Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir, enhanced by new high-density plantings, is deeply concentrated with aromas of red and black fruits accented by hints of orange zest and spice, and features a structured palate that will develop beautifully with cellaring.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A dark red/magenta color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard is savory and resinous with aromas of blackberries, menthol, and rosemary. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with plush, ripe tannins and a rounded mouthfeel . It’s long on the palate and has more richness throughout.
-
Vinous
The 2021 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard is promising, even if it's rather reticent in the early going. Its open-knit, floral bouquet is quite alluring, but on the palate, the 2021 feels like it is still coming together. Bright red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint, pomegranate and blood orange emerge with time in the glass. Elegant and refined, the 2021 offers terrific potential. It is a wine of notable textural depth and resonance. Bright floral and citrus notes extend the grippy finish, where the Syrah character is most evident.
-
Wine Spectator
Features a fairly dense core of steeped red currant and mulled kirsch notes infused with ample forest floor, sassafras and chaparral accents. Reveals red tea, menthol, a twinge of stems and a flash of iron on the finish. Rustic, structured and burly in character now, this will reward cellaring but is decidedly for fans of the style only. Best from 2026 through 2032. 600 cases made.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Rhys Horseshoe Vineyard Pinot Noir is complex and nicely structured. TASTING NOTES: This wine has brought multifaceted aromas and flavors of Pinot to the fore. Pair its aromas and flavors of savory spices, rustic, earthy notes, and ripe citrus with shaking beef (Bo Luc Lac) (Tasted: May 8, 2024, San Francisco, CA)
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.