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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 141 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 4/27/2024: Tasted over 3 hrs
-med dark red purple minimal clearing
-expressive ripe black cherry cola
-med acidity, med weight prominent saline mineral focused essence of macerated black cherry juice, fine med tannins leave a tight bitter note on finish
-well-balanced, on mature plateau, may have been a bit more charming a few years ago with more fruit but might also get really interesting if tertiary notes develop (559 views) | | | Tasted by Robert R. on 3/23/2024: Very good. Short decant in part because I mangled the cork. Red berries, strawberry, spice, moderate acid and tannin. A little stemminess, which was fine. Tasty and fleshed out from front end to back end. We drank it all in one sitting. A nice, middle of the road-styled pinot and in a good spot right now. (546 views) | | | Tasted by Mbad77 on 3/1/2024 & rated 92 points: Still fresh enough, some fruit but also spice and meaty elements, like a. Light Syrah. Softer tea elements and some zip on finish, darker fruits maybe now, (759 views) | | | Tasted by viniferatu on 2/3/2024: When it was first opened, this showed so much fruit, I wouldn't say primary fruit, but bright and intense fruit -- red cherry, red and yellow plum, raspberry, orange, pomelo -- now, after 10 or so hours open in the bottle, it is so very savory, and the fruit is less prominent.
Aromas of ketchup, autumn leaves, stewed beef, pomegranate molasses, raspberry syrup, cherry jam, and citrus preserves, a little minty herbs and tobacco... tangy and meaty on the palate, spicy and peppery, airy herbs and pine forest, tannins are totally resolved (though I suspect they were never prominent), tart fruit keeps it fresh but this is definitely turning the corner to savory tertiary notes. Long, tart and spicy finish, fresh and vibrant, this is not going to fade soon, it has 5+ years, at least, but I'd also say that don't see improvement from here... (945 views) | | | Tasted by BigTex22 on 1/20/2024: Still has a ton of primary fruit but lacks structure. Drink now or hold. (800 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 12/10/2023 & rated 93 points: Delicious tart red cherry and strawberry with spice and earth notes on the nose and palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. (889 views) | | | Tasted by gharter on 12/8/2023 & rated 92 points: PnP. Very good aromatics with dark cherry, spice, pepper, a gaminess and a touch of herbal. Lots of flavor showing dark cherry, spice, pepper, mild gaminess and herbal on the palate. Soft tannins . Very well balanced with good acidity and freshness of the fruit. Drinking really well. My last bottle. (841 views) | | | Tasted by norsktorsk on 10/26/2023 & rated 93 points: still fairly tannic on opening (939 views) | | | Tasted by wgmccallum on 8/9/2023 & rated 94 points: Light ruby with garnet edges. Raspberries, strawberries, black plums, rhubarb, red currants, loam, bright coffee, a touch of chocolate, toast, and a touch of vanillin oak. A nice attack of penetrating fruit, smooth and fresh juicy body, medium to high acids, low to medium tannins, low alcohol (12.5%), warm aromatic back notes, very long fragrant finish. (1277 views) | | | Tasted by alanr on 8/3/2023 & rated 91 points: Good color, maybe showing a tinge of age, some nice light stem spice on the nose, a bit pine forest-y, a bit garrigue-y, deliciously zesty, medium intensity, fruit spectrum is a mix of bright cherry, darker raspberry, some hints of higher toned strawberry, excellent acidity, tannins are quite fine, but just enough to coat the tongue nicely. In a great place for drinking, not sure how much improvement there will be with more bottle age, but should drink nicely up to a decade from now. (1335 views) | | | Tasted by jjct on 8/2/2023: Nice middle aged AV pinot. Crunchy red fruit, well balanced, a bit rustic on the finish. (977 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 6/23/2023 & rated 92 points: Similar tasting note to previous bottle. (1127 views) | | | Tasted by DrPhyzx on 2/12/2023 & rated 90 points: 2012 was a really good year for this wine, but my impressions of previous bottles were much better than this one - my last. In particular, the fruit has faded to such an extent that it no longer keeps up with the acid. After a while in the glass, and adaptation of the palate to the acid, I can start to appreciate the comparatively subtle red fruits - underripe strawberry / cranberry, some cherry - and the remaining tannins, but it was pretty far out of balance for my tastes. Perhaps it was an odd bottle, but if I had more, I'd be thinking to drink it soon and to be careful with pairings. It worked out OK with pizza, but wouldn't have worked nearly so well with something less bold/acidic.
Edit: I see recent magnum scores are significantly higher: confirms my thesis? (1385 views) | | | Tasted by Tree512 on 2/2/2023 & rated 90 points: Light on its feet, strawberry on the palate, ready to go. Not particularly deep or complex but very moreish. (1467 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 12/22/2022: -- decanted approx. 30 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hrs. --
NOSE: red-fruited, with savory/high-toned background; savory cherry and red currants; gentle, warm spices; not funky.
