by Catherine Todd, Forbes

“After spending all those years standing in the middle of prestigious vineyards of Burgundy, notinghow plots near each other could make wines with entirely different expressions of excellence, he is finally experiencing that for himself with his own vineyards in the much lesser-known area of the Santa Cruz Mountains.”

By Ian Cauble

“His 2013 Swan Terrace displays incredible aromas of wild berries, forest floor, black tea, and luscious spices—a classic, intense Pinot Noir perfume that is typically found only in a Grand Cru Burgund.”

by Elin McCoy, Bloomberg

“His savory, earthy, silky-textured Rhys Vineyards pinots are the closest yet to a California version of great Burgundy – and it’s time to pounce.”

by Jon Bonné, Inside Scoop / San Francisco Chronicle

“The wines are extraordinary. Not only are they, as Steinberger suggested, one of the finest examples of Pinot Noir anywhere, but the full scope of their power and eloquence is recognizable primarily to those who have sampled the very best of Burgundy’s grands crus. The wines aren’t just great; they’re significant.”

by Mike Steinberger, slate.com

“Not only were they the best New World pinot noirs I’d ever encountered, they were shockingly close in quality to the finest red Burgundies. I recently had another opportunity to sample the Rhys portfolio and was floored again.”

“I think Rhys is the most exciting story on the American wine scene in a long time… “

by Mike Steinberger, winediarist.com

“… the Rhys pinot noirs really are paradigm-shifting wines. As I write in Slate, I think they are shockingly close in quality to the finest red Burgundies, which is something I honestly never thought I would say about any New World pinots… ”

“… Rhys is not a triumph of shrewd winemaking, it is a triumph of intelligent site selection…”

by Rusty Gaffney, PrinceofPinot.com

When I tasted the lineup of Rhys Vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the 2007 vintage, I was left rather speechless. The wines were stunning and all distinctive. They were balanced and harmonious and spoke of a unique place unencumbered by excessive alcohol, oak, and overripe or over-extracted fruit. They were simply some of the most remarkable New World Pinot Noirs I had ever experienced.

by Eric Asimov, NYTimes.com

But even with so little history behind it Rhys is already among the best American pinot noirs, a beacon for those who value grace, balance, structure and distinctiveness in wine.

As with almost anything involving pinot noir, the story of Rhys is a story of obsession.

by James Laube, Unfined Wine Spectator

This is a company and two labels worth watching.

It’s obvious, having tasted all of their wines, that these two know what they’re doing.

I thought all of them were exciting–exhibiting excellent focus, depth, balance and concentration

by Matt Kramer, New York Sun Times

The [Santa Cruz Mountains have] long been one of the most profound locations anywhere in California.

Rhys Vineyard Chardonnay 2003 is exceptional wine: dense, suffused with a minerality that a traditionalist would call Burgundian.

Rhys Vineyards has the potential of becoming one of California’s most compelling estates and the sure and rigorous palate of its owner. That’s an unbeatable combination for wine greatness anywhere in the world.