External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2014
2013
2012
2010
2009
2008
2007
N.V.
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.9 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 84 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by kingkanu on 12/28/2023: Medium body, the nose is very delicate, and needs time to develop in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, ripe cherries with really bright acidity and a long clean finish. This is great drinking and will stay good or develop for a while longer (743 views) | | | Tasted by beatles on 8/26/2023 & rated 93 points: Wonderful Pinot. Sous bois galore, hitting the Pinot Nerve, red berries, mushroom. Entering maturity, very well balanced indeed; (1329 views) | | | Tasted by wabi47 on 3/17/2023 & rated 88 points: some variation from recent bottles; cola first, then strawberry, herb; this one seemed less giving (1381 views) | | | Tasted by Grappa Cellar on 3/17/2023 & rated 91 points: Light cherry. Bright. Nice mouth feel (1287 views) | | | Tasted by HED3 on 3/6/2023 & rated 95 points: I wish every Pinot I bought was this good or better. It hit the trifecta with violets and roses, the spice cupboard and oodles of bright red fruits cherry and others. Perfectly balanced. Drink up! (1378 views) | | | Tasted by Golf_Wine on 2/19/2023 & rated 90 points: A good wine. Wished for a cleaner red berries and fruit… but I guess that is what my burgundy wines are for. Got better over an hour. (1193 views) | | | Tasted by Grappa Cellar on 2/7/2023 & rated 91 points: PnP
Fresh fruits out of the bottle
mild cherry,
Good acidic mouth feel (1027 views) | | | Tasted by wabi47 on 1/17/2023 & rated 89 points: cherry, garrigue, some stems and mahogany; good acidity; tannins are softer than i prefer; some vanilla and green on the finish; more interesting than enjoyable (and different from my last bottle which had more texture and less herbal notes) (923 views) | | | Tasted by wabi47 on 12/17/2022 & rated 91 points: medium body; complex strawberry, garrigue, herbal/stem notes; smooth texture; better on day two when the herbal notes are more integrated. Very nice food wine. (870 views) | | | Tasted by uli_k on 11/25/2022: Pale ruby color. Complex varietal nose, forest floor. Just reaching maturity. Red and blue fruit on the palate. Balanced with good structure, medium acid and tannins. Medium body and alcohol. Good value. (1058 views) | | | Tasted by KVM on 11/3/2022: Takes 24 hours to open up. Pretty blueberry, smokey nose. Concentrated fruit, in a lighter body. Long finish. Pretty good value. (1197 views) | | | Tasted by GlennO86 on 4/1/2022 & rated 88 points: Raspberry, strawberry and cherry on the nose. Dry. Ok acidety. Light mouthfeel. Red fruit, blackberry and oak on the palate. An earthy backbone. Smooth tannins. Vanilla exit. Easy drinking, entry-level PN. Absolutely ok🍷 (2158 views) | | | Tasted by Golf_Wine on 3/19/2022 & rated 91 points: Copy and paste my last note. Improving. Took an 45 min to open then drank better. If I drank this with a group I would decanter. Typical Goid Rhys entry level. Still Drinking young as it’s developing….. but wish it had a bit more red fruits and berries, it’s leaning a bit towards a typical California sweet Pinot noir. Took a sip on open it came across a bit “dusty” and just ok. 1 hr slow ox then drank over an hour and last glass was the best (2007 views) | | | Tasted by Golf_Wine on 1/30/2022 & rated 91 points: Improving. Took an 45 min to open then drank better. If I drank this with a group I would decanter. Typical Goid Rhys entry level. Still Drinking young as it’s developing.
Day two, came up a little shorter than day one. (1977 views) | | | Tasted by pa1966stang on 1/20/2022: I like this bottle, a lot. Earthy backbone with crunchy red fruit. Easy to drink. Tannin and acid complement the fruit. Very well rounded. Medium finish.
