Pop and pour and consumed over two days. Distinctly Rhys and California with a streak of ripe red fruit. Mid weight with earthy notes of pine. Altogether a good wine with good weight and detail. Almost as good on day 2 and I suspect these wines will easily drink well for another ten years.
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At LBank…. Needed 20 minutes to blow off some haze and color starting to turn. Lots of earth, a bit cloudy, apple spice, cinnamon, decent acidity, blood orange.darker berries emerge after 60 minutes. Worked well with food and nice texture from whole cluster. Next bottle 2026.
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PnP, earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. May be the best bottle yet.
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Firm acidity and some mild tannins frame a pinot that is clearly new world in aromatic profile (a little candied red fruit, pomegranate, almost cola) and give it a more burgundian mouthfeel. Overall a little hard to reconcile. Likable overall. No significant evolution after 10 years, so certainly you could hold this.
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PnP, earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young. has improved over the last 2 years.
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A very decent pinot. Straddles new world and old world styles. Quite good even immediately after decanting. I would have rated it even higher but, for my tastes, it has a notable under-ripe strawberry notes and it's slightly sharp, and it's a bit light. This might blow away after a day, TBD. Nevertheless, quite good indeed and I would be happy to have more.
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Totally in its prime drinking window. Delicious Interesting. Layered. Nuanced. Strawberries and cherries. Wet forest floor, rocks and minerals. Plenty of time here. Not close to anything resembling a downward track.
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Pale ruby garnet. Rich aromas of pinot berry, redwood, coffee, wild roses. Penetrating fruit on the palate, aromatic in a wild frill of acid, juicy tannins moving into the very long finish. Lovely evolution from front to back within a very coherent design. 13.1% alcohol.
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-- decanted 35 min. before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 2.5 hours -- -- 375mL --
NOSE: high-toned red fruits; a bit tomato-y; I wonder if this had some slight in-bottle secondary fermentation going on.
BODY: a bit fizzy; light sign of seepage; very hazy garnet color with bricking throughout; color is of medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: medium+ to high acidity; red-fruited with some light bretty funk; zesty; hint of oak; drinking well now; funky note gone after 2.5 hours open; moderate concentration of fruit; Drink Now and over the near term. Gut impression score: 90. My score below is, essentially, me assuming this wasn't technically flawed.
50, 4, 12, 16, 7 = 89
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Floral nose. Spice and fruit on the nose that carries through a long, rich finish. Medium acid, medium creamy body, gentle tannin. Drinking very well even as a pop-and-pour.
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Equal amounts of red and black cherry with subtle spice, still pronounced tannins. Good enough weight. From 375 ml bottle. This hasn’t gotten better with age.
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Benefitted from a 1 hour decant. Earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young. has improved over the last 2 years.
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Very satisfying. Red notes of cranberry, cherry, and a bit of “baseball dirt”... I’m getting red all the way through. That said, the tart edge these (FF vineyard) have in their youth has mellowed, and this is inviting.
Profound? No. Really delicious, inviting, enjoyable? Yes. Does it get better in the future? No idea. It’s gotten better since my prior bottle and now it’s gone, and I have zero regrets because it was wonderful tonight!
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Pretty consistent with previous bottle. This really has a nice flavor profile and it's super easy drinking and light on its feet. Had a bit of pinot funk on opening but blew off after 10 minutes or so.
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Pale ruby in the glass. Notes of cherry on the nose. Works across the palate in all phases, very well made. Acidity and everything is working. No bricking notes.
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Nose: The nose is intensely perfumed with pomegranate, red cherries, raspberries, sassafras, violets, earth, spice notes, and licorice. This opens up beautifully after about 45 minutes and shows off a lot of depth wit a real expressiveness.
Taste: The feel is Medium bodied with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium tannins. The structure is beginning to resolve with the feel showing a lot of poise. There is excellent depth with pomegranate, red cherries, raspberries, violets, earth notes, licorice, and spice tones.
Overall: This is drinking wonderfully right now. There is still plenty of stuffing for further aging but this has turned that corner and is beginning into maturity.
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The 2012 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard has a gorgeous pale violet color. The nose is rather muted at the moment. Flavors of cherry kirsch, black tea, eucalyptus, and earth are supported by a salty, briney, finish. This is much more juicy and as a result is missing a lot of the energy and tension I expect out of a Rhys Pinot Noir. This is one of the few Rhys that I think I would have enjoyed far more in its youth.
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This delicate and nuanced Pinot is drinking beautifully right now, with a depth and class befitting a premier cru Chambolle-Musigny. This wine has never been my favorite Rhys bottling (the Alpine and Horseshoe are my favorites), but this is in a lovely place right now.
Pale red in color and light in body (I’m sure a sommelier would say “light plus," like some kind of verbal tic), the wine offers captivating aromas of rose petal, dried strawberry, pomegranate, and dried herbs. The flavors are lively but layered, with notes of cranberry, crushed raspberry, baked peppercorn, and eucalyptus followed by an acidic, almost briny finish. 13.1% alcohol. 93-94 for now, with upside if it integrates more in another year or two.
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Still a little early for this one. Pours totally transparent, light ruby at the core, light pink/rose at the rim. The nose is lifted and gorgeous of light cherry, pomegranate, raspberry, fresh ginger, rose petal, toast, sweet cedar, and incense. The palate is medium in chalky tannin and medium in acid, finishing long on red fruit and rose petals. Lovely wine.
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Yum! Very nice bottle. Young but quite accessible. Good black+red fruit nose, excellent mouthfeel. Earthy and spicy. Black cherries. Med weight and packs a punch. Med finish.
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A very expressive nose, reminiscent of a Burgundy. Earth, dry meat, tomato leaf, cherry, and white pepper stick out for me. Burgundy comparisons end here. The mid palate is lacking, and the finish is non existent...acidity is nearly gone. Fair to say this one will not age well. Drink now!
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Pop and pour. Tight and cohesive nose of wet savory earth plums and other brambly fruit. Blood orange crushed blue/purple flowers. Spice. A great meaty undertone. What a complex and developed nose. Definitely has pushed past primary. A slight touch of detectable oak.
In the mouth more sasparila and dark cherry fruit. GreT acidity. While this wine has relaxed some it is still suite youthful and tight. Still has a long life ahead of it. Just beautiful though. World class.
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Short decant and opened up fairly quickly. Crunchy and deep but medium-minus in body. Once again the aromatics are expressing themselves how I remember when I tasted it on pre-release and really liked it. Oak seemed integrated and the wine is certainly in its drinking window now. If you have any quantity, get into one and see how you feel. I think these will probably best over the next 3-5 years as it doesn't have the power to be held as long as other bottlings.
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Have not been a fan of Family Farm, but this could make a convert. Medium red. A little tight when it was opened. Earth, black cherry, spice and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young.
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I loved this bottle. Expected to like it, but loved it. It’s hit a new gear on its aging curve, and signals very good times ahead for the Rhys style in general.
Usually this vineyard gives me pomegranates, raspberry and iron. This time I’m getting tamarind, tobacco - a deeper, more complex set of flavors.
