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Rhys and Ceritas Tasting
NYC
Tasted March 1, 2013 by rm wines with 750 views
Introduction
On Friday, a very generous friend pulled nearly a full case of '06-'09 CA Pinot Noir from Rhys and Ceritas, so that we could check in and see how the wines are developing. From Rhys, we sampled the Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir and the Family Farm Pinot Noir, and from Ceritas we tasted the Escarpa Pinot Noir. Overall it was a very impressive showing. Both producers make wines of balance, precision, and structure. The Ceritas wines showed a bit more high-toned fruit, while the Rhys wines (especially Alpine) started off a bit tighter and denser, opening up with time to show a character that is much more Burgundy than California. Only time will tell for sure whether these wines can reach the same heights as great Burgundy, but, based on what I have seen so far, I am very optimistic.
Flight 1 - Rhys Alpine (4 notes)
Red
2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
A bit disappointing compared to the other vintages of Alpine that we sampled. There was a ripe fruitiness on the nose that wasn't present on the other wines, and overall the aromas were more "typically" California. The palate was on the thin side and the wine hadn't successfully integrated the stemmy flavors from the whole cluster style. Of the wines in our tasting, it was the weakest of the correct wines, lacking the excellent mouthfeel and structure seen in the other vintages we tried.
Red
2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
A little tight aromatically at first, it eventually unveiled a whole spectrum of complex aromatics. It's hard to do justice to the many different layers seen here, and the palate is not lacking either. A balanced tart, brambly flavor with a hint of meaty/truffle savoriness towards the finish. The influence from the stems is there, but unlike the '06 it adds a fantastic touch to the wine. With the structure and depth seen here, this should continue to age for years and I can hardly imagine how good it will be at peak. WOTF
Red
2008 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
Of the 4 vintages of Alpine tasted, this was the most closed down. After a lot of air it moved in a better direction, showing a lot of the same flavors of tart brambly fruit and stems seen in the '07, along with a similar slightly savory quality. Unfortunately with the wine being mostly closed down, this wasn't as much fun to drink, although I think that it will be quite enjoyable in a few more years.
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Comment
Red
2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard
This was a quite ripe and bright initially, with a bitter and somewhat oaky palate that needs more time to integrate. After a lot of air, the flavors moderated a bit, and there was an interesting slightly peppery aroma. This wine definitely needs to rest.
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Flight 2 - A Quick Riesling (1 note)
White
2008 Koehler-Ruprecht Kallstadter Saumagen Riesling Spätlese Trocken "R"
Despite my misgivings about many dry German Rieslings, I decided to give this wine a try based on a friend's recommendation. It was a very pleasant wine compared to a lot of the "GG" out there, with a stony aroma on the nose that reminded me more of Chablis than a typical dry Riesling. The palate had a nice fruitiness that balanced well with the acidity in the wine. However, given the high price tag, I'm probably going to stick with the Austrians.
Flight 3 - Ceritas Escarpa (3 notes)
Red
2007 Ceritas Pinot Noir Escarpa Vineyard
An impressive inaugural effort from Ceritas. The nose starts of with loads of high-toned fruit, and the palate keeps up, managing to be light and tart yet full of stuffing and with a structure that should continue to carry this wine over time. The finish carries on as the lively flavors linger on the palate. Great stuff.
Red
2008 Ceritas Pinot Noir Escarpa Vineyard
Wow. This was quite a bottle of wine, and it stood out above some pretty impressive competition. The same sort of high-toned fruit on the nose and palate that we saw in the '07, but just more intense without being heavy at all. Just the right amount of tension to support these flavors, on top of an excellent finish. The clear WOTN and the only bottle that our group managed to empty.
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Comment
Red
2009 Ceritas Pinot Noir Escarpa Vineyard
Not to sound like a broken record, but this was another absolutely gorgeous wine. The same tart and light fruit flavors seem to dance effortlessly across the palate. A genuinely fresh tasting wine that manages to pack in a great deal of intense flavors without even the slightest hint of over-ripeness or over-extraction. Fantastic stuff and only really overshadowed by the '08 we opened at the same time.
Flight 4 - Rhys Family Farm (3 notes)
Red
2007 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard
Unfortunately, this wine was very closed down at the moment. The nose only showed hints of what aromas might be lurking there, waiting for a better day. On the palate it was quite structured but also super tight. This needs much more time.
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Red
2008 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard
With one wine in this flight shut-down hard and the other wine hit hard by brett, you could say this bottle won the flight by default. But that wouldn't do justice to the great complexity of this wine. The nose had intricate notes of smoke and pepper mingling in with the well balanced fruit aromas. On the palate, a slightly bitter note was tuned just right to create excellent balance and a lingering impression of depth. WOTF for sure but also the best of the many different bottles of Rhys that we tasted.
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Red
2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard
flawed
An overwhelming flavor and aroma of brett that reminded me of some of the more aggressively bretty wines from the Loire. It was possible to see a little bit of structure underneath the manure and green pepper flavors, but sadly it was not that enjoyable. The word is that the producer had some particular issues with this specific wine in 2009 and that all of the other wines are clean.
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Flight 5 - Anthill (1 note)
Red
2007 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Abbey-Harris Vineyard
This wine held its own against the serious competition from Rhys and Ceritas. It has the high-toned fruit that is characteristic of this more restrained style of Pinot Noir from California. Compared to the lightness of the Ceritas, it has a bit more weight on the palate and a richer texture, but it still remains excellently balanced thanks to a mild bitter/herbal streak. There is no rush to drink these, this wine should keep getting better with time.
Closing
Well, that was quite the set of wines! Thanks are due to my friend for his excellent hospitality and his willingness to share these great wines, even if we are perhaps drinking them before their peak. These producers are making some spectacular wines, and I look forward to sampling them further as time goes on.