "Swan Terrace" seemed richer and somewhat weightier than the Chevillon. Both wines gave an equal showing regarding complexity, balance and length of finish. Aromatically this wine showed dark fruits combined with spice and rock notes. This drinks well now and did benefit from about 30 minutes of airing. Very impressive, this wine demonstrates the benefits of bottle age on Rhys pinot noir.
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15th Anniversary dinner @ Terraces in St. John. My favorite Rhys to date. Still young, but opens up after 30 minutes. Mix of red/black fruits. Beautiful five spice/cinnamon notes. Wonderful wine.
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S.F....La Paulee style! (S.F. Ca.): Blind....sweet ripe fruit, stems, very nice dark candied spice, beautiful florals, smooth feel, but a little heat to the finish. Seems to have the sweetness and structure to age quite awhile.
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Followed over 2 nights. This bottle is a little bigger and heavier than anticipated. The nose portends a larger-scaled CA pinot that is awash with scents of plum skin, an herbal element and a stony spine of minerality. The palate shows much the same with a sweet element to the fruit, and walks the line between fresh and (dare I say) blousy. Don't get me wrong, this is not flabby or pruny...just big and fleshy, particularly for the house-style. I do think that time will soften things up a bit, and perhaps deliver a more exotically elegant experience, but it is not a bottle I'd say was particularly enjoyable on this occasion.
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Nose had a bit of heat after 30 mins in the decanter Sour cherries, with strawberry notes. Definitely softer than the Alpine. Still a bit young probably but nonetheless very tasty. Slightly bitter finish, not sure why but may be the stem factor.
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An amazing meal (Rhys, SQN, KB, Margaux, Angelus, Ducru, Kalin): Ruby/purple in color. This is still young and needs time. IT got about 4 hours of slow-ox. The nose has nice cherry notes with some spice. Very feminine and soft. Slight tannins. Tight layering on the palate. Very nice texture. Went well with the food as it had a nice bite of acidity.
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PWTG California Pinot Noir Tasting (Wine Bank, Menlo Park): Blind flight of 5 2005/2006 CA Pinots and 1 Burg. Group's #1 wine, My #2 Green notes on the nose, candy. Light body but some heat, nice minerality, like slate or pencil lead.
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Really just entering the drinking window but this is a super wine. Black/red reserved fruit on the nose with black fruit notes in the mouth. Will be great over the next ten to fifteen years. Side note: the 2006 corks are super brittle and should be opened with caution.
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Tonight with seared Muscovy duck breast, I finally check in on some of the 06 Rhys pinots. I've had some stunning successes with prior Rhys wines - pinots, sure, but especially the chards, and a bit of a hit-or-miss history with the Alesia wines (pinot and syrah). Taut red fruits with a sensuous, but shy perfume of floral notes, pine and spice (cardamom and cinnamon), this is drinking still rather young (it's seen a 2 hour decant). It's full on the mid-palate, but then falls off a bit on the back end. There's plenty of rich, plush fruit nicely offset with cleansing acid, but this wine (to me) is still positively Californian (in the very best way). Impeccable balance, if a bit young. I'll check back in a few years down the road. I've never been shy about being critical of these wines, but I like this bottle - a lot - and I think it really needs some time.
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CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nose of black fruit, very similar profile to the previous Rhys in the lineup. More dark fruit on the palate with a nice pleasant finish of sour cherry and rubber. Hold these for a few years but certainly enjoyable now with some air.
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Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of graham cracker, black berries and black cherries. Solid flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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Decanted 6hrs. Big nose, dense. Very perfumed with red fruit and some rhubarb. Round, balanced and complete. Big Pinot. Tasted another 1.5hours later for second go through. Similar aromatics but with a touch more flowers.
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Blind Wines (Paprika): Poured blind and really blew my mind when the label was revealed. I had not even considered for a moment that this might be anything other than a red Burgundy. The enticing maply scent, red-fruited palate, and evocative base of powdered white stones had me thinking Chambolle-Musigny and while it might have been a bit rich in body for that address I was willing to believe it was one of the vineyards on the Morey side. I can't believe how much more transparent this has gotten since release, when it was a huge bruiser of primary fruit.
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Really lovely; ripe red fruited flavours with floral accents and a faint sweetness that hints at its new world origins, but impeccably balanced with a polished, glossy mouthfeel, bright acids keeping it lively and precise and impressive length.
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Drinking French With Todd French, P Robert and The Gang (Frenchie's House): This got a good decanting, according to Wet Rock. Sitting next to all the grand cru burgs on the table, not sure if the comparison is fair, although I know from meeting Kevin Harvey recently what he is striving to do and the wines he so often writes about. Yet, this wine seemed to be much bigger boned than not only the burgs next to it, but moreso, this 2006 was quite bigger than all the recent Rhys wines I tasted at the winery, what was essentially all the 2009s from bottle. This 2006 was full of blue fruits, black cherry, but was just bigger boned and more throttled than I would associate to Kevin's wines. Was it a bad drink? No, not at all but in my own palate for pinot now, this was even pushing the limits as to what was big. Not sure where this wine goes as it's a vivacious and intense wine but enjoy it now would be my advice. It's good in that vein.
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Decanted for four hours. Nice wine - a bit more austere that the 06 Alpine Hillside, however, I think I prefer the Swan. Interesting to see if it puts on some weight with a little more time in the bottle.
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I absolutely adored this wine. It is so different than the Cali style of brawn and alcohol. This wine had power but finesse. Like a Ferrari, not a muscle car. Upon opening, it was a little restrained. Extremely well structured. Fruit was red cherry, pomegranate and some rasberry in the mix. The fruit was powerful but not in your face. This is very young and I am committing to hiding these for3- 5 years to see how they develop. Hopefully some secondary flavors will emerge. I thin k this wine may be on the verge of greatness in the future.
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Drank alongside the 06 Alpine Vineyard and 06 Alpine Hillside. Clearly my favorite of the 3 and the one that I think has the most blockbuster potential. Soapstone, darjeeling tea, rose petals, red licorice, red raspberry and cherry on the nose. Very nicely constructed and elegantly testured with red fruit and limestone minerality on the palate, but ultimately still a llittle closed - another 2-4 years of bottle age at least until it really blossoms.
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14.0% alcohol. Very dark cherry color. Aromatic nose of black cherry, red cherry, stems, spice, flowers, and earth. A complex, thought-provoking wine from the get go. You might expect a more shrill palate on the wine this young, but it is precise, velvety, concentrated, and has lovely weight. Begins with somewhat reticent red and black cherry, wrapped in a coat of complex stem, spice, and floral notes. Distinctly earthy as the acidity comes forward in the mid-palate, and a long, caressing finish that shows just a bit of tannins. Absolutely terrific but in need of two more years at a minimum. A-
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I'm with SteffenPelz's note on this one and loved every drop...wine is young and time would not be a bad thing to soften some of the edges...just a very pleasant wine that worked well with diverse foods and on its own waiting for dishes
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freshly picked strawberries, rocky earth, and minerals. slightly stemmy. more feminine than the regular or hillside bottling. really screams for several more years in the bottle, but this should be exquisite at its' peak.
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Much better than the other Rhys I had a few days ago. For California Pinot, this had real refinement, verve, finesse, and elegance. But it certainly also has plenty of fruit, and a stern structure that suggests extended aging ability. It is more red fruited than black fruited and shows some decent earth and minerality. It seems unapologetically Californian with a nod to Burgundy. It does fall slightly short in the complexity department though, for me, and it doesn't blow me away or gives me the idea it is a game changer. I really have to question the QPR value of this wine.
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Dinner with great friends in Denver, Night 2 (Denver, CO): Very light in color, purple ruby, lightly extracted rim. Very aromatic… fruit dominant with beautifully floral red cherry, raspberry notes. Some baking spice from what seems to be more old than new French barrique use… some chalky minerality. On the palate a very smooth, moderate + acidic ascent into a fleshy midpalate… nice transition into a moderate – amount of very ripe tannins… moderate – alcohol. Great balance, good length and intensity, moderate complexity. Excellent finesse for Cali Pinot, fine texture, good expression of place. Very surprising wine for me and the style of Pinot California should be making a lot more of. Wine rounded out over the night, didn’t get crazy complex but stayed focused and pretty. Drink now or hold 1-3 years.
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Annual Dinner with Mark and Megan (Our house. Denver, CO): Decanted 4 hours. Light red. Bright aromas of strawberry, bramble, earth, flowers and a hint of mineral. Palate has medium intensity very focused fruit, with a fine acidic and stony tannic texture. that spreads through the mouth, across the midpalate and gives a linear, fairly long finish. Spice notes from the oak, also a hint of vanilla. Medium finesse, some complexity. Built to age (I think).