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Earthy with a hint of stems and dark cherry and spice. Nice complexity but this may not appeal to those who prefer more fruit forward pinots. This has a more terroir driven earthy vibe.
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From 375 ml bottle. Starts with sweet spice and floral notes with black cherry aromas. Similar flavors with good weight, better length. Very good balance. Good now, I'd expect 750s will benefit from more cellar time.
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My first bottle of Rhys. Am a longtime collector of Oregon pinot, having turned in that direction when I didn't like strawberries in many California pinots. I turned back to try this and was really delighted. Cherries, rhubarb, and forest on the nose, with that along with hints of cola, slight new oak, and nutmeg in the mouth. Wonderful acidity. Really well balanced. I'm glad I bought the mixed case of Rhys.
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Nice showing from this one. All kinds of fun on the nose, which is the only thing that kept us from finishing it way too quickly. Seamless and smooth, with the weight and acidity working well together. Had to constantly remind myself to sip and savor, as this is one of those rare gems that is both elegant and imminently pound-able. Still early in its prime drinking window, with the potential to get better. Maybe it’s because we haven’t had a good Pinot in awhile, but certainly for us this was the right wine on the right evening. Can’t wait to try some of the higher end offerings from this producer.
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From 375ml. The cloudiness seems to be settling out- this is mostly clear now on the ruby/rust red spectrum. Intense vegetal/stemmy, purple flower, primary grape, and spice aromatics. Grape fruit, creamy body on the palate. Saline finish. Enjoyable now, though I'll sit on my other bottles while this matures further.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a couple hours – -- from 375 mL --
NOSE: riper than the 2008 Taupenot-Merme – Gevrey Chambertin we had alongside; fragrant woodsy spice; hint of cola; medium to medium+ expressiveness; hint of camphor; too oaky right now.
BODY: slightly hazy brick red color of medium-light to medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: noticeable oak; red-fruited; hint of mandarin; needs time for the oak to integrate; 13.1% alc. not noticeable; Drink or Hold --- for my preferences, it's a Hold. gut impression score: low 90's, assuming the oak soaks-in with age.
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Consistent with previous bottles :Delicious sour cherry and orange peel notes on the nose and palate with juicy acidity on the moderate finish. Favorite vintage of Family Farm to date!
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More-red-than-blue purple color. A tad murky. “Tart” nose. Very much tart cherry on the tongue. Some stoniness or other kind of minerality. A bit of “spritziness,” especially, on the tip of the tongue, may be do to acidity. A refreshing, medium-bodied (light-bodied for a red) wine.
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First Rhys so was curious to see what I would think. It's funny since before I read the other notes my biggest impression was that this was one of the more prominent orange rind (on the palate) pinots I've ever had. Minimal bitterness though as brings a good amount of acidity with enough sour cherry to make it all work. Good stuff and may need to try a few more. Sort of fits in with my Kutch and less ripe Sonoma Coast leanings of late.
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This one offered notes of creamy strawberry and orange peel with hints of pinot funk, mushrooms and black dirt. As the wine opened, red cherry was added to the mix. The acidity was very present. Pretty translucent ruby color on this too. In a great place to enjoy now.
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Delicious sour cherry and orange peel notes on the nose and palate with juicy acidity on the moderate finish. Favorite bottle of Family Farm to date, Drinking well!
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Has really mellowed since the last bottle. Extremely light ruby color. Very subdued nose. Still a good amount of acid on the palate with raspberries and pencil shavings. Nice.
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Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.1%. My notes are quite short on this, reflecting some palate fatigue that was beginning to set in. As with the vintage of 2012, this wine reflects a lot of fruit, fleshy and juicy. Too bad I didn't get a retaste on it today but none left.
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Rhys 2012 Horizontal Tasting: Decanted 2 hrs -nearly opaque very dark red -gorgeous dark red/black fruit mineral spice -med acidity enough to give lift but still retains soft mouthfeel, focused dark red fruits black cherry faint rhubarb/beetroot, fine med tannins and good length -elegant, refined, very young and primary, should be long-lived, needs lot of air now, my #3 of 8
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from 375. nice herbal notes -- almost a jalapeno nose, with some leafiness and licorice. lighter flowers than the alpine. wild strawberry, red cherry. Tart finish. This is interesting, but doesn't have the depth of fruit to stand up to the amount of herbal notes.
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For the first few hours this remained compacted in the savory/boring way the rhyskeptics observed but it improved considerably from that position. At its best, it was both expressive and balanced with a prominent element of tea. I wonder if people get confused by a darker fruit profile that isn't extracted to death? If I had another I'd try to hold for 3+ years. 89-92 sort of range with this bottle.
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Wife accidentally opened the wrong bottle tonight so thought I would be in for a treat but again it was similar to my last bottle. Not a lot going on besides some tart, tart cherry and strawberry and a little thin and watery. I would imagine that this wine would strike a Burg lover just right and I enjoy Burgs but this one just doesn't do much for me. I am going to leave my last bottle for at least 5-8 more years and see if it develops into something that is light and fragrant. Fingers crossed
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Opened to replace a flawed 2009. Needed 2hrs to open and show well. Strawberry and almost rhubarb red fruit, quite tart on the palate but deepened and darkened with air. Has a nice meaty/almost bacon note and moderate finish. Much more restrained than expected but good concentration. Needs some time. Good but not exceptional at this time.
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From 375. From cellar to glass. Beautiful nose of cherry strawberry earth and floral. Light silky body tart cherry and earthy. acid lift on the finish. Needs a little more time in glass but this is really nice.
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Blind. Very very nice wine. I didn't jot down notes, just enjoyed the wine, food, and friends. It certainly is stylistically Rhys which is a complement.
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My last 12 FF. Opened and right to the glass at perfect temp. Tart red fruit, and it wafts a bouquet and also some palate character for what I'd say is an earthy style Burgundy. Leafy, 'shroomy, and with the angy red cherry, this has that Burg feel to me. In the finish, some of the riper ref notes show a bit, like a strawberry profile. I like the tang and all the earthy qualities here. Plan to let this set for another few hours and then close this note, as guests are on the way and this won't be around for tomorrow....this filled in a bit more as it enjoyed more air, yet it maintained the red fruited, tangy quality. This is the best version of FF I think I have had to date.
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Gave this 1.5 to 2 hours to breathe in bottle. Drank over 2 hours.
My first Rhys. Light ruby in color. Lean on the palate. Strawberry. Light herbal (or grassy?) note. Touch of cinnamon. Finish was clean, but pretty average.
Solid wine, but nothing that will make me run out to join the list. Would like to try some from the other vineyards of Rhys at some point.
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from 375ml, not long open, very dark fruit, firm tannins, deeply flavored and spicy, though not the baking spice stuff. Needs lots of time but should be great...as it opens longer the dryer and dustier it gets. Long time needed.
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This needs some air to blow off a little heat. But then, tremendous and reminds me why I like this vineyard so much. A very pretty wine with crisp red fruits and berries that marry so well with the feminine qualities of perfume and florals. The pinot earthy qualities are there but subdued and not so impacted by the stems this time around. Drinks elegant and refreshingly. Lots of complexity here.
