2013 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard- USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (7/8/2018)
The story of Rhys has been one of promise and patience. I have been buying, cellaring and drinking the wines since the 2006 vintage. It’s the rare bottle that has seemed ready to drink, or even particularly developed. This 2013 is certainly still quite primary, but it shows an effortless balance, with a deeper substance than prior vintages of this wine. The fruit and structure are evolving in tandem, supplemented by spice, earth and even a hint of citrus. It’s quite amazing, and what I have always been hoping for from the Rhys Pinot Noirs.
I think the 13 Horseshoe is a good example of the wines we have made starting with the 2012 vintage. Vine maturity and winemaking improvements combined with this string of warm, dry vintages (continuing through 2017) have produced wines that don’t require 10 years in the cellar before being enjoyed (as the 2007s and 08s did) yet will age quite well for decades. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed it.
Went looking for threads on the 2013 Horseshoe Pinot, and found mine from three years ago. I opened my last 500ml bottle of this tonight, and it was still a bit youthful. Drinking well, but I sure as heck won’t be opening a Hillsides anytime soon.
I don’t think anybody has any clue trying to forecast when each individual Rhys pinot will enter its prime drinking window, including the team at Rhys!
So many tasting notes still read something to the effect “this wine needs a couple more years”.
I guess it depends on what you’re looking for. I like a well aged wine, but still want some fruit left. I think the Rhys pinots from Anderson valley in this vintage range (2013-2016) seem ready to rock and roll.
This makes me wonder if a wine like this is what it is and will be. I don’t have any of my older Rhys’ near me at the moment, but I opened an 09 Bearwallow PN last year and the fruit was more in harmony and still fresh. I could easily see a lot of people thinking it can go longer or needs more age and yet it could also just be what it is and at the beginning of a long peak
The first Rhys Bearwallow vintages were very good relatively early too. I think I actually got more drinking pleasure from those than any of my bottles from the more hallowed Santa Cruz Mtn vineyards.
I guess I just drink them too soon, but it would seem everybody else does too. Except Frank, of course!
Keith, you might be right. I’m starting to think that if a California Pinot isn’t starting to show real signs of greatness by year five, it likely never will. That is what the wine is and its going to stay that way.
I remember the '09 Bearwallow being really good at release, and mine were drunk in the first two years. Glad to hear they are still going strong.
Similarly Arcadian knocked it out of the park with their 2001s and those wines were fabulous by 2006. They also stayed fabulous for many years.
I just grabbed what must have been about two cases of Rhys from offsite. For the most part, I do not like how they’re aging, so I’ll be drinking them sooner rather than later, unless the forthcoming tastings suggest I do otherwise.
