Rich and dense for appellation level wine, wonderfully fresh for its age with plenty of bright red berry throughout. Just slightly too much pronounced whole cluster character dominating, particularly aromatically. But still very good, with at least 5+ years of life going forward.
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A lazy sunday afternoon (Eric&Megan's): Nose: The nose has balance and warmth to it with baking spices, red cherries, rhubarb, red fruits, raspberries, and earth notes. There is a tart quality to the fruit with good depth.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The tannins are silky and refined with the acidity providing a nice spine. The feel is rounded with baking spices, red cherries, red fruits, raspberries, and some rhubarb.
Overall: This was still showing some whole cluster notes on the nose and palate. It is rounding into form and still has another 3+ years of development and the structure to hold further.
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14.1% alcohol. Age has done wonders for this wine. It has resolved and worked itself out beautifully. Lovely nose of black cherry, subtle steminess, and pretty earth notes. In the mouth, refined, vibrant, and enjoyable, with plenty of up-front cherry fruit, excellent underlying complexity from the earthy notes, and good acidity. Smooth, elegant finish. This has turned out better than I would have anticipated from tasting it young. A-
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Popped and poured and consumed over four hours including dinner. Glossy ripe fruit representative of both the vintage and the region. Smooth and tasty but perhaps lacking depth or complexity. A fine effort for an appellation wine. Drink now or over the next five years.
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Bottle #1 of 3. Wow. Even better than the 08, this is taut and shining, and seems to be just coming out of its shell - bursting with energy. Drooling for all my single vineyard gems at the back of the cellar. Impressive flavor profile, complexity, precision and class. If this is a taste of things to come..... This has another 6-8 years on its peak would be my guess.
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Lower 2/3 of the cork fell apart, but the wine was lovely! Delicious tart red cherry and raspberry aromas and favors with wonderful floral and asian spice notes on the long lively finish.
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Clear garnet to pomegranate red. Rich, expressive and perfumed nose with sweet floral aromas, fresh red berries, some more wild tones, a touch of fluoride gel and a whiff of sweet chocolate; with aeration the nose turns a little sweeter with aromas of cranberry jam. Quite full-bodied, concentrated and rich in mouth for a Pinot Noir, although the wine still retains that trademark acidity. Surprisingly complex and even a little atypical taste with flavors of ripe, dark cherry fruit, orange peel, unripe raspberry, some earth and a little black tea. Quite tannic structure, whereas the body is a bit flabby and heavy despite the acidity. Long and slightly sweet finish with aromas of tart cranberry, sweet butterscotch and bitter spice.
This is definitely an interesting Pinot Noir, although I definitely prefer ones exhibiting more elegance and less exuberance. Flavor-wise the wine is definitely interesting and intriguing (although having a bit too much oak still, even after being out of the barrel for some 6 years), but body-wise the wine is in my opinion too big and heavy for a Pinot Noir. I usually enjoy Pinot Noirs, but only when the fresh and elegant red fruit characteristics present themselves with an equally elegant body; this wine had quite ripe, yet still enjoyable PN characteristics, but the bigger body took away much enjoyment. A good - even an impressive - Cali Pinot, but not a great one.
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After drinking 2009 & 2010 Saintsbury Brown Ranch, then 2011 Failla, this 2007 is even weightier on the palate. Nose is more subtle but distinct. Overall a subtle palate of not muted but also not bright fruits. Strikes a beautiful balance along with an acidity level just perfect for food.
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Tasted non-blind at home. Drink over the course of 3 hours out of a decanter. Initially, it had a bright nose of cherries and raspberries but the nose turned darker after some air. Black cherries on the palate with some spice and black tea. Medium length finish that is fairly consistent with a bit of powdery/chalky texture at the very end. Medium acidity and mostly resolved tannins. Very little evidence of oak. Solid effort at this price point although I personally prefer more of a red fruit profile. Drink now and over the next 3-4 years.
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Pop and pour - note after 45 minutes. Bright red fruit and pomegranate on the nose. Similar on the palate with a hint of an earthy almost terroir driven finish. Very well balanced.
