Home
: 2013 Rhys "Horseshoe Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah

2013 Rhys "Horseshoe Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah

SKU #1348658 95 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark Rhys' 2013 Syrah Horseshoe Ranch Vineyard is a downright peppery, gamey, olive and bloody meat-scented Syrah that offers more than a touch of Cornas-like character. (JD) Inner quote mark (10/2016)

95 points Vinous

Outer quote mark One of the highlights in this range, the 2013 Syrah Horseshoe Vineyard is superb. A host of cool-climate Syrah aromatics make a strong first impression. Black pepper, game, smoke, tobacco, licorice, black olives, lavender and spices are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The expression of fruit is pure California in its radiance and overall depth. Complete and impeccably balanced, the 2013 Horseshoe Syrah has it all. (AG) Inner quote mark (7/2016)

94 points John Gilman

Outer quote mark The 2013 Syrah from the Horseshoe Vineyard is quite ripe for this varietal from the Rhys team, coming in at 13.5% alcohol, but the wine is all about precision and mineral drive and shows no signs of blowsiness on either the nose or palate. The superb bouquet jumps from the glass in a ripe and complex mix of cassis, black raspberries, woodsmoke, a touch of grilled meats, dark soil tones, chocolate, pepper and an exotic topnote of dried eucalyptus. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and complex, with its full-bodied format absolutely perfectly balanced, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, chewy tannins and simply outstanding length and grip. Inner quote mark (7/2016)

Share |

2013 Rhys "Horseshoe Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah

Price: $89.95

Quantity:

RP: 95

VN: 95

JG: 94

Real Time Inventory by location:

The item you have chosen is not in stock in our retail stores or within our main warehouse.

Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of shipping/pickup. For a detailed explanation click here.

Related Items

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Shiraz/Syrah

- One of France's noblest black grape varieties, Syrah is known for its intense and distinctive perfume reminiscent of briar fruit, tar, spice and black pepper and its firm structure. One of few black grape varietals frequently vinified on its own, the best examples of Syrah come from the Northern Rhône, particularly Hermitage, but also Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph. These wines are very astringent in their youth, though some Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph can be enjoyed young, relatively speaking. Given the requisite patience, though, these wines can reveal amazing complexity and secondary fruit characteristics like plum and blackcurrant as well as subtle hints of smoke and flowers. In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is used to add structure and complexity to wines dominated by Grenache and complemented by Mourvèdre, like the more immediately drinkable Côte du Rhônes, as well as the long-lived wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In recent years, plantings of Syrah have spread throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon where it is produced on its own or blended with other varietals. Outside of France, the most important Syrah growing country is easily Australia, where it is called Shiraz. Quality levels here depend greatly on yields and geography, and the wines range from bold, fruity and easy-drinking to intense and ageable, like the famed Penfolds Grange. Often bottled on its own, in Australia Syrah is also can be blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, as in the Southern Rhône, and is increasingly combined with Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah has also been steadily increasing in popularity in California, thanks to a group of advocates called the Rhône Rangers. Its most successful iterations come from the Central and Sonoma Coasts, where winemakers are pushing boundaries and creating some incredible wines. In recent years Syrah has also found a number of proponents in Washington State, which is definitely a region to watch for this variety.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Santa Cruz Mountains

- Vineyards dot the valleys and ridges of this coastal AVA just south of San Francisco. Microclimates make it difficult to generalize, and vineyards are frequently separated by acres of forests and meadowlands (not to mention entire towns!), but this is nonetheless known as a cooler-climate zone ideal for pinot noir. Ridge is doubtless the most famous local producer, with its cabernet blend, Monte Bello, named after a Santa Cruz mountain peak. High-quality, low-production chardonnay and some Rhône varietals prosper as well.

Organic: