This is the oldest Rhys I've had since it's of course the oldest Rhys it's possible to have without breaking into Kevin's basement. On release it floored me with its complexity, rocky expression, and conspicuous absence of any indication it's from a heat-wave vintage. Fourteen years later the ripe fruit scents fill the room as it's decanted and is probably more expressive of the sunshine now than it was then. But that aspect of it hasn't taken over because with airtime it segues back to the familiar profile with mellower, middleweight fruit packed with red rocks that make it taste like it was grown on Mars. It still tastes younger than some Rhys you can have from the following few vintages but some of those are a bit backwards to be in a happy drinking state and this is not like that at all - it still has tannin to give it texture (which if not quite cashmere is at least very finely combed, very comfy merino) but this is open and easygoing. But maybe better to keep holding another 5 or 10 if you want something more evolved.
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Rhys Tasting (Knightsbridge - Northbrook IL): Red cherry and berry with dried herbs, subtle spice and a dollop of earth. Medium density, but so well made with good balance and freshness for such young vines. Bought from winery on release.
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A beautiful bottle. No brett, no signs of the difficult year. This is in prime time, though it took at least a couple of hours after double decanting for it to show itself fully. The aromatics were stunning.
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i've gone through just over a half a case of this, and sadly this was my last bottle. this particular bottle is a bit past its prime and some of the complexity has dissipated. it's still a delight to drink.
This is the first convincing red Rhys I've had, and it was very convincing. Beautiful, soaring aromatics; haunting stuff. This is what SCM Pinot should be: red fruits with spicy overtones and real minerality. Could use a more density and depth, but these vines were babies. Now, if only the pricing will slow down so I can stay with them.
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loamy soil, stemmy bay leaf, rose petals on a barn-yardy note. Much less oak presence than the 04 Alpine I had recently. On the palate, saline, moist soil, cherry, and a nice sappy presence, herbal and long. Reminds a little of a nice Chinon.
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This had a tough flighting, behind two good burgs, and I think suffered due to that placement. Still showing more primary than anticipated. Interestingly, I recall having this a few years ago and think it showed better at that point.
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Not as awesome in the company of mature Burgs from 1980 and 1998 but a respectable showing none the less. This does run to the bigger side of PN which isn't really my favoratie profile. Very solid PN though and much to like. Dark fruited, some minerality,and balanced. Still could use 3-5yrs to really shine. Noticed some oak influence on the nose yet. Popped and poured. I think this might be my cue to jump off the list soon with prices getting kinda crazy from all the hype surounding this amicable producer.
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it's been such a joy to follow this wine over the past few years, and i'll count myself in the lucky few afforded this opportunity. what is missing in the kaleidoscopic, ever evolving complexity from previous bottles is more than compensated for by the over all completeness and seamlessness in the wine. very well integrated at this juncture. red cherries and flowers intricately woven among a prominent backdrop of autumn leaves and minerals. very soft and deftly balanced. for those of you who waited before digging in, you missed out about in the past 2 years. on the flip side, you'll be rewarded in a different way. stunning! kudos once again to the team at rhys.
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My note is completely different from everyone else's positive impressions. I was really amped to try this as I've yet to have a Rhys with age on it. Initially there was some barn yard funk intermingled with dark red fruit on the nose but 30 minutes in it was an absolute brett bomb. There was so much poo in the glass i thought my dog had farted inside. The smell was overwhelming and really turned me off on the wine. I've heard people say there are problems with the 04 and I'd have to agree. The palate wasn't terribly expressive and I'm not sure if that had to do with the brett problem either.
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One more btl left and I'll hang onto it for at least 3 more yrs to see what this is like at 10yrs+. This reminds of Gevrey Chambertin. Not as delicate as a Chambolle but Burgundian none the less. Nice soil tones and dark fruit on the nose. The acidity and tanins are still a little bright but everything else is vary harmonious. Terrific dark raspberry and minerally flavors again with a sense of forest floor & mushroom. Evolving nicely and still a ways from fully realized. Very solid value at $50 which is what you expect to pay for a village burg from a top producer. If these ever get into the $75+ range they may outprice themselves for me.
