IWC’s Josh Raynolds offers first look at Rhys 2011s
by Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar"We've never worked so hard for so little wine," Kevin Harvey told me as we tasted through his 2011s. "We just got murdered" on yields...
"...Harvey has at least temporarily revived his negociant label, Alesia, for 2011 "because we had access to fruit grown in great vineyards by people we trust..."
Allen Meadows continues to award Rhys his highest ratings with the 2010 vintage
by Allen Meadows, Burghound.com"... owner Kevin Harvey and winemaker Jeff Brinkman continue to fashion truly remarkable wines...
Their winemaking process, from harvest to bottling, is based on a gentle gravity system and Rhys wines are never pumped, fined, or filtered."
The Wine Advocate's Antonio Galloni loves the Rhys 2010s
by Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate"The result is a series of breathtaking wines, Pinots especially, that are among the finest being made in the United States."
"... there is no question these are exciting, compelling wines of the highest level."
IWC offers first look at Rhys's exciting 2010s
by Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar"Winemaker Jeff Brinkman called 2010 "a terroir vintage, whereas 2009 was a weather vintage. The '10s have a site transparency to them and a mineral pungency while the '09s are more about fruit."
"This strikingly elegant, precise pinot was among the highlights of my spring trip."
Allen Meadows awards his highest ratings to 2009 Rhys Pinots
by Allen Meadows, Burghound.com"... owner Kevin Harvey and winemaker Jeff Brinkman continue to fashion truly remarkable wines...
One other aspect that I find fascinating is that the character of each vineyard is becoming more evident with each passing vintage ..."
Rhys receives highest score for Pinot Noir in latest Wine Advocate (Sept 2011)
by Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate"Inspired by a love for Burgundy, proprietor Kevin Harvey has set his sights on making top-flight Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Pinots in particular are exceptional for their sheer personality, but I also think the wines could also prove to be some of the most long-lived Pinots from California because of their minerality and structure."
The wonders of Rhys Vineyards (July 2011)
by Jon Bonn�, 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."
John Gilman features Rhys in California Traditionalists (June 2011)
by John Gilman, View From The Cellar"In a very short span of years Rhys Vineyards has clearly become one of the finest estates in all of California..."
"The current batch of wines at Rhys are the finest yet to be produced by the estate and will be well worth a special search to locate."
Tanzer's International Wine Cellar puts Rhys 2009's at the top again(May/June 2011)
by Josh Reynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar"...the forward nature of his 2009s, which he calls "well-concentrated," will allow them to be drunk with pleasure on the young side while his "even more concentrated" 2008s will need more bottle age."
Eureka! The pinch-me-brilliant wines of Rhys Vineyards (March 2011)
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... "
Rhys Piece (March 2011)
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..."
Allen Meadows' Burghound awards Rhys the highest rating to date for American Pinot Noir! (October 2010)
by Allen Meadows, Burghound.com"Simply put, they are unlike any other pinots being crafted in California today. I hasten to point out that this is not because their methods are radically different (there are others who use very high percentages of whole cluster ferments along with natural yeasts). No, the difference is straightforward: it is because Harvey has chosen his vineyard sites with a keen eye and then obsessively developed them with the one goal of obtaining fruit that expresses unerringly the uniqueness of site. Simply put, these are terroir-driven wines par excellence."
Rhys's 2008s are Top Scorers in Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May/June 2010)
by Josh Reynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine CellarThis relatively new winery has probably made as big an immediate splash as I can recall in California, and the wines, which are far more about finesse and complexity than extroverted fruit, are already extremely difficult to find but are absolutely worth the effort to track down.
Rhys Vineyards: Staking Our Terroir in the Santa Cruz Mountains (February 25, 2009)
by Rusty Gaffney, PrinceofPinot.comWhen 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.
Pinot Noirs Long on Passion if Not Years (September 5, 2007)
by Eric Asimov, NYTimes.comBut 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.
Two Hot New Labels To Look For (June 27, 2006)
by James Laube, Unfined Wine SpectatorThis 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
This Land Is Their Land (February 15, 2006)
by Matt Kramer, New York Sun TimesThe [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 Vineyard � 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.