PnP, but improved with a bit of air. Medium violet to a watery rim. Notes of dark fruits and earth on the nose. These carry over and intensify on the medium bodied palate along with touches of spice and cola, and balancing acidity. Probably best to drink up in the next year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Boston Wine & Poker, Lincoln, Mass.: Paired with the 2008 Alpine -- this one was a lot more effusive, very exotically spicy, with none of the strawberry or cola notes that often pop up in California Pinots.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Effusive and attractive nose, with plenty of signs of secondary development. Sweet red berry fruit (cherry, raspberry), spice, and autumn leaves in the aromas. The palate is light to medium bodied, silky textured, and has a high-toned acidic streak that sticks out a bit and inhibits the generosity of the palate. The finish is charming and has similarly well delineated flavors like the nose. On the whole, this was one of the better recent Rhys PNs I've opened, particularly for its distinctiveness. It's marked by the acid profile of the vintage, however, and that might not be to everyone's taste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seems to be some bottle variation. Some have been good and some like this. PnP, enjoyed over several hours. Nice aromas with tart cherry, spice, herbs, earth, forest floor. Starts with similar flavors with tart cherry, spice, stems, earth but then has a mid palate hollowness leading to a short finish. Good acidity. No flaw noted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious tart red cherries, spice, and forest floor notes on the open nose and palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. Really enjoyed this 2011!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cloudy ruby-brick with burnished amber rim; telltale Rhys spices on the nose, slightly medicinal-cherry, some exotic spices, floral and perfumy. Well integrated on the palate, much richer than the Shea and Gouges, holding up really nicely. Duckhouse w/Yarom and group
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This vintage was destemmed. Medium bodied, long, gentle finish with exquisite balance . More tertiary aroma would take this to another level. The <13%abv is a welcome feature, but it makes the wine come across relatively subdued even as it charms with its extended, smooth delivery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
-- decanted approx. 30 min. b4 initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over a couple hours --
Same age visually noticeable. Stems dominate the Nose and Palate --- very savory/spicy. I liked it, but I tend to enjoy stem inclusion wines. Quite frankly, I enjoyed the 2011 Bearwallow Pinot we opened immediately prior more than I enjoyed this Horseshoe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really nice, but not quite as brilliant as it was a few years ago. Red fruit and sandalwood. Very aromatic. Some vegetal/celery aromas showed up after a few hours, which sort of contributes to my thought that this is slowly moving past its peak. Drink over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seems to be a controversial wine. Purchased on release. Out of the gate (after decanting for sediment) this shows very nicely. Structure is somewhat firm, an earthy base complemented by tart red fruit, some spice and minerals. Aromatically and on the palate this was very nice. Is there some bottle variation to explain the controversy? As nice as this was initially, it started to fade after a couple of hours (and by the next day it was pretty much done). I won't wait too long to drink my last bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank w Val in NYC on its own. First bottle of this designate from a batch in my cellar from release PnP, drank over an hour
Medium ruby color. Nose showing herbs, earth and some funk at the outset. Palate of light red cherry, cranberry, earth, underbrush, some pine/forest. Soft texture, not much more through mid palate, slightly sour.... Medium/light body and finish.
I am a big fan of Rhys wines but this one misses the mark for me. Bottle had been well stored and no signs of it being flawed...maybe there is some variation?). I thought this lacked expression and the more elegant fruit I have gotten in the other wines...Perhaps its aged out and on the decline, either way will try remaining bottles soon, hoping for better showing
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
All underbrush and very little fruit. More interesting than delicious. Disappointing and tired tasting for an 8 year old wine. Drink now with tempered expectations. Edit for tasting 24 hrs later, forest floor notes have softened making for a more harmonious flavour, I'd spot this wine 2 more points on the second day. I cannot imagine that the fruit will ever shine so I will be drinking my final bottle this year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
As usual with Rhys, the Horseshoe Vineyard is my favorite. I have struggled with the 2011 Rhys lineup, but this is lovely. It is still marked by the vintage, but it’s a menthol/mint element, rather than an unpleasant green tone. The red fruit is elegant, and fresh, similar to a just cut berry, and there’s bit of orange peel as well. On the lighter side of medium bodied, I think it’s doing all that it can, without trying too hard.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fully approachable and providing nuanced pleasure. Nose beams with spice and herb filled black cherry fruit. Seems to have a dose of stem driven herb and florals. Palate is young and bright but with round, generous fruit. Medium concentration with lively energy from start to finish. Great with food, but also a nice sipper post dinner.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Such a beautiful nose, Cinnamon, cardamom and underbush along with cranberry fruit. Palate is a let down after the nose, just a little flat and muted - nice texture and some good acidity, but none of the verve I would expect from Horseshoe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine is in a great place for what is supposed to be a tough vintage. The lower ripeness level is noticeable but it provides for a lively wine with tart red fruit and moderate to low tannins. A more rustic Rhys but light and refreshing. Time to drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing some bricking. Floral lift I would have guessed came from stems, but apparently this is 100% destemmed in '11. Subtle garrigue and black cherry. Light on its feet, showing nice yin yang between the acid and tannin right now.
No reason to sit on these longer IMO.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This started out slowly and took air to start to unwind. I did not finish the bottle and there is a couple glasses left for tomorrow so I'll offer a 2-day perspective. For tonight, juicy with tart cherry and watermelon, and for a moment something I jotted down as dark coffee and a finishing astringence...wind forward another day, sipping on a glass of this before dinner. I let it warm up from the fridge and breathe out so I got a good context to taste this once more. Similar to yesterday's flavors, but it's picked up some weight, filling out the wine better. Less tart too, which is more of a confirmation that the wine has relaxed with the air it has seen. In sum, I don't see this wine getting better and maybe I'll be made to be wrong. It doesn't have the balance and finesse I want from Horseshoe, instead coming off burly and tangy, which isn't what Rhys is for me, even in youth. FWIW, it would appear my voice is in the dissenting minority on this wine, based on the many positive TNs that precede mine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and decanted 2 hours. Seems in a really awkward place right now. I've liked the previous bottles, but this one was just strange. Not flawed, but in a weird place. Some cherry and forest floor, but tart and more acidic than previous bottles. Out of balance. Don't think I'll touch the last 2 for a few years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank entire bottle together BEFORE dinner. That's how good this is. Enticing fascinating nose of cherries, blackberries, pepper and wet forest floor. The nose is bolder and bigger than the flavor which makes me think this wine has all kinds of time left to develop. On the palate, there are (slightly) quieter, comforting flavors of cherry, barnyard and forest floor. This wine makes me happy, and more importantly, it makes wife happy!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very well liked, the bottle was drained by the group before I got more than a few sips. I can't rate it based on the small sample, but this was a nice mountain pinot with dark cherries, herbs, and plenty of acidity. Sadly, my only bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Best bottle of Rhys pinot I've had to date. Bright red fruit. Tangy and long. Reminded me (and this is meant as a compliment) as a nice vintage of one of Cristom's single vineyard pinot noirs. But honestly, this had an extra dimension I haven't found in a Cristom wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12.4% abv. Medium burgundy with exceptional aromatics. On the palate, tart cherry, raspberry, Asian spice and a little Forrest floor. Taught, lively, focused and intense. Great depth and length. I'm guessing this wine is still on a steep ascent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pnp, this begs for a decant or slow ox. First thing, smells piney and of forest and beautiful tart fruit. Like cologne. Tastes of tart red fruits, baking spices, and savory funky earth. This starts to open quickly with some time and picks up notes of smoke, game, and perfume. A very complex wine that also happens to typify power without weight, while also being very silky. Outstanding with classic potential.
Day 2-
Nose of tart red fruits, pine, embers, and potpourri. Texture has gone completely to butter. Tart red fruits, pine,,ash, funk, spice, and a sense of truffle like umami. Seamless, totally open and acid driven. The wine relies on acid, earth, and many layers. And that is just my game.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In flight with '07-'12. My favorite wine of the flight. The fruit here is more refined and delicate with some stemmy, slightly green flavors in a good way. To me, the deepest in the flight with superb balance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Watergrill: Green pepper, tobacco, herbal, spicy quality I found hard to get past. Seemed like a Cab Franc to me. Maybe needs a decant? 100% whole cluster on this, maybe stems were not ripe? Or could be rain caused as over-irrigation is said to cause these attributes in Cab Sauv. On the other hand, this was the favorite for some at the dinner. 89-90
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rhys Tasting With The Gang--Part 2 (My Place): This has some syrah qualities to it, with a light signature of smoke and pepper in the aromatic. The fruit seems approachable but in total, kind of dull, especially in contrast the tension of the 2008 and the brooding aspect of the 2009. Before I called it a night, I re-tasted the wine to see if it has picked up any intensity. I found the same peppery aromatic, then some spicier cherry fruit and some red apple with better energy. Again, it seemed reminiscent of cool climate syrah, what I have found in leaner years with both Copain and Wind Gap, when syrah and pinot can cross paths and to an extent mimic the other. And finally, I had forgot that I squirreled some away for this morning, so I made a third pass at the wine. Again, the same kind of syrah/pinot intersection, with a spicy watermelon, zesty fruit and gamey note today, reminding me of the 2010 Copain Baker Ranch syrah, also grown in the Anderson Valley. Like with the 2011 Bearwallow that we also drank at the same dinner last night, I see this 2011 Shoe as earlier drinker and one that I don't believe will gain anything more with age. I have one left, I'll drink it in the next 1-2 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
My favorite Rhys to date. Judicious use of stems that adds to the nose. Light ruby color with a nose of red berries rhubarb and violets. Restrained at first but the fruit began to dominate after 20 minutes in the glass showing signs that it is still way to young. Taste of red berries, rhubarb with good level of mineralty. Medium acidity and medium tannins. I hate to call it burgundian but blind I am pretty sure I would have been fooled.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby. Deep plum and cherry aromas with spice, barnyard, tobacco, and mineral tones. Intense fruit core on the midpalate with a nice underlayer of acid, with a mounting finish that amplifies the fruit and goes on forever. A beautiful wine. 55+14+17+9.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
3 Rhys, Saxum, Suduirat +++ (Dick and Sue's): Not what I was expecting. Ruby/purple in color. This is a big nose. Lots of dark cherries, leather and slight menthol on the nose. Wonderful lush texture. Very rich. Not masculine, but not feminine either. On the palate, lush dark cherry fruit. It seems to have depth and will probably age just fine. The texture is seamless which makes it go down quite easily. My wife, who doesn't like Pinot, finished her glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow. A knockout on the very first sip. One of the most well-composed and accessible young wines from Rhys I've ever had. It didn't even need a decant to get into gear. You feel like you are drinking pinot royalty the instant it hits the palate. The fruit is the purest imaginable. It feels richer than the Skyline did but it doesn't have that gush of primary sauciness these wines often do on release. This is slender and feminine with no hard edges and no coloring outside the lines. Texture on the palate is positively caressing. Structure is basically invisible. Stunning.
Like the 2011 Alpine, this too is 100% destemmed. And, it has some of those same qualities of the 2011 Alesia Alder Springs pinot we tried earlier. Peppery, gamey, with a potpourri-like nose. Depth of sweet cherry fruit, rocky and juicy, and like the Alpine, a similar watermelon note is here, too, which then finishes with a blue quality and cran. There is good depth here, and intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasting of 2011 and more at Rhys: Tasted at the winery. Slow ox'ed from the day before. Kinda meaty, darker red fruit aromas. Some unoffensive potpourri. Not as massive or "brooding" as the 07 or 08, but there are the dusty and coating tannins which is typical for me of the Horseshoe vineyard. Losing some steam from all the tasting, but was still left with the impression of liking the complexity. A perennial buy for me. Production was ~7 barrels, so roughly 140 cases available to be purchased.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/16/2024 - VlgJeff wrote: 91 Points
PnP, but improved with a bit of air. Medium violet to a watery rim. Notes of dark fruits and earth on the nose. These carry over and intensify on the medium bodied palate along with touches of spice and cola, and balancing acidity. Probably best to drink up in the next year or two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/13/2024 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Nice. Very pretty, almost sedate. Nose that is well present but a bit nondescript.
Better upon opening than an hour later.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/24/2023 - talbot61 Likes this wine:
Boston Wine & Poker, Lincoln, Mass.: Paired with the 2008 Alpine -- this one was a lot more effusive, very exotically spicy, with none of the strawberry or cola notes that often pop up in California Pinots.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/21/2023 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2022 - jlm wrote:
Effusive and attractive nose, with plenty of signs of secondary development. Sweet red berry fruit (cherry, raspberry), spice, and autumn leaves in the aromas. The palate is light to medium bodied, silky textured, and has a high-toned acidic streak that sticks out a bit and inhibits the generosity of the palate. The finish is charming and has similarly well delineated flavors like the nose. On the whole, this was one of the better recent Rhys PNs I've opened, particularly for its distinctiveness. It's marked by the acid profile of the vintage, however, and that might not be to everyone's taste.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2022 - gharter wrote: 86 Points
Seems to be some bottle variation. Some have been good and some like this. PnP, enjoyed over several hours. Nice aromas with tart cherry, spice, herbs, earth, forest floor. Starts with similar flavors with tart cherry, spice, stems, earth but then has a mid palate hollowness leading to a short finish.
