2015 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard

Proprietor Kevin Harvey calls 2015 the most concentrated vintage he has seen yet at Rhys because of the small berries and low yields that are such a signature of a growing season in which the typically paltry Santa Cruz Mountains yields were reduced even further by poor weather during flowering. As a result, Rhys did not bottle their Pinot Noir Swan Terrace or Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard. Not surprisingly, I found the 2015 Pinots to be quite dark in flavor profile and densely packed. Silky tannins give the wines a certain degree of approachability, especially among the appellation level Pinots, but I expect the top wines in this range will need a number of years to unwind and be at their true best. Stylistically, the Chardonnays are all a bit riper in style and seem to reflect the challenges of the year more than the Pinots, something I saw at other estates as well. I also tasted a handful of 2016 Pinots that will be offered as futures. I found more aromatic lift and less overt concentration than in either 2015 and 2014. The sampIes I tasted suggest 2016 will turn out to be another brilliant vintage at Rhys. Lastly, while Rhys has received notable acclaim for their Pinots and Chardonnays, the lone Syrah remains one of the very finest wines being made in California today. Readers should not miss it!