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Served next to the 06 Alpine. Blind FWIW. Half the bottle was decanted for a few hours and drank over another few hours. The other half was left with the cork in it for two days. ***
This has massive aromatics. Essentially the aromatics are primary fruit and bit of stems. After 2 days the aromatics were even more unstoppable. I was amazed at the amount of fruit this showed. Not to go on Cali stereotypes but there is certainly a bit of cola. Aromatics were near perfection. After smelling this, I was shocked by how closed down this was at first. The tannins shut it down hard. Yeah! Tannins in a Cali pinot! Amazing structure. Initially showing more tannin and bitterness than the Alpine. And less creamy. After 2 days the wine was way more opened up. Very ripe but not what I would call big. The finish is still not sorted but geeze the fruit goes on forever. The stems create another layer of complexity.
*** So I walk into my office and notice I forgot to drink the last glass of this. It has been sitting in my fairly hot office for 2 days with not cork. This was a little too much time and maybe heat for this baby. Aromatics are still alive although starting to turn a but the palate is about gone. I am very pissed off that I spaced on this last glass. I don't know how that happened.
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Rhys (Seasonal): Hard to tell if this is less tannic than the standard Alpine and the Hillside version or if it simply a bit more concentrated and the inkiness of the fruit is simply covering it up. Eventually, and it takes a while, the stoniness becomes more apparent, but there is still a lot of primary fruit on the surface. I know the C.W. has this as the star of the 2006 lineup, but sadly I still preferred the Home for its gentler touch.
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A wine possesing unusual amounts character (for a CA Pinot). A somewhat austere, intellectual wine, this has lots of fruit hiding underneath dark, rocky minerality of a sort I personally have never tasted. Excellent balance. This was a terrific, fascinating drink.
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On the nose this is a little funkier than the regular '06 Alpine, maybe slightly reductive, with a potent aroma of dried strawberry, and some subtle, well-integrated stem aromas. Swirling brings out the distinctive strawberry/cherry liquor present in the '06 Alpine. Even tighter and more tannic than that wine, this is a structured beast that needs lots of time. In terms of tannins this is almost like drinking young nebbiolo.
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12/19/2023 - WetRock wrote:
Initially flashing the stem inclusion hard. That integrates and this takes on that cool, haunting quality great Pinot can often do. Quite dark fruited for Pinot with a straight up blackberry quality. Very fine tannin yet makes the finish quite focused. Minerals and rocks. Citrus. Pretty damn good. Loses some depth overnight but not expression. Worth the wait.
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12/18/2023 - jreis Likes this wine:
So my experience with aged Rhys have not been as good as I had hoped, having been buying since the 06 vintage. I feel like some bottles were a bit old, some too young and some just fell flat.
This however was humming on all cylinders. Popped and poured at cellar temp. Still very dark purple color, no signs of bricking. Lovely nose of violets, blueberry fruit, Asian spices and lovely rich earth. The descriptors aren’t doing justice to what is a really intoxicating bouquet.
Lovely blue and black fruit notes on the attack, with some exotic Asian spices on a velvety mid palate and refreshing acidity on the finish. Really, really nice. Drinking perfectly to my taste, but no signs of fading and should have several good years ahead of it.
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10/12/2022 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
While I’ve had mixed luck with aging Rhys, this one is a winner. 2006 is a lovely vintage for Rhys, and this has matured into a suave, velvety Pinot that’s very well proportioned. There’s still a lot of fruit, but this now also shows some earth and a dusting of spice. Not a blockbuster but quite good
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9/30/2022 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP. Big for a long while. After 4 hours smoothed out. Not sure if I liked it more big or smooth? All good!
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8/30/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious dark cherry, earth, and spice on the nose and harmonious palate and long finish. Simply delicious!
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5/9/2022 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Some evolution over the evening. Would not recommend decanting. Color showing a bit of age. Fruit, acid and light tannins in balance. Elegant and interesting. Still with some years ahead.
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3/22/2022 - fclarity wrote: 90 Points
While this wine had nice fruit and some complexity, I found it a bit hot. During extended aeration, it was more hot sometimes and less others. However, I did not find the balance compelling. While this wine will certainly last 5+ years, the alcohol will only become more obvious over time.
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6/11/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next several hours. The decanting helped as it started out a little closed, but then opened. Ruby color, showing no hint of going on 15 years. Very aromatic with plum, black cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Starting to show more complexity than earlier bottles. Plum, black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and spice flavors. The stems are minimally present now, just adding to the flavors. Long silky finish. At a really good place now. At 15 years, not showing any signs of decline. Better than my last bottle a few years ago.
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7/17/2020 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
This is in a terrific place right now. Bing cherry, brown sugar, spice. Complex with lots of life ahead.
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1/19/2020 - texaswinelover wrote:
Quite good tonight. Glad I opened it. Complex, smooth, balance, red fruit, long long lingering clean finish. The finish really stood out to me.
