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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.2 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 50 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Golf_Wine on 4/27/2024 & rated 91 points: This wine have put on some weight in the last two years.
This drink more like a good burgundy than any other Rhys I’ve ever had (it’s been a lot, used to buy full allotment).
Drank over two hours and got better and better. 2017 was not a great year in Cali for Pinot but I think it might have benefitted me with this producer. Can’t say it’s deep and profound wine but drinks very good. I don’t think it will age that well but enjoy now with 30-60 min of air. (324 views) | | | Tasted by The Drunken Cyclist on 12/4/2023 & rated 91 points: Retail $49? Under cork. I have a limited experience with Rhys and this wine (like the Chardonnay) is listed as an "Alesia" wine. According to the website, the Alesia line is a more approachable cuvée while the non-Alesia line is a wine that is perhaps a bit more complex. I am pretty sure this is the latter, but that is not an option here on CT, for whatever reason. this wine, though? Pretty fantastic with great fruit (Bing cherry), earth, weight, and enough verve to keep it beyond interesting. A pretty fantastic California Pinot Noir.
www.thedrunkencyclist.com (1048 views) | | | Tasted by THECORKDORK on 10/5/2023 & rated 89 points: Solid village PN from Rhys. Herbal and Woodsy. (1027 views) | | | Tasted by OmiyaDrinker on 6/10/2023 & rated 90 points: Red cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant leaf on the nose but generally quite dominated by vanilla and toast from the oak - a little off putting for my preference. Palate is quite transparent with earthy character which I like. Medium acid and medium tannin. (1339 views) | | | Tasted by Wineallover on 6/9/2023 & rated 91 points: Intense nose of strawberries and cherries that leads me to new world pinot (and i would include Germany on top of the usual suspects like New Zealand or US), powerful too. Palate is milky with dense texture, slightly “dirty”. Finishes with some bitterness, which is generally a no go for me. (1224 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 4/4/2023 & rated 90 points: New-world: Brought for a friend. Slightly more fruit-forward than the Cristom with riper cherry and raspberry fruit, quite typical of a Californian Pinot. Still quite primary but drinking well (1798 views) | | | Tasted by snamnoum@gmail.com on 3/26/2023 & rated 92 points: Aromas of black cherry, barnyard, dried mushrooms, sage, dried tobacco, cigar box, leather, and cedar.
Medium acid, medium tannins, and long elegant finish. Nose was a bit restrained at first but opened up beautifully after a 1.5 hour decant. Great bottle of wine. (1108 views) | | | Tasted by Guarded by Griffs on 2/27/2023 & rated 96 points: It just keeps getting better. Still has time to go in the bottle, but it is a rich sup right now. Straight out of the bottle, a raspberry fruit with plenty of dirt. Balanced through the whole sip. These guys can make a wine. (1088 views) | | | Tasted by Golf_Wine on 7/10/2022 & rated 89 points: A good bottle. Feels a bit like a light burgundy or Beaujolais . Day one drank good, day 2 just alright, if you open comitt to finishing it.
Very much in the red berrie spectrum, less sweet than any Rhys I’ve drank. (1892 views) | | | Tasted by Madera16 on 5/4/2022: Aha — this was delicious. Full floral charm of pinot on center stage. Maybe not quite as light and feminine as the Bohan Dillon, but it’s in that same kind of wavelength. But darker and more serious. If I had to choose I guess I’d go with the Hirsch though. (1748 views) | | | Tasted by BHP1994 on 3/6/2022 & rated 90 points: Took 30 min to open up. Typical Rhys nose for me of blood orange and bright red fruit. A bit tart initially but fruit opened up as well in the glass over time. Cloudy and almost grimey in appearance. Good but not great. (1548 views) | | | Tasted by Takeshi on 12/12/2021 & rated 92 points: Smooth mineral, integrated tannin. Fruit and fizz solid. (1706 views) | | | Tasted by Gnome on 12/12/2021: Blind Tasting of 8 Coastal California Pinots $20-60. Ranked 7 out of 8 by group and me. Nose of herbs and oak. Complex flavors of herbs and spices. Medium-long finish. Very nice wine, lower ranking was only by comparison. (1788 views) | | | Tasted by DickMull on 6/28/2021 & rated 92 points: I opened the bottle and let it sit for about an hour but did not decant. The nose was classic Pinot: dark cherry, wet earth, and tar. The palate was balanced, with more dark red fruit, minerals/iodine, and a surprisingly (tasty) mushroomy woodiness. The acidity was a little muted but present all thru the finish, which had a very nice “grip” to it. Really good stuff, and I look forward to tasting another bottle a few years down the road! (1675 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 4/6/2021 & rated 93 points: As delicious as the last bottle! (1719 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 2/16/2021 & rated 93 points: More vibrant sour cherry notes on the nose and savory palate than the previous bottles with delicious acidity on the moderate long finish. (1624 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 2/4/2021 & rated 92 points: Tasty dark cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with earth, mineral, and vanilla on the savory palate with a moderate finish.
Simply delicious! (1450 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 1/18/2021 & rated 92 points: Tasty, but not quite as vibrant as the last bottle! (1428 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 12/23/2020 & rated 93 points: More vibrant sour cherry notes on the nose and savory palate than the previous bottles with delicious acidity on the moderate long finish. (1201 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 12/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Tasty dark cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with earth, mineral, and vanilla on the savory palate with a moderate finish.
Simply delicious! (1239 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 10/30/2020 & rated 92 points: As tasty as the last bottle! (1105 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 10/15/2020 & rated 92 points: Tasty dark cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with earth, mineral, and vanilla on the savory palate with a moderate finish. (1212 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 10/7/2020 & rated 92 points: As tasty as the last bottle! (1170 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 9/4/2020 & rated 92 points: Tasty dark cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with earth, mineral, and vanilla on the savory palate with a moderate finish. (1157 views) | | | Tasted by Rieslingfan on 9/2/2020: Every time I open a blended Rhys/Alesia Santa Cruz or San Mateo Pinot Noir I am blown away. The fruit is vibrant, there is ample structure, and I can taste the earthy underpinnings much sooner than in the flagship Rhys single vineyard wines. This 2017 repeats the same pattern. It's a wonderful reminder of what's really going on in the vineyards, and that patience is going to be rewarded with these bottles, as well as the wines in the single vineyard program. I could probably drink all twelve half bottles I bought of this over the course of the next month. The wine is offering a great deal of pleasure right now. It also has the depth, structure and nuance to age for several years. I will use it as a guidepost - watching for developing maturity before I dip significantly into the single vineyard wines. (1489 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 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. |
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