Galloni and Dunnuck Love Rhys’ “Stellar” 2017s
Horseshoe Vineyard
2017 Rhys Horseshoe Vineyard Chardonnay
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard is richer and more textured than the Alpine Chardonnay, but the two wines share tremendous energy and drive. Tangerine peel, almond, white flowers and light tropical notes grace this layered, utterly exquisite Chardonnay. The interplay of richness and vibrancy is simply compelling. 95.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019) One of the standouts in the lineup, the 2017 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard has stunning complexity paired with richness, depth, and precision. Fabulous notes of white peach, tart pineapple, salty minerality, and white flowers all flow to a medium to full-bodied, racy Chardonnay with terrific concentration, high yet integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s going to need 4-5 years of bottle age, but it’s a brilliant wine. 96.
2017 Rhys Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is one of the most distinctive wines in this range and also one of the Pinots that seemed to deal with the rigors of the growing season particularly well. Deep, mysterious and resonant, the 2017 has so much to say. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, menthol, licorice and earthy notes meld into a core of black cherry and plum fruit. The 2017 has a distinctive savory quality, even though it was made with fully destemmed fruit. 94.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019) Always the most masculine and mineral-laced in the lineup, the 2017 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard doesn’t disappoint, offering a bloody, meaty bouquet of black raspberries, iron, crushed rocks, toasted spices, rose petals, and crushed flowers. With surprising elegance and purity on the palate, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish, this classic Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and drink beautifully for over a decade. 95.
Bearwallow Vineyard
2017 Rhys Bearwallow Vineyard Chardonnay
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard is creamy, ample and super-expressive, with superb textural richness and tons of character. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and light tropical overtones all grace this supple, beautifully textured Chardonnay. This is such a delicious wine now, but it will likely acquire more complexity in time.93.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019) The 2017 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard, from a site in the Anderson Valley, has an incredibly Burgundian bouquet of liquid minerality, white flowers, spice, and crushed citrus that develops remarkable complexity and depth as it sits in the glass. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it has beautiful balance, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It needs 2-3 years of bottle age (it still offers plenty of pleasure today) and will drink beautifully for 7-8 years or more. 94.
2017 Rhys Bearwallow Vineyard Pinot Noir
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard is dark, plush and totally seductive. Black cherry, plum, spice, leather and menthol meld together in a deep Anderson Valley Pinot built on textural resonance. The 2017 is forward and luscious, but it also offers terrific nuance, not to mention quite a bit of complexity and the structure to support many years of fine drinking. 94.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019) From the Anderson Valley, the 2017 Pinot Noir Bearwallow Vineyard reveals a deeper ruby/purple color as well as a powerful, fruit-forward bouquet of scorched earth, toasted spices, earth, and forest floor nuances. It’s a rich, powerful Pinot Noir with a more mouthfilling, chewy style that lacks some of the elegance found in the other releases here. Give it a year or two. 92.
Home Vineyard
2017 Home Vineyard Pinot Noir
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Pinot Noir Home Vineyard is bright and nicely lifted, with a distinctly red-toned fruit profile and mid-weight structure. The 100% whole clusters are not especially evident in the wine’s flavor profile, but the 2017 comes across as a bit light and lacking in body. It will be interesting to see what happens with time in bottle, as the wine does have quite a bit of energy. 92.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2019) From the northern part of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2017 Pinot Noir Home Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue to go with complex notes of raspberries, sassafras, forest floor, spice, and exotic flowers. This round, medium to full-bodied, seamless effort has building tannins, a terrific sense of balance, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming 8-10 years. 94.
Swan Terrace
2017 Rhys Swan Terrace Pinot Noir
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (October 2019) The 2017 Pinot Noir Swan Terrace is one of the most intriguing wines in this range. Intensely aromatic overtones, with touches of blood orange and racy red berry fruit infuse the 2017 with an exotic quality that is hard to fully describe with words. The 100% whole clusters work so well in bringing out the wine’s myriad layers. A few years in bottle will help the tannins soften. This is such a beguiling, alluring wine. 95+.
