Rhys Vineyards

Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir

9.219 ratings
9.26 pro ratings
Santa Cruz Mountains, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Pinot Noir
Turkey, Game, Exotic Spices, Soft Cheese, Duck, Goose, Salads & Greens, Potato, Quinoa, Farro, Brown Rice, White Rice, Pasta, Herbs, Nuts & Seeds, Mushrooms, Chicken, Meaty & Oily Fish, Shellfish, Crab & Lobster, Stew, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Salami & Prosciutto, Salmon, Quinoa, Shellfish
Top Notes For
John Willison

Raspberry, pomegranate, menthol nose. Bright berries, sarsaparilla, damp earth tones.

Raspberry, pomegranate, menthol nose. Bright berries, sarsaparilla, damp earth tones.

Feb 17th, 2019
John Willison

Raspberry, cherry licorice, baking spice, mushroom earthiness. Berry finish.

Raspberry, cherry licorice, baking spice, mushroom earthiness. Berry finish.

Jan 1st, 2019
John Willison

Dark cherry, berry compote, cooking spice, lingering finish. From 500ml.

Dark cherry, berry compote, cooking spice, lingering finish. From 500ml.

Dec 1st, 2018
Connor Smith

There are a lot of California wineries out there that are valuable to the man at the top mostly as a way to impress their friends. There are not many that are primarily a way to satisfy the founder’s hopeless geekery for wine, soil, weather, and getting his hands dirty. 🍇🌞💨⛏

Kevin Harvey made his money in Silicon Valley as an entrepreneur and investor. But his journey to winemaking didn’t begin with a business transaction, but by planting vines in his backyard and vinifying it himself in his garage. He had the itch: he had to get real with it.

Harvey has spent most of the past 20 years developing brand new vineyard sites - often targeting old Christmas tree farms! He is deeply involved with research, planning, getting soil and grape analytics, setting up weather stations, and viticulture - though, with the fruits of his labor (pun intended) being of such remarkable potential, it is perhaps wise to turn the cellar work over to veteran winemaker Jeff Brinkman to realize it.

The result of Harvey’s outstanding grape material and Brinkman’s capable hands in undeniable. In a world full of California winemakers trying to take their shot at Burgundy, Rhys has accomplished what so often gets lost in the pursuit of style: an honest and clear communication from the vines. That’s the true Burgundian spirit.

Harvey has said their goal is to get you “staring into a glass of vineyard”. This Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir, facing west toward the Pacific taking in a daily blanket of foggy marine layer, can only come from one place. In what seems like the blink of an eye, Rhys has become one of the most celebrated wines in America, with good reason. 🇺🇸🍷

There are a lot of California wineries out there that are valuable to the man at the top mostly as a way to impress their friends. There are not many that are primarily a way to satisfy the founder’s hopeless geekery for wine, soil, weather, and getting his hands dirty. 🍇🌞💨⛏

Kevin Harvey made his money in Silicon Valley as an entrepreneur and investor. But his journey to winemaking didn’t begin with a business transaction, but by planting vines in his backyard and vinifying it himself in his garage. He had the itch: he had to get real with it.

Harvey has spent most of the past 20 years developing brand new vineyard sites - often targeting old Christmas tree farms! He is deeply involved with research, planning, getting soil and grape analytics, setting up weather stations, and viticulture - though, with the fruits of his labor (pun intended) being of such remarkable potential, it is perhaps wise to turn the cellar work over to veteran winemaker Jeff Brinkman to realize it.

The result of Harvey’s outstanding grape material and Brinkman’s capable hands in undeniable. In a world full of California winemakers trying to take their shot at Burgundy, Rhys has accomplished what so often gets lost in the pursuit of style: an honest and clear communication from the vines. That’s the true Burgundian spirit.

Harvey has said their goal is to get you “staring into a glass of vineyard”. This Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir, facing west toward the Pacific taking in a daily blanket of foggy marine layer, can only come from one place. In what seems like the blink of an eye, Rhys has become one of the most celebrated wines in America, with good reason. 🇺🇸🍷

1 person found it helpfulAug 23rd, 2019
Graham

So good now, but certainly can wait a while.

So good now, but certainly can wait a while.

Jan 7th, 2024
Doug Sayed

Best after an hour or two of decanting, this displays crunchy red and blue fruits with a touch of earth and spice and a nice finish.

Best after an hour or two of decanting, this displays crunchy red and blue fruits with a touch of earth and spice and a nice finish.

Dec 12th, 2021
Doug Sayed

2016 vintage. Intense saline blue fruits with excellent supporting structure and a great finish. Seems quite youthful for its age, with lingering fine tannins and solid acidity. The only detractor is a slight vegetable element. Great juice.

2016 vintage. Intense saline blue fruits with excellent supporting structure and a great finish. Seems quite youthful for its age, with lingering fine tannins and solid acidity. The only detractor is a slight vegetable element. Great juice.

Feb 7th, 2021
Doug Sayed

Snappy red fruits, cranberries, sour cherries with an excellent supporting structure of fine tannins and good acidity that frame the excellent finish. Needs an hour decant or a other year in the cellar. Very nice.

Snappy red fruits, cranberries, sour cherries with an excellent supporting structure of fine tannins and good acidity that frame the excellent finish. Needs an hour decant or a other year in the cellar. Very nice.

Nov 26th, 2020
WC Fields

Grinding through the cellar in quarantine. This did not disappoint.

Grinding through the cellar in quarantine. This did not disappoint.

May 30th, 2020
Jordan Wardlaw

Jordan had this 4 years ago

Jordan had this 4 years ago

Feb 14th, 2020