1) 2007 Rhys “Alpine” PN - 13.3% alcohol
Medium/dark crimson red.
Rich nose of black cherries, earth and oregano.
Young, firm, spicy bing cherry fruit entry led to a unbelievably floral aftertaste.
Like drinking essence of violets.
This becomes my current favorite Rhys Alpine ever.
An elegant plum whose structured fruit/acid balance assures continued positive development.
El Yummo! [94 pts] 2) 2007 Rhys “Family Farm” PN - 13.4% alcohol
Medium red with touch of onion skin at edge.
Stalky, red fruited nose with a hint of florals.
Started off bitter and unbalanced but after about 1/2 hour had settled into an elegant wine
featuring herbal red fruits and a coffee finish.
A nice quaff but nowhere near the quality of the Alpine and one of Rhy’s weaker efforts.
I think this should be consumed in the next year or so for maximum enjoyment.
From my perspective, the Family Farm should be enjoyed sooner rather than later.
[88 pts]
Russ,
These are the first two 2007 Pinots I’ve tried since tasting them just before bottling.
I remember them being quite structured but delish.
The Alpine has turned out better than anticipated while the Family Farm is the opposite.
Since I have limited resources these days, I don’t even buy FF anymore much preferring their other vineyards.
Again, I’m going to urge all to save your pennies and back up the loading van for the 2012s.
They are something special (even the Alesia efforts).
Paul, what is your opinion of the new Family Farms? Kevin mentioned in another thread that this has been budded over (or replanted?) to a clone better matched to the site. I quit buying that bottle a couple years ago because I found it to be the least interesting of the line up. Kevin’s comment has me curious to revisit the FF with the next offer.
The Alpine is awesome in every vintage - we opened a '10 a couple nights ago and you could smell it in the decanter from 3 feet away. The florals and power in the nose is just amazingly sublime.
I’m not Paul, but as noted in another thread I thought the FF was one of the weaker vineyards up through 2007 and started improving as of 2008.
The Alpine is the one that I’m still uncertain about but I’m starting to come to the conclusion that it’s unusually susceptible to travel shock as it always seems to generate very different reports shortly after shipping on the east cost vs. the west coast.
Look, I’m not saying that FF is a poor wine, just lowest in the hierarchy of Rhy’s wines.
I’ve often reviewed them just before bottling and liked them quite a bit more than when they mature. All the Rhys wines as a group have steadily improved over the years.
Like I said, I have to pick and chose a bit more carefully since my retirement and I vastly prefer their other efforts.
Especially Skyline and Da Swan…
So if you have the budget and prefer a lighter, early maturing but less complex wine, then I can recommend FF.
With the rising prices, i find it hard to load up a case each time as many here…
i basically stick to buying Alpine, Horseshoe, Home… skip FF and Bearwallow for the most part…
Sky/Swan are great but man $100 hurts…
The best Bearwallow of all the vintages of BW or the best of all the Rhys 2011 line up?
I think the 2011 is probably the best bearwallow (i have only 2007-2012… ) but given resource constraint, I think the Alpine/HS is better than BW and FF generally speaking on any given year…
Best Bearwallow. I put most of my 2011 wines away without tasting but I’ve been curious to see how the Bearwallow was showing to determine whether to keep buying and if so, whether to lay it down or drink early.
Okay. Just poured the first glass after an 8 hour slow-ox and decant.
Color is medium red out to the rim. Nose is shy with red-spectrum fruit, some mushroom funk and spice. Some stems can be detected, but mostly this wine is ready from the get go with well integrated tannins and easy fruit. My first of three. I agree with Paul and others that there are not many layers here and the finish is pleasant, but short. Enjoyable, but not profound. No need to drink these up IMO as I plan to drink one next year, and hold the last for a long term experiment.
Paul, I popped a 2007 FF last night, and my experience was close to yours, only you may have been kinder: “On the nose some coffee, just briefly a slight whiff of celery, spice, more savory than fruity. Palate is deep and rich, but not much going on, again some savory aspects with a bit of meat. Overall impression is that it’s a bit clumsy, with a somewhat heavy and dull palate feel. Seems atypical for Rhys. To drink sooner rather than later. That was on a pop 'n pour. The next morning the red fruit has now come out, and the nose is frankly quite nice, even if a bit straightforward. The palate is likewise much improved, showing little of the clumsiness, and a much more lively and energetic mouthfeel; also some red/black fruit mingles with the savory character. Still, not the best of the Rhys wines, but much better than last night.”
FWIW I really liked this wine the only other time I tried it, at the May 2009 pickup day.
And as you know, I’m on board with you on the 2012s. The Skyline is stunning.
![[worship.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/9/99a8907a1d5b3c023582052741dc72dc9823c044.gif "worship"){kind=small}