If I’ve got enough pennies to get a pair of one or the other, but not both, which is the one to get? Or, if you don’t want to pick a “better” one, what are the main differences to consider?
And whichever I buy, I’ll hold onto them for a good while, so don’t worry about how they would show this year or anything.
Thanks.
From my limited experience trying both, I would grab the Swan Terrace.
To be honest I pulled the trigger on both and severely cut back on other wines in the offering.
This is an easy one.
The BEST terroir that exists at Rhys is Skyline.
Romanee St Vivant of California. Kaleidoscopic.
Well, that should clear things up for you, Chris. 
BTW Rhys costs me a lot of money!
Not discounting David’s observation either. This is my feeling after drinking a few that Skyline is the best terroir that Kevin has in California.
Tasting them side by side back in April, the Skyline was the more interesting wine by a couple of hairs.
Sure you don’t want to break the tie for me?
I have an intense fascination with both.
Too rich for my blood. I’d go with the better of the two. 
I prefer Skyline Syrah. 
Chris, do both. You will have supporters that will make a case for both. Swan is awfully good, but so to is Skyline. Make it easy and just grab them.
Joanne is going to kill you for giving me that advice, Frank. 
If you can’t decide, just buy Bearwallow and leave a few bottles of Swan and Skyline out there for shlubs like me to maybe get on a wish list. Allocation: zero…
Nice first-world problem, Chris. I have never opened a Swan Terrace, but I did open a 2008 Skyline by accident once. I believe it is the best California Pinot I have ever had. Swan Terrace might be just as good for all I know, but my guess is you would not be disappointed if you chose Skyline.
Both are excellent. If I had to choose one, I’d probably pick Skyline and then buy some Alpine to get a sense of what the Swan Terrace is like, but it’s close.
I had thought that Swan Terrace was Rhys’ best wine until I tasted the 2012 Skyline Pinot. Wow. Best Rhys, best Calif Pinot ever for me. Extraordinary – that would be my choice. Haven’t tasted the 2012 Swan though. 
Good luck - can’t go wrong,
Peter
Chris, stop being a wuss.
The answer is: Drop something else and then buy both.
I’ve tasted just about every Pinot that Rhys has ever produced.
(And a couple before they even officially became a winery).
The 2012 Skyline is the best young Rhys Pinot I’ve ever had.
It may be the best young CA Pinot I’ve ever had…
That said, DA Swan is a very close second (and usually my favorite year after year).
TTT
Chris, I tasted through the entire lineup of Rhys 2012s last February, and it was very instructive to taste them all side-by-side. My take leads me to echo what others have said about lumping it and buying both, but if it really, truly has to be just one, for me it would easily be the Skyline. It’s stunning. Powerful yet elegant, focused and pure, minerals and florals. And I like Don’s “kaleidoscopic” descriptor.
Joanne has had plenty of time to feel the angst for me given all the wine stuff we have done the past few years. Dude, a bottle of ST and Skyline is not going to even nudge her. 