Jay Miller
Jay Miller
It seems Keith isn't posting his notes here so you'll have to make do with mine unless he joins in. Unfortunately my notes were more illegible than usual which is saying something. You're getting about 60% of what I wrote.
He organized a lovely dinner at Seasonal for the last 2 Rhys/Alesia releases.
Szigeti NV Sparkling Gruner Veltliner
A perfectly pleasant sparkling gruner off the winelist. Round, pleasant, light, a touch yeasty, enjoyable.
2006 Rhys Chardonnay
I get some pleasantly subtle oak on the approach but Keith says there's no new oak at all in this though several days later he retracts this statement (apparently 30%) Crystalline citrus notes, long creamy finish. Beautiful wine showing much better than I remember it from last year. IMO it's up there with my favorite to date (the '05) though Keith thinks it's even better.
2007 Rhys Chardonnay
Brighter than the '06, more lively, minerally and acidic. I note no oak and speculate that the barrel is just a year older? With air it relaxes a bit and develops a greater similarity to the '06. Dancing brilliantly.
2007 Family Farm
Minerally, penetratingly beautiful nose. Soft feathery falvors. served a bit too warm it's just a touch hot on the finish but still a real success.
2007 Horseshoe Pinot
Starting out we unanimously agree that of the '07s the nose on the FF is best while the palate on the Horseshoe wins out. There's not much nose here at first but a few hours later it's opened beautifully. The flavors are like a soft lovely watercolor wash of beautiful colors combined with an attractive earthiness. Tied with the '06 Home for my red WOTN.
2006 Home Pinot
Silk and Velvet. A bouquet of tiny beautiful flowers. Charming and entrancing. Tied with the '07 Horseshoe for my red WOTN.
2006 Alpine Pinot
probably wasn't fair putting this next to the Home. I can't read my notes but I liked it.
2006 Alpine Hillside Pinot
structured and balanced, red fruit. I like it a lot but it's showing very young. My favorite of the 3 Alpines.
2006 Alpine Swan Terrace Pinot
A bit too much now, showing ripe and powerful though by no means simple. There's an attractive complexity (especially just after I pulled the cork) which, if this calms down a bit with time, could yield a stunning wine. At the moment it was my least favorite but if everything goes right it could be the best of the three 10 years down the line.
Lastly, I have to admit that none of the Alesias did much for me. Almost everyone else at the table was raving about the Chileno but I didn't see it. To date the Green Valley was the only Alesia Pinot I've really liked (the '03 Syrah was really good with a few years on it so I'm looking forward to trying the '04). They seem like well made balanced pinots in a more typical Californian style. But that style just isn't my thing. A little too heavy for me. People who like CA pinot in general (rather than specific) are obviously enjoying them and I'll try to open my remaining bottles when they're around. Still possible that age will work some magic I suppose.
But I'm looking forward to those '07 Rhys releases. Though I suppose I have no reason to be impatient as I expect to just stick them in storage for a decade or so.
He organized a lovely dinner at Seasonal for the last 2 Rhys/Alesia releases.
Szigeti NV Sparkling Gruner Veltliner
A perfectly pleasant sparkling gruner off the winelist. Round, pleasant, light, a touch yeasty, enjoyable.
2006 Rhys Chardonnay
I get some pleasantly subtle oak on the approach but Keith says there's no new oak at all in this though several days later he retracts this statement (apparently 30%) Crystalline citrus notes, long creamy finish. Beautiful wine showing much better than I remember it from last year. IMO it's up there with my favorite to date (the '05) though Keith thinks it's even better.
2007 Rhys Chardonnay
Brighter than the '06, more lively, minerally and acidic. I note no oak and speculate that the barrel is just a year older? With air it relaxes a bit and develops a greater similarity to the '06. Dancing brilliantly.
2007 Family Farm
Minerally, penetratingly beautiful nose. Soft feathery falvors. served a bit too warm it's just a touch hot on the finish but still a real success.
2007 Horseshoe Pinot
Starting out we unanimously agree that of the '07s the nose on the FF is best while the palate on the Horseshoe wins out. There's not much nose here at first but a few hours later it's opened beautifully. The flavors are like a soft lovely watercolor wash of beautiful colors combined with an attractive earthiness. Tied with the '06 Home for my red WOTN.
2006 Home Pinot
Silk and Velvet. A bouquet of tiny beautiful flowers. Charming and entrancing. Tied with the '07 Horseshoe for my red WOTN.
2006 Alpine Pinot
probably wasn't fair putting this next to the Home. I can't read my notes but I liked it.
2006 Alpine Hillside Pinot
structured and balanced, red fruit. I like it a lot but it's showing very young. My favorite of the 3 Alpines.
2006 Alpine Swan Terrace Pinot
A bit too much now, showing ripe and powerful though by no means simple. There's an attractive complexity (especially just after I pulled the cork) which, if this calms down a bit with time, could yield a stunning wine. At the moment it was my least favorite but if everything goes right it could be the best of the three 10 years down the line.
Lastly, I have to admit that none of the Alesias did much for me. Almost everyone else at the table was raving about the Chileno but I didn't see it. To date the Green Valley was the only Alesia Pinot I've really liked (the '03 Syrah was really good with a few years on it so I'm looking forward to trying the '04). They seem like well made balanced pinots in a more typical Californian style. But that style just isn't my thing. A little too heavy for me. People who like CA pinot in general (rather than specific) are obviously enjoying them and I'll try to open my remaining bottles when they're around. Still possible that age will work some magic I suppose.
But I'm looking forward to those '07 Rhys releases. Though I suppose I have no reason to be impatient as I expect to just stick them in storage for a decade or so.