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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 408 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jjct on 2/21/2023: Big, rich sweet fruit, cola, earth and leaves. Agree that it could use some more acid. Drinking nicely. (1187 views) | | | Tasted by rinnocenzi on 11/18/2022 & rated 92 points: drinking beautifully right now. Drank from a magnum (1304 views) | | | Tasted by Joelene on 10/22/2022 & rated 91 points: Drinking nicely. Cherry and plum fruit, enough acidity, some secondary notes like tea and tart cherry pie. Some apricot too, good but could develop some more nuance, drink or hold. (1238 views) | | | Tasted by Tubulus on 3/4/2022: Better than my last bottle. The fruit is a bit on the sweet side and it could use some more acid and structure to hold it together, but it's pleasant enough. (1738 views) | | | Tasted by Matt T on 11/21/2021 & rated 91 points: Fully integrated tannins— still distinctly California with ripe fruit, spice, and a slight bit of cola. Impressive staying power and excellent qpr. (1595 views) | | | Tasted by ChairmanKao on 10/27/2021 & rated 94 points: ABV: 13.9%. Herbs and spices immediately appear on the nose, followed by red fruits after about 10-15 minutes. It gradually evolved into a mix of Christmas spice with bright red fruits that reminded me of cherry cola. Plenty of lush fruit on the mid-palate, lifted by well-integrated acidity against a background of soft tannins. This is a well-made wine and I can see why people would like it, but it's not showing much terroir characteristics.
10/28/2021 - Raised the score by two points (from 92 to 94) after retasting it on day two. Now the fruit has slightly subsided and it drinks like a ripe Burgundy. With that in mind, this wine can easily cellar for another 5 years, but I wouldn't be surprised if it stays intact past another decade. (1184 views) | | | Tasted by Steve.330i on 5/15/2021 & rated 90 points: My first one from Sonoma Valley. Completely different approach compared to other pinot noirs coming from Burgundy. Almost dark ruby colour, spicy nose with blue raspberry. In the mouth is rather complex with blue raspberries, some cherries, chili and pepper. Harmonic with a good freshness. quite a good length (1295 views) | | | Tasted by rinnocenzi on 10/11/2020 & rated 92 points: Beautiful pinot noir . Drank from magnum. Drink up (1481 views) | | | Tasted by SimonG on 11/29/2019 & rated 88 points: Bright cherry red. Quite richly fruited with a touch of cola. Served at cool cellar temp this is quite pleasant and nicely balanced, but as it warms it does seem a little fuller and the new world character is more obvious. Pleasant, but no more. *** (1949 views) | | | Tasted by Maphill01 on 11/10/2019: A bit too much stewed fruit. Over the hill, or perhaps a bad bottle. (1567 views) | | | Tasted by Jdwinedrinker on 2/12/2019: drinking great. go for it (2264 views) | | | Tasted by Charlie Carnes on 12/30/2018: Maturing nicely. Clear, dark red fruit, with some secondary traits, pretty autumn leaves, tobacco, easygoing, delicious. (2395 views) | | | Tasted by edge on 12/23/2018 & rated 92 points: Original Purchase. Stored in a 55 degree cellar. Great Cali Pinot. Subtle nose, well balanced wine. Still drinking young. (2127 views) | | | Tasted by TomATL on 10/31/2018 flawed bottle: This bottle was past its prime. N/R (2168 views) | | | Tasted by Tubulus on 9/21/2018: This did not show well at all, in a similar manner to some of the other notes here. The fruit was sweet and rich but there was also a weird bitter pepper/celery/green note lingering in the background and it was missing the structure to hold it all together. (2128 views) | | | Tasted by ogres3 on 6/18/2018 & rated 91 points: Not a fan of pinot. Pulled this because we were planning to have porcetta.
