Helen Turley, Michael Browne, Mark Aubert; all famous makers of California pinot noir and household names for those of us who love such wines.
How about Jeff Brinkman?
He doesn’t get the press or the props he deserves but he makes the best CA pinot I tasted this year; one of my “life list” wines – the 2008 Rhys, Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard.
This wine reminds me of grand cru Vosne; the spice of Romanée St. Vivant, the tensile strength of La Tâche and the texture of Richebourg. Beautifully focused, remarkable complexity, powerful structure and such balance and purity as to reduce me to silence.
I recently had a couple of DRC’s from 1996 (La Tâche and RSV) and this wine is every bit their equal today – imagine what it will be with 15 years on it?
Kevin usually gets the accolades for Rhys and rightly so; his experience, vision and investment have made this house as good as it gets. Javier too; he understands what he’s been given and no one grows pinot better.
But somebody has to make this and, these days, I have become very sensitive to that fact. For my money, no one is doing better work with pinot in this country.
Job well done.
Best, Jim