PNP. Earthy red cherry nose with some whole cluster stems and spice elements. Silky, saline infused palate with moderate red fruit slightly bitter and some clenched tannins on the finish. I suspect this has a fair % of whole cluster fruit.
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Taken to The Progress so in the company of stellar food and stellar mood, but the food didn't evolve on the plate the way this wine did over the course of an hour in the carafe / glass, it was magically complex, a true kaleidoscope of Pinot Noir fruit with some mild caramel, olive and earthy tones from the bottle age and plenty of energy and definition (at least on day 1; day 2 under vacuum was flabby in comparison). This was one of the richer Rhys PN wines I've ever had, not sure if that's Swan Terrace and/or the vintage but I'm not complaining. Seems to be at its peak and not likely to get better, but with its balance, might last a while yet.
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A bit disappointed to find this on the flimsy side and lacking the energy I adore in Swan Terrace. Felt like the fruit was nicely maturing but the structure was lacking.
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I thought this was drinking really nicely right now. The nose leans towards darker fruits: black cherry and black raspberry, complemented by a pungent savory note I couldn't quite put my finger on. Not quite earthiness and not quite mineral, but in that vein. The palate had a gentle, generous fruit texture that comes with age, with perfectly integrated acidity and a light tannic grip on the finish. This is probably at peak for my palate, although it may well continue to develop over the next few years.
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Tasty. First of two. Maybe we waited a bit too long, but while lacking the nose and length that would qualify this bottle as ethereal, it’s a great drink of piercingly mellow Pinot with brambly red fruit and a lovely texture.
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This, along with Skyline, has always been one of my favorite Rhys sites, and this bottle did not disappoint. Deep, graceful fruit and spices framed with energetic structure. A step above other sites in poise and quality. Some tannic grip. Mature, and drinking beautifully. Threw fine sediment.
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Served blind alongside the 2009 Skyline, which for me was the better of the two. That wine is more weightless and aging beautifully while the Swan is more fruit forward, and even primary. Blueberry and red apple, a richer and more opulent expression as compared to the Skyline. Yet, in all of that is still a wine of balance. It probably depends as to which you like in terms of what you want to drink--the Skyline more tangy red fruited with some minerality or the Swan with its opulence and more CA expression.
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Decanted for an hour. Became bigger over 4 hours. The year Steph was drafted, and this didn’t help his 3 point shooting last night. But, who cares, WARRIORS! One more!
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Certainly one of the best Pinots I have had. Excellent with last nights dinner. There is a mix of beautiful fruit with developing notes of leather and Forest floor with mushroom. The balance of this wine is certainly unmatched. Certainly impressed by this winery.
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Bright ruby red with red fruit aromas. followed by herbs, forest floor, spices and minerals. Very inviting. good acidity. Layers of flavor that continued to change and improve. Red fruit, spice, herbs forest floor, sandal wood,. Light tannins in the long finish. Starting to show well. No hurry to open my remaining bottles.
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Pretty, crunchy, red fruit, sour red cherry, earth minerals. As good as it is it might be in a sleep phase. I would really like to taste one of these in five years or so. 92+
Pop and pour. Served a initially at a cool cellar temperature and allowed to warm up. Ruby garnet color.Wonderful nose of fresh crushed red berries with an herbal frame and hint of cinnamon bark, and forest floor that adds to the red berries. Slight dried tangerine peel note too. Bright and fresh with a lightness in mouthfeel but depth of flavor. Bright red berries with that spice note on the back end. Walks a balanced line of red berries, brown spice, and herbal elements with the acidity that keeps it fresh and lively.
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This wine had a very deep red center and light red/clear rims. I was pleased to see it had dropped some sediment. The medium+ Intensity nose was attractive at first but picked up volume and clarity with air. It showed rhubarb, cherries, minerals, and a touch of sandal wood.
In the mouth, this was slightly awkward and showed some alcohol when first poured. After 4 hours of air, while it was still a bit primary, it was gorgeously balanced with light tannins and solid acidity. It had Dujac-like presence that was attractive.
This wine was clearly still young but quite striking. I am not sure it will get better because this producer's track record is relatively short. However, I would bet on at least 5 years of cellaring given the balance. This wine could be drunk now but I would suggest holding off for 5-10 years to see what happens.