BODY: violet-ruby color of medium depth with slight bricking throughout; {forgot to note weight}
TASTE: rich, savory cherry; medium-light oak; light leather; medium+ to high acidity; relaxed; no tannins; drinking quite well right now. Gut impression score: 91 (1634 views) | | | Tasted by kabert on 11/24/2022 & rated 93 points: Lovely. Dark cherries and raspberries. Some tartness and spice on the finish. Excellent accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner. From magnum. (1346 views) | | | Tasted by AaronMaxwell on 4/3/2022 & rated 90 points: Good but wouldn’t choose again. Wasn’t my type of California Pinot — a little flat and the fruit hidden. (2325 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 2/28/2022: -- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind on Days 1 and 3 --
Ripe, rich, dark red fruits; good acidity; 12.5% alc. not noticeable; in a very nice spot right now; 2012 seems to be a particularly good vintage for this bottling. Excellent! Gut impression score: 92 - 93. Drink Now and over the near term. (2405 views) | | | Tasted by lockestep on 2/26/2022 & rated 88 points: Very pleasant but lacking in interest beyond that. Drink or hold, maybe it will pick up something going forward. (1928 views) | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 2/11/2022 & rated 91 points: Medium dark red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour; from 375ml. Ripe nose, cherry cola, raspberry jam, hints of purple flowers, dried spices, cranberry and cigar wrapper. The palate is spicy, ripe dark red berries, blackberry, ground spices; clove, cardamom, lots of pepper, plenty of acid with mild tannins and a sour back end. (2032 views) | | | Tasted by gharter on 12/17/2021 & rated 91 points: PnP. Aromas of dark cherry, spice, pepper, game and a touch of herbal. Did not need a decant. Dark cherry, spice, pepper, a gaminess and herbalness on the palate. Soft tannins . Very well balanced with nice acidity and freshness of the fruit. In a really good place now. (1838 views) | | | Tasted by bonedoc on 12/1/2021: overshadowed by '2010 mt eden estate chard, but very delicious burgundy style. (1874 views) | | | Tasted by bonedoc on 11/26/2021 & rated 94 points: Out of magnum, paired perfectly w thanksgiving. Cherries pomegranate a touch of orange , burgundy meets Cali. Bravo! (1589 views) | | | Tasted by Charlie Carnes on 10/13/2021: This was weak tonight. Dumped it! (1960 views) | | | Tasted by porkandsalmon on 9/25/2021: Floral nose of red fruits. Light bodied with flavours of cranberry and tart raspberry on the palate leading to a dry finish with good acidity, fine tannin and a bit of sap. Elegant and firm. Good now but will keep. (1824 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/25/2015)
(Rhys, Bearwallow Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Allen Meadows
Burghound, Jan-15, Issue #57
(Rhys Vineyards Pinot Noir - Bearwallow Vineyard Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2014, Issue #52, This Summer’s Fine Lineup of Old School and Neo-Classical American Wines
(Rhys Vineyards “Bearwallow Vineyard” Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2014, IWC Issue #174
(Rhys Vineyards Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard Anderson Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains – A Study in Terroir (Jul 2014)
(Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard Anderson Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains: California’s Best Kept Secret (Jul 2013)
(Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard Anderson Valley) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Burghound and View From the Cellar and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Rhys Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Bearwallow Vineyard On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson North CoastThe North Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) in California, covering more than three million acres, includes Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties, and portions of Marin and Solano counties. (see The Wine Institute for more information)Anderson Valleyhttp://www.avwines.com/anderson-valley-appellation-map/
Anderson Valley stretches from Yorkville Highlands (located in a highland meadow straddling the upper Rancheria Creek and upper Dry Creek watersheds) through Boonville (located on Anderson Creek) and Philo (located on Indian Creek) to Navarro (located on Soda Creek). Rancheria, Anderson, Indian and Soda creeks are tributaries to the Navarro River, which flows north and west through the coastal range to the Pacific Ocean; Dry Creek flows south into the Russian River watershed in Sonoma County. The main stem of the Navarro River begins less than a mile south of Philo at the confluence of Anderson Creek and Rancheria Creek. The mouth of the Navarro is 10 miles (16 km) south of Mendocino, California. Encompassing 315 square miles (816 km²), the Navarro River watershed is the largest coastal basin in Mendocino County.
Such unique geography results in a wide diurnal range, with daily high and low temperatures occasionally diverging 40 or 50 degrees. This enables Pinot Noir growers to keep acid development in line with sugar and flavor formation through long, warm Indian summers. It also makes for superb Gewurztraminer and Riesling, giving rise to the valley’s annual Alsatian Varietals and Pinot Noir festivals.
The climate in the Anderson Valley appellation is tempered by cool marine air. Steep hills and mountains surround rolling to nearly level alluvial terraces. The dominant natural vegetation is a mixed forest of Coast Redwood, various native oak varieties, and Douglas-fir. Elevation ranges from sea level to 2,500 feet (760 m). The average annual precipitation ranges from 35 to 80 inches (900 to 2000 mm). The average annual temperature is about 53 °F (12 °C), and the average frost-free season ranges from 220 to 365 days. Towards the coast the summers are cool and moist with frequent fog, while the interior Anderson Valley proper features a warm to hot summer climate similar to nearby interior regions, with daytime highs occasionally in excess of 100 °F (38 °C).
Visitors to the Valley should come prepared for cool evenings and warm days. Locals dress in layers year round. |
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