Rhys Vineyards, Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard, 2016

One of the first California producers to make hardcore Burgundy lovers sit up straight, Rhys chases elegance and terroir through mountain farming, low yields, and an obsession with rock and exposure. Horseshoe is the sterner, more mineral foil to perfumed Alpine: a high, protected estate vineyard just east of Skyline near the spine of the Santa Cruz Mountains, giving a structured, stony Pinot built for the cellar. This 2016 is still youthful and rewards patience, or a long decant. One of the estate's most serious, ageworthy Pinots. A standout for collectors who like minerality and grip.