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Thanks so all of you who offered your advice regarding this bottle after I found it leaked a bit on our drive to the Isle of Palm just outside of Charleston, SC. Needless to say, it performed flawlessly during our mind-blowing dinner at the Peninsula Grill for my wife's 30th birthday.
While I was too enamored by my stunning bride to take a formal written note at the table, I offer this from memory.
An utterly gorgeous nose of stunning complexity! This is the type of wine you can wax poetic for hours. A kaleidoscopic melange of raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate fruit intertwined with roses, a subtle trace of brown sugar at times, and well balanced by a strong earth and mineral interplay. A surgically precise palate captures the nose along with an impeccable balance of its structural components. Soft in the mouth, but some tannins remain and will require more time to integrate fully. I feel this wine is more whole than my last experience with it in April of 2009; that is to say everything seems more melded and less like individual pieces and parts. Finishes pure with a long lasting and lingering impression of its essence. In a word - glorious!
I'll probably check in on my next bottle in a few years and the rest...well we'll see. If you have any of these, you are very lucky indeed. Drink now for a whopping dose of pleasure, but if you hold, I do believe you'll derive even more in some years time. This is but one reason why this is my favorite winery. Kudos to Kevin, Jeff, and the team!
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What a wine! Don't tell me this is from California; this has its roots in Burgundy. The nose is restrained with a "come to me" stance rather than in your face as many New World pinots. Definitely produced in the Old World style, the palate is feminine with notes of cinnamon, cherries, earth, and a touch of black fruits. A wine that is spherical and beyond most California pinots I have tasted. Kevin, you've taken this one to a new level.
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Wowsa! Opened at noon and began to drink 6 hours later. A majestic dark cranberry color complicated by rust colored tones. A whirlwind of complexity on this feminine nose consisting of raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate fruit supported by fresh cut flowers, eucalyptus, rose pedals, earth, and minerals. And maybe a hint of tobacco and pine needles that wave in and out. The nose continues to evolve as I repeatedly burry my nose in the glass never wanting to ascend for air. One might argue that this supplies yin to the Alpines' yang. Velvety in the mouth and equally complex. Its intense fruit (do NOT read fruit bomb here) is lifted upon a pedestal of acid with surgical precision. Mild herbaciousness. What I love most about this wine is its intriguing iron-laced minerality. I've read about it elsewhere, but to experience it is wonderful. Fully satisfying finish echos the palates' fruit and minerals. Deftly balanced. Not a trace of alcohol. In a word...stunning!
What can I say? Rhys has risen to become my favorite US producer. From the lower Alesia offering to their flagship wines, I've been enamored by the all - this bottle in particular. Well done!
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13.4% alcohol. i tasted this about 5 months ago in a group setting, and was underwhelmed, so i wanted an evening alone with my second (and last) bottle. the difficulties of tiny allocations is the inability to really follow a wine by determining a baseline, or contrasting variations of time and place. naturally, i read the other reviews which are (mostly) expressed by palates i respect, and wonder what am i missing? i can easily recognize it's unique profile within the realm of calipinot, i.e. this ain't no kosta browne. and that's good by me, but i do wish the wine was more distinctive on the finish, and a little bolder with fruit v. the minerality. i suppose i want it to be a little riper. it's a very clean wine with no harsh angles, more delicate, if you will. i thought the finish was a bit clipped. i don't get any of the green flavors from last time. an hour of air in the glass (not decanted) helped the wine to blossom. the rhys experiment rolls on with me, but no question i found this bottle to be more pleasing than the last.
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Post Insignia Dinner at Siggy's: I was done taking notes at this point. I don't love mixing California Pinot Noir in with Burgundies, but Craig brought it so I gamely gave it a try -- and found it to be surprisingly good. Very good. The nose gives an expressive and controlled blend of black fruit, earth/smoke and flower/lavendar. The taste is thick and jammy, but packed with black fruit and floral notes. Hard to recalibrate after all the Burgs. I would love to try this alone with a meal and see how good it really is.