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Floral start with bright red berry and baking spice. Similar on palate with slightly sweet flavors, but firm tannins. I plan to try this again from a 375 ml bottle in the next year, but otherwise plan on giving these more time in the cellar.
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Very inviting nose of fresh red berries, cinnamon, and purple flowers. The palate is highly acidic at this point making it feel like slightly underripe berries. Food would help and my very first impression was "wow here it comes" but it stopped just shy of filling the palate with perfectly ripe fruit. I get the sense that it will happen sooner rather than later...will try again within a year.
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Tasted over two nights. This felt a little disjointed. The red fruit was sharp, with not only red berries but strawberry as well. Good acidity. Stem inclusion on the higher side. This did not exhibit the stuffing and concentration I anticipated. It was very "superficial" in that there was a lot to like on the surface but I could not decide what is lurking beneath. I'm not sure what this will ultimately become. It's perfectly good but it's a little hard to place right now.
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More red fruit. My least favorite of the three. Leafy nose shows herbaceousness, with some floral notes. Bright palate shows strawberry, raspberry, and other red fruits. Moe high toned than the others.
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decanted for an hour then consumed at range in sf. young but expressive. notes of tart raspberry, peppercorn, and herbs. nicely structured with good acidity.
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Lots of acid keeps this pinot beautifully lifted. Aromatics of spice, pepper, red fruits, some face-powder/florals. A lacy quality on the palate. A kick of raspberry sherbet on the finish. Lots to enjoy here now.
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Ripe red and black fruits, powdery aromatics, exotic spices with leafy forest notes and a decent amount of cola which on day two morphed into cooler tones with some black tea notes. Full palate with good polish, slight sweetness but balanced acidity. Great long and chewy finish.
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Popped and poured from 375. Nice burst of red fruit and spice on the nose. Great balance and texture on the palate. Relatively tannic. Drinkable now, but in need of additional cellar time to show at peak.
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Pop and pour and served with food (steamed dumplings, in case you were wondering). Followed over three hours. Nose of red cherries and a touch of menthol-eucalyptus. Some floral elements as well. Elegant and delicate red cherries and red raspberries with a streak of grapefruit. Inviting. Light in body but with depth of flavor. Some fine soft leather on the finish. Delicious.
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Third bottle consumed, thought to add a quick note. Drank 2d bottle together with 2012 Dehlinger Goldridge. I liked the Goldridge better - mellifluous (pardon the music analogy) red fruit. A dinner partner collector preferred the spiciness he found in the Family Farm. Tonight's bottle is not as spicy (without the contrast), just nice red fruit.
I've never found this bottling as complex as Alpine but this is the most enjoyable of those I remember, memory fading :-) Very nice wine that will drink well for many years (for those that can keep their hands off it).
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I served this in my wine course. Cola nose, but much more restrained than the Maresh. Beautiful texture. Nice finish. Very primary at this point. Feels like it needs 3 or 4 years to settle down. Some mocha on the finish. Sense this will be outstanding in 10 years. The finish is the best feature of the wine right now.
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From 375mL. PnV twice and poured back into bottle, then began to drink after about 2 hours of air and over the course of 2-4 hours. Restrained nose, with a bouquet of red berries, notably raspberry, cherry, carob, and shades of rhubarb, forest floor and baking spices. Tart red berry fruit on palate backed by some herbaceous, earthy, and mineral notes. Delicate and elegant, yet structured with fine gritty tannins that kept building as it sat in the glass and a nice mix of acidity in a light:medium body, and ending with a dry moderate finish. Still young at this stage, but shows good promise for further development over time. (90+)
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Decanted for ~2 hours. Shows extremely stemmy and very Rhys-y, with lots of twiggy floral and spice aromas overlaid on sweet, slightly overripe red berry fruit. The slight overripness is more evident on the palate, where the fruit has that beety/rhubarby edge, like just about every other Rhys wine I've had. While there's good acidity and complexity, and this is light on its feet, it also lacks intensity through the midpalate. However, it's very nice texturally, it's silky and airy and the extract hardly makes an impact.
Coming back a few hours later, the stemminess has faded and the acidity is even more prominent. This now seems rather shut down. Not really sure what to make of this one.
Decanted for 30 min. From memory. Green leaves/herbs, minerals, ripe red/black berries, and some bark. Silky texture with good weight and good acidity. Wine leaves a broad mouthfeel. Great balance. Very enjoyable now.
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This seemed okay........ Drank on a pop and pour and then re corked back in wine fridge for a day and not muched changed. Some strawberry on the nose but nothing really on the palate. Maybe some earthiness and some red fruit. No acidity or tannins to speak of. Not sure if the bottle was tainted or just extremely closed. Disappointing for $60 for sure. We shall see what happens on the next bottle. Nothing like the notes everyone else has been posting about this one. Kind of bummed, hence no rating
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Dusky ruby. Strawberry nose with notes of dust, violets and earth. Deep toned fruit from front to back of the palate, with peripheral notes of acid and a supporting layer of drying tannin, a long dramatic coda of a finish that captures everything this wine presented. A brilliant wine, extravagant and restrained at the same time. 55+13+17+9.
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2nd bottle in the last few months, the last one at the Rhys dinner we did where we had a few other 2012s. Pulled this today, opened and put a light chill on it. Floral and light stems. Comes off a bit rough and tumble for me, with whatever new oak showing in the form of some light mocha. Strawberry and raspberry, feels a little sweet at this stage, too. Stems play a role too, adding a menthol note. In sum for me, this wine is not yet ready, as the parts are all asserting their own influence. In my opinion, let the wine rest another year and then enjoy.
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Felt like having a half bottle, and this was well within reach, so I opened it despite it being probably too young. I needn't have worried - this is showing well, with sappy red-to-purple fruits and some notes of soil. Quite a complete wine, very much in the Rhys style, with more depth than the appellation bottlings typically show, as an SVD should. I wanted to drink something reliably pleasing tonight and this came through in the clutch. 2012 looks to be a very strong vintage for Rhys based on this wine's performance.
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From 375 and decanted 3/4 of it into 2 Zaalto's 2 hrs ahead - noticeable benefit for 30 minutes. Cloudy reddish violet. On nose a little muted but with expressive dark red fruit, lovely earth, coffee grounds, spice and did I say earth. I know I said expressively muted, but that's how it felt and it was great. Palate has dark red fruit with an almost furry feel that has beautiful penetration and very decent acidity, some light mineral and a dose of tannin - all in balance. Great with baked cod with creamed parsnips. This has lots of life ahead with the fruit unwinding in the near term and maybe some excitement long term. Love the 375s for these early indulgences.
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A Casual Monday Night in Toronto (Fine Wine Reserve, Toronto, ON): (bottle was opened 24 hours prior) What a great contrast to have this opened next to the Mount Eden. Both wines have similar features in the focus on red fruit with spicy whole cluster notes in support. This one pours just a hair darker and is almost slightly cloudy by comparison. The nose is beautifully earthy with notes of watermelon, cinnamon, light roast coffee, herbs, slate, light cherry, raspberry, and just the slightest hint of soy. Palate has good acid, though clearly much lower than the Mount Eden. Where the Mount Eden was more linear, precise and acidic, this wraps beautifully around the the palate and feels a bit more lush with just slightly darker red fruit and earth notes. Long finish. Seems to have the stuffing to go potentially longer than the Mount Eden but time will tell. I'm so excited to follow these fascinating wines. This is another one that could easily pick up a point or two over time. Clearly a Burgundy inspired wine.