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Starts off with loads of intense raspberries on the nose, then develops smoke and spice notes, almost campfire. The palate first appears somewhat delicate in contrast to the nose, but then picks up weight (maybe too much), and ends up a bit too big and clunky -- maybe "awkward" is a better choice -- for my taste. I liked this better earlier this year.
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Color was light red heading towards brick. Aromas of cherry and a hint of anise. The flavors were well balanced and smooth. The light cherry was present throughout the taste with the flavors of oak lingering into the finish.
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Nose: Nice tart and attractive tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, baking spices, some whole cluster, and herbs. There is nice depth with a coolness to the tones along with a tart quality as well.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and nice silky tannins. There is some nice backbone to this along with tart tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, baking spices, and herbs.
Overall: There is nice intensity to the fruit that lets you know this is from California. This feels like it has further development, but if you give it air right now, it is extremely good.
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PnP. Cloudy garnet with slight brown tones. Red berries and some earth/green herb. Good balance. Fairly bright on palate, but flavors are a bit muddied. Could be a phase and waiting is possible as nothing seems to be fading, but don't sense that this has the 'guts' to get better than now, which is a quite nice CA pinot.
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Deep red-to-black, pretty full-bodied, with some nice Earthiness to it. Still a bit stemy, this has seemed to continue to improve, but I doubt it will get much better. Enjoy.
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The wine is a bright, ruby red color. The very open and appealing nose has cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, underbrush, raspberries, wild flowers, and earth. This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity. The palate has tart cherries, juicy raspberries, loads of minerals, white pepper, and just enough earthiness to add a lot of appeal. The finish has decent length with nice spicy, earth driven fruit, but it would have been nice if it was a touch fuller and a little longer, but those are minor quibbles.
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Well this is really drinking well right now. Wonderful aromatics, with red fruit, earth and plenty of spice. The palate is rather tightly structured, almost stern, with nicely layered fruit underlying it all, finishing with a lip-smacking tartness which leaves me wanting more. Very nice.
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Gaining in both berry weight and complexity since my last visit, very nicely. Very nice red berry core with a touch of spice and pine needles, Beautiful finish
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I thought this would be nearing peak, but it's still a baby. Mostly primary with red raspberry, sour cherry and black fruit. Earthy notes. Great floral aromas as it warms from cellar temperature. If I had more, I'd hold them.
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Great wine - especially for a second label. Ripe and rich (but not overdone) aromas and flavors of dark cherry, earth and spice. Leather and tobacco notes emerge after a couple of hours. Medium body with impeccable balance and a long finish. Continues to improve - more integration and depth over the past few bottles. Just seems like everything works in complete harmony. This can compete head-to-head with a lot of the "big boys". Wish I had more - a lot more.
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First experience with this wine and was impressed. Firmly structured. Popped and poured but this could have used a splash decant because it got much more interesting as the night went on. The fruit is there at the core, but there's minerality and acid that give the wine grip. I liked the forest, evergreen whifs in the nose and the floral pinot elements that came through. I'm a fan of the "sonoma coast" types of Cali Pinots that have that intensity, so this was my kind of wine. Good now, think this will be better in 2-3 years.
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Drinking well at this stage. Baking spices/flour on the nose and palate. Finishing with blueberry bottle cap candy and baking powder dryness on the finish.
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14.1% ABV. Translucent garnet in the glass. Aromas of high pitched black cherry with a slight metallic quality. Medium bodied with tangy, somewhat savory. black cherry fruit. Drinking pretty well.
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14.1% alcohol. Drinking well now. Black cherry color. Pretty nose of black cherry, earth, and stems. In the mouth, slightly rustic, with a stemmy edge to the black cherry and earth notes. Strong acidity and a solid finish. B+
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Drank last night without notes, but I remember thinking it was really nice and drinking great right now. Red fruits with deep, rich flavors, a lush mouthfeel and a satisfying finish.