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Dark red color, mixed berry fruit aromas come out after an hour of airtime. What seemed like a perfect balance of cherry fruit, spice, acidity, and faint tannins finishes with a lengthy smooth fruit dominated finish. This was the first bottle of Swan Terrace that we were allocated back when it was released. After 10 years post vintage the drinking window is opening but it has many years to go we think. A very nice wine.
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Ten years from the vintage, and this is just starting to develop some tertiary elements, such as forest floor. It still has a vibrant core of red fruit, and it’s structurally balanced, so more cellar time should not be a problem. I like the direction, despite never being a Swan Terrace fan.
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Nice dark cherry and raspberry fruit, hints of spice, more open and forward than the 07 and 08, very nice but not quite the tension and complexity of those two vintages.
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Rhys Dinner (Golden Triangle, Los Gatos): My least favorite of the Swans. Slightly burnt fruit flavors along with berries on the nose. Medium tannins with tart raspberries on the palate. Medium finish.
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Rhys Dinner Following Rhys Tasting (Prairie Grass - Northbrook IL): Lots of floral and spice aromas with soft red fruit on palate and nose. A bit too much whole cluster and new oak were in the forefront, so too pronounced. An odd bottle tonight, I was wondering if this was 100% correct, and the team from Rhys were also not certain. Still enjoyable, but 88-89 points for me tonight.
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Did a side by side of the 2009 Horseshoe and 2009 Swan Terrace. Opened and poured a small sample from each. The color was very similar, a medium ruby, but the Swan Terrace had a bit more brilliance. On the nose, the Horseshoe is fairly deep pitched, with dark red fruit. The Swan Terrace is brighter, with more lift and elegance, and a lovely spice note. On the palate, the Horseshoe is somewhat brooding, deep fruited, medium tannins. The Swan Terrace is lighter on its feet, shows some stems, a very bright wine, with some light cherry fruit. At this stage I prefer the ST.
After about two hours, both wines have developed nicely. The Horseshoe still maintains a larger frame, with a bit of a burly quality. The tannins have melted away a bit, and it has a nice finish, but there’s something about it that leaves me a bit flat. I’m inclined to say it’s time to drink these. The Swan Terrace, on the other hand, is simply terrific. Elegant, focused, pure red fruit, good acidity. The tannins are light and fine, but it could use some time to coalesce. Hold for a few years.
On the second day, the Horseshoe is slipping, and is not too interesting. The Swan Terrace is still showing beautifully brilliant red fruit. Really a very nice wine. As disappointing as the Horseshoe is, the Swan Terrace is lovely.
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Coravin 3x over 3 months. Final pip and pour. Muted nose. Flavors of red/dark fruits. Touch of spice with a acidity that leads to short-moderate finish of cherry cola. Not much of a profile. Awkward phase?
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Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): This has a leathery aromatic, something like an animale/barnyard note. I'm not inferring brett but something distinctive. As to the palate of this, it seemed tired to me, astringent and aged. It didn't resonate for me. FWIW, this came from my own cellar, was stored perfectly since shipment on release from the winery.
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A bit of a disappointment. The '10 Alpine we had the night before had more concentration and was more interesting overall than the Swan Terrace. It was a solid wine, but for the price, not what I was hoping. It had a relatively muted nose, it was black fruited but lacked structure. May benefit from aging to get more tertiary flavors.
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Ruby with slight amber-tawny hue typical of Rhys; distinctive nose of cherry kirsch, cherry-orange syrup; spices, orange-clove, black and red berries; I am not a big fan of the Rhys Pinot flavor profile as I think it's too spicy; however, well-made, great balance and complexity. Would never turn down, but prefer the likes of Williams Selyem--a more pure style IMHO. EWG Lunasia.
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I enjoyed this very much - way more than the 2010 Skyline in fact. Still showing a bit of warmer climate in the notes, yet also following the riper Burgundian lines set by Chezeaux and Mortet with black cherries and lavender. This is still bright, energetic and lively though! Great wine but a bit outclassed in this flight.
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I think this is the best Rhys Pinot I've had to date. Very expressive, complex and smooth. My last bottle but if I had another I'd probably hold for another year or two. That said, it's great now.