Good acidity. No flaw noted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2022 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious tart red cherries, spice, and forest floor notes on the open nose and palate with refreshing acidity on the long finish. Really enjoyed this 2011!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2021 - bobdobilina wrote: 93 Points
Crystalline ruby color
High toned nose of fresh raspberries, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Quite a vosne like palate, round, ripe red fruits, spice, peacock's tail finish.
A nice and quite complete wine, if still somewhat on the lean and acidic side.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2021 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Definitely a mature California pinot noir, but not over the hill. Plush, with gentle tannins, red fruit and plenty of secondary development.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2020 - peternelson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cloudy ruby-brick with burnished amber rim; telltale Rhys spices on the nose, slightly medicinal-cherry, some exotic spices, floral and perfumy. Well integrated on the palate, much richer than the Shea and Gouges, holding up really nicely. Duckhouse w/Yarom and group
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2020 - silton Likes this wine: 92 Points
This vintage was destemmed. Medium bodied, long, gentle finish with exquisite balance . More tertiary aroma would take this to another level. The <13%abv is a welcome feature, but it makes the wine come across relatively subdued even as it charms with its extended, smooth delivery.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2020 - ron m wrote:
This was pretty good. Spicy, red cherries, earth. Relatively rich. Showed well immediately after opening but faded quickly. Medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/26/2020 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted approx. 30 min. b4 initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours --
Same age visually noticeable. Stems dominate the Nose and Palate --- very savory/spicy. I liked it, but I tend to enjoy stem inclusion wines. Quite frankly, I enjoyed the 2011 Bearwallow Pinot we opened immediately prior more than I enjoyed this Horseshoe.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2020 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice, but not quite as brilliant as it was a few years ago. Red fruit and sandalwood. Very aromatic. Some vegetal/celery aromas showed up after a few hours, which sort of contributes to my thought that this is slowly moving past its peak. Drink over the next few years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/3/2020 - xwine wrote:
Seems to be a controversial wine. Purchased on release. Out of the gate (after decanting for sediment) this shows very nicely. Structure is somewhat firm, an earthy base complemented by tart red fruit, some spice and minerals. Aromatically and on the palate this was very nice. Is there some bottle variation to explain the controversy? As nice as this was initially, it started to fade after a couple of hours (and by the next day it was pretty much done). I won't wait too long to drink my last bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2020 - cpsmith33 wrote: 86 Points
Cranberry and sour
Worst Rhys thus far
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2019 - jdhannah Does not like this wine:
Wow mixed bag of reviews. Mine was a dud too. Odd nose and faded tasting. No corked notes I could detect, just off. Poured out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 86 Points
Drank w Val in NYC on its own. First bottle of this designate from a batch in my cellar from release PnP, drank over an hour
Medium ruby color. Nose showing herbs, earth and some funk at the outset. Palate of light red cherry, cranberry, earth, underbrush, some pine/forest. Soft texture, not much more through mid palate, slightly sour.... Medium/light body and finish.
I am a big fan of Rhys wines but this one misses the mark for me. Bottle had been well stored and no signs of it being flawed...maybe there is some variation?). I thought this lacked expression and the more elegant fruit I have gotten in the other wines...Perhaps its aged out and on the decline, either way will try remaining bottles soon, hoping for better showing
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/22/2019 - fisk15 wrote: 85 Points
All underbrush and very little fruit. More interesting than delicious. Disappointing and tired tasting for an 8 year old wine. Drink now with tempered expectations. Edit for tasting 24 hrs later, forest floor notes have softened making for a more harmonious flavour, I'd spot this wine 2 more points on the second day. I cannot imagine that the fruit will ever shine so I will be drinking my final bottle this year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2019 - Mr T wrote:
Glad that others love this wine but doesn’t work for me. Too much cranberry and sour/acid for me. To each their own
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2019 - Rieslingfan wrote:
As usual with Rhys, the Horseshoe Vineyard is my favorite. I have struggled with the 2011 Rhys lineup, but this is lovely. It is still marked by the vintage, but it’s a menthol/mint element, rather than an unpleasant green tone. The red fruit is elegant, and fresh, similar to a just cut berry, and there’s bit of orange peel as well. On the lighter side of medium bodied, I think it’s doing all that it can, without trying too hard.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2019 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Fully approachable and providing nuanced pleasure. Nose beams with spice and herb filled black cherry fruit. Seems to have a dose of stem driven herb and florals. Palate is young and bright but with round, generous fruit. Medium concentration with lively energy from start to finish. Great with food, but also a nice sipper post dinner.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2019 - jreis wrote:
Such a beautiful nose, Cinnamon, cardamom and underbush along with cranberry fruit. Palate is a let down after the nose, just a little flat and muted - nice texture and some good acidity, but none of the verve I would expect from Horseshoe.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2019 - scorrea Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine is in a great place for what is supposed to be a tough vintage. The lower ripeness level is noticeable but it provides for a lively wine with tart red fruit and moderate to low tannins. A more rustic Rhys but light and refreshing. Time to drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2018 - rama Likes this wine:
Showing some bricking. Floral lift I would have guessed came from stems, but apparently this is 100% destemmed in '11. Subtle garrigue and black cherry. Light on its feet, showing nice yin yang between the acid and tannin right now.