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Will benefit from at least 2-3 years bottle age, probably more. Or vigorously decant. Great aromatics, depth and structure, but it's astringent and has some hard edges right now. Still, this has big potential, which you can tell will be realized. The 91-point scores aren't getting it. It's actually an unusually good bottle of Pinot and a great value.
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This is in a great place right now. For the most part I have not enjoyed the Alesia wines as much as the Rhys, but this one sure hits the mark. Deep red fruits, lush mouthfeel and wonderful nose. Finished lingered and was just as good on day 2. Great wine
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Another terrific bottle. Big nose of cherry, earth and spice with a good dose of bramble. Medium body with great balance and a super-smooth mouthfeel. Intense, vibrant flavors with good depth and nice complexity. Long finish with just a hint of tartness. Clearly a California pinot with all the fruit, but not at all too ripe. Drinking great right now.
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Big, baked black cherry nose. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Ripe red and black cherry fruit, not baked as the nose suggests. Accented by a bit of clove and cinnamon. Nice but doesn't bear much resemblance to the Rhys estate wines.
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14.1% ABV. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Less high-toned than I recall with a more earth and mineral driven nose over serious/structured smelling black cherry fruit. Medium bodied with slate and structured black cherry fruit on the palate. Enjoyed this, as an example of a different and distinct style of California Pinot.
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Extremely strong nose, mostly fruit though, not so much spice. Taste is all fruit with a touch of green, but not enough to bother me. Not getting much forest floor or undergrowth or whatever other things one might encounter. Medium acidity. Very pleasurable - to me an ideal California pinot - lots of fruit, but zero sense of sweetness and enough structure to keep the palate fresh. Seems to be in a good place.b
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Decanted about an hour. Bright ruby red color. Cherries, underbrush, raspberries, smoke, minerals, white pepper, and some wild flowers on the intoxicating nose. Medium body at best with persistent, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Intense red fruit and spice on the palate with a bit of stems coming out on the back end. Nice length on the finish which again shows some stems or herbal elements. I don't know if additional cellar time will help the stems/herbal notes integrate. Not bad right now, some additional cellar time may bring this up to the next level.
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Blind Tasting '04-'07 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noirs (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Black cherry and cut apple on the nose. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Mix of tart and sweet blackberry and plum fruit, some black licorice. Not bad, but not the flavor profile I'm looking for from Pinot. (my 6th, group's 6th)
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This bottle is a little off. Not corked but seems disjointed. Nose is great with notes of roses and red fruit but on the palate there is lots of up front fruit and notes of spices but this doesn't seem to meld together.
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Typical red berry fruit on the nose. In the mouth good balance of fruit and acid -- with some earth and minerality. Very nice. Could improve with some time.
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Floral and herbal nose with a high-toned, sage-like greenish note. Dark brambly fruits predominate on palate, with med + acidity and tannins. Good richness through the midpalate, oak is well managed. Get the same herbal green character on the palate which is kind of refreshing but wonder where that will go with more age.
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Another lovely bottle. Nice, nose of dark berry, cherry, earth, and spice. Intense, ripe, sweet flavors on the palate, with just a hint of green. The balance and mouthfeel of this wine were both really terrific and combined to create a super-smooth, almost creamy texture. Nice long, fruity finish. Nothing spectacular, but everything (except perhaps the hint of green) is very enjoyable. This was just a bit richer and sweeter than a prior bottle.
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Opened and shared a glass then set aside for a few hours to get air as it needed it. Big bright fruit filled nose right off the bat but with a green finish to it. A few hours later the green seemed to fade a tad and drank a lot better. Still young with some full tannins for a cali Pinot. Not sure what to think of this; it's almost as if someone mixed a Cali frut forward Pinot and a well structure French Burg. The nose and initial attack on the palate was all California but finished with a green burgundy streak that yearns for years in bottle. Hmmm I liked it but want to try again in a few years; maybe these really do need a lot of time.
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Found a few of these while doing cellar inventory. Popped and poured. This showed really well; nicely balanced and packed with flavor. Glad to have a few more to see if it continues to improve with time in the cellar.