Drank with a 1 hour decant from a GlasVin Aromatic. (1928 views) | | | Tasted by Erikjay on 12/10/2021 & rated 92 points: Sweet but still an excellent bottle of wine. Bravo! (1923 views) | | | Tasted by Lazerlar on 12/6/2021 & rated 92 points: This one restored my faith, drank very well with a short decant (1376 views) | | | Tasted by WetRock on 10/5/2021: Quite effusive when popped. Pretty florals and sweet strawberries jump out of the glass. That sort of sweet forward character fades quickly. Black cherry with a distinct sort of pined herb note marking some obvious stem inclusion. That stem inclusion is there on the palate with a more vegetal sense but only lightly so. It also brings along a light sense of tannin. It's clearly a darker cooler mountain Pinot sort of character overall. . On night two its even more subdued. But also rougher at the finish and there is a glycerin sort of weight in the midpalate. I'm skeptical of the 12.9% on the label given those factors. I liked it a good deal more the first night when the expression won me over. That makes it more cocktail than a wine of contemplation. It a nice a example of a CA Pinot but not much more. (1795 views) | | | Tasted by mossreport on 7/7/2021 & rated 90 points: Good nose. A little bland on the finish. (1821 views) | | | Tasted by jlm on 5/2/2021: Other recent notes describe this perfectly. Cranberry and raspberry fruit with a nice dash of mineral and herbal qualities. Medium light on the palate, refreshing and silky texture with beautifully integrated acidity, and moderately grippy tannins on the back end. Drinking very well in a young Pinot kind of way, without the density and depth of the vineyard designates. Very good wine. (1737 views) | | | Tasted by yeti575rider on 4/16/2021 & rated 93 points: Really nice. Has the Rhys signature. Has the light ethereal touch with a nice pope of acidity and red fruit. Cranberry and floral nose. Great value. (1982 views) | | | Tasted by Rhwinetracker on 3/12/2021: Drinking well. (1966 views) | | | Tasted by jreis on 2/11/2021: Popped and poured at cellar temp Fromm750. Nice nose of sour cherry, dusty earth and a hint of orange peel. Nice mix of sweet orange and cherry fruit with good texture, acidity and balance on the palate. Just a hint of tannins on the finish. Definitely shares some characteristics with the single vineyard wines, but not quite the oomph and depth on the palate. I think this is in the early stage of its drinking window, but has quite a few good years ahead of it. (1968 views) | | | Tasted by Miceri on 1/16/2021 & rated 90 points: Medium red; grassy notes, unripe raspberry; nice, lean while also concentrated, spices, a bit of licorice at the end; good interesting aftertaste, but overall expression is a bit too lean and a bit too acidic, some good elements in there, but somehow not really assembled (1825 views) | | | Tasted by DickMull on 11/19/2020 & rated 90 points: Really interesting nose, with warm dark red fruit scents, along with a little bread/yeast, fresh earth, and a bit of smoke. The palate has nice bright acidity on the front, followed by slightly sour black cherry and cranberry flavors. There is a hint of cocoa on the 30 second finish. It got noticeably better from original PnP to 2 hours later. (1817 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Allen Meadows
Burghound, Apr-19, Issue #74
(Alesia Vineyards Pinot Noir - Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/12/2019)
(Rhys, Alesia Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Santa Cruz Mountains and the Santa Lucia Highlands (2/14/2019)
(Rhys Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Alesia Red) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Tim Jackson MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/6/2019)
(Rhys, Alesia Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains – The Gorgeous 2016s (Aug 2018) (8/1/2018)
(Alesia By Rhys Pinot Noir (santa Cruz Mountains) Central Coast Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jul/Aug 2018, Issue #76, The Summer of 2018 North American Wines Neo-Classicists and Old School Producers
(Pinot Noir “Santa Cruz Mountains”- Alesia (Rhys Vineyards)) Login and sign up and see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Burghound and JancisRobinson.com and JebDunnuck.com and Vinous and View From the Cellar. (manage subscription channels) |
| Rhys Alesia Producer websitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
|