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Post-Insignia Burgundy Dinner (Our House): Ripe black fruit. Smooth and velvety mouthfeel, with pungent minerality and nice bright acidity. No hard edges or excess structure here. Good concentration and length. Very impressive.
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Bistro K: EWG: Argun; Earth, toast, frt medley mixed up w/tart lively mth, med. bod, perf. balance; this will be grt! WRoasted duck breast and duck leg confit egg roll.
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"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Wow. Intoxicating scents. Hello, earth! Mushrooms. Underbrush. A whip-snap of thyme, herbs, and game. And then a pure distillation of crushed rocks and iron—but exotic rocks—this is Martian terroir. One of the most minerally red wines I’ve ever had. And the best California wine, period.
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Tasted on 1/12/06 Absolutely awesome Light pastel pink in color. Incredible fragrant nose of rose peddles. This was a sexy wine. Made with 100% whole cluster and 6 clones. All picked at once. 13.7% Acl. This will age beautifully. No new oak. I take my hat off to Kevin for making this wine and was practically begging for a bottle.
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30 years of Santa Cruz / Mount Eden Pinot Noirs with Dan Kravitz: Strawberry confectionary nose. The palate is again caressing like the 04 Mount Eden but shows much more originality. The mid-palate is smooth with a finish that keeps repeating. For me this was clearly the wine of the flight and one of my top three wines of the night. Killer.
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7/27/2020 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is the oldest Rhys I've had since it's of course the oldest Rhys it's possible to have without breaking into Kevin's basement. On release it floored me with its complexity, rocky expression, and conspicuous absence of any indication it's from a heat-wave vintage. Fourteen years later the ripe fruit scents fill the room as it's decanted and is probably more expressive of the sunshine now than it was then. But that aspect of it hasn't taken over because with airtime it segues back to the familiar profile with mellower, middleweight fruit packed with red rocks that make it taste like it was grown on Mars. It still tastes younger than some Rhys you can have from the following few vintages but some of those are a bit backwards to be in a happy drinking state and this is not like that at all - it still has tannin to give it texture (which if not quite cashmere is at least very finely combed, very comfy merino) but this is open and easygoing. But maybe better to keep holding another 5 or 10 if you want something more evolved.
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8/20/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Rhys Tasting (Knightsbridge - Northbrook IL): Red cherry and berry with dried herbs, subtle spice and a dollop of earth. Medium density, but so well made with good balance and freshness for such young vines. Bought from winery on release.
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10/29/2013 - 14Frimaire Likes this wine:
A beautiful bottle. No brett, no signs of the difficult year. This is in prime time, though it took at least a couple of hours after double decanting for it to show itself fully. The aromatics were stunning.
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5/18/2013 - etherscreen wrote:
i've gone through just over a half a case of this, and sadly this was my last bottle. this particular bottle is a bit past its prime and some of the complexity has dissipated. it's still a delight to drink.
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11/4/2012 - 14Frimaire wrote:
This is the first convincing red Rhys I've had, and it was very convincing. Beautiful, soaring aromatics; haunting stuff. This is what SCM Pinot should be: red fruits with spicy overtones and real minerality. Could use a more density and depth, but these vines were babies. Now, if only the pricing will slow down so I can stay with them.
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5/4/2012 - Erik R. wrote: 91 Points
loamy soil, stemmy bay leaf, rose petals on a barn-yardy note. Much less oak presence than the 04 Alpine I had recently. On the palate, saline, moist soil, cherry, and a nice sappy presence, herbal and long. Reminds a little of a nice Chinon.
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2/14/2012 - BradE wrote:
This had a tough flighting, behind two good burgs, and I think suffered due to that placement. Still showing more primary than anticipated. Interestingly, I recall having this a few years ago and think it showed better at that point.
