Rhys question

B

Brad Widelock

Brad Widelock
My wife, who is smarter and younger than I am, and who keeps the family books, noticed that we have quite a few bottles of Rhys. She wanted to know when we were going to drink them. I told her I'd get right back to her.

Does anyone have any feedback on how these bottles are shaping up? I know they have a vintage chart, but I wanted to hear from disorderlies.

Thanks,

Brad

Horseshoe Chardonnay (13)

Alpine Pinot Noir (07, 08, 10, 12, 13)

Bear Wallow Pinot Noir (09, 13)

Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (09)

Swan Terrace Pinot Noir (09, 12)

Horseshoe Pinot Noir (10, 12)

Family Farm Pinot Noir (11)

Skyline Syrah (08, 09)

Horseshoe Syrah (12, 13)
 
haven't opened any in a while but by recollection the 09s were early drinkers and the 11 reds were very light so they might be candidates for earlier rather than later.

Their vintage chart is pretty useful. But (and I don't say this often) you should buy less pinot and more chardonnay.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
haven't opened any in a while but by recollection the 09s were early drinkers and the 11 reds were very light so they might be candidates for earlier rather than later.

Their vintage chart is pretty useful. But (and I don't say this often) you should buy less pinot and more chardonnay.
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Thanks Jay!
 
originally posted by Brad Widelock:
Rhys questionMy wife, who is smarter and younger than I am...
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Why are the smarts always wasted on the young?

I feel age comes slowly to these. The only wine I thought I should drink up was a 2009 or 10 chardonnay. But all the reds still tasted youthful, including a 2006 (I can never keep track of the vineyard, sorry)drunk recently.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by MarkS:
(I can never keep track of the vineyard, sorry)
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Why is that? Senior moments?
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Could be! But I think it's more to do with how "generic" and made-up they sound, unlike, say Taillepieds or Chaillot which have more of a memorable ring to them.
 
I have notes on several of the wines you are asking about either in the WB thread that Jay linked or in my notes from two past tastings that I include links to in that thread. You can follow the CT links in my notes to get to my profile and search my tasting notes for “Rhys” for even more notes.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by MarkS:
(I can never keep track of the vineyard, sorry)
Click to expand...
Why is that? Senior moments?
Click to expand...

Could be! But I think it's more to do with how "generic" and made-up they sound, unlike, say Taillepieds or Chaillot which have more of a memorable ring to them.
Click to expand...

Is this because the French names are meaningless to you or because foot size is inherently more memorable.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by MarkS:
(I can never keep track of the vineyard, sorry)
Click to expand...
Why is that? Senior moments?
Click to expand...

Could be! But I think it's more to do with how "generic" and made-up they sound, unlike, say Taillepieds or Chaillot which have more of a memorable ring to them.
Click to expand...

Is this because the French names are meaningless to you or because foot size is inherently more memorable.
Click to expand...

Rather the opposite. I find many of the French or Italian names have a certain place connotation that many New World areas do not, or have not, developed. "Alpine" could be anywhere above a certain elevation. I suppose "skyline" could be associated with the nearby Skyline Drive, but it doesn't have the same inuitive sense of placeness that say, Montebello (on the other side of the mountain range) would.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by MarkS:
(I can never keep track of the vineyard, sorry)
Click to expand...
Why is that? Senior moments?
Click to expand...

Could be! But I think it's more to do with how "generic" and made-up they sound, unlike, say Taillepieds or Chaillot which have more of a memorable ring to them.
Click to expand...

Is this because the French names are meaningless to you or because foot size is inherently more memorable.
Click to expand...

Rather the opposite. I find many of the French or Italian names have a certain place connotation that many New World areas do not, or have not, developed. "Alpine" could be anywhere above a certain elevation. I suppose "skyline" could be associated with the nearby Skyline Drive, but it doesn't have the same inuitive sense of placeness that say, Montebello (on the other side of the mountain range) would.
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Well, we all have feet and they all have sizes.
 
I believe the original Rhys vineyards were all named after the roads they were on (except "Home," which was Kevin Harvey's backyard). That may be a bit clinical for some, but it seems the exact opposite of lacking a place connotation (could also have used GPS coordinates!) and definitely doesn't have less of a place connotation than calling a plot Griotte because it used to grow griottes. Let's face it, French names just sound cooler because they're French, like how "Au Bon Pain" has a nicer ring to it than "Good Bread."
 
Occhipinti "SP68" is named for the road outside the winery. As is Carpineti's "Capolemole". And probably many more.

Wouldn't you rather drink "maison" than "rue" (or "home")?
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Occhipinti "SP68" is named for the road outside the winery. As is Carpineti's "Capolemole". And probably many more.

Wouldn't you rather drink "maison" than "rue" (or "home")?
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with jonathan's involvement here, you may come to rue that comment.
 
originally posted by Mike Evans:
I have notes on several of the wines you are asking about either in the WB thread that Jay linked or in my notes from two past tastings that I include links to in that thread. You can follow the CT links in my notes to get to my profile and search my tasting notes for “Rhys” for even more notes.
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Thanks, Mike. I will check those out.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Occhipinti "SP68" is named for the road outside the winery. As is Carpineti's "Capolemole". And probably many more.

Wouldn't you rather drink "maison" than "rue" (or "home")?
Click to expand...

with jonathan's involvement here, you may come to rue that comment.
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It's fortunate for me that neither Sharon, alas, nor Cliff are around to translate m rather fanciful translation. Since pied also refers to a row of vines and Tailler can mean to prune, I expect that the name refers to something about pruning the vines in that vineyard. I don't find that name any more specific though.
 
The etymology of Taillepieds I'd always heard was that "tailler" = "cut" and referred to the sharp rocks in the vineyard cutting the workers' feet.
 
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