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Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): Poured alongside the 2012 Home. Like the other FF wines of the evening (07 and 09), this too shows a riper quality of fruit. Strawberry and kiwi, seeming a bit candied with some light mineral.
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Cork was slightly elevated (about 1-2mm). Seeping all the way up the cork, but nothing ran out. Medium red color and compared to the Alpine, it looks rather dull/flat. No noticeable heat on the nose, in fact overall the wine was surprisingly approachable for a 2012.. Red fruit, cinnamon, and some baking spices. Nice acidity although seems a bit flat.
Drank well nonetheless, but not sure about aging potential (again not sure if the bottle was clean).
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From a.375 cl bottle. Nose is full of fresh berries, red, black and blue. Cold smoked and earthy matsutake mushrooms promise the gate to paradise. On the palate, however, this is more about dark sweet cherries, nutmeg and cinnamon. Two different faces, both equally delicious. Bound together by silken texture, purity and great freshness. Just plain lovely pinot noir.
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From 375. Ripe cherry fruit, baking spices, some floral notes and minerals. Fleshy on the palate, with nice balancing acidity and fine tannins. Approachable now.
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Delicious dark strawberry fruit with earthy flavors, very good structure, fruit a bit lean but excellent balance, fresh, vibrant, slightly sweet, and very tasty
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From half bottle. As has been my experience with prior vintages of Rhys, the Family Farm seems to be the most accessible early on. This needed a bit of air to open up, but came around pretty quickly and drank really well. 92-93 pts.
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Well this ought to be an exciting vintage for Rhys. Very pure fruit here - no sign of any stems or even any oak. It's a smidge sweeter and more intense than a Burgundy but not far off. Rhys always likes a long decant and indeed this kept getting better till the end of the 375. Loved it about halfway through when it had that enveloping, satiny palate presence of top-class Burgundy; then the fruit started crawling into the background and revealed some of the usual rocky minerality and grippy tannin. Still, this has to be one of the more voluptuous Family Farms to date. There was a little CO2 so it needed a shake.
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At Rhys pick-up. Still young but very enjoyable. Incredibly well balanced. Did not have enough time to contemplate all that was going on but sure to be a nice bottle in a few years time.
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Beautiful, pure, medium-intense pinot nose with an attractive floral character. The palate is a mix of dark cherries with some brighter elements. Medium-body, medium concentration, and impeccable balance. Some savory beets in the background. This has fine-grained tannins and is quite elegant. Silky even. Very young and gets better with air, but no harm in opening one for science -- especially from .375.
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4/6/2024 - nebhc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking perfectly right now. Greta depth and structure to this wine. Opened up after 30 mins or so.
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12/26/2023 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Pop and pour and consumed over two days. Distinctly Rhys and California with a streak of ripe red fruit. Mid weight with earthy notes of pine. Altogether a good wine with good weight and detail. Almost as good on day 2 and I suspect these wines will easily drink well for another ten years.
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12/15/2023 - JoeDwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
At LBank….
Needed 20 minutes to blow off some haze and color starting to turn.
Lots of earth, a bit cloudy, apple spice, cinnamon, decent acidity, blood orange.darker berries emerge after 60 minutes.
Worked well with food and nice texture from whole cluster. Next bottle 2026.
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12/9/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP, earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. May be the best bottle yet.
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8/30/2023 - doctornoah wrote: 89 Points
Firm acidity and some mild tannins frame a pinot that is clearly new world in aromatic profile (a little candied red fruit, pomegranate, almost cola) and give it a more burgundian mouthfeel. Overall a little hard to reconcile. Likable overall. No significant evolution after 10 years, so certainly you could hold this.
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8/7/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP, earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young. has improved over the last 2 years.
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2/9/2023 - jc510 Likes this wine:
Drinking nicely, well integrated.
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12/16/2022 - mac-eye Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very decent pinot. Straddles new world and old world styles. Quite good even immediately after decanting. I would have rated it even higher but, for my tastes, it has a notable under-ripe strawberry notes and it's slightly sharp, and it's a bit light. This might blow away after a day, TBD. Nevertheless, quite good indeed and I would be happy to have more.
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12/11/2022 - WineGold Likes this wine: 94 Points
Totally in its prime drinking window. Delicious Interesting. Layered. Nuanced. Strawberries and cherries. Wet forest floor, rocks and minerals. Plenty of time here. Not close to anything resembling a downward track.
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4/29/2022 - bgriffi1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful garnet color. Nice cherry on palate but would have liked to be bolder.
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10/28/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pale ruby garnet. Rich aromas of pinot berry, redwood, coffee, wild roses. Penetrating fruit on the palate, aromatic in a wild frill of acid, juicy tannins moving into the very long finish. Lovely evolution from front to back within a very coherent design. 13.1% alcohol.
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10/8/2021 - grafstrb wrote:
Drinking well now with a pop and pour.
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9/28/2021 - grafstrb wrote: 89 Points
-- decanted 35 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2.5 hours --
-- 375mL --
NOSE: high-toned red fruits; a bit tomato-y; I wonder if this had some slight in-bottle secondary fermentation going on.
BODY: a bit fizzy; light sign of seepage; very hazy garnet color with bricking throughout; color is of medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: medium+ to high acidity; red-fruited with some light bretty funk; zesty; hint of oak; drinking well now; funky note gone after 2.5 hours open; moderate concentration of fruit; Drink Now and over the near term. Gut impression score: 90. My score below is, essentially, me assuming this wasn't technically flawed.
50, 4, 12, 16, 7 = 89
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5/10/2021 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
this is right on.
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4/22/2021 - rama Likes this wine:
Floral nose. Spice and fruit on the nose that carries through a long, rich finish. Medium acid, medium creamy body, gentle tannin. Drinking very well even as a pop-and-pour.
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4/20/2021 - Jon Mills Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautifully balanced Pinot Noir - delicious!
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2/22/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Equal amounts of red and black cherry with subtle spice, still pronounced tannins. Good enough weight. From 375 ml bottle. This hasn’t gotten better with age.
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2/18/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 91 Points
Benefitted from a 1 hour decant. Earth, black cherry, spice, cranberry and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, cranberry a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young. has improved over the last 2 years.
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1/29/2021 - norsktorsk wrote: 91 Points
some sweetness
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1/22/2021 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
Much better than my 2 previous Rhys, both Bearswallows. High acid, bright and lively red cherry with a bit of cola spice. Very good.
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1/21/2021 - Jahull03 wrote:
Very satisfying. Red notes of cranberry, cherry, and a bit of “baseball dirt”... I’m getting red all the way through. That said, the tart edge these (FF vineyard) have in their youth has mellowed, and this is inviting.
Profound? No. Really delicious, inviting, enjoyable? Yes. Does it get better in the future? No idea. It’s gotten better since my prior bottle and now it’s gone, and I have zero regrets because it was wonderful tonight!
