Now, This Is a Rhys That Will Impress...2012 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard

Lights out pinot here for me, no doubt. Balance, energy, acidity, red fruit, nothing gloppy or oaky. Man, spot on good. If you doubt, see my signature footer. FWIW, my other early WOTY favorite so far, it’s right next door, which is the Copain Kiser En Bas. Tell me there isn’t something special at the far north end of Anderson Valley.

  • 2012 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (2/17/2015)
    I was a bit confused at the wide perspectives on this wine based on the limited notes in the database. So, I wanted to see how I would react to the wine in my own glass, with a plan to drink this across 2-3 nights. Initial reaction? Oooh, this is good. Those that made comments about stemmy tones or structure, I just don’t find these yet. I’ve had the bottle open about an hour and what I do find is a distinct meaty note and supportive acidity. A soily, wet leaf, mulch note with a touch of sweet leather and lots of red cherry. Really unique. Not sure where the wine heads over the next few days but I’ll reload this note over the next few nights and put my perspective in. At about 90 mins open, I start to see some structure starts to emerge, tightening up the finish…Day 2, retrying without food, intentionally to see how the wine shows without any other inputs around it. Perfect serving temp, as well. Man, this is good stuff. The cherry really shines through today, as juicy, vibrant with a shading of blue fruit that was not present yesterday. Some accents of spice, from what is I am sure soil and stem, these are accents that season the wine nicely. There is structure here today, seen in the lean edges of the red fruit and the bit of grip that carries the finish, showing that same meaty edge and soily note. Damn, rings like a Burg. This is a leaner, red fruited style so it’s going to ring true for the CA pinot palate that seeks out this style. I seem to thrive on it now so this fits well for me. Drink window? Ehh, no rush. Delicious now with the structure and energy, but likely to go several years out. Adding to the WOTY list.

Posted from CellarTracker

As much as I like most of the Rhys wines, I’m most impressed by the incredible strides in quality the Bearwallow has made since they took over the vineyard. Every year has been better than the last and the 2012 is really impressive

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Jay, see if you can track down the '12 Copain Wendling, which is I would say in the same neighborhood as Bearwallow, I guess you could say right across the street from Copain Kiser. The Wendling I had recently was styled with some of the same features as this '12 Bear–cherry and burg-like. FWIW, here is my note:

  • 2012 Copain Pinot Noir Wendling Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (1/2/2015)
    I’ll be the first guy into the mix with a TN. I remember about 2 years back taking a photo of the vineyard from across the road at Kiser. If I recall, Wendling is literally across the street from it, which also puts it damn close to Bearwallow, too. To the wine, having just pulled this from the cellar and into the glass…the immediate impression is some burg features–shows soil and sour cherry notes, tannin palate. Aromatically, an herbal note (not stemmy, not that but cracked spices). As it sits, the wine starts to get a black cherry feel, with the spice getting into the wine now, adding a bit of spicy cherry. Feeling a little like an Arcadian, in that style/vein…another 90 mins of air, this begins to add a good dollop of blue fruit, with the same black cherry, and some of the AV red apple that is often a part of Copain’s AV cuvees. Yet, even in these tones, there is still the old-world soily, cherry finish. This is a young wine for sure, so as with Joe’s Arcadian wines, I wonder where this wine will head in 5-8 years, where the best Arcadian PNs evolve to? This is very good, distinctive like the Copain Kisers, and while not far off from those flavors, it does have a unique impression that I will look forward to trying. Dig it.

Posted from CellarTracker

Frank
Thank you for the notes. I’ll pick up my 12’ Bearwallow Mar 28th @ Rhys and look forward to tasting this. Any comment on older vintages? I’m thinking I may bring the 07’ or 08’ Bearwallow to contrast with the Alpine/others at Rhys dinner in SF later in March.

Kind regards - G

Gene, the local gang here has been through the older Rhys Bears recently. Check the notes in CT for the best reference. Mine are over there, for sure.

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I passed on the 2012 Bearwallow. The 2011 was just to green and stemmy for me. Just unbalanced for my palate. I have drank at least 3 so no issue of a specific bottle being off. Maybe i will look to trade for a 2012 and see if all my issues are vintage specific.

Sebastian, this '12 is not green. I did taste the '11 Bear last month and found it quite approachable, although not green nor stemmy, it was lean and not with the kind of energy that I find in this '12. I’d be very comfortable saying to you that what you may have picked up on, and you said this in your post, is a vintage signature. The 11s, some of them will be tough, but I trust you’ll see the '12 far different.

Ah well. Passed on '12 Bearwallow in an effort to economize when faced with Skyline and Swan Terrace.

Have '13 coming in the sampler pack, so hopefully it will be just as good.

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Yeah, this one’s for real. I knocked a Syrah and a Chard. off my order just so I could take all 3 Bearwallows I was allocated. I would have easily wishlisted as much as possible if I were rollin’ in more dough these days.

I drank a 2011 Bearwallow last week. Lighter bodied, not concentrated, but with good persistence to the dark fruits and earth flavors. Not green to me. Less stem character than other Rhys/Alesia pinots tried from prior vintages. This showed well when I opened it, shut down for an hour or so, then was enjoyable over three days with no sign of fatigue.

Frank thanks for the note and glad I ordered my allocation of the 2012.

Frank, as much as I’m with you on the Kutch Falstaff last year, I’m in the other camp with Rhys Bearwallow this year. I’ve had two from 375ml sampler pack and they just don’t do it for me. Weird nose with off putting notes (caramel?). Not sure of stem inclusion but overly done to my tastes. Maybe that integrates but I’m dubious. Passed on 750 offer last month as a result. Different strokes.

Something had to go as I loaded up on the Horseshoe offerings along with Skyline and Swan. I am looking forward to the new plantings coming on line and will certainly be buying more Bearwallow in the future.

Anyone on the 2010?

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Not on the list, but luckily have some friends who are. Will be asking for some help in tasting these wines…curious to try all this CA Pinot everyone’s talking about.

I popped one a year ago before making a buying decision on the '11. Nummy stuff, more dark fruits than other Rhys pinots, and open for business.

I thought 2008 was the first vintage?

If the bottle I had in December is representative it’s in a weird place right now. I was served it blind and found it overripe and borderline undrinkable. Jay Hack loved it.

The only Rhys I’ve had so far is the 2011 Bearwallow, and it is the reason I’ve kept buying without hesitation.

Agree with Jay M. Just sold my remaining Bearwallow 2010s – I found them ponderous and jammy. Struggled through one bottle over 3 nights because I thought I must be missing something, but it didn’t improve.

Love the 2012s (from 375s) though.

We will have the 2013 Bearwallow being poured this Saturday during Falltacular, Robert. That is a wine that I will surely try, to see how it lines up against this fantastic 2012.