TN: 2016 Rhys Pinot Noirs - Bearwallow, Family Farm, Alpine & Horseshoe

Tasted Sunday, April 24, 2022 by Rieslingfan with 123 views

Introduction

Lunch time check in on four of the 2016 Rhys Pinots.

Flight 1 (4 Notes)

  • 2016 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard

    USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

    Checking the core four 2016 Rhys Pinot Noirs side by side. 60 minutes of air after uncorking, but not decanted. The Bearwallow shows an immediate strawberry-rhubarb aromatic. The strawberry element is even deeper on the palate, and picks up a tart cranberry element on the finish. Didn't get watermelon this time, so I liked it more than prior bottles. There's a bit of tannin on the finish, and the fruit is still primary, so another couple of years might do this good.

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  • 2016 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard

    USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County

    Checking the core four 2016 Rhys Pinot Noirs side by side. 60 minutes of air after uncorking, but not decanted. This is much more closed in on the nose than the Bearwallow. Shows tart red fruit on the palate (cranberry), but gets more expansive on the finish with some clear spice notes. This has more tanninc structure than the Bearwallow poured first, but doesn't seem to have the same depth of fruit, so I might err on the side of drink up before it dries out. With some air it picked up a weird brown sugar sweetness.

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  • 2016 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Checking the core four 2016 Rhys Pinot Noirs side by side. 60 minutes of air after uncorking, but not decanted. The Alpine goes more towards red cherry and also shows more opening spice, with a hit of floral at the end. More tart on the palate, much like the Family Farm, but it gains depth, showing a deep red cherry & spice finish. Better structural balance than the Family Farm, and so likely has room to improve/develop for a few more years.

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  • 2016 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Checking the core four 2016 Rhys Pinot Noirs side by side. 60 minutes of air after uncorking, but not decanted. All four wines were sort of a dusky garnet in color, with no fade. The Horseshoe showed the earthiest on the nose, and was a mix of strawberry and raspberry fruit. Biggest finish of the four, and also the most tannin. Seems to be in balance, but I will be watching closely over the next couple of years, just in case. If it can stay in balance as it develops I think this will be my favorite of the four (no surprise there), but if it falters then the top spot will likely go to the Alpine.

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Closing

Interesting to have all four side by side. I have not done that in a long time.

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