Rhys
About Rhys
Perched almost entirely on the steep Santa Cruz Mountains, Rhys Vineyards has long been something of an insiders’ secret. Owner Kevin Harvey has been a champion of the Burgundian terroir-focused approach to viticulture in the region, crafting an extensive range of single-vineyard and single-plot cuvées, most of which we are delighted to present below.
Having made wine casually since 1995, Rhys itself was founded in 2001 to almost immediate critical acclaim with a careful selection of individual plots on the mountainside and very high-density plantings. Since the very beginning, Harvey’s focus has been Pinot Noir, but Chardonnay is a close second love and his passion for these varietals has garnered ardent praise from many, including one of the world’s most influential Burgundy-focused critics, Allen Meadows (Burghound).
“Owner Kevin Harvey and winemaker Jeff Brinkman have once again created some genuinely remarkable wines and in particular the Swan Terrance is nothing short of brilliant! Readers should be aware that the Rhys wines are clearly fashioned in a built-to-age style and thus are most assuredly not intended to show their best young. Thus I would suggest that if you're going to buy them do so with the intent to allow for at least a few years of bottle age”
Allen Meadows (Burghound)
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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California | 4 | 95+ (VN) | HK$8,300.00 | |||||
Vinous (95+)The 2018 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard opens with striking, floral-infused aromatics that give the wine presence and structure. Savory and finely cut, with superb delineation, and tons of depth, the Alpine is positively stellar today. Layers of fruit enshroud the tannins, making them barely perceptible. The 2018 is a stunning Pinot from Alpine, a site originally planted with 17 heritage clones. |
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California | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$7,500.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2019 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard is a wine of nearly indescribable finesse. The sweet floral and savory bouquet alone is so enticing. Bright beams of minerality give the 2019 a feeling of energy that builds with time in the glass. The Alpine is not terribly forthcoming today, but it is clearly a long distance runner. Give it time in bottle. The 15% whole clusters are nicely integrated. |
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California | 1 | - | HK$7,165.00 | |||||
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California | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$7,000.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2019 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard is laced with the essence of crushed rocks, white pepper, orchard fruit, white flowers, chalk and mint. It is a bit less forthcoming than the Alpine Chardonnay. Saline notes build into the palate staining finish. This classically austere young Chardonnay just needs time in bottle. Tasted next to the Alpine, the Horseshoe has more mid-palate weight and feeling of phenolic intensity. The differences between the two are remarkable considering the sites are just 400 yards apart. The Horseshoe is planted on Monterey shale, while the soils at Alpine are Purisima, a formation that is about 8 million years younger. Such is the complexity of the Santa Cruz Mountains. |
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California | 7 | 97 (VN) | HK$8,300.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2018 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is dense and brooding. Black cherry, licorice, spice, leather, herbs and mineral accents shape this ample, beautifully resonant Pinot Noir. Diatomaceous Monterey soils estimated to be 11-15 million years old yield a Pinot of notable breadth, texture and complexity. |
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California | 6 | 96 (VN) | HK$9,770.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2019 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is one of the most powerful, structured wines in this lineup. It has so much to offer, but very clearly needs quiet a bit of time. Strong mineral and savory accents drive the balance today. Crushed rocks, tobacco, cedar and earthy notes are very much in the foreground, while the fruit appears quite reticent at this stage. The Horseshoe was done with fully destemmed fruit and yet it is quite closed. I can hardly wait to taste it with some time in bottle. |
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California | 1 | 94 (WA) | HK$5,930.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (94)A stunner, the 2012 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard sports an inky ruby/purple color to go with loads of back raspberry, cassis, licorice, toasted spice and sappy flowers. Deep, rich, full-bodied and textured, with good acidity keeping it honest, this bares more than a passing resemblance to a top-flight Cornas. It needs 2-3 years of cellaring and will keep for over a decade. |