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Corked birthday celebration bottle. Reached out to winery and they replaced same bottle, same vintage 5 years after purchase! Fantastic customer service!!
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Removed a half glass via Coravin a week ago. Popped the cork tonight, note after 45 minutes. Earth, soy and cranberries on the nose. Dark red fruits on the palate. This is a very good wine, but seems to be a bit heavier than other Rhys (something I find often with their 2009's). Can drink now with air or let it rest for another 5-10 years
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Really great showing out of this today. Almost exactly 5 years since the first and last time I had it, and it has really paid off that time in the cellar. It is, to be sure, still very young and vibrant - perhaps even *more* vibrant now that it's had a chance to streamline itself and shed all the oak flavors, leaving the fruit quite gloriously pure and front and center. On the initial whiff it's very rich and syrupy but it only takes a minute to transcend that big blast of California sun and then the fruit feels crystallized and crunchy, a super-fresh profile despite it being purple/black in complexion, with the zing of wild berries. There is also a strong sense of stoniness so this is not a one-ring circus. The fruit keeps it intensely drinkable but the rocks add plenty of intrigue, including a tactile crushed stone sensation that works very well with the tannin to add some grit to a wine that remains compulsively drinkable.
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Enjoyed this. Upon opening, seemed very stemmy in a nice way. Drank with friends over 4-5 hours. Continued developing and trained a wonderful balance of old and new world. But mostly older world profile but without the bracing acidity I sometimes get in burgundy. Drank alongside '04 mags of top Oregon Pinots (Shea, brick house, beaux frares and bergstrom), martinelli blue side. I think it would've shown better and my palate would've appreciated it more if it'd been solo tonight.
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This is in a good place right now but nowhere near it's potential, it showed young and tight with lots of structure. Fruit was muted but there's nice balance.
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Rhys Tasting With The Gang--Part 2 (My Place): Opened this at the end of our Rhys dinner, pouring it as the final wine to complete what had been a flight of Horseshoe pinot (2008, 2009 and 2011). Dumped to decanter and swirled it as well as I could to let it breathe. I wasn't all concerned about structure, as knowing 2009, I figured it would be bigger in tone, yet I hoped the lack of air wouldn't tamp down the aromatics and balance I expected from it. Nose shows light graphite and stem, with raspberry, strawberry, and from all the 2009s we had over the dinner, this Swan showed minerality. Delicate yet still reflects the ripeness of the vintage. Really good, of course all gone, so nothing to report back on today. Shared with friends and great palates, which is what great wine should be for!
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Johnny brought this out to Kan Zaman with Chris. Absolutely one of the best Pinot Noir I've had in a bit. Gorgeous pretty and unique elements. Royal red roasted spicy fruit, stewed vegetables and fresh flowers. Savory, green olives, cranberry, brown sugar. Fresh palate, clean, so much balance. More perfect slightly under ripe red fruit - again, very unique flavors as well as texture on the finish. Love this wine. When Rhys Pinot sing, they really sing.
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Appearance; clear, bright ruby red Nose; herbaceous, earthy, red fruit Palate; balance, soft & round tannins, red fruit, elegant, rose petal, very delicious long & delicious finish. Very approachable can age many years
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Champagne and Pinot Noir Tasting: Nice red fruit and spice on the nose. Good flavor intensity on the palate. Fuller bodied on the palate than the '10 Home Vineyard, but with nice balance and good flavor intensity. Would expect this to improve considerably with additional time in the cellar.
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Chicago Berserkerfest Dinner #3 (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Nicely floral start with intense red fruit aromas and a bit of baking spice. Same fruit flavors, with strawberry and red cherry well complemented by the same spice character and lots of structural balance from elegant tannins and impressive acidity. A touch sweet in middle, but I expect this might soften as the wine integrates a bit more.
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Really obvious sweet purple fruit on the get go. This palate was roaring and ready to go. It had density but it had that sweetness that only comes from CA fruit. Well balanced. Most of the people at the table guessed "a very balanced and nice CA pinot". Can't trick anyone nowadays. ;)
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Decanted and then consumed for 3+ hours. At the end, quite closed. Medium weight. The structure (not aromas / flavors) is a bit open knit now, which gives me some pause as to longevity. Other than that, I loved this- very floral, not much fruit, crunchy acids, a bit of beetroot. Will be better with time (5+ years), but may drink on the early side of things.
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It's too soon to rate this wine. Right now the stems dominate the fruit and it will take a few years for the wine to come together. It is so stemmy right now that I would say it is not even pleasant to drink. Let's put it this way...rarely do my wife and I not finish a bottle of wine the night it's opened but in this case we stoppered it about 2/3 through and drank the rest two nights later. The wine has a solid core of fruit--it smelled delicious when I decanted it to breath for a couple of hours--so I'm sure it will be great, in a few years. btw, it was better two nights later if you were wondering.
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Santa Cruz Mountains Day 2 (Rhys, Big Basin, Plumed Horse): Tasted non blind at the winery with Jeff. Bottle had been slow oxed for around 4 hours. The nose has mostly dark floral elements with some red cherries. The palate is sour red berries with significant floral elements. Medium length finish that ends with sour cherries. Hold for several more years. I don't have nearly enough experience with this wine to hazard a guess at a rating but I'm sure it will be excellent with a several years of bottle aging. Definitely a feminine profile. 100% whole cluster and 1/3 new oak.
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This also gets a WOW and STUNNING from me. As soon as he poured it I asked if it was the Alpine (I’ve only had the 04 Family Farm and 06 Alpine previously and the spicy nose from the Alpine still sticks with me and this reminded me of that). The nose jumps out of the glass with an incredible spice component that really grabbed me.(Tasted in the caves at Rhys, opened 4 hours before we arrived)
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Rhys (Peking Duck House): This is clearly a bulkier wine than the Family Farm, which made me prefer the former today, although they're built pretty similarly with prominent structure and the stems here again are obvious. Here the wood manifests in more of a cedary flavor compared to the sweeter cocoa of the Family Farm, which combined with its scale gave it a kind of claretlike presence. Obviously both of these wines need some time in the bottle to sort themselves out.
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Rhys Visit--All The 2009s From Bottle! (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): 12.7%, 33% new wood and 90% whole cluster. This is the east facing slope of the Alpine vineyard, below the hillside section. Great polish with lots of blue fruit, the most blue of all the wines tasted. Also the cranberry and the rose petal notes add a nice nuance to the palate. Juicy and stony with lots of minerality and balance.
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3/27/2024 - llink wrote: 92 Points
PNP. Earthy red cherry nose with some whole cluster stems and spice elements. Silky, saline infused palate with moderate red fruit slightly bitter and some clenched tannins on the finish. I suspect this has a fair % of whole cluster fruit.
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1/14/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking very well right now, good as a PnP, but gained some complexity over an hour in bottle. Drink over the next 3 years.
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1/6/2024 - silton Likes this wine: 95 Points
Taken to The Progress so in the company of stellar food and stellar mood, but the food didn't evolve on the plate the way this wine did over the course of an hour in the carafe / glass, it was magically complex, a true kaleidoscope of Pinot Noir fruit with some mild caramel, olive and earthy tones from the bottle age and plenty of energy and definition (at least on day 1; day 2 under vacuum was flabby in comparison). This was one of the richer Rhys PN wines I've ever had, not sure if that's Swan Terrace and/or the vintage but I'm not complaining. Seems to be at its peak and not likely to get better, but with its balance, might last a while yet.
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9/4/2023 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
A bit disappointed to find this on the flimsy side and lacking the energy I adore in Swan Terrace. Felt like the fruit was nicely maturing but the structure was lacking.
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6/4/2023 - jlm wrote:
I thought this was drinking really nicely right now. The nose leans towards darker fruits: black cherry and black raspberry, complemented by a pungent savory note I couldn't quite put my finger on. Not quite earthiness and not quite mineral, but in that vein. The palate had a gentle, generous fruit texture that comes with age, with perfectly integrated acidity and a light tannic grip on the finish. This is probably at peak for my palate, although it may well continue to develop over the next few years.
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6/4/2023 - jbaron wrote: 94 Points
Tasty. First of two. Maybe we waited a bit too long, but while lacking the nose and length that would qualify this bottle as ethereal, it’s a great drink of piercingly mellow Pinot with brambly red fruit and a lovely texture.