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2/13/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 91 Points
Not as awesome in the company of mature Burgs from 1980 and 1998 but a respectable showing none the less. This does run to the bigger side of PN which isn't really my favoratie profile. Very solid PN though and much to like. Dark fruited, some minerality,and balanced. Still could use 3-5yrs to really shine. Noticed some oak influence on the nose yet. Popped and poured. I think this might be my cue to jump off the list soon with prices getting kinda crazy from all the hype surounding this amicable producer.
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2/1/2012 - etherscreen wrote:
it's been such a joy to follow this wine over the past few years, and i'll count myself in the lucky few afforded this opportunity. what is missing in the kaleidoscopic, ever evolving complexity from previous bottles is more than compensated for by the over all completeness and seamlessness in the wine. very well integrated at this juncture. red cherries and flowers intricately woven among a prominent backdrop of autumn leaves and minerals. very soft and deftly balanced. for those of you who waited before digging in, you missed out about in the past 2 years. on the flip side, you'll be rewarded in a different way. stunning! kudos once again to the team at rhys.
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9/23/2011 - soyhead wrote: 88 Points
nose - floral, bubble gum, and a good dose of oak
mouth - tight strawberry and raspberry fruit, good acidity
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2/5/2011 - clayfu wrote:
My note is completely different from everyone else's positive impressions. I was really amped to try this as I've yet to have a Rhys with age on it. Initially there was some barn yard funk intermingled with dark red fruit on the nose but 30 minutes in it was an absolute brett bomb. There was so much poo in the glass i thought my dog had farted inside. The smell was overwhelming and really turned me off on the wine. I've heard people say there are problems with the 04 and I'd have to agree. The palate wasn't terribly expressive and I'm not sure if that had to do with the brett problem either.
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9/1/2010 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
One more btl left and I'll hang onto it for at least 3 more yrs to see what this is like at 10yrs+. This reminds of Gevrey Chambertin. Not as delicate as a Chambolle but Burgundian none the less. Nice soil tones and dark fruit on the nose. The acidity and tanins are still a little bright but everything else is vary harmonious. Terrific dark raspberry and minerally flavors again with a sense of forest floor & mushroom. Evolving nicely and still a ways from fully realized. Very solid value at $50 which is what you expect to pay for a village burg from a top producer. If these ever get into the $75+ range they may outprice themselves for me.
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8/19/2010 - etherscreen wrote:
Thanks so all of you who offered your advice regarding this bottle after I found it leaked a bit on our drive to the Isle of Palm just outside of Charleston, SC. Needless to say, it performed flawlessly during our mind-blowing dinner at the Peninsula Grill for my wife's 30th birthday.
While I was too enamored by my stunning bride to take a formal written note at the table, I offer this from memory.
An utterly gorgeous nose of stunning complexity! This is the type of wine you can wax poetic for hours. A kaleidoscopic melange of raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate fruit intertwined with roses, a subtle trace of brown sugar at times, and well balanced by a strong earth and mineral interplay. A surgically precise palate captures the nose along with an impeccable balance of its structural components. Soft in the mouth, but some tannins remain and will require more time to integrate fully. I feel this wine is more whole than my last experience with it in April of 2009; that is to say everything seems more melded and less like individual pieces and parts. Finishes pure with a long lasting and lingering impression of its essence. In a word - glorious!
I'll probably check in on my next bottle in a few years and the rest...well we'll see. If you have any of these, you are very lucky indeed. Drink now for a whopping dose of pleasure, but if you hold, I do believe you'll derive even more in some years time. This is but one reason why this is my favorite winery. Kudos to Kevin, Jeff, and the team!
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6/12/2009 - Wil wrote: 93 Points
What a wine! Don't tell me this is from California; this has its roots in Burgundy. The nose is restrained with a "come to me" stance rather than in your face as many New World pinots. Definitely produced in the Old World style, the palate is feminine with notes of cinnamon, cherries, earth, and a touch of black fruits. A wine that is spherical and beyond most California pinots I have tasted. Kevin, you've taken this one to a new level.