No reason to sit on these longer IMO.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/20/2018 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/26/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This started out slowly and took air to start to unwind. I did not finish the bottle and there is a couple glasses left for tomorrow so I'll offer a 2-day perspective. For tonight, juicy with tart cherry and watermelon, and for a moment something I jotted down as dark coffee and a finishing astringence...wind forward another day, sipping on a glass of this before dinner. I let it warm up from the fridge and breathe out so I got a good context to taste this once more. Similar to yesterday's flavors, but it's picked up some weight, filling out the wine better. Less tart too, which is more of a confirmation that the wine has relaxed with the air it has seen. In sum, I don't see this wine getting better and maybe I'll be made to be wrong. It doesn't have the balance and finesse I want from Horseshoe, instead coming off burly and tangy, which isn't what Rhys is for me, even in youth. FWIW, it would appear my voice is in the dissenting minority on this wine, based on the many positive TNs that precede mine.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Showing some bricking around the edges. Aromas of light tomato and red fruit. Mocha and Raspberry. A bitter chocolate note mid palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2017 - gharter wrote:
Opened and decanted 2 hours. Seems in a really awkward place right now. I've liked the previous bottles, but this one was just strange. Not flawed, but in a weird place. Some cherry and forest floor, but tart and more acidic than previous bottles. Out of balance. Don't think I'll touch the last 2 for a few years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2016 - WineGold wrote: 93 Points
Drank entire bottle together BEFORE dinner. That's how good this is. Enticing fascinating nose of cherries, blackberries, pepper and wet forest floor. The nose is bolder and bigger than the flavor which makes me think this wine has all kinds of time left to develop. On the palate, there are (slightly) quieter, comforting flavors of cherry, barnyard and forest floor. This wine makes me happy, and more importantly, it makes wife happy!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2016 - Tom Warden Likes this wine: 93 Points
I imagine this will get better...but it's great right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2016 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big fruit with great finish and acidity. Still could do with a few more years of aging.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2016 - B Paul wrote:
Had a couple of glasses via Coravin. Drinking really well now and this is probably one of the better Rhys PNs I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/26/2016 - alr6767 wrote:
Very well liked, the bottle was drained by the group before I got more than a few sips. I can't rate it based on the small sample, but this was a nice mountain pinot with dark cherries, herbs, and plenty of acidity. Sadly, my only bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/2/2016 - Stumpy wrote: 94 Points
I agree with others, this is a great bottle of Pinot. Light on its feet without being thin and just smack dab in the sweet spot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2016 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Best bottle of Rhys pinot I've had to date. Bright red fruit. Tangy and long. Reminded me (and this is meant as a compliment) as a nice vintage of one of Cristom's single vineyard pinot noirs. But honestly, this had an extra dimension I haven't found in a Cristom wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2016 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
12.4% abv. Medium burgundy with exceptional aromatics. On the palate, tart cherry, raspberry, Asian spice and a little Forrest floor. Taught, lively, focused and intense. Great depth and length. I'm guessing this wine is still on a steep ascent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/2/2015 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pnp, this begs for a decant or slow ox. First thing, smells piney and of forest and beautiful tart fruit. Like cologne. Tastes of tart red fruits, baking spices, and savory funky earth. This starts to open quickly with some time and picks up notes of smoke, game, and perfume. A very complex wine that also happens to typify power without weight, while also being very silky. Outstanding with classic potential.
