2009 Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Tasting notes
A highly expressive and more immediate nose of spice, floral elements and a ripe combination of plum, red currant and blueberry fruit aromas merges seamlessly with rich, generous and supple medium weight plus flavors that possess lovely detail and precision on the superbly deep and remarkably long finish. The firm tannins are well-integrated and this should age well yet because of the abundance of dry extract, actually be approachable young, at least with an hour or so of air. In short, this is a knockout. *Outstanding*
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Allen Meadows, Burghound
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is the most virile wine in this lineup. Black cherries, mint, iron and crushed rocks come together in this dramatic, generous Pinot. The fleshiness of the fruit nearly covers the tannins, but they are lurking beneath the wine’s considerable fleshiness. Menthol, pine and a host of other dark, balsamic notes wrap around the insistent, powerful finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Inspired by a love for Burgundy, proprietor Kevin Harvey has set his sights on making top-flight Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Pinots in particular are exceptional for their sheer personality, but I also think the wines could also prove to be some of the most long-lived Pinots from California because of their minerality and structure. I tasted a wide range of wines with Harvey and winemaker Jeff Brinkman, including a number of older Pinots going back to 2006. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) none of those older wines appears close to being ready to drink! The Rhys team is obsessed with their vineyards. Everything else is fairly straightforward. The Chardonnays are vinified using ambient yeasts. The wines are not racked until they are prepared for bottling, which is done with no fining or filtration. The Pinots are made in a similarly minimalist fashion, with a high percentage of stems (50-100%) and little manipulation in the cellar. Harvey describes 2009 as a cooler vintage overall than 2008. Tel. (866) 511-1520; www.rhysvineyards.com
Vivid ruby. Captivating, exotic aromas of red and dark berries, cherry skin, smoky Moroccan spices and incense, with a sexy floral quality that gains power with air. Impressively pure, incisive raspberry and cherry flavors show emphatic spiciness and a suave rose pastille quality. Silky tannins add shape to the very long, bracing finish. This wine is awfully delicious right now but really deserves a few more years in the cellar. (ST)
From a higher elevation, the 17.5-acre Horseshoe Ranch Vineyard’s 2009 Pinot Noir is a blend of 12 clones. Aged in 70% new oak with 86% whole clusters, it exhibits a deep ruby color as well as aromas of red apple skins, raspberries, pomegranate, a layered, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and a long finish. There is a sense that everything is tightly wound and ready to uncoil after a few years of bottle age. It has some serious tannin, but the fruit balances it out beautifully. This 2009 also needs 2-3 years of bottle aging and should drink well for 15. This relatively new estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains has five vineyards planted at various elevations ranging from a low of 400 feet to 2,200 feet. There are different terroirs and different vineyard spacing (from 6 x 6 to 2 x 3) as well as different soils (alluvial clay/loam for the Family Farm, to fractured shale for the Bearwallow, sandstone and mudstone for the Skyline, shale and volcanic ash for the Horseshoe Ranch, and sandstone and shale for the Alpine Vineyard). The wines are all handcrafted in the truest sense of the word. Of the six 2009 Pinot Noirs, I thought the Family Farm, Horseshoe Ranch and Alpine were the finest. I have some reservations about the tannin levels and potential for drying out in the Swan Terrace and Skyline, but they deserve the benefit of the doubt because there are a lot of good things going on. Tel. (866) 511-1520