Had these two Ryme Vermentinos over the weekend:
1. Ryme Vermentino "Hers" LasBrisasVnyd/Carneros (12.3%; www.RymeCellars.com) Geyserville 2016: Light gold color w/ loads of tartrate crystals; lovely very perfumed/fragrant floral/Verm/mango/slightly grapefruity very light mineral/chalky nose; very tart somewhat rich/lush strong floral/mango/Verm/grapefruity slight mineral/chalky bit tangy/metallic flavor; very long rather tart/tangy/metallic some rich/lush strong Verm/floral/mango/grapefruity very light stony/mineral/chalky finish; a bit like a good Ligurian Vermentino but more rich/lush and not the lean character those show; actually more like a Piemonte Favorita (Vermentino); quite an attractive perfumed Vermentino. $30.50
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2. Ryme Vermentino "Hers" LasBrisasVnyd/Carneros (11.9%) 2015: Med.light gold color; strong mineral/stony/chalky very fragrant Verm/floral/mango/spicy lovely perfumey nose; quite tart/tangy/metallic strong mango/Verm/floral/spicy bit appley/pear rather stony/mineral/flinty/chalky flavor; very long delicate/elegant strong floral/Verm/pineapple/mango slight apple/pear fairly strong mineral/chalky/flinty finish; lost a bit of that fragrant floral character and showing more of a mineral/chalky character; a lovely Vermentino w/ more yrs ahead. $28.00
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. Ryme: This is the wnry of Ryan & Magan Glaab. Located in the same facility in Geyserville as Idlewild. They make two versoins of a Vermention from Frank Mahoney's LasBrisas vnyd in the Carneros. The "Hers" is made conventionally, crush & destem. The "His" is made w/ skin-contact and usually shows a fair amount of phenolic character. I typically find the "Hers" a more attractive white, but like the "His" for its more interesting/complex phenolic character. I think the "Hers", along w/ the TablasCreek, are about the best Vermentinos being made in Calif.
When I first tried the '15 "Hers", it was much like the '16 w/ powerful/floral aromatics. In the intervening year, the mineral/chalky character has seemed to become more pronounced. Both of these are excellent examples of Calif Vermentino and resemble Piemonte Favorita more than any others.
Tom