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1/15/2023 - jjct Likes this wine:
This, along with Skyline, has always been one of my favorite Rhys sites, and this bottle did not disappoint. Deep, graceful fruit and spices framed with energetic structure. A step above other sites in poise and quality. Some tannic grip. Mature, and drinking beautifully. Threw fine sediment.
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12/27/2022 - Tree512 wrote: 91 Points
Surprisingly evolved. Nice red fruit, medium weight, seamless, not hugely complex. Drink soon.
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10/3/2022 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Served blind alongside the 2009 Skyline, which for me was the better of the two. That wine is more weightless and aging beautifully while the Swan is more fruit forward, and even primary. Blueberry and red apple, a richer and more opulent expression as compared to the Skyline. Yet, in all of that is still a wine of balance. It probably depends as to which you like in terms of what you want to drink--the Skyline more tangy red fruited with some minerality or the Swan with its opulence and more CA expression.
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6/14/2022 - dougie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Became bigger over 4 hours. The year Steph was drafted, and this didn’t help his 3 point shooting last night. But, who cares, WARRIORS! One more!
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6/5/2022 - davudvl wrote: 91 Points
Would rate it 90 on the first day. Left standing in the decanter for 24 hrs. Much better in the 2nd day and would rate it a 92.
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4/10/2022 - MountainwineFTW Likes this wine: 96 Points
Certainly one of the best Pinots I have had. Excellent with last nights dinner. There is a mix of beautiful fruit with developing notes of leather and Forest floor with mushroom. The balance of this wine is certainly unmatched. Certainly impressed by this winery.
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10/13/2021 - Charlie Carnes wrote: flawed
Darn. This was musty, then lifeless. Looks so pretty too! DOA
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6/7/2021 - MindMuse wrote: 93 Points
Remarkably fresh and vibrant. Lots of iron minerality, crunchy red fruits, light spice, and very considerable stemminess. Drink of hold.
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11/26/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bright ruby red with red fruit aromas. followed by herbs, forest floor, spices and minerals. Very inviting. good acidity. Layers of flavor that continued to change and improve. Red fruit, spice, herbs forest floor, sandal wood,. Light tannins in the long finish. Starting to show well. No hurry to open my remaining bottles.
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7/29/2020 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pretty, crunchy, red fruit, sour red cherry, earth minerals. As good as it is it might be in a sleep phase. I would really like to taste one of these in five years or so. 92+
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4/16/2020 - t_moderne wrote:
Pop and pour. Served a initially at a cool cellar temperature and allowed to warm up.
Ruby garnet color.Wonderful nose of fresh crushed red berries with an herbal frame and hint of cinnamon bark, and forest floor that adds to the red berries. Slight dried tangerine peel note too.
Bright and fresh with a lightness in mouthfeel but depth of flavor. Bright red berries with that spice note on the back end. Walks a balanced line of red berries, brown spice, and herbal elements with the acidity that keeps it fresh and lively.
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3/28/2020 - fclarity wrote: 92 Points
This wine had a very deep red center and light red/clear rims. I was pleased to see it had dropped some sediment. The medium+ Intensity nose was attractive at first but picked up volume and clarity with air. It showed rhubarb, cherries, minerals, and a touch of sandal wood.
In the mouth, this was slightly awkward and showed some alcohol when first poured. After 4 hours of air, while it was still a bit primary, it was gorgeously balanced with light tannins and solid acidity. It had Dujac-like presence that was attractive.
This wine was clearly still young but quite striking. I am not sure it will get better because this producer's track record is relatively short. However, I would bet on at least 5 years of cellaring given the balance. This wine could be drunk now but I would suggest holding off for 5-10 years to see what happens.
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12/31/2019 - Schwarzer Hund Likes this wine:
Dark red color, mixed berry fruit aromas come out after an hour of airtime. What seemed like a perfect balance of cherry fruit, spice, acidity, and faint tannins finishes with a lengthy smooth fruit dominated finish. This was the first bottle of Swan Terrace that we were allocated back when it was released. After 10 years post vintage the drinking window is opening but it has many years to go we think. A very nice wine.