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5/30/2009 - etherscreen wrote:
Wowsa! Opened at noon and began to drink 6 hours later. A majestic dark cranberry color complicated by rust colored tones. A whirlwind of complexity on this feminine nose consisting of raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate fruit supported by fresh cut flowers, eucalyptus, rose pedals, earth, and minerals. And maybe a hint of tobacco and pine needles that wave in and out. The nose continues to evolve as I repeatedly burry my nose in the glass never wanting to ascend for air. One might argue that this supplies yin to the Alpines' yang. Velvety in the mouth and equally complex. Its intense fruit (do NOT read fruit bomb here) is lifted upon a pedestal of acid with surgical precision. Mild herbaciousness. What I love most about this wine is its intriguing iron-laced minerality. I've read about it elsewhere, but to experience it is wonderful. Fully satisfying finish echos the palates' fruit and minerals. Deftly balanced. Not a trace of alcohol. In a word...stunning!
What can I say? Rhys has risen to become my favorite US producer. From the lower Alesia offering to their flagship wines, I've been enamored by the all - this bottle in particular. Well done!
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7/16/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
13.4% alcohol. i tasted this about 5 months ago in a group setting, and was underwhelmed, so i wanted an evening alone with my second (and last) bottle. the difficulties of tiny allocations is the inability to really follow a wine by determining a baseline, or contrasting variations of time and place. naturally, i read the other reviews which are (mostly) expressed by palates i respect, and wonder what am i missing? i can easily recognize it's unique profile within the realm of calipinot, i.e. this ain't no kosta browne. and that's good by me, but i do wish the wine was more distinctive on the finish, and a little bolder with fruit v. the minerality. i suppose i want it to be a little riper. it's a very clean wine with no harsh angles, more delicate, if you will. i thought the finish was a bit clipped. i don't get any of the green flavors from last time. an hour of air in the glass (not decanted) helped the wine to blossom. the rhys experiment rolls on with me, but no question i found this bottle to be more pleasing than the last.
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2/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote:
Cherry, rhubarb, earth, cola and lots of vanilla oak. This wine is quite green with very dry tannins. Very bitter on the finish. 13.4% alcohol.
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10/14/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Post Insignia Dinner at Siggy's: I was done taking notes at this point. I don't love mixing California Pinot Noir in with Burgundies, but Craig brought it so I gamely gave it a try -- and found it to be surprisingly good. Very good. The nose gives an expressive and controlled blend of black fruit, earth/smoke and flower/lavendar. The taste is thick and jammy, but packed with black fruit and floral notes. Hard to recalibrate after all the Burgs. I would love to try this alone with a meal and see how good it really is.
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10/14/2007 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Post-Insignia Burgundy Dinner (Our House): Ripe black fruit. Smooth and velvety mouthfeel, with pungent minerality and nice bright acidity. No hard edges or excess structure here. Good concentration and length. Very impressive.
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1/20/2007 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Bistro K: EWG: Argun; Earth, toast, frt medley mixed up w/tart lively mth, med. bod, perf. balance; this will be grt! WRoasted duck breast and duck leg confit egg roll.
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12/21/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 98 Points
"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Wow. Intoxicating scents. Hello, earth! Mushrooms. Underbrush. A whip-snap of thyme, herbs, and game. And then a pure distillation of crushed rocks and iron—but exotic rocks—this is Martian terroir. One of the most minerally red wines I’ve ever had. And the best California wine, period.
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12/15/2006 - jamiekutch wrote:
Tasted on 1/12/06 Absolutely awesome Light pastel pink in color. Incredible fragrant nose of rose peddles. This was a sexy wine. Made with 100% whole cluster and 6 clones. All picked at once. 13.7% Acl. This will age beautifully. No new oak. I take my hat off to Kevin for making this wine and was practically begging for a bottle.
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12/15/2006 - jamiekutch wrote:
30 years of Santa Cruz / Mount Eden Pinot Noirs with Dan Kravitz: Strawberry confectionary nose. The palate is again caressing like the 04 Mount Eden but shows much more originality. The mid-palate is smooth with a finish that keeps repeating. For me this was clearly the wine of the flight and one of my top three wines of the night. Killer.
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