TN: 2010 Rhys Horseshoe Pinot Noir

Really elegant expression of Horseshoe. Savory sandalwood, Asian spices, white pepper and cranberry fruit on the nose. Elegant savory spice, lavender and sweet cranberry fruit on the palate with nice balancing acidity.
Some bricking on the rim and more tertiary than primary flavors on the palate make me wonder if this is starting to head on its downward slope?

I had very similar impressions a few months ago — not too excited about this development.

Perhaps there is something wrong with my taste buds, but I did not feel any special bouquet in this wine. It tastes like regular wine. Although a fake may have been caught, anything can happen. Somehow, when buying in the store, I did not ask about quality certificates for this wine.

Your description sounds like a wine just starting its prime drinking phase. What makes you think it’s headed downward? Color in Pinot is not indicative of much.

That’s exactly what I was thinking Bill.

I think it is drinking nicely right now, but it wasn’t just a different color of the wine, but a rusty, different faded color at the rim, combined with a little bit subdued note to the flavors on the palate. Admittedly a guess, not a definitive statement. I had a 2009 Horseshoe not that long ago and that was much more robust.

Yeah, completely agree… it is more of the taste and smell rather color

Bot?

I noticed ageing color, as well.

2010 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (1/11/2020)
– cork pulled approx. 2 hrs before tasting –
– tasted single blind over approx. 20 minutes –

Clean and spicy on the Nose, which was not as expressive as the Nose on the 2010 Alpine Pinot tasted alongside. Like the Alpine, some age apparent in the color. Light bodied. Spicy and red-fruited. Light tomato and pyrazine flavors. 12.7% alc… I preferred the flavor of this '10 Horseshoe to that of the '10 Alpine, but preferred the Nose on the Alpine.

2010 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (8/27/2021)
– decanted 15 min. before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over two to three hours –

NOSE: warm, sandy, baked red fruits; warm strawberry; baked raspberry; not funky; moderately expressive.

BODY: medium-light bodied; some bricking throughout.

TASTE: medium-light to medium concentration of fruit; red-fruited, with a somewhat savory finish, and a complicating note of bitter florals. Drink Now and over the near term.

Popped and poured at cellar temp.Had my last one of these 3 years ago and I would say this bottle was significantly more advanced. Cloudy red color with some bricking at the rim. Lots of sweet black cherry fruit and a hint of menthol on the nose. Somewhat subdued palate with sweet black cherry fruit. Unfortunately this bottle seems muddled at this point and atypical of most of my experience with Horseshoe. Bought on release, so don’t think it was damaged along the way, but not up to my expectations.