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11/22/2019 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Ten years from the vintage, and this is just starting to develop some tertiary elements, such as forest floor. It still has a vibrant core of red fruit, and it’s structurally balanced, so more cellar time should not be a problem. I like the direction, despite never being a Swan Terrace fan.
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9/28/2019 - cubswinws Does not like this wine:
Undrinkable
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9/17/2019 - alanr wrote: 92 Points
Nice dark cherry and raspberry fruit, hints of spice, more open and forward than the 07 and 08, very nice but not quite the tension and complexity of those two vintages.
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9/17/2019 - glou.sf wrote: 91 Points
Rhys Dinner (Golden Triangle, Los Gatos): My least favorite of the Swans. Slightly burnt fruit flavors along with berries on the nose. Medium tannins with tart raspberries on the palate. Medium finish.
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8/21/2019 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
A pretty wine showing lovely dark red fruits and floral spices. Well balanced and quite complex for a new world pinot. Drink or hold.
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8/20/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Rhys Dinner Following Rhys Tasting (Prairie Grass - Northbrook IL): Lots of floral and spice aromas with soft red fruit on palate and nose. A bit too much whole cluster and new oak were in the forefront, so too pronounced. An odd bottle tonight, I was wondering if this was 100% correct, and the team from Rhys were also not certain. Still enjoyable, but 88-89 points for me tonight.
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5/18/2019 - xwine wrote:
Did a side by side of the 2009 Horseshoe and 2009 Swan Terrace. Opened and poured a small sample from each. The color was very similar, a medium ruby, but the Swan Terrace had a bit more brilliance. On the nose, the Horseshoe is fairly deep pitched, with dark red fruit. The Swan Terrace is brighter, with more lift and elegance, and a lovely spice note. On the palate, the Horseshoe is somewhat brooding, deep fruited, medium tannins. The Swan Terrace is lighter on its feet, shows some stems, a very bright wine, with some light cherry fruit. At this stage I prefer the ST.
After about two hours, both wines have developed nicely. The Horseshoe still maintains a larger frame, with a bit of a burly quality. The tannins have melted away a bit, and it has a nice finish, but there’s something about it that leaves me a bit flat. I’m inclined to say it’s time to drink these. The Swan Terrace, on the other hand, is simply terrific. Elegant, focused, pure red fruit, good acidity. The tannins are light and fine, but it could use some time to coalesce. Hold for a few years.
On the second day, the Horseshoe is slipping, and is not too interesting. The Swan Terrace is still showing beautifully brilliant red fruit. Really a very nice wine. As disappointing as the Horseshoe is, the Swan Terrace is lovely.
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4/14/2019 - Bathtub58 wrote:
Coravin 3x over 3 months. Final pip and pour. Muted nose. Flavors of red/dark fruits. Touch of spice with a acidity that leads to short-moderate finish of cherry cola. Not much of a profile. Awkward phase?
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12/28/2018 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
Spicy, almost effervescent raspberry fruit. Ripe, still with plenty of fruit, however a hint of alcohol creeping in on the finish. Drink up.
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11/30/2018 - ccn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ripe and rich, with pain d’epices nose and mouth. Length and complexity. Like a new world vosne romanee - spicy.
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10/1/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): This has a leathery aromatic, something like an animale/barnyard note. I'm not inferring brett but something distinctive. As to the palate of this, it seemed tired to me, astringent and aged. It didn't resonate for me. FWIW, this came from my own cellar, was stored perfectly since shipment on release from the winery.
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6/5/2017 - TomTom wrote:
A bit of a disappointment. The '10 Alpine we had the night before had more concentration and was more interesting overall than the Swan Terrace. It was a solid wine, but for the price, not what I was hoping. It had a relatively muted nose, it was black fruited but lacked structure. May benefit from aging to get more tertiary flavors.
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6/4/2017 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Ruby with slight amber-tawny hue typical of Rhys; distinctive nose of cherry kirsch, cherry-orange syrup; spices, orange-clove, black and red berries; I am not a big fan of the Rhys Pinot flavor profile as I think it's too spicy; however, well-made, great balance and complexity. Would never turn down, but prefer the likes of Williams Selyem--a more pure style IMHO. EWG Lunasia.
