Rhys, 2008-2010

[Loren_Sonkin]

Yes, Green Valley.

[KatrinaBI]

@D@vid Bu3ker

Ok - let’s tackle this directly.

IMO, the 2011 Rhys Skyline Syrah was far and away better than any Graillot I have ever had, and I have had a bunch. I need to revisit some of the older Horseshoe Syrahs in my cellar to see where I would place them. It’s been a while - excepting a couple of embryonic new release bottles.

Equivalent quality to a Cote Rotie? Yes. Different from Cote Rotie? Yes.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish the wines were cheaper, and in fact the overall cost of a even a reasonable Rhys order has now passed my breaking point. That being said, the cost of a reasonable order of high quality White Burgundy/Chablis, Red Burgundy or Cote Rotie has also passed my breaking point. I am finally being priced out of my favorite hobby, but it’s not a Rhys-specific issue.

I thought you were getting cut off from wine buying soon anyway

I’ve come to this hobby much more recently than you which probably gives me a far different perspective on value. But when you can buy LDH Reservas for under $40 or single vineyard Sottimano Barbarescos for $50-ish or Oregon Pinot from 44 year-old vineyards like Arterberry Maresh for around $60, I feel that there is still a lot of great wine to be had for reasonable tarrifs. And that’s not to mention the many qpr champions for around $25 touted often on this board (that includes imho many chablis and some bourgogne blanc as well as the usual Loire suspects.)

Thanks for the comparative tasting note on the Rhys Syrah which is v. interesting. Look forward to seeing your subsequent notes on Rhys syrah in due course.

[David_Bu3ker]

Given my inventory situation (I have been collecting for 23 years), I should not buy another bottle of wine for 10 years or so.

Indeed there are plenty of wines that remain good values (Schloss Lieser spätlese anyone?!?), but categories I dearly love are going out of reach.

I do not consider various producers fungible. My loss I suppose.

[Chris_Seiber]

@KatrinaBI

@D@vid Bu3ker

Ok - let’s tackle this directly.

IMO, the 2011 Rhys Skyline Syrah was far and away better than any Graillot I have ever had, and I have had a bunch. I need to revisit some of the older Horseshoe Syrahs in my cellar to see where I would place them. It’s been a while - excepting a couple of embryonic new release bottles.

Equivalent quality to a Cote Rotie? Yes. Different from Cote Rotie? Yes.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish the wines were cheaper, and in fact the overall cost of a even a reasonable Rhys order has now passed my breaking point. That being said, the cost of a reasonable order of high quality White Burgundy/Chablis, Red Burgundy or Cote Rotie has also passed my breaking point. I am finally being priced out of my favorite hobby, but it’s not a Rhys-specific issue.

I thought you were getting cut off from wine buying soon anyway

I’ve come to this hobby much more recently than you which probably gives me a far different perspective on value. But when you can buy LDH Reservas for under $40 or single vineyard Sottimano Barbarescos for $50-ish or Oregon Pinot from 44 year-old vineyards like Arterberry Maresh for around $60, I feel that there is still a lot of great wine to be had for reasonable tarrifs. And that’s not to mention the many qpr champions for around $25 touted often on this board (that includes imho many chablis and some bourgogne blanc as well as the usual Loire suspects.)

Thanks for the comparative tasting note on the Rhys Syrah which is v. interesting. Look forward to seeing your subsequent notes on Rhys syrah in due course.

You can buy a lot of great California wines for moderate prices as well. Tercero, Cabot, Domaine Eden, Arcadian, Sandler, Big Basin, Anthill Farms, Siduri, Carlisle, Scherrer, ESJ, on and on. Of course, “value” depends on what you like, and if you dislike all those wines, then they’re not a value at any price. Same thing for people who don’t like Rhones, Chinon, Burgundy and all.

If you pick the very best bargains from Europe and compare them vaguely against California wine, then the former seems like the better way to go. But the same thing the other way - Sandler Bien Nacido against the average Burgundy you can buy for $35 (shipping included)? Tercero White Hawk Syrah against the average $35 Northern Rhone? Carlisle Papera Zinfandel against the average $40 Spanish or Italian wine? Arcadian Chardonnay against the average $40 White Burg?

To me, there are many great wines and many great bargains from all over. I believe in “and” more than “or.” And it’s just a more interesting wine experience to appreciate and to drink good wines from all different regions, varieties, ages, and styles. That way, I can reach into the cellar to pull something to match almost any mood, company, food, weather, time of day, etc.

Then again, if you’ve decided that just drinking Riesling or Burgundy or whatever is what makes you happiest, that’s fine too, as long as you’ve arrived there with an open mind and not just years of confirmation bias. Do what makes you happy.

[Jeff_Cassetta]

@c fu

@Alan C h a n

Adrian, thanks for the honest notes. One thing that caught my attention is the mention of botrytis. What are you tasting to make you say this, and do you mean that you actually believe Rhys let the grapes get noble rot on them, or that just some of the flavors were honeyed, or gingery, or whatever you view as your botrytis marker?

I’m not Adrian, but you can get flavors of botrytis even without noble rot on them. Just overly ripe almost sweet flavors.

Sorry, but I would disagree. I’ve had plenty of wines infected with boytrytis that were not sweet…I associate boytrytis with a very distinct aroma and flavor profile. Overly ripe wines are just that…