2016 Rhys Family Farm Vineyard Pinot Noir [JD94][V94][JG92][WA92][BH91] WINE

Producer: Rhys Vineyards 
Region: Santa Cruz Mountains, California 
Varietal: Pinot Noir 
Year: 2016 

Jeb Dunnuck, 94 Points 

“Moving south toward the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2016 Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard offers a more elegant, medium-bodied, supple style as well as perfumed red fruit, dried flowers, and spice, with just a hint of minerality. This site has slightly more clay in the soils and the wine is always one of the more rounded and charming in the lineup.” 

Vinous, 94 Points 

“The 2016 Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard is beautifully lifted and precise. Bright red berry fruit and floral notes are nicely layered in a Pinot that speaks to understatement and class. In this range, the Family Farm stands out for its crystalline precision and nuance. All the elements are simply in the right place. The 2016 was done with 15% stems, the least Rhys has used for the Family Farm.” 

John Gilman, 92 Points 

“The 2016 Family Farm is a really lovely bottle of Pinot Noir, offering up a wide open and very classy nose of sweet dark berries, bitter chocolate, a touch of pigeon, woodsmoke and a lovely base of dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and generous on the attack, with a fine signature of soil, a good core, moderate tannins and lovely length and grip on they bouncy and complex finish. This svelte bottling comes in at 12.6% octane this year and is just lovely.” 

Wine Advocate, 92 Points 

“Like the Bearwallow bottling, the 2016 Pinot Noir Family Farm Vineyard is quite approachable this year, revealing youthfully reserved but already complex aromas of cherries, sweet soil, raw cocoa, forest floor and subtle peony. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, layered and sappy, with velvety tannins and a juicy, mouthwatering finish. It was vinified with only 15% whole cluster this year.” 

Burghound, 91 Points 

“An elegant, reserved and ultra-pure and fresh nose reluctantly offers up wisps of various red berries, anise, rose petal, lilac and a hint of smoke. The round, delicious and attractively textured medium weight flavors possess a seductive energy while exhibiting very good depth and length on the balanced and dusty finish. While it’s clear that there is a firm core of supporting tannins this is a bit more forward and one of the few wines in the range that could actually be enjoyed on the younger side.”  

Alcohol: 12.6% 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Vintage date may differ from pictured.