We had these side by side last night, but only to the extent that the Copain had been open a few days more and was nearly drained when they were both being tasted. I also wrote the note for the Rhys here without the Copain being available, as we finished it last night. This turned out well as it allowed me to taste and explore both wines separately. I really appreciate both vineyards and from a timeline perspective, the Kiser vines have been going for I think 5 years longer. In terms of slope, exposure and soil, perhaps Kevin can weigh in. Ultimately, I dig both wines and they have some differences, which I tried to explain below. It would have been instructive to have the 2013 Kiser En Bas in this quick study, however the wine is not yet released. We could also add Wendling to this picture, which lies across Hwy 128, as well as the Rhys Porcupine Hill, which all points to an idea I want to explore soon: a comparative, blind tasting of the Rhys and Copain wines off these various Deep End plots. We’ll get that done soon, but for now, a quick peek at the 2013s below. Thanks for reading.
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2013 Rhys Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (4/17/2016)
I put a year in between bottles, and also of note, drank this over the same weekend as another neighboring wine that I love, the Kiser En Haut (also 2013). The note for the Bear here is within the frame of the wine being open since yesterday. The 2013 Kiser En Haut FWIW was open about the same amount of time, too. The Rhys Bear is more open, not near as sturdy as the Kiser EH, with the Bear showing a more fleshy, smooth cherry core. There is a little menthol woven in here too, with some inflection in the bouquet and then in the within the cherry but I’d call these stems more subtle. Still sensing too some of the rose petal impact too, both in the aromatic and palate, just moreso now in the core of the wine’s taste. At this stage, the fruit is about red fruit, game/truffle, finishing with zesty red apple skin, a descriptor that I often find in the cooler end of Anderson Valley, very often in the Copain wines that reside near Bear (Kiser and Wendling). All in, there is a softness here, accented by a # of cool flavors. I’d predict from tasting both the Bear and Kiser EH 2013s this weekend that the Kiser will need more time, to let the sturdier side of it flesh out, whereas the Bear will drink more accessibly sooner, yet enough structure in it to lay it down for some more time if you like. -
2013 Copain Pinot Noir “En Haut” Kiser - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (4/14/2016)
No notes yet so why not, I’ll go first. Opened this about 90 mins ago, poured off a taste, it was coiled up like a garden hose–super tight. OK, so waited some more, poured off another glass. Hmm, better, still tight. What do I mean by tight? Well, it’s got a fair amount of cranberry-tinged fruit, which is not for me typical Kiser. OK, so again more air but still the cranberry and alongside it, a bunch of crushed rocks and slate, and trying under all of it, is some more seductive blue fruit trying to find it’s way out from under the structure. It’s as if the terroir of Haut is there, yet it’s cloaked by the other atypical notes. And it’s now that I wish I had the 2013 Bas, as I would grab one and get a glass going alongside the Haut (but it ain’t released yet). So, the plan now is to have one more glass, then let it sit overnight and see if the tones of blue that is so much why I like Haut, if they can wrestle forward…roll forward another day, same tasting conditions as y/day. The flavors have evolved, with the core now showing loam, black cherry, some blue tones and the same cranberry inflection, finishing with a distinct earthy, Burgundian-like profile. It’s the acidity, soil and red fruit that if you hit me with this blind, without hesitation I’d not be guessing CA. This feels stern, sturdy and I’d bet this ages well. Finally, I have been drinking Kiser Haut since 2006 and I cannot remember a Kiser Haut showing in this way. Decant this well if you plan to try one and be prepared to be surprised.
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