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12/5/2020 - yeti575rider wrote: 93 Points
Pretty consistent with previous bottle. This really has a nice flavor profile and it's super easy drinking and light on its feet. Had a bit of pinot funk on opening but blew off after 10 minutes or so.
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11/18/2020 - SkeBum wrote: 90 Points
Pale ruby in the glass. Notes of cherry on the nose. Works across the palate in all phases, very well made. Acidity and everything is working. No bricking notes.
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11/12/2020 - jbrekke Likes this wine:
Fantastic. Cherry and five spice. Great intensity with good balance
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11/1/2020 - rerail84 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delicious. Opened for 2+ hours before drinking. Beautiful nose with a great mouth feel. Drinking well right now, but has the legs to go the distance.
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10/24/2020 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Nose: The nose is intensely perfumed with pomegranate, red cherries, raspberries, sassafras, violets, earth, spice notes, and licorice. This opens up beautifully after about 45 minutes and shows off a lot of depth wit a real expressiveness.
Taste: The feel is Medium bodied with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium tannins. The structure is beginning to resolve with the feel showing a lot of poise. There is excellent depth with pomegranate, red cherries, raspberries, violets, earth notes, licorice, and spice tones.
Overall: This is drinking wonderfully right now. There is still plenty of stuffing for further aging but this has turned that corner and is beginning into maturity.
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6/15/2020 - jgreco Likes this wine: 91 Points
The 2012 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard has a gorgeous pale violet color. The nose is rather muted at the moment. Flavors of cherry kirsch, black tea, eucalyptus, and earth are supported by a salty, briney, finish. This is much more juicy and as a result is missing a lot of the energy and tension I expect out of a Rhys Pinot Noir. This is one of the few Rhys that I think I would have enjoyed far more in its youth.
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5/21/2020 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This delicate and nuanced Pinot is drinking beautifully right now, with a depth and class befitting a premier cru Chambolle-Musigny. This wine has never been my favorite Rhys bottling (the Alpine and Horseshoe are my favorites), but this is in a lovely place right now.
Pale red in color and light in body (I’m sure a sommelier would say “light plus," like some kind of verbal tic), the wine offers captivating aromas of rose petal, dried strawberry, pomegranate, and dried herbs. The flavors are lively but layered, with notes of cranberry, crushed raspberry, baked peppercorn, and eucalyptus followed by an acidic, almost briny finish. 13.1% alcohol. 93-94 for now, with upside if it integrates more in another year or two.
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5/19/2020 - WoodieBayArea wrote:
no notes, but remember this being nice, and above expectations
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5/17/2020 - brasstab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black tea and red fruit. More savory than sweet. Paired with Chinese take out on a Sunday afternoon. Compelling finish.
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3/15/2020 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
Still a little early for this one. Pours totally transparent, light ruby at the core, light pink/rose at the rim. The nose is lifted and gorgeous of light cherry, pomegranate, raspberry, fresh ginger, rose petal, toast, sweet cedar, and incense. The palate is medium in chalky tannin and medium in acid, finishing long on red fruit and rose petals. Lovely wine.
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3/8/2020 - ron m wrote:
Yum! Very nice bottle. Young but quite accessible. Good black+red fruit nose, excellent mouthfeel. Earthy and spicy. Black cherries. Med weight and packs a punch. Med finish.
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3/8/2020 - RGO Likes this wine:
Didn’t realize that your drinking window started in 2025! Assumed that this was just a typical affordable new world Pinot.
A bit difficult for me to see how this wine needs at least 5 more years of aging. Doesn’t taste like it’s still developing.
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3/6/2020 - SeaSea Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark cherry, savory. Tasty. Decanted just before serving.
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2/25/2020 - WineTime10 wrote: 88 Points
A very expressive nose, reminiscent of a Burgundy. Earth, dry meat, tomato leaf, cherry, and white pepper stick out for me. Burgundy comparisons end here. The mid palate is lacking, and the finish is non existent...acidity is nearly gone. Fair to say this one will not age well. Drink now!
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12/28/2019 - Andyofoto wrote:
Pop and pour. Tight and cohesive nose of wet savory earth plums and other brambly fruit. Blood orange crushed blue/purple flowers. Spice. A great meaty undertone. What a complex and developed nose. Definitely has pushed past primary. A slight touch of detectable oak.
In the mouth more sasparila and dark cherry fruit. GreT acidity. While this wine has relaxed some it is still suite youthful and tight. Still has a long life ahead of it. Just beautiful though. World class.
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12/18/2019 - DollarMenunaire wrote:
Short decant and opened up fairly quickly. Crunchy and deep but medium-minus in body. Once again the aromatics are expressing themselves how I remember when I tasted it on pre-release and really liked it. Oak seemed integrated and the wine is certainly in its drinking window now. If you have any quantity, get into one and see how you feel. I think these will probably best over the next 3-5 years as it doesn't have the power to be held as long as other bottlings.
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10/15/2019 - gharter Likes this wine: 90 Points
Have not been a fan of Family Farm, but this could make a convert. Medium red. A little tight when it was opened. Earth, black cherry, spice and a healthy dose of stems on the nose. More complexity with black cherry, spice, earth, a good dose of stems and herbal flavors. Nice balance in a medium finish. Good, but still young.
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10/11/2019 - Jahull03 wrote:
I loved this bottle. Expected to like it, but loved it. It’s hit a new gear on its aging curve, and signals very good times ahead for the Rhys style in general.
Usually this vineyard gives me pomegranates, raspberry and iron. This time I’m getting tamarind, tobacco - a deeper, more complex set of flavors.
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9/28/2019 - jjct Likes this wine:
Stems showing strong, but the fruit is in a nice place. Significant bricking.
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9/12/2019 - Schwarzer Hund wrote:
This 375ml bottle seemed pretty light weight. Will have to try one of our 750’s for comparison.
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6/2/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Sweet spice with more black vs red cherry aromas and flavors. Good+ weight and length.
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4/26/2019 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
Tart Strawberries, a bit oaky, but not too fruity. Some earthy mushrooms. Definitely more in a burgundy style. In a nice spot, drink or hold.
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4/7/2019 - collin wrote:
Good, but I don't see much upside from here.
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1/18/2019 - rmalloy wrote:
I love Rhys pinots, but I was underwhelmed by this bottle. It just didn’t have enough oomph.
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1/12/2019 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good Pinot and FF vineyard is in my wheelhouse for Rhys.
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12/10/2018 - wineguy1968 wrote:
Earthy with a hint of stems and dark cherry and spice. Nice complexity but this may not appeal to those who prefer more fruit forward pinots. This has a more terroir driven earthy vibe.
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11/29/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
From 375 ml bottle. Starts with sweet spice and floral notes with black cherry aromas. Similar flavors with good weight, better length. Very good balance. Good now, I'd expect 750s will benefit from more cellar time.
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11/16/2018 - rmcbrayer wrote: 92 Points
My first bottle of Rhys. Am a longtime collector of Oregon pinot, having turned in that direction when I didn't like strawberries in many California pinots. I turned back to try this and was really delighted. Cherries, rhubarb, and forest on the nose, with that along with hints of cola, slight new oak, and nutmeg in the mouth. Wonderful acidity. Really well balanced. I'm glad I bought the mixed case of Rhys.