So, it's open for about 90 minutes and the wife tells me we're having brisket. Been to Austin so that's what we do. And the wine stood up some what to the beef. Fairly dark, subtle dark cherry fruit with some pretty full-bodied purple additions. Pleasant nose, nice finish. Sold a case of Rhys recently and maybe that was a mistake. (2171 views) | | | Tasted by ogres3 on 4/14/2018 & rated 91 points: Might be an expectation/reward thing, but very pleasantly surprised. Distinctive pinot on opening, and not a positive for me. Green and back end acidity. After about 60-90 minutes becomes a medium to full-bodied mid-dark cherry and blue fruit wine. Strong finish. Paired with seared ahi tuna steaks. Very nice, would be happy to have a case. (2181 views) | | | Tasted by theRealPepe on 4/6/2018 & rated 91 points: Pretty stunning bottle. Fully developed with a rounded palate, spiciness and generous red fruits. The stemmy taste has developed more complexity. One of the best Rhys I've had, and easily the best Alesia. Excellent. (1984 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 8/21/2017 & rated 89 points: Ripe red berries throughout with some blueberry and a baking spice character that hints at some whole cluster. Perhaps faint hints of new oak that almost fully absorbed, but otherwise a wonderful entry level wine. I like this more now vs when last tasted in 2011. Should drink well for another 5 years. (3865 views) | | | Tasted by sawira on 7/11/2017 & rated 92 points: Bottle #11 of 11. Super tasty. Perfectly at peak, delicious fruit, and beautiful spice notes. Consistent with previous notes. (3454 views) | | | Tasted by sawira on 3/9/2017 & rated 92 points: Bottle #10 of 11. Wonderful. Super spicy, and still young, from my cool cellar. Open and enjoyed over 6 days, and it was the spiciest and most delicious the last night. Love it! (3938 views) | | | Tasted by Cote d'Or on 2/23/2017: PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-med dark red violet minimal clearing at edge
-moderately expressive ripe cherry NewWorld/rhubarb cranberry herbal
-med acidity, med weight med+ concentration with lot of dry extract still quite a bit of ripe dark cherry and rhubarb some earthiness and an underlying savory/tomato spine, med- tannins
-New World fruit profile with Old World style impressive complexity and serious depth for negocient fruit, this bottle is drinking very well now and is early in a prime drinking window that should last 5+ years (3765 views) | | | Tasted by xwine on 2/6/2017: This has seen better days. Drink up. (3883 views) | | | Tasted by sawira on 9/29/2016 & rated 90 points: Good, not great. Time to drink these. More fruit and cola than previous bottles, and nothing special really. I think this is losing its verve. (4239 views) | | | Tasted by Seth Rosenberg on 9/3/2016 & rated 86 points: Smooth and cool fruits: black cherry, pomegranate and raspberry, along with menthol and pine, and maybe a bit of cola. There is a light and almost confectionary sweetness that appears sometimes in the fruit that is quite nice. The palate enters tart, crunchy and stemmy with tart cherry, pomegranate and cranberry, along with a bit of citrus zest and some green herbal Rhys crunch. Then the fruit comes out a little more, but so does some heat, throwing the midpalate and finish out of balance. The finish is somewhat hot and has some red fruit but also tart citric flavors and acid. The heat and citrus are not a good combo. Fair, but I can get much better Bourgogne Rouge for less. Nose - 4.5-5/6, Palate - 4/6, Finish -3.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 0.5-1/2 = 12.5-13.5/20. (4381 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Allen Meadows
Burghound, October 2010, Issue #40
(Alesia Vineyards Pinot Noir - Sonoma Coast Villages Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2010, Issue #29, In Search of California’s New and Old Schools of Terroir
(Alesia “Sonoma Coast” Pinot Noir) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2010, IWC Issue #150
(Rhys Vineyards Pinot Noir Alesia Sonoma Coast) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/6/2010)
(Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast) Medium red color with pale meniscus; tart red fruit, cranberry nose with a sense of stems; solid, tart cranberry, tart red fruit, stemmy palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (60% whole cluster) 90 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (3/13/2010)
(Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast) Dark cherry red color with clear meniscus; lovely, framboise, raspberry, cinnamon nose; tart red fruit, mineral, spice palate with good balance; medium finish 90+ pts. (last vintage of Alesia, as Rhys will all be estate fruit in the future) 90 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Burghound and View From the Cellar and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (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 Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast AVA (Wikipedia)
* Sonoma Coast AVA (Wine Institue) |
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