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6/3/2017 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 93 Points
I enjoyed this very much - way more than the 2010 Skyline in fact. Still showing a bit of warmer climate in the notes, yet also following the riper Burgundian lines set by Chezeaux and Mortet with black cherries and lavender. This is still bright, energetic and lively though! Great wine but a bit outclassed in this flight.
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3/22/2017 - B Paul wrote: 95 Points
I think this is the best Rhys Pinot I've had to date. Very expressive, complex and smooth. My last bottle but if I had another I'd probably hold for another year or two. That said, it's great now.
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11/10/2016 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright, energetic, extremely well mannered. Outstanding.
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11/5/2016 - Red Mountain Man wrote: flawed
Corked birthday celebration bottle. Reached out to winery and they replaced same bottle, same vintage 5 years after purchase! Fantastic customer service!!
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6/29/2016 - cookie7 wrote:
Removed a half glass via Coravin a week ago. Popped the cork tonight, note after 45 minutes. Earth, soy and cranberries on the nose. Dark red fruits on the palate. This is a very good wine, but seems to be a bit heavier than other Rhys (something I find often with their 2009's). Can drink now with air or let it rest for another 5-10 years
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4/17/2016 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great showing out of this today. Almost exactly 5 years since the first and last time I had it, and it has really paid off that time in the cellar. It is, to be sure, still very young and vibrant - perhaps even *more* vibrant now that it's had a chance to streamline itself and shed all the oak flavors, leaving the fruit quite gloriously pure and front and center. On the initial whiff it's very rich and syrupy but it only takes a minute to transcend that big blast of California sun and then the fruit feels crystallized and crunchy, a super-fresh profile despite it being purple/black in complexion, with the zing of wild berries. There is also a strong sense of stoniness so this is not a one-ring circus. The fruit keeps it intensely drinkable but the rocks add plenty of intrigue, including a tactile crushed stone sensation that works very well with the tannin to add some grit to a wine that remains compulsively drinkable.
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2/8/2016 - texaswinelover wrote:
Enjoyed this. Upon opening, seemed very stemmy in a nice way. Drank with friends over 4-5 hours. Continued developing and trained a wonderful balance of old and new world. But mostly older world profile but without the bracing acidity I sometimes get in burgundy. Drank alongside '04 mags of top Oregon Pinots (Shea, brick house, beaux frares and bergstrom), martinelli blue side. I think it would've shown better and my palate would've appreciated it more if it'd been solo tonight.
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1/11/2016 - B Paul wrote: 94 Points
Drink or hold.
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5/16/2015 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. One of the better Rhys I've had.
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3/19/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
This is in a good place right now but nowhere near it's potential, it showed young and tight with lots of structure. Fruit was muted but there's nice balance.
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2/13/2015 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/17/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Tasting With The Gang--Part 2 (My Place): Opened this at the end of our Rhys dinner, pouring it as the final wine to complete what had been a flight of Horseshoe pinot (2008, 2009 and 2011). Dumped to decanter and swirled it as well as I could to let it breathe. I wasn't all concerned about structure, as knowing 2009, I figured it would be bigger in tone, yet I hoped the lack of air wouldn't tamp down the aromatics and balance I expected from it. Nose shows light graphite and stem, with raspberry, strawberry, and from all the 2009s we had over the dinner, this Swan showed minerality. Delicate yet still reflects the ripeness of the vintage. Really good, of course all gone, so nothing to report back on today. Shared with friends and great palates, which is what great wine should be for!
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12/14/2014 - 2thdoc wrote:
Earthy, slightly tannic, in a great place right now
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12/9/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 95 Points
Johnny brought this out to Kan Zaman with Chris.
Absolutely one of the best Pinot Noir I've had in a bit.
Gorgeous pretty and unique elements. Royal red roasted spicy fruit, stewed vegetables and fresh flowers.
Savory, green olives, cranberry, brown sugar.
Fresh palate, clean, so much balance. More perfect slightly under ripe red fruit - again, very unique flavors as well as texture on the finish.
Love this wine. When Rhys Pinot sing, they really sing.
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7/2/2014 - Pstice Likes this wine: 92 Points
overt stem and cola spice. Oak shows a little. Beautiful dark brooding fruit
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6/4/2014 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rhys in Atlanta (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Add a little concentration and baby fat to the 2007, make the fruit a little more lush, and this is what you get.