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9/17/2019 - alanr wrote:
Light stem and that slightly old clothes closet note on the nose, then rich, deep dark raspberry fruit, strong acidity, quite rich, tasty, with a slight sweet note on the finish; still very youthful, can go for years.
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9/17/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rhys Dinner (Golden Triangle, Los Gatos): In a great spot right now. Red berries, spices, and a hint of new leather on the nose. Good acidity with tart cherry flavors on the palate and good finish.
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8/16/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has been a different wine every single time I've had it. This time it's as soft and plush as a teddy bear with a red-fruited profile and Chinese five-spice aromatics that make you think of Vosne-Romanee. Not even recognizable as the inky fruit bomb it was on release.
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9/23/2018 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Drinking Amazing. Cherries and strawberries are well integrated. Finishes with an earthy acidity.
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9/16/2018 - Tree512 wrote: 89 Points
Perfectly fine but not the complex wine I expected. Ripe red fruit with a stemmy mouthfeel and good structure. I like where Rhys went in later vintages more than this.
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7/23/2018 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Old school Rhys here. Dark raspberry, blackberry and really more of a dark fruited wine. This would not be mistaken for a more current vintage Rhys Swan. There is structure here and I don't see the wine fading but if you drink Rhys for the more elegant, polished and precise flavors, this one is more old school and riper, plusher. Listed at 14.0% ABV on the label, seems like an accurate #.
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6/7/2017 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 94 Points
Impossible that this wine is 11 years old. Nose was fresh and vibrant with red fruit, and a touch of spice and herb (?) underneath. No bricking on the color, which was a shade darker than your average Pinot. Laube said to drink by 2011, which seems demonstrably false. Fantastic wine.
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5/6/2017 - jbaron wrote: 90 Points
Still structured, 7 years after my first note. Smelly and tasty, but still...
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6/10/2016 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Excellence. Big but balanced. Cherry, strawberry, spices and cranberry. Fruit forward effort with aging potential.
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5/31/2016 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
Pinot Noir (Edina Country Club): The nose is fresh, lively, complex and intoxicating. The palate is rather straight-forward. I love this nose, I wish the palate was in the same league. Nose is 94, palate is 89.
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5/29/2016 - mzimberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Edina Country Club Domestic Pinots: Cork in terrible shape. Kevin had to perform what seemed like major surgery to fix my horrible attempt to open. Still quite youthful. Very ong, balanced, pure and rich. Kept changing in the glass going from strength to strength. Impeccable balance. Very fine, smooth tannins. We reflected how this was $59 on release, while pricing for this bottling has crept up and is now $99.
My #1, Group #2.
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2/16/2016 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
After being a bit underwhelmed by the Home I figured it would be worth taking a look at how the 2006 Alpines are doing right now. This one is in a much happier state and may be now proving itself as the more serious wine. It is still holding on to plenty of its tannic structure but isn't closed down at all. It starts out with a red-fruited personality with some blacker fruit and sapid flavors clenching inwards, and over time turns deeper and deeper in tone until the fruit is all blackberry.
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2/4/2016 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next several hours. It benefitted from decanting. Ruby color, showing no hint of going on 10 years. Very aromatic with plum, black cherry and strawberry. Starting to show more complexity than earlier bottles. Plum, black cherry, strawberry, spice flavors. The stems are minimally present now, just adding to the flavors. Long silky finish. At a really good place now. Not sure if it will continue to improve, but not going to decline in the near future.
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11/14/2015 - texaswinelover wrote:
Really enjoyed. Quite complex, balanced, no etoh, beautifully structured.
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6/28/2015 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
PnP, tasted, then let a large Riedel Burgundy glass half full sit for an hour at cellar temp before tasting over two hours. Very fresh, young, high class black cherry, rhubarb, baby powder, Xmas spice/incense, celery/bright pleasant green notes, slight hint of sassafras/cola nose. The purity of fruit and baby powder/mineral delineation is what makes this really work. Medium bodied with significant lift, very pure primary fruit in balance with other elements - a nice hidden acidity and refreshing green bite hides underneath and provides tension. Sneaky long, persistent, dry silky finish. An austerity and light body that, combined with the balance and structure bodes beautifully for the future. Significant silky buried tannins assert themselves after sipping this for an hour. At the 2.5 hour mark this is even better - subtly candied red fruits appear, in a very clean, precise way. My first Rhys single vineyard, this has been laid down in my cool cellar since release. If this is any indication (and this bottle is from extremely young vines), my guess is Rhys will be the DRC of North American pinot noir in 20 years. Bright fresh lifted precision, silkiness, and balance are its hallmarks. Nothing here clumsy, ponderous or remotely over extracted. A long distance runner, this is just barely showing its potential, and could be amazing in another decade. This tasting inspired my continued patience on my remaining stash. Phenomenal work and huge kudos to the whole team for crafting such a gem. 94-95+pts pure quality, 97+pts personal preference.
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5/28/2015 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 94 Points
From memory. Complex aroma of spice, berries and barnyard. Deep pure fruit on the palate, lovely juice, long finish. A beautiful wine, both voluptuous and enigmatic. 50 + 18 + 17 + 9.
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5/22/2015 - christyler wrote: 92 Points
A little more sunshine here - everyone pegged it as the Rhys. Had just a bit of that new world cherry cola. Amazing concentration for a young vine wine. New world, but great. A bit of Christmas spice. Erol thought this was oak; Jim said it might be the clone used for this vineyard.
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5/22/2015 - soyhead wrote:
Burg / Pinot blind: nose - cinnamon, clove, smoky enchanting barrel type nose
mouth - broad mouthcoating dark berry fruit, voluptuous yet clean, delicious, concentrated, and showy.
Lots of dry extract. hints of cherry cola per chris. Sexy.
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5/9/2015 - mlawren1 wrote: 90 Points
bit of acidity up front gives way to berries with some cherry on the finish
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2/16/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 94 Points
Cherry and candied orange rind; creamed minerality, salty riding shorts. Seems to vacillate between smooth and tangy. Blue fruits. Golden turkey skin. Charcoal corduroy. Gains edge with air. Beyond great but also unassuming, making it hard to score. More Oregonian than Californian.
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11/9/2014 - llink wrote: 93 Points
Served blind, finished 1st out of 5 Rhys wines from 06-10. Beautifully spicy and airy nose with a lovely cherry and subtle clove note. Very polished and supple palate, with a silky mouthfeel and lovely texture.
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10/27/2014 - rm wines wrote:
Absolutely stunning, and drinking very well right now (although I expect it to keep improving).
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10/22/2014 - dougie Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first swan terrace. Decanted for an hour. The stems stood out the first hour of drinking. Then, it became fuller with beautiful fruit. Complex and lush. The finish is clean and a few more years may extend it. Wait a few years for last one. The best Rhys to date. WOW stuff.
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10/12/2014 - OCgasman wrote:
Color me impressed. This was WOTN in a huge Rhys tasting. In a great place right now. Fantastic stuff.
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10/11/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): This was fantastic, drank alongside the Alpine and Alpine Hillside (both 2006s). This Swan beat those other 2 by a good margin. The stems add a potpourri note, and while there is some density here, maybe a little liqueur-like, it shows a polished, juicy black cherry core and as it sits in the glass, shows a rocky quality. Like the other two 2006s above, there is plenty of life left here and this is already for me a beautiful wine, one that I see advancing and becoming even moreso. Bravo.
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9/28/2014 - jlm wrote:
This was the first Swan bottling I've opened, and I was very impressed. After an hour open, the aromatics were very delineated, with clear floral notes distinguishing themselves from darker fruit. The palate was elegantly textured, as is the reputation of this vineyard, with smooth fruit and mellow tannins. It was also rich and full without ever giving the impression of weight. Lovely wine, worthy of all the praise it gets.
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6/4/2014 - MikeATL wrote: 94 Points
Rhys in Atlanta (Aria, Atlanta, GA): A little menthol, great purity, terrific concentration, similar to the 2006 Alpine but with more of everything.
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2/1/2014 - Tel007 wrote:
Decent enough but nothing special. Quite delicate at first but the fruit is a bit sweet and the finish is very short. Some tannins present. I don't see any point in aging further.
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12/29/2013 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wanted to try an aged Rhys and this was very nice. Not sure worth the price but a very nice pinot. Missing a little depth and complexity but still very pure fruit. I enjoyed very much.
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11/19/2013 - etc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Steve brought this to dinner as it was my first Rhys with any age to it. Poured a glass and was struck with its sweet nose of ripe plum, bright cherries and a hint of strawberry. One of those wines that you could just sniff all night. Finally took a sip and the taste is very similiar to the nose with no tartness and balanced acid. Not anything that wows you or anything complex just a pleasure to drink and savor.
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8/7/2013 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
14.0% alcohol. Dark cherry color. Pretty nose of ripe cherry, stems, and minerals. In the mouth, a lovely mouth feel and balance. Terrific cherry fruit with good sap, back end structure from the stems, and bright acidity. This is quite youthful, surprisingly so. A-
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6/29/2013 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Nose is beautiful but really has to open to reveal classic pinot characteristics. Easy drinking and perfect weight despite it's length and potency. Without distinctive components, the overall impression IS distinctive. Tails off so nicely. Something you can savor for minutes. So well balanced doesn't pull strongly in any dimension. Turns and changes in the glass.
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5/25/2013 - jbaron wrote: 89 Points
I don't know about all of those other reviews, but this my second bottles, was exactly like my first. A bit of intellectual nicety I guess, but to me, not so good, worse than I wrote of three years ago.
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3/2/2013 - sehill Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and poured, this wine gave an excellent showing. This was tasted side by side with the 2006 Chevillon, "Les Bousselots". This wine compared favorably with the Chevillon. The "Swan Terrace" seemed richer and somewhat weightier than the Chevillon. Both wines gave an equal showing regarding complexity, balance and length of finish. Aromatically this wine showed dark fruits combined with spice and rock notes. This drinks well now and did benefit from about 30 minutes of airing. Very impressive, this wine demonstrates the benefits of bottle age on Rhys pinot noir.
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11/4/2012 - jbrekke wrote:
15th Anniversary dinner @ Terraces in St. John. My favorite Rhys to date. Still young, but opens up after 30 minutes. Mix of red/black fruits. Beautiful five spice/cinnamon notes. Wonderful wine.
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9/4/2012 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 90 Points
S.F....La Paulee style! (S.F. Ca.): Blind....sweet ripe fruit, stems, very nice dark candied spice, beautiful florals, smooth feel, but a little heat to the finish. Seems to have the sweetness and structure to age quite awhile.
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8/30/2012 - rjoyer wrote:
Followed over 2 nights. This bottle is a little bigger and heavier than anticipated. The nose portends a larger-scaled CA pinot that is awash with scents of plum skin, an herbal element and a stony spine of minerality. The palate shows much the same with a sweet element to the fruit, and walks the line between fresh and (dare I say) blousy. Don't get me wrong, this is not flabby or pruny...just big and fleshy, particularly for the house-style. I do think that time will soften things up a bit, and perhaps deliver a more exotically elegant experience, but it is not a bottle I'd say was particularly enjoyable on this occasion.
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3/30/2012 - mye Likes this wine:
Nose had a bit of heat after 30 mins in the decanter
Sour cherries, with strawberry notes. Definitely softer than the Alpine. Still a bit young probably but nonetheless very tasty. Slightly bitter finish, not sure why but may be the stem factor.
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2/29/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
An amazing meal (Rhys, SQN, KB, Margaux, Angelus, Ducru, Kalin): Ruby/purple in color. This is still young and needs time. IT got about 4 hours of slow-ox. The nose has nice cherry notes with some spice. Very feminine and soft. Slight tannins. Tight layering on the palate. Very nice texture. Went well with the food as it had a nice bite of acidity.
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2/12/2012 - SanFranSoxFan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
PWTG California Pinot Noir Tasting (Wine Bank, Menlo Park): Blind flight of 5 2005/2006 CA Pinots and 1 Burg. Group's #1 wine, My #2
Green notes on the nose, candy. Light body but some heat, nice minerality, like slate or pencil lead.
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1/28/2012 - Knicksfan wrote: 89 Points
A bit more restrained than I expected. Perhaps too young. Tasty but un-eventful
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12/25/2011 - locovino wrote: 92 Points
Really just entering the drinking window but this is a super wine. Black/red reserved fruit on the nose with black fruit notes in the mouth. Will be great over the next ten to fifteen years. Side note: the 2006 corks are super brittle and should be opened with caution.
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12/9/2011 - Moorese wrote: 92 Points
Tonight with seared Muscovy duck breast, I finally check in on some of the 06 Rhys pinots. I've had some stunning successes with prior Rhys wines - pinots, sure, but especially the chards, and a bit of a hit-or-miss history with the Alesia wines (pinot and syrah). Taut red fruits with a sensuous, but shy perfume of floral notes, pine and spice (cardamom and cinnamon), this is drinking still rather young (it's seen a 2 hour decant). It's full on the mid-palate, but then falls off a bit on the back end. There's plenty of rich, plush fruit nicely offset with cleansing acid, but this wine (to me) is still positively Californian (in the very best way). Impeccable balance, if a bit young. I'll check back in a few years down the road. I've never been shy about being critical of these wines, but I like this bottle - a lot - and I think it really needs some time.
