2015 Rhys Pinot Noir San Mateo County - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, San Mateo County (11/10/2022)
My single biggest mistake as a long time Rhys buyer was that I did not buy more of the San Mateo regional blend. Fifteen years into my Rhys experience, and it is always my favorite Pinot in their range. It drinks well over a wider time frame. It shows the Rhys house style. It’s a relative bargain compared to the single vineyard wines. My final bottle of the 2015 echoes each one of those positive qualities, from the very first sip. Kirsch-like cherry fruit, earthy undertones and a bright, lightly spiced finish, it’s right on point for drinking on its own or with dinner. The structure is evolving in line with the fruit, and if I had anymore bottles (damn!) I would parcel them out slowly over the next ten years. I know the single vineyard wines are moving on a slower aging curve, but if they ever converge on this point I will be more than satisfied.