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Very pretty transparent color, leaning toward crimson. The nose hit clear strawberry and cherry. Red fruits and strawberry in the mouth. Bright and straightforward. Good balance. Still a bit tight, but pretty now.
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its pop a pinot Sunday.The cork broke, nothing wrong with it, just the rabbit didn't grab onn enough an pulled thru, so I had to use a coffee filter.... smells great, nice fruit licked off my fingers. Still not ready for prime time, but showing very nice fruit, just a bit thin on the finish.
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A nice wine that drank well over a couple of days. Aromas and flavors were consistant with Pinot. Wine had a short finish and was rather simple as compaired to others in this price range, but still a very good pinot just not outstanding.
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This bottle was a step behind the previous one we drank. Fruit was more muted and, in general, nothing really stood out. Become even more one-dimensional on day two.
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Intense, focused flavors of cherry, plum, earth and spice. Perfect balance with a light-to-medium, super-smooth, silky mouthfeel. Good, firm grip and a long fruity, slightly drying finish. This is a really lovely, elegant, slightly feminine, very classy wine. Not a lot of complexity, and there is nothing especially powerful, rich or concentrated, but everything is in perfect, delicious harmony.
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Disappointing. Brought to a Pinot tasting. Sadly this was disjointed and not showing well. Some thought VA, others thought sulfur, I just thought mediocre. Hold and pray.
PS - this is no way impacts my opinion of Rhys' estate wines. Different animals entirely.
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14.1% ABV. Translucent black garnet in the glass. Aromas of high toned red fruit with nuances of loamy earth, black cherry, and a metallic mineral quality. Medium bodied with tangy black cherry fruit on the palate. Pretty good.
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Popped and poured beside an '03 Chevillon NSG. No notes taken. Showed pretty well, but I believe everyone preferred the Chevillon which showed a bit more complexity on both the nose and palate.
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Very lean with wood tannins prominent on the finish. I don't think the fruit will outlive the tannins on this wine.
Day 2 - well, I may have blown the initial call on this one. There's a nice dark fruit aroma that is appealing. The tannins have subsided, the fruit altho very elegant is nicely in balance now. Day 2 score - 85.
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Muddled. Somewhat tasty, but muddled, without (IMO) enough fruit to survive the structure. I would have liked for this entry level wine to have had less structure to go along with the level of fruit, but instead, it seems to be a jumbling of the worst of the barrels and all of the structure that comes with that somewhat random selection, as if all of the barrels were given the same treatment, and THEN selected out...
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Nose of rosses and red fruit. Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, with notes of spices and vanilla on the palate. Silky texture which finishes with some red fruit and savory notes of soy and mushrooms with some stemmy character to it.
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Pop and Pour. Great to see where this has gone in the last year. Enticing nose of red sour berries, with touches of darker berries, evergreen, underbrush and a nice dried floral component. Very nicely balanced and drank well the whole night, getting a little more open toward the end of the bottle. A great lifting acidity at the end put this into the outstanding braket. Delicious example for a basic bottling and, IMO, why Rhys is regarded so highly.
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A bright red Pinot with crisp acidity, a spicy backbone, and, with a little time, tons of rich red cherry fruit and baking spice; fine to open now with some air time in the glass, but I am sure it can rest a while longer and be ready right after uncorking
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better than the previous bottle but still can't put it at 90 or above. nice bright color. nose is full of bright red fruits, spritz and a little spice touch. palate is still lighter than i like my pinots but sits very well. lovely fresh vibrant fruits, spritz and a fresh earthy quality. finish is little thin and mostly fruit. tasty but not top tier.
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14.1% alcohol. Medium ruby. Expressive red fruit and spice aromas. Strawberries, cherries, rasberries, rubarb and distinctive spice flavors. Extremely well balanced, excellent mouthfeel. Lingering aftertastet. A very appealing wine from the team at Rhys!
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I am still filled with alittle of the young boy excitement from receiving the recent delivery of my 2008 Rhys purchase. Wanting to open s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g, I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so next best thing, I popped a 2007 Sonoma. As I don