Jay Miller
Jay Miller
A fun look back on some Rhys wines. Thank you Suzanne for organizing!
Flight One
2008 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
Pleasant, a bit simple, very short finish. Still better than I remember it from release. C+/B-
2011 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
a little stemmier than I remember from the last bottle bue starts out very nice and continues to improve as the night progresses. B+/A-
2012 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
such a nice wine! very pretty, delicate spicy notes, also a little stemminess apparent. I may have to buy more than my usual one bottle of Bearwallow this Autumn. A-
Flight Two
2011 Rhys Alpine Chardonnay
delicious, rich, beau ideal of balanced CA fruit. A-
2011 Rhys Horseshoe Chardonnay
delicious, more sedate, some delicious pear notes, I could see mistaking this one for a Puligny. A-
I kept going back and forth on which I preferred and can't decide. The table was also split but IIRC everyone loved both. I still say the Chardonnays are at least equal to the best of their pinots.
Flight Three
2007 Rhys Skyline Pinot
When it was first poured I had my usual reaction to a Skyline. One of the most beautiful noses but a bit dilute on the palate. However as it sat in the glass the palate started filling out with beautiful tart fruit and just got better and better. A
2007 Rhys Swan Pinot
Pretty thoroughly shut down. Not showing much. Do not open. B- for now. For the future, who knows?
2007 Rhys Family Farm Pinot
A really enjoyable surprise. The only one of the flight ready to drink and delicious. I had felt that 2008 was where FF came into its own but this is a reminder not to disregard the older vintages. B/B+
Flight Four
At this point Gary apologized for the next flights given my well known prejudice against the Alpines, but everyone else likes them so we had a lot.
2006 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Nice brambly nose, I find this good bu a little dull. As is usual with the Rhys Alpine Pinots almost everyone else likes it a lot more than I do. B
2006 Rhys Alpine Hillside Pinot
Darker color, even less interesting. B-
2007 Rhys alpine Pinot
Dull, maybe just shut down? C+
Flight Five
2008 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Better, some nice red fruit and spice. Gil observes that there's a sweetness to the Alpine fruit which might be what I'm reacting against. B
2009 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Much better than on release but still the fruit is overripe for my taste and it shows a little hot. B-
2012 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Better than the last bottle I had but still not my thing. Showing stemmy and very slightly lactic. B-/B
Flight Six
2007 Horseshoe Pinot
Tight but some pure bright red fruit with incipient complexity. Give it time but I am really looking forward to drinking this in 5 years or so.
2009 Horseshoe Pinot
There was debate on this but I'm throwing the red flag. Corked.
Flight Seven
2010 Horseshoe Pinot
I like this but not the best time to be opening it. Stems aren't fully integrated (some others think it's oak but I think stems) but I'm confident it will come around.
2012 Horseshoe Pinot
Not much on the nose right now but wonderful, fascinating complexity on the palate. I'm loving this. Some people thought it a little reductive but I didn't really notice that.
Great selection of wines and a huge thank you to Kevin for providing the 2012s for the dinner!
Flight One
2008 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
Pleasant, a bit simple, very short finish. Still better than I remember it from release. C+/B-
2011 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
a little stemmier than I remember from the last bottle bue starts out very nice and continues to improve as the night progresses. B+/A-
2012 Rhys Bearwallow Pinot
such a nice wine! very pretty, delicate spicy notes, also a little stemminess apparent. I may have to buy more than my usual one bottle of Bearwallow this Autumn. A-
Flight Two
2011 Rhys Alpine Chardonnay
delicious, rich, beau ideal of balanced CA fruit. A-
2011 Rhys Horseshoe Chardonnay
delicious, more sedate, some delicious pear notes, I could see mistaking this one for a Puligny. A-
I kept going back and forth on which I preferred and can't decide. The table was also split but IIRC everyone loved both. I still say the Chardonnays are at least equal to the best of their pinots.
Flight Three
2007 Rhys Skyline Pinot
When it was first poured I had my usual reaction to a Skyline. One of the most beautiful noses but a bit dilute on the palate. However as it sat in the glass the palate started filling out with beautiful tart fruit and just got better and better. A
2007 Rhys Swan Pinot
Pretty thoroughly shut down. Not showing much. Do not open. B- for now. For the future, who knows?
2007 Rhys Family Farm Pinot
A really enjoyable surprise. The only one of the flight ready to drink and delicious. I had felt that 2008 was where FF came into its own but this is a reminder not to disregard the older vintages. B/B+
Flight Four
At this point Gary apologized for the next flights given my well known prejudice against the Alpines, but everyone else likes them so we had a lot.
2006 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Nice brambly nose, I find this good bu a little dull. As is usual with the Rhys Alpine Pinots almost everyone else likes it a lot more than I do. B
2006 Rhys Alpine Hillside Pinot
Darker color, even less interesting. B-
2007 Rhys alpine Pinot
Dull, maybe just shut down? C+
Flight Five
2008 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Better, some nice red fruit and spice. Gil observes that there's a sweetness to the Alpine fruit which might be what I'm reacting against. B
2009 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Much better than on release but still the fruit is overripe for my taste and it shows a little hot. B-
2012 Rhys Alpine Pinot
Better than the last bottle I had but still not my thing. Showing stemmy and very slightly lactic. B-/B
Flight Six
2007 Horseshoe Pinot
Tight but some pure bright red fruit with incipient complexity. Give it time but I am really looking forward to drinking this in 5 years or so.
2009 Horseshoe Pinot
There was debate on this but I'm throwing the red flag. Corked.
Flight Seven
2010 Horseshoe Pinot
I like this but not the best time to be opening it. Stems aren't fully integrated (some others think it's oak but I think stems) but I'm confident it will come around.
2012 Horseshoe Pinot
Not much on the nose right now but wonderful, fascinating complexity on the palate. I'm loving this. Some people thought it a little reductive but I didn't really notice that.
Great selection of wines and a huge thank you to Kevin for providing the 2012s for the dinner!