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9/11/2011 - pinkfloyd wrote: 93 Points
young , needs another 2 years
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6/24/2011 - floydtp wrote: 93 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a wine dinner. Nose of black fruit, very similar profile to the previous Rhys in the lineup. More dark fruit on the palate with a nice pleasant finish of sour cherry and rubber. Hold these for a few years but certainly enjoyable now with some air.
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6/24/2011 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline I - Part One (Madison, WI): WIML92+/-
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet to perhaps dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of graham cracker, black berries and black cherries. Solid flavors of black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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6/24/2011 - petitblanc wrote:
CT Wisconsin Offline; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI): Very young and primary. Hot and generic at this stage. No score.
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4/17/2011 - mbeutel wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 6hrs. Big nose, dense. Very perfumed with red fruit and some rhubarb. Round, balanced and complete. Big Pinot. Tasted another 1.5hours later for second go through. Similar aromatics but with a touch more flowers.
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4/5/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Blind Wines (Paprika): Poured blind and really blew my mind when the label was revealed. I had not even considered for a moment that this might be anything other than a red Burgundy. The enticing maply scent, red-fruited palate, and evocative base of powdered white stones had me thinking Chambolle-Musigny and while it might have been a bit rich in body for that address I was willing to believe it was one of the vineyards on the Morey side. I can't believe how much more transparent this has gotten since release, when it was a huge bruiser of primary fruit.
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4/5/2011 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Really lovely; ripe red fruited flavours with floral accents and a faint sweetness that hints at its new world origins, but impeccably balanced with a polished, glossy mouthfeel, bright acids keeping it lively and precise and impressive length.
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4/3/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Drinking French With Todd French, P Robert and The Gang (Frenchie's House): This got a good decanting, according to Wet Rock. Sitting next to all the grand cru burgs on the table, not sure if the comparison is fair, although I know from meeting Kevin Harvey recently what he is striving to do and the wines he so often writes about. Yet, this wine seemed to be much bigger boned than not only the burgs next to it, but moreso, this 2006 was quite bigger than all the recent Rhys wines I tasted at the winery, what was essentially all the 2009s from bottle. This 2006 was full of blue fruits, black cherry, but was just bigger boned and more throttled than I would associate to Kevin's wines. Was it a bad drink? No, not at all but in my own palate for pinot now, this was even pushing the limits as to what was big. Not sure where this wine goes as it's a vivacious and intense wine but enjoy it now would be my advice. It's good in that vein.
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3/9/2011 - cookie7 wrote:
Decanted for four hours. Nice wine - a bit more austere that the 06 Alpine Hillside, however, I think I prefer the Swan. Interesting to see if it puts on some weight with a little more time in the bottle.
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1/30/2011 - rdsboca wrote: 95 Points
I absolutely adored this wine. It is so different than the Cali style of brawn and alcohol. This wine had power but finesse. Like a Ferrari, not a muscle car. Upon opening, it was a little restrained. Extremely well structured. Fruit was red cherry, pomegranate and some rasberry in the mix. The fruit was powerful but not in your face. This is very young and I am committing to hiding these for3- 5 years to see how they develop. Hopefully some secondary flavors will emerge. I thin k this wine may be on the verge of greatness in the future.
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1/29/2011 - jreis wrote:
Drank alongside the 06 Alpine Vineyard and 06 Alpine Hillside. Clearly my favorite of the 3 and the one that I think has the most blockbuster potential. Soapstone, darjeeling tea, rose petals, red licorice, red raspberry and cherry on the nose. Very nicely constructed and elegantly testured with red fruit and limestone minerality on the palate, but ultimately still a llittle closed - another 2-4 years of bottle age at least until it really blossoms.
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12/5/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
14.0% alcohol. Very dark cherry color. Aromatic nose of black cherry, red cherry, stems, spice, flowers, and earth. A complex, thought-provoking wine from the get go. You might expect a more shrill palate on the wine this young, but it is precise, velvety, concentrated, and has lovely weight. Begins with somewhat reticent red and black cherry, wrapped in a coat of complex stem, spice, and floral notes. Distinctly earthy as the acidity comes forward in the mid-palate, and a long, caressing finish that shows just a bit of tannins. Absolutely terrific but in need of two more years at a minimum. A-
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11/26/2010 - Mr T wrote:
I did not really get to taste...others liked it a lot
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9/14/2010 - jbaron wrote:
Young. Finely tannic, decent nose, decent length. Mouth hidden under structure. Not decipherable.
Try next in 2012? 2013?