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11/4/2018 - millerarner wrote: 93 Points
With Laszlo & Jill. Enjoyed by all and paired with multiple dishes.
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10/5/2018 - nphase Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375ml.
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9/1/2018 - millerarner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice showing from this one. All kinds of fun on the nose, which is the only thing that kept us from finishing it way too quickly. Seamless and smooth, with the weight and acidity working well together. Had to constantly remind myself to sip and savor, as this is one of those rare gems that is both elegant and imminently pound-able. Still early in its prime drinking window, with the potential to get better. Maybe it’s because we haven’t had a good Pinot in awhile, but certainly for us this was the right wine on the right evening. Can’t wait to try some of the higher end offerings from this producer.
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8/17/2018 - rama Likes this wine:
From 375ml. The cloudiness seems to be settling out- this is mostly clear now on the ruby/rust red spectrum. Intense vegetal/stemmy, purple flower, primary grape, and spice aromatics. Grape fruit, creamy body on the palate. Saline finish. Enjoyable now, though I'll sit on my other bottles while this matures further.
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7/28/2018 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours –
-- from 375 mL --
NOSE: riper than the 2008 Taupenot-Merme – Gevrey Chambertin we had alongside; fragrant woodsy spice; hint of cola; medium to medium+ expressiveness; hint of camphor; too oaky right now.
BODY: slightly hazy brick red color of medium-light to medium depth; medium-light bodied.
TASTE: noticeable oak; red-fruited; hint of mandarin; needs time for the oak to integrate; 13.1% alc. not noticeable; Drink or Hold --- for my preferences, it's a Hold. gut impression score: low 90's, assuming the oak soaks-in with age.
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6/12/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous bottles :Delicious sour cherry and orange peel notes on the nose and palate with juicy acidity on the moderate finish. Favorite vintage of Family Farm to date!
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6/6/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious sour cherry and orange peel notes on the nose and palate with juicy acidity on the moderate finish.
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5/31/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle.
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5/29/2018 - EMark Likes this wine:
More-red-than-blue purple color. A tad murky. “Tart” nose. Very much tart cherry on the tongue. Some stoniness or other kind of minerality. A bit of “spritziness,” especially, on the tip of the tongue, may be do to acidity. A refreshing, medium-bodied (light-bodied for a red) wine.
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5/5/2018 - yeti575rider wrote: 92 Points
First Rhys so was curious to see what I would think. It's funny since before I read the other notes my biggest impression was that this was one of the more prominent orange rind (on the palate) pinots I've ever had. Minimal bitterness though as brings a good amount of acidity with enough sour cherry to make it all work. Good stuff and may need to try a few more. Sort of fits in with my Kutch and less ripe Sonoma Coast leanings of late.
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4/27/2018 - wineaux2 wrote:
This one offered notes of creamy strawberry and orange peel with hints of pinot funk, mushrooms and black dirt. As the wine opened, red cherry was added to the mix. The acidity was very present. Pretty translucent ruby color on this too. In a great place to enjoy now.
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4/24/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious sour cherry and orange peel notes on the nose and palate with juicy acidity on the moderate finish. Favorite bottle of Family Farm to date, Drinking well!
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4/8/2018 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has really mellowed since the last bottle. Extremely light ruby color. Very subdued nose. Still a good amount of acid on the palate with raspberries and pencil shavings. Nice.
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1/22/2018 - blaine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Similar to other notes, very solid, fruity. Quite a bit of orange rind on the palate for me...in a good way. Nice acidity.
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12/7/2017 - rc@ughey wrote:
Well-balanced, moderate concentration, and relatively elegant. Not a grand wine but a tasty one.
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11/5/2017 - Jdwinedrinker Likes this wine:
Very good. Delicious fruit and a little jam (in a good way). Not the deepest wine and minimal tannins.
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11/1/2017 - cadamson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Violet red. Still seems a bit young. Dark red/blue fruits, hints of forest floor, maybe some flowers. May get some good growth with a few more years.
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10/1/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys @ My Place--Part 3 (My House In The South OC): Listed ABV of 13.1%. My notes are quite short on this, reflecting some palate fatigue that was beginning to set in. As with the vintage of 2012, this wine reflects a lot of fruit, fleshy and juicy. Too bad I didn't get a retaste on it today but none left.
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8/27/2017 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Rhys 2012 Horizontal Tasting: Decanted 2 hrs
-nearly opaque very dark red
-gorgeous dark red/black fruit mineral spice
-med acidity enough to give lift but still retains soft mouthfeel, focused dark red fruits black cherry faint rhubarb/beetroot, fine med tannins and good length
-elegant, refined, very young and primary, should be long-lived, needs lot of air now, my #3 of 8
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8/19/2017 - Stumpy wrote: 92 Points
Opened a 375 and was not disappointed-full bodied without being heavy and quite nice to sip.
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6/9/2017 - ews3 wrote: 89 Points
from 375. nice herbal notes -- almost a jalapeno nose, with some leafiness and licorice. lighter flowers than the alpine. wild strawberry, red cherry. Tart finish. This is interesting, but doesn't have the depth of fruit to stand up to the amount of herbal notes.
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5/23/2017 - thelostverse wrote: 93 Points
Opened at Anvil, but not decanted. Beautiful red fruits with an earthy element that paired wonderfully with some Morels. I don't see any hurry here.
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3/26/2017 - VDLT Wine wrote:
LI Pot Luck Blind (Kitchen á Bistro - St James): Lost in its flight. This was clearly California Pinot. Struck me as good even if I don't like the grape done there.
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2/5/2017 - silton Likes this wine:
For the first few hours this remained compacted in the savory/boring way the rhyskeptics observed but it improved considerably from that position. At its best, it was both expressive and balanced with a prominent element of tea. I wonder if people get confused by a darker fruit profile that isn't extracted to death? If I had another I'd try to hold for 3+ years. 89-92 sort of range with this bottle.
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2/1/2017 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar notes to last time but I took note that this takes a bit of time to show up. 1hr plus decant and warmer helps. Nice complexity developing.
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11/1/2016 - Griffeyfan04 wrote: 87 Points
Wife accidentally opened the wrong bottle tonight so thought I would be in for a treat but again it was similar to my last bottle. Not a lot going on besides some tart, tart cherry and strawberry and a little thin and watery. I would imagine that this wine would strike a Burg lover just right and I enjoy Burgs but this one just doesn't do much for me. I am going to leave my last bottle for at least 5-8 more years and see if it develops into something that is light and fragrant. Fingers crossed
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10/30/2016 - shaferguy91 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
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10/24/2016 - tcarter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs a little time in the glass (10-20 mins) and then evens out into a beautiful, well-balanced wine.
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10/20/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened to replace a flawed 2009. Needed 2hrs to open and show well. Strawberry and almost rhubarb red fruit, quite tart on the palate but deepened and darkened with air. Has a nice meaty/almost bacon note and moderate finish. Much more restrained than expected but good concentration. Needs some time. Good but not exceptional at this time.
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9/11/2016 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
From 375. From cellar to glass. Beautiful nose of cherry strawberry earth and floral. Light silky body tart cherry and earthy. acid lift on the finish. Needs a little more time in glass but this is really nice.