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3/12/2014 - Veritas 53 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Appearance; clear, bright ruby red
Nose; herbaceous, earthy, red fruit
Palate; balance, soft & round tannins, red fruit, elegant, rose petal, very delicious long & delicious finish. Very approachable can age many years
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1/7/2014 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 91 Points
Champagne and Pinot Noir Tasting: Nice red fruit and spice on the nose. Good flavor intensity on the palate. Fuller bodied on the palate than the '10 Home Vineyard, but with nice balance and good flavor intensity. Would expect this to improve considerably with additional time in the cellar.
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11/30/2013 - randomly Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs another few years.
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5/19/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Chicago Berserkerfest Dinner #3 (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Nicely floral start with intense red fruit aromas and a bit of baking spice. Same fruit flavors, with strawberry and red cherry well complemented by the same spice character and lots of structural balance from elegant tannins and impressive acidity. A touch sweet in middle, but I expect this might soften as the wine integrates a bit more.
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4/26/2013 - clayfu wrote:
Killing baby Burgundies at the Playground (Playground , Santa Ana, CA): Decanted for three hours, bottled back up and drank it two hours after that. Served blind to burghounds.
Really obvious sweet purple fruit on the get go. This palate was roaring and ready to go. It had density but it had that sweetness that only comes from CA fruit. Well balanced. Most of the people at the table guessed "a very balanced and nice CA pinot". Can't trick anyone nowadays. ;)
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1/8/2013 - yui wrote: 92 Points
tight
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7/15/2012 - collin wrote:
Decanted and then consumed for 3+ hours. At the end, quite closed. Medium weight. The structure (not aromas / flavors) is a bit open knit now, which gives me some pause as to longevity. Other than that, I loved this- very floral, not much fruit, crunchy acids, a bit of beetroot. Will be better with time (5+ years), but may drink on the early side of things.
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4/26/2012 - onewineheaven wrote:
It's too soon to rate this wine. Right now the stems dominate the fruit and it will take a few years for the wine to come together. It is so stemmy right now that I would say it is not even pleasant to drink. Let's put it this way...rarely do my wife and I not finish a bottle of wine the night it's opened but in this case we stoppered it about 2/3 through and drank the rest two nights later. The wine has a solid core of fruit--it smelled delicious when I decanted it to breath for a couple of hours--so I'm sure it will be great, in a few years. btw, it was better two nights later if you were wondering.
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3/23/2012 - floydtp wrote:
Santa Cruz Mountains Day 2 (Rhys, Big Basin, Plumed Horse): Tasted non blind at the winery with Jeff. Bottle had been slow oxed for around 4 hours. The nose has mostly dark floral elements with some red cherries. The palate is sour red berries with significant floral elements. Medium length finish that ends with sour cherries. Hold for several more years. I don't have nearly enough experience with this wine to hazard a guess at a rating but I'm sure it will be excellent with a several years of bottle aging. Definitely a feminine profile. 100% whole cluster and 1/3 new oak.
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7/20/2011 - ChillyWino wrote:
This also gets a WOW and STUNNING from me. As soon as he poured it I asked if it was the Alpine (I’ve only had the 04 Family Farm and 06 Alpine previously and the spicy nose from the Alpine still sticks with me and this reminded me of that). The nose jumps out of the glass with an incredible spice component that really grabbed me.(Tasted in the caves at Rhys, opened 4 hours before we arrived)
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4/15/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Rhys (Peking Duck House): This is clearly a bulkier wine than the Family Farm, which made me prefer the former today, although they're built pretty similarly with prominent structure and the stems here again are obvious. Here the wood manifests in more of a cedary flavor compared to the sweeter cocoa of the Family Farm, which combined with its scale gave it a kind of claretlike presence. Obviously both of these wines need some time in the bottle to sort themselves out.
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3/17/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Visit--All The 2009s From Bottle! (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): 12.7%, 33% new wood and 90% whole cluster. This is the east facing slope of the Alpine vineyard, below the hillside section. Great polish with lots of blue fruit, the most blue of all the wines tasted. Also the cranberry and the rose petal notes add a nice nuance to the palate. Juicy and stony with lots of minerality and balance.
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