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4/13/2010 - Mr T wrote:
I'm with SteffenPelz's note on this one and loved every drop...wine is young and time would not be a bad thing to soften some of the edges...just a very pleasant wine that worked well with diverse foods and on its own waiting for dishes
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4/11/2010 - etherscreen wrote:
freshly picked strawberries, rocky earth, and minerals. slightly stemmy. more feminine than the regular or hillside bottling. really screams for several more years in the bottle, but this should be exquisite at its' peak.
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4/8/2010 - N2Vin wrote: 94 Points
Orange County Wine Group dinner at Mr. Stox in Orange
Extremely smooth strawberry, berry, earth and forest floor. Spice and firm acidity.
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2/8/2010 - steffenpelz wrote:
Much better than the other Rhys I had a few days ago. For California Pinot, this had real refinement, verve, finesse, and elegance. But it certainly also has plenty of fruit, and a stern structure that suggests extended aging ability. It is more red fruited than black fruited and shows some decent earth and minerality. It seems unapologetically Californian with a nod to Burgundy. It does fall slightly short in the complexity department though, for me, and it doesn't blow me away or gives me the idea it is a game changer. I really have to question the QPR value of this wine.
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12/13/2009 - markjanes wrote: 89 Points
Dinner with great friends in Denver, Night 2 (Denver, CO): Very light in color, purple ruby, lightly extracted rim. Very aromatic… fruit dominant with beautifully floral red cherry, raspberry notes. Some baking spice from what seems to be more old than new French barrique use… some chalky minerality. On the palate a very smooth, moderate + acidic ascent into a fleshy midpalate… nice transition into a moderate – amount of very ripe tannins… moderate – alcohol. Great balance, good length and intensity, moderate complexity. Excellent finesse for Cali Pinot, fine texture, good expression of place. Very surprising wine for me and the style of Pinot California should be making a lot more of. Wine rounded out over the night, didn’t get crazy complex but stayed focused and pretty. Drink now or hold 1-3 years.
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12/12/2009 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
Annual Dinner with Mark and Megan (Our house. Denver, CO): Decanted 4 hours. Light red. Bright aromas of strawberry, bramble, earth, flowers and a hint of mineral. Palate has medium intensity very focused fruit, with a fine acidic and stony tannic texture. that spreads through the mouth, across the midpalate and gives a linear, fairly long finish. Spice notes from the oak, also a hint of vanilla. Medium finesse, some complexity. Built to age (I think).
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8/4/2009 - jasonh wrote: 95 Points
Served next to the 06 Alpine. Blind FWIW.
Half the bottle was decanted for a few hours and drank over another few hours. The other half was left with the cork in it for two days. ***
This has massive aromatics. Essentially the aromatics are primary fruit and bit of stems. After 2 days the aromatics were even more unstoppable. I was amazed at the amount of fruit this showed. Not to go on Cali stereotypes but there is certainly a bit of cola. Aromatics were near perfection. After smelling this, I was shocked by how closed down this was at first. The tannins shut it down hard. Yeah! Tannins in a Cali pinot! Amazing structure. Initially showing more tannin and bitterness than the Alpine. And less creamy. After 2 days the wine was way more opened up. Very ripe but not what I would call big. The finish is still not sorted but geeze the fruit goes on forever. The stems create another layer of complexity.
*** So I walk into my office and notice I forgot to drink the last glass of this. It has been sitting in my fairly hot office for 2 days with not cork. This was a little too much time and maybe heat for this baby. Aromatics are still alive although starting to turn a but the palate is about gone. I am very pissed off that I spaced on this last glass. I don't know how that happened.
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4/24/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 91 Points
Rhys (Seasonal): Hard to tell if this is less tannic than the standard Alpine and the Hillside version or if it simply a bit more concentrated and the inkiness of the fruit is simply covering it up. Eventually, and it takes a while, the stoniness becomes more apparent, but there is still a lot of primary fruit on the surface. I know the C.W. has this as the star of the 2006 lineup, but sadly I still preferred the Home for its gentler touch.
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4/23/2009 - jwwinec wrote:
A wine possesing unusual amounts character (for a CA Pinot). A somewhat austere, intellectual wine, this has lots of fruit hiding underneath dark, rocky minerality of a sort I personally have never tasted. Excellent balance. This was a terrific, fascinating drink.
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2/6/2008 - 5laton wrote:
On the nose this is a little funkier than the regular '06 Alpine, maybe slightly reductive, with a potent aroma of dried strawberry, and some subtle, well-integrated stem aromas. Swirling brings out the distinctive strawberry/cherry liquor present in the '06 Alpine. Even tighter and more tannic than that wine, this is a structured beast that needs lots of time. In terms of tannins this is almost like drinking young nebbiolo.
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