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7/30/2016 - brigcampbell wrote:
Blind. Very very nice wine. I didn't jot down notes, just enjoyed the wine, food, and friends. It certainly is stylistically Rhys which is a complement.
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7/29/2016 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My last 12 FF. Opened and right to the glass at perfect temp. Tart red fruit, and it wafts a bouquet and also some palate character for what I'd say is an earthy style Burgundy. Leafy, 'shroomy, and with the angy red cherry, this has that Burg feel to me. In the finish, some of the riper ref notes show a bit, like a strawberry profile. I like the tang and all the earthy qualities here. Plan to let this set for another few hours and then close this note, as guests are on the way and this won't be around for tomorrow....this filled in a bit more as it enjoyed more air, yet it maintained the red fruited, tangy quality. This is the best version of FF I think I have had to date.
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7/18/2016 - ageverett Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gave this 1.5 to 2 hours to breathe in bottle. Drank over 2 hours.
My first Rhys. Light ruby in color. Lean on the palate. Strawberry. Light herbal (or grassy?) note. Touch of cinnamon. Finish was clean, but pretty average.
Solid wine, but nothing that will make me run out to join the list. Would like to try some from the other vineyards of Rhys at some point.
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6/1/2016 - Louvin Likes this wine: 93 Points
from 375ml, not long open, very dark fruit, firm tannins, deeply flavored and spicy, though not the baking spice stuff. Needs lots of time but should be great...as it opens longer the dryer and dustier it gets. Long time needed.
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3/31/2016 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 93 Points
This needs some air to blow off a little heat. But then, tremendous and reminds me why I like this vineyard so much. A very pretty wine with crisp red fruits and berries that marry so well with the feminine qualities of perfume and florals. The pinot earthy qualities are there but subdued and not so impacted by the stems this time around. Drinks elegant and refreshingly. Lots of complexity here.
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12/28/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Floral start with bright red berry and baking spice. Similar on palate with slightly sweet flavors, but firm tannins. I plan to try this again from a 375 ml bottle in the next year, but otherwise plan on giving these more time in the cellar.
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11/23/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Very inviting nose of fresh red berries, cinnamon, and purple flowers. The palate is highly acidic at this point making it feel like slightly underripe berries. Food would help and my very first impression was "wow here it comes" but it stopped just shy of filling the palate with perfectly ripe fruit. I get the sense that it will happen sooner rather than later...will try again within a year.
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11/22/2015 - arniec wrote:
nada
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11/8/2015 - jrobs7777 wrote:
Tasted over two nights. This felt a little disjointed. The red fruit was sharp, with not only red berries but strawberry as well. Good acidity. Stem inclusion on the higher side. This did not exhibit the stuffing and concentration I anticipated. It was very "superficial" in that there was a lot to like on the surface but I could not decide what is lurking beneath. I'm not sure what this will ultimately become. It's perfectly good but it's a little hard to place right now.
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11/7/2015 - ews3 wrote: 88 Points
More red fruit. My least favorite of the three. Leafy nose shows herbaceousness, with some floral notes. Bright palate shows strawberry, raspberry, and other red fruits. Moe high toned than the others.
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8/15/2015 - kthornton78 wrote:
decanted for an hour then consumed at range in sf. young but expressive. notes of tart raspberry, peppercorn, and herbs. nicely structured with good acidity.
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7/8/2015 - amateurwino wrote:
Remarkably consistent experience with last bottle, fruity and earthy.
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7/4/2015 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 93 Points
Very much a central coast Pinot with a sour cherry pucker and velvet tannins. Really nice.
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7/2/2015 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
At Mourad. Delightful balance and acidity. 13.3%
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6/24/2015 - theronware wrote: 91 Points
Lots of acid keeps this pinot beautifully lifted. Aromatics of spice, pepper, red fruits, some face-powder/florals. A lacy quality on the palate. A kick of raspberry sherbet on the finish. Lots to enjoy here now.
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4/7/2015 - 1981er wrote: 92 Points
Ripe red and black fruits, powdery aromatics, exotic spices with leafy forest notes and a decent amount of cola which on day two morphed into cooler tones with some black tea notes. Full palate with good polish, slight sweetness but balanced acidity. Great long and chewy finish.
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3/28/2015 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured from 375. Nice burst of red fruit and spice on the nose. Great balance and texture on the palate. Relatively tannic. Drinkable now, but in need of additional cellar time to show at peak.
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3/5/2015 - t_moderne wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour and served with food (steamed dumplings, in case you were wondering).
Followed over three hours.
Nose of red cherries and a touch of menthol-eucalyptus. Some floral elements as well.
Elegant and delicate red cherries and red raspberries with a streak of grapefruit. Inviting. Light in body but with depth of flavor. Some fine soft leather on the finish.
Delicious.
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2/18/2015 - jmull Likes this wine: 92 Points
At Zuni Cafe. Not super complex but intense, focused and long. Light on its feet but also powerful Thx to acidity and balance.
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2/15/2015 - Chris@77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Third bottle consumed, thought to add a quick note. Drank 2d bottle together with 2012 Dehlinger Goldridge. I liked the Goldridge better - mellifluous (pardon the music analogy) red fruit. A dinner partner collector preferred the spiciness he found in the Family Farm. Tonight's bottle is not as spicy (without the contrast), just nice red fruit.
I've never found this bottling as complex as Alpine but this is the most enjoyable of those I remember, memory fading :-) Very nice wine that will drink well for many years (for those that can keep their hands off it).
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2/14/2015 - juffer Likes this wine: 93 Points
I served this in my wine course. Cola nose, but much more restrained than the Maresh. Beautiful texture. Nice finish. Very primary at this point. Feels like it needs 3 or 4 years to settle down. Some mocha on the finish. Sense this will be outstanding in 10 years. The finish is the best feature of the wine right now.
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2/10/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Fairly stem my but with nice red fruit. Opened a halfsie to drink with pork. Good match. Some nice cranberry notes.
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1/31/2015 - DRS-Inc wrote: 92 Points
From 375mL. PnV twice and poured back into bottle, then began to drink after about 2 hours of air and over the course of 2-4 hours. Restrained nose, with a bouquet of red berries, notably raspberry, cherry, carob, and shades of rhubarb, forest floor and baking spices. Tart red berry fruit on palate backed by some herbaceous, earthy, and mineral notes. Delicate and elegant, yet structured with fine gritty tannins that kept building as it sat in the glass and a nice mix of acidity in a light:medium body, and ending with a dry moderate finish. Still young at this stage, but shows good promise for further development over time. (90+)
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1/28/2015 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
Notes consistent with last tasting in November - red fruited with earthy notes. Reliably pleasing.
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1/5/2015 - coremill wrote: 87 Points
Decanted for ~2 hours. Shows extremely stemmy and very Rhys-y, with lots of twiggy floral and spice aromas overlaid on sweet, slightly overripe red berry fruit. The slight overripness is more evident on the palate, where the fruit has that beety/rhubarby edge, like just about every other Rhys wine I've had. While there's good acidity and complexity, and this is light on its feet, it also lacks intensity through the midpalate. However, it's very nice texturally, it's silky and airy and the extract hardly makes an impact.