Day 2-
Nose of tart red fruits, pine, embers, and potpourri. Texture has gone completely to butter. Tart red fruits, pine,,ash, funk, spice, and a sense of truffle like umami. Seamless, totally open and acid driven. The wine relies on acid, earth, and many layers. And that is just my game.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/2/2015 - gregg g wrote:
In flight with '07-'12. My favorite wine of the flight. The fruit here is more refined and delicate with some stemmy, slightly green flavors in a good way. To me, the deepest in the flight with superb balance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2015 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Watergrill: Green pepper, tobacco, herbal, spicy quality I found hard to get past. Seemed like a Cab Franc to me. Maybe needs a decant? 100% whole cluster on this, maybe stems were not ripe? Or could be rain caused as over-irrigation is said to cause these attributes in Cab Sauv. On the other hand, this was the favorite for some at the dinner. 89-90
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Tasting With The Gang--Part 2 (My Place): This has some syrah qualities to it, with a light signature of smoke and pepper in the aromatic. The fruit seems approachable but in total, kind of dull, especially in contrast the tension of the 2008 and the brooding aspect of the 2009. Before I called it a night, I re-tasted the wine to see if it has picked up any intensity. I found the same peppery aromatic, then some spicier cherry fruit and some red apple with better energy. Again, it seemed reminiscent of cool climate syrah, what I have found in leaner years with both Copain and Wind Gap, when syrah and pinot can cross paths and to an extent mimic the other. And finally, I had forgot that I squirreled some away for this morning, so I made a third pass at the wine. Again, the same kind of syrah/pinot intersection, with a spicy watermelon, zesty fruit and gamey note today, reminding me of the 2010 Copain Baker Ranch syrah, also grown in the Anderson Valley. Like with the 2011 Bearwallow that we also drank at the same dinner last night, I see this 2011 Shoe as earlier drinker and one that I don't believe will gain anything more with age. I have one left, I'll drink it in the next 1-2 years.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2015 - scorrea Likes this wine: 94 Points
My favorite Rhys to date. Judicious use of stems that adds to the nose. Light ruby color with a nose of red berries rhubarb and violets. Restrained at first but the fruit began to dominate after 20 minutes in the glass showing signs that it is still way to young. Taste of red berries, rhubarb with good level of mineralty. Medium acidity and medium tannins. I hate to call it burgundian but blind I am pretty sure I would have been fooled.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2014 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ruby. Deep plum and cherry aromas with spice, barnyard, tobacco, and mineral tones. Intense fruit core on the midpalate with a nice underlayer of acid, with a mounting finish that amplifies the fruit and goes on forever. A beautiful wine. 55+14+17+9.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2014 - tbone wrote:
Delicious. Apparently ready to go on pop and pour. No idea how it will age but awfully good right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/14/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
3 Rhys, Saxum, Suduirat +++ (Dick and Sue's): Not what I was expecting. Ruby/purple in color. This is a big nose. Lots of dark cherries, leather and slight menthol on the nose. Wonderful lush texture. Very rich. Not masculine, but not feminine either. On the palate, lush dark cherry fruit. It seems to have depth and will probably age just fine. The texture is seamless which makes it go down quite easily. My wife, who doesn't like Pinot, finished her glass.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/13/2014 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. A knockout on the very first sip. One of the most well-composed and accessible young wines from Rhys I've ever had. It didn't even need a decant to get into gear. You feel like you are drinking pinot royalty the instant it hits the palate. The fruit is the purest imaginable. It feels richer than the Skyline did but it doesn't have that gush of primary sauciness these wines often do on release. This is slender and feminine with no hard edges and no coloring outside the lines. Texture on the palate is positively caressing. Structure is basically invisible. Stunning.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
4/10/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Like the 2011 Alpine, this too is 100% destemmed. And, it has some of those same qualities of the 2011 Alesia Alder Springs pinot we tried earlier. Peppery, gamey, with a potpourri-like nose. Depth of sweet cherry fruit, rocky and juicy, and like the Alpine, a similar watermelon note is here, too, which then finishes with a blue quality and cran. There is good depth here, and intensity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2013 - jakuda wrote:
Tasting of 2011 and more at Rhys: Tasted at the winery. Slow ox'ed from the day before. Kinda meaty, darker red fruit aromas. Some unoffensive potpourri. Not as massive or "brooding" as the 07 or 08, but there are the dusty and coating tannins which is typical for me of the Horseshoe vineyard. Losing some steam from all the tasting, but was still left with the impression of liking the complexity. A perennial buy for me. Production was ~7 barrels, so roughly 140 cases available to be purchased.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment