After sitting downstairs for 10 years, this bottle is quite resolved and quite excellent. A bit reticent on the nose but the length is good, the mouth is airy and very very good and the overall feeling is one of silky elegance.
This is the best Pinot we’ve had this year.
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Opens tart but settles down after an hour. Nice, good fruit, good structure. Reticent nose good length. Not a spectacular bottle even after all these years but a good one.
Seems ready to drink.
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13.3% alcohol. Dark black cherry color. The nose took a bit of time to unwind, but it's a delicious, darker array of Pinot fruit -- black cherries and blackberry -- with a lot of spice to it. The structure is still robust, with good acidity and tannin. The texture is superb, silky and just coming into its peak window. Probably needs another 3-5 years, to be honest. Lovely. A-/A
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About five years since I last had this and back then it was as closed down a wine as I've ever had from Rhys, or from the entire United States of America for that matter. It's very interesting what's happened, as it's now come out of its closed state but not by getting more advanced. Instead it's moved in the opposite direction and gushes with fresh primary fruit in the manner of a Rhys pinot fresh off the UPS truck. It has an inky gloss with dark wild berry and plum flavors but it takes a couple hours in the decanter for it to really show off its distinction. That's when the quality of the tannins starts to show and it becomes notable more than anything for its silky refinement.
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Open a couple hours, decanted for another, this was darker in profile than most Rhys wines yet the balance was impeccable, tannins perfectly resolved and very good depth of fruit. One of the best Rhys wines I've tried even though I prefer a slightly redder fruit profile. Probably in the midst of its drinking window.
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Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): Tasted alongside the 2007 Family Farm. The Home is more burly in tone than the FF, and to me the Home shows better depth. My notes say "darker' and I believe that was reference to the fruit profile, as the fruit here was more roasted cherry and a hard candy note.
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Very good. I brought this to an Easter Sunday lunch because I thought it would go well with the food. As always, this Rhys seemed atypical of what I have come to associate with California Pinot over the last few years. Very deep red and almost purple in color, this wine is nevertheless lithe and laced with minerality, yet it is also ripe and full of cherry fruit and underbrush. It had nice complexity and stayed interesting for the several hours we consumed it over. Most gratifyingly, the hosts of the lunch who are dear friends of ours, LOVED this Rhys and the other Rhys wines I have shared with them over the last few years. A winner of a wine for sure.
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I know the official recommendation was to leave this vintage alone for awhile, but I've actually never had a closed-up Rhys - just some that were too young and fruity - so curiousity got the better of me. I'll admit it was probably a mistake. This isn't closed-up in the fashion of a Burgundy that's all structure no fruit, but it is fairly mute aromatically and fairly shy on the palate too. In fact it's probably the most mild and light-bodied wine I've ever had from Rhys but I don't know whether that reflects the wine itself or simply the intermediate place it's in. In the meantime you can enjoy it as something pleasantly mellow/slender/feminine/etc., but this vineyard can offer a hell of a lot of character when it's in a good place and none of that is here at the moment.
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Had this on Thanksgiving Day alongside the St. Innocent Shea, and this simply eviscerated the Shea...wiped the floor with it. Although this also shows very dark fruit, there is more focus, cut, sappiness, and plain goodness than in the Shea. It's a big Pinot, but it has character. Dark cherry and blackberry fruit, earth, pine resin and a touch of spice. Great texture and finish. I have recently seen folks compare Rhys to DRC and other standard bearers of Burgundy, but I personally think that's a bit of a reach. The wine is fantastic California Pinot though, and the best California has to offer these days in my opinion.
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Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Started with lots of red fruit but not much else. So while clearly American Pinot, it didn't show much charm beside the good fruit. Surprisingly thin for a Rhys Pinot, I'd give this plenty of time in cellar and hope it picks up weight.
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Pushes all the right buttons, the body and weight are just right, medium dark flavors are there with some spice and earthy/woodsy character, but the whole cluster notes are just too much, both on the nose and palate. Not so much a green-ness, as a medicinal woody quality. A few years may do wonders for this, right now judgement reserved. One vote urging the crew at Rhys to back off on the whole cluster percentage.
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Nose - Very shy, black cherry, light oak, hint of blackberry. Zesty, smoky, raosted plum, tarragon, intense black cherry, some char, white flowers, very firm, smooth/dusty tannin. Nothing like the neighboring Family Farm. Drink '17-'32.
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The nose on this makes me want to scratch my head. It is, perhaps, the most singular Pinot from the U.S. I've ever smelled or tasted. That is meant in the very best way possible. Spice, earth, black cherry, flowers, minerals all jump out of the glass, even at this early stage. In the mouth, gorgeous texture, copious amounts of fruit, and structure that is perfectly integrated. Tremendously long finish. This is only going to get better. A potentially legendary wine. A
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4/13/2024 - mckillop Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderfully fresh. Best Rhys I’ve had.
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1/16/2022 - jjct wrote:
Beautiful intense fresh youthful nose. Palate is supple with pronounced tannins. Short finish, not very complex.
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11/30/2019 - jbaron wrote: 95 Points
After sitting downstairs for 10 years, this bottle is quite resolved and quite excellent. A bit reticent on the nose but the length is good, the mouth is airy and very very good and the overall feeling is one of silky elegance.
This is the best Pinot we’ve had this year.
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3/19/2019 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 91 Points
Atlanta Does Rhys Yet Again (Atlas Restaurant, Atlanta, GA): Lean dark cherry with a bit of stems, pretty harmonious.
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1/6/2018 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Opens tart but settles down after an hour. Nice, good fruit, good structure. Reticent nose good length. Not a spectacular bottle even after all these years but a good one.
Seems ready to drink.
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9/14/2017 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
13.3% alcohol. Dark black cherry color. The nose took a bit of time to unwind, but it's a delicious, darker array of Pinot fruit -- black cherries and blackberry -- with a lot of spice to it. The structure is still robust, with good acidity and tannin. The texture is superb, silky and just coming into its peak window. Probably needs another 3-5 years, to be honest. Lovely. A-/A
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7/4/2016 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
About five years since I last had this and back then it was as closed down a wine as I've ever had from Rhys, or from the entire United States of America for that matter. It's very interesting what's happened, as it's now come out of its closed state but not by getting more advanced. Instead it's moved in the opposite direction and gushes with fresh primary fruit in the manner of a Rhys pinot fresh off the UPS truck. It has an inky gloss with dark wild berry and plum flavors but it takes a couple hours in the decanter for it to really show off its distinction. That's when the quality of the tannins starts to show and it becomes notable more than anything for its silky refinement.
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10/18/2015 - Louvin wrote: 93 Points
Open a couple hours, decanted for another, this was darker in profile than most Rhys wines yet the balance was impeccable, tannins perfectly resolved and very good depth of fruit. One of the best Rhys wines I've tried even though I prefer a slightly redder fruit profile. Probably in the midst of its drinking window.
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10/11/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): Tasted alongside the 2007 Family Farm. The Home is more burly in tone than the FF, and to me the Home shows better depth. My notes say "darker' and I believe that was reference to the fruit profile, as the fruit here was more roasted cherry and a hard candy note.
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4/8/2012 - steffenpelz wrote:
Very good. I brought this to an Easter Sunday lunch because I thought it would go well with the food. As always, this Rhys seemed atypical of what I have come to associate with California Pinot over the last few years. Very deep red and almost purple in color, this wine is nevertheless lithe and laced with minerality, yet it is also ripe and full of cherry fruit and underbrush. It had nice complexity and stayed interesting for the several hours we consumed it over. Most gratifyingly, the hosts of the lunch who are dear friends of ours, LOVED this Rhys and the other Rhys wines I have shared with them over the last few years. A winner of a wine for sure.
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11/28/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
I know the official recommendation was to leave this vintage alone for awhile, but I've actually never had a closed-up Rhys - just some that were too young and fruity - so curiousity got the better of me. I'll admit it was probably a mistake. This isn't closed-up in the fashion of a Burgundy that's all structure no fruit, but it is fairly mute aromatically and fairly shy on the palate too. In fact it's probably the most mild and light-bodied wine I've ever had from Rhys but I don't know whether that reflects the wine itself or simply the intermediate place it's in. In the meantime you can enjoy it as something pleasantly mellow/slender/feminine/etc., but this vineyard can offer a hell of a lot of character when it's in a good place and none of that is here at the moment.
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11/25/2011 - steffenpelz wrote:
Had this on Thanksgiving Day alongside the St. Innocent Shea, and this simply eviscerated the Shea...wiped the floor with it. Although this also shows very dark fruit, there is more focus, cut, sappiness, and plain goodness than in the Shea. It's a big Pinot, but it has character. Dark cherry and blackberry fruit, earth, pine resin and a touch of spice. Great texture and finish. I have recently seen folks compare Rhys to DRC and other standard bearers of Burgundy, but I personally think that's a bit of a reach. The wine is fantastic California Pinot though, and the best California has to offer these days in my opinion.
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11/12/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Started with lots of red fruit but not much else. So while clearly American Pinot, it didn't show much charm beside the good fruit. Surprisingly thin for a Rhys Pinot, I'd give this plenty of time in cellar and hope it picks up weight.
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5/24/2010 - alanr wrote: 89 Points
Pushes all the right buttons, the body and weight are just right, medium dark flavors are there with some spice and earthy/woodsy character, but the whole cluster notes are just too much, both on the nose and palate. Not so much a green-ness, as a medicinal woody quality. A few years may do wonders for this, right now judgement reserved. One vote urging the crew at Rhys to back off on the whole cluster percentage.
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6/27/2009 - yhn wrote: 96 Points
Nose - Very shy, black cherry, light oak, hint of blackberry.
Zesty, smoky, raosted plum, tarragon, intense black cherry, some char, white flowers, very firm, smooth/dusty tannin. Nothing like the neighboring Family Farm. Drink '17-'32.
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3/20/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
The nose on this makes me want to scratch my head. It is, perhaps, the most singular Pinot from the U.S. I've ever smelled or tasted. That is meant in the very best way possible. Spice, earth, black cherry, flowers, minerals all jump out of the glass, even at this early stage. In the mouth, gorgeous texture, copious amounts of fruit, and structure that is perfectly integrated. Tremendously long finish. This is only going to get better. A potentially legendary wine. A
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