Coming back a few hours later, the stemminess has faded and the acidity is even more prominent. This now seems rather shut down. Not really sure what to make of this one.
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12/29/2014 - James Kim wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 min. From memory. Green leaves/herbs, minerals, ripe red/black berries, and some bark. Silky texture with good weight and good acidity. Wine leaves a broad mouthfeel. Great balance. Very enjoyable now.
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12/11/2014 - Griffeyfan04 wrote:
This seemed okay........ Drank on a pop and pour and then re corked back in wine fridge for a day and not muched changed. Some strawberry on the nose but nothing really on the palate. Maybe some earthiness and some red fruit. No acidity or tannins to speak of. Not sure if the bottle was tainted or just extremely closed. Disappointing for $60 for sure. We shall see what happens on the next bottle. Nothing like the notes everyone else has been posting about this one. Kind of bummed, hence no rating
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11/30/2014 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dusky ruby. Strawberry nose with notes of dust, violets and earth. Deep toned fruit from front to back of the palate, with peripheral notes of acid and a supporting layer of drying tannin, a long dramatic coda of a finish that captures everything this wine presented. A brilliant wine, extravagant and restrained at the same time. 55+13+17+9.
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11/27/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
2nd bottle in the last few months, the last one at the Rhys dinner we did where we had a few other 2012s. Pulled this today, opened and put a light chill on it. Floral and light stems. Comes off a bit rough and tumble for me, with whatever new oak showing in the form of some light mocha. Strawberry and raspberry, feels a little sweet at this stage, too. Stems play a role too, adding a menthol note. In sum for me, this wine is not yet ready, as the parts are all asserting their own influence. In my opinion, let the wine rest another year and then enjoy.
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11/27/2014 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
Felt like having a half bottle, and this was well within reach, so I opened it despite it being probably too young. I needn't have worried - this is showing well, with sappy red-to-purple fruits and some notes of soil. Quite a complete wine, very much in the Rhys style, with more depth than the appellation bottlings typically show, as an SVD should. I wanted to drink something reliably pleasing tonight and this came through in the clutch. 2012 looks to be a very strong vintage for Rhys based on this wine's performance.
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11/24/2014 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
From 375 and decanted 3/4 of it into 2 Zaalto's 2 hrs ahead - noticeable benefit for 30 minutes. Cloudy reddish violet. On nose a little muted but with expressive dark red fruit, lovely earth, coffee grounds, spice and did I say earth. I know I said expressively muted, but that's how it felt and it was great. Palate has dark red fruit with an almost furry feel that has beautiful penetration and very decent acidity, some light mineral and a dose of tannin - all in balance. Great with baked cod with creamed parsnips. This has lots of life ahead with the fruit unwinding in the near term and maybe some excitement long term. Love the 375s for these early indulgences.
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11/17/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 93 Points
A Casual Monday Night in Toronto (Fine Wine Reserve, Toronto, ON): (bottle was opened 24 hours prior) What a great contrast to have this opened next to the Mount Eden. Both wines have similar features in the focus on red fruit with spicy whole cluster notes in support. This one pours just a hair darker and is almost slightly cloudy by comparison. The nose is beautifully earthy with notes of watermelon, cinnamon, light roast coffee, herbs, slate, light cherry, raspberry, and just the slightest hint of soy. Palate has good acid, though clearly much lower than the Mount Eden. Where the Mount Eden was more linear, precise and acidic, this wraps beautifully around the the palate and feels a bit more lush with just slightly darker red fruit and earth notes. Long finish. Seems to have the stuffing to go potentially longer than the Mount Eden but time will tell. I'm so excited to follow these fascinating wines. This is another one that could easily pick up a point or two over time. Clearly a Burgundy inspired wine.
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11/15/2014 - rama wrote: 91 Points
Somewhat cloudy, like a barrel sample. More complex aromatics than on the palate. Hints of anise. Well integrated already.
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10/11/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Tasting With The Gang (My House): Poured alongside the 2012 Home. Like the other FF wines of the evening (07 and 09), this too shows a riper quality of fruit. Strawberry and kiwi, seeming a bit candied with some light mineral.
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9/25/2014 - Tree512 wrote: 89 Points
Huge purple fruit, lots of acid, not a lot of tannins. Needs lots of time.
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9/21/2014 - mye wrote:
Cork was slightly elevated (about 1-2mm). Seeping all the way up the cork, but nothing ran out.
Medium red color and compared to the Alpine, it looks rather dull/flat.
No noticeable heat on the nose, in fact overall the wine was surprisingly approachable for a 2012.. Red fruit, cinnamon, and some baking spices. Nice acidity although seems a bit flat.
Drank well nonetheless, but not sure about aging potential (again not sure if the bottle was clean).
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7/31/2014 - Omar Khayyam Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a.375 cl bottle. Nose is full of fresh berries, red, black and blue. Cold smoked and earthy matsutake mushrooms promise the gate to paradise. On the palate, however, this is more about dark sweet cherries, nutmeg and cinnamon. Two different faces, both equally delicious. Bound together by silken texture, purity and great freshness. Just plain lovely pinot noir.
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7/3/2014 - cartime Likes this wine: 91 Points
From 375. Ripe cherry fruit, baking spices, some floral notes and minerals. Fleshy on the palate, with nice balancing acidity and fine tannins. Approachable now.
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5/14/2014 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Delicious dark strawberry fruit with earthy flavors, very good structure, fruit a bit lean but excellent balance, fresh, vibrant, slightly sweet, and very tasty
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4/28/2014 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
From half bottle. As has been my experience with prior vintages of Rhys, the Family Farm seems to be the most accessible early on. This needed a bit of air to open up, but came around pretty quickly and drank really well. 92-93 pts.
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4/17/2014 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well this ought to be an exciting vintage for Rhys. Very pure fruit here - no sign of any stems or even any oak. It's a smidge sweeter and more intense than a Burgundy but not far off. Rhys always likes a long decant and indeed this kept getting better till the end of the 375. Loved it about halfway through when it had that enveloping, satiny palate presence of top-class Burgundy; then the fruit started crawling into the background and revealed some of the usual rocky minerality and grippy tannin. Still, this has to be one of the more voluptuous Family Farms to date. There was a little CO2 so it needed a shake.
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4/7/2014 - aaronwine Likes this wine: 92 Points
At Rhys pick-up. Still young but very enjoyable. Incredibly well balanced. Did not have enough time to contemplate all that was going on but sure to be a nice bottle in a few years time.
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3/19/2014 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beautiful, pure, medium-intense pinot nose with an attractive floral character. The palate is a mix of dark cherries with some brighter elements. Medium-body, medium concentration, and impeccable balance. Some savory beets in the background. This has fine-grained tannins and is quite elegant. Silky even. Very young and gets better with air, but no harm in opening one for science -- especially from .375.
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2/1/2014 - xwine wrote:
Rhys Vineyards Tasting -- Barrel and Bottle (Rhys Vineyards): Slight menthol note on the nose, with a good dose of spice, and quite floral. A sexy wine, with a very silky texture. Quite nice. 60% whole cluster.
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