2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard- USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (1/16/2012)
14% alcohol. This wine may be a bit richer and more modern in style than subsequent Alpines.
Popped and poured. Medium dark ruby red. Upon opening, the nose was reticent. By day two, very expressive, mainly black cherry. Flavors were shy upon opening, but really made a dramatic entrance by the second day. Black cherry and raspberry seemed to dominate. Some spice and herbs add complexity and interest. Nice balance and mouthfeel, lingering aftertaste. Very enjoyable.
I have one remaining and I’ll probably let it sit for a year or two. I expect improvement. (92 pts.)
I’ve been drinking and enjoying this wine with some regularity for the past 2 years. With an hour in the decanter it shows pretty well and to me seems representative of the Rhys style. It has a nice mineral streak and the idea of power without weight. Sadly I’m down to my last 2 plus a magnum.
I am skeptical that the 2006 Alpine really represents a more modern style for Rhys. It was a high production year and so I think it’s just opening up much faster than 2007 or 2008’s will. Occasionally I’ll read notes that are surprised that Rhys wines have a fair amount of fruit which can be perceived as “big” wines. This is IMO the Rhys style, not a deviation from it. There are just very few examples of the Rhys style that aren’t currently shut down or hiding under layers of tannin. But as more of them wake up I think some folks are going to be surprised how much fruit is packed in with all the earth and mineral.
Kevin made the observation once that some people incorrectly assume burgundy = low fruit or burgundy = light and therefore if Rhys is most like Burgundy that must be what Rhys is striving for. But in actuality low fruit and light = low end burgundy, not burgundy generally.
The whole trio of '06 Alpines were practically fruit bombs on release, at least by SCM and Rhys standards - I do think they were richer than we tend to see from the other Rhys vineyards, and probably bigger than subsequent Alpines too. But I think it only took a year or so for them to settle down in the bottle and show more focus.
Charles,
Thanks for touching on one of my personal soap box topics. I often see New World Pinot dismissed for being too intense or “not Burgundian”. When I see comments like this I wonder which young Burgundies people are comparing the wines to. Certainly not '05 Grand Crus (which are enormous fruit bombs!) but more likely lower level wines from more elegant vintages.
In any case, much like higher level Burgundies when CA Pinot is balanced, intense and concentrated (but not over-ripe!), it will settle down in bottle and become much less primary with enough cellar time. Of course, Grand Crus are not only differentiated by their size, they also deliver complexity and singularity when properly aged even if these attributes are less apparent in their fruity youth. This ability is very dependent on the vineyard and only time will tell which New World vineyards can deliver that experience.
enjoyed last weekend (thanks to the generosity of Jeff at Rhys):
Rhys Alpine 2006
Day 1: Dark red color, translucent through, strawberry red at the rim. Stems have integrated with just a touch of baking spice on the nose. Big fruited nose – cherry and sassafras. Nicely balanced palate – red to black fruits (wild blackberries) with a touch of citrus peel, soft and juicy mid palate.
Day 2: Little sign of stems on the nose, with sassafras still coming through and a hint of eucalyptus and orange peel. Palate: Dark fruits – blackcurrant, broad and rich with a fine tannin finish. A little more one dimensional.
Day 3: Not much progression on the nose or palate. I’m getting more orange peel on the nose now. Palate is shorter driven by the fruit, acid and a little spice. Still a great mid-palate and showing its class, but has oxidized a little.
Very nice pinot, on the more fruit driven end of the spectrum. Shows that the stems do integrate with some age. Despite not showing improvement over the days open, I think this is still a year or two off its peak, although probably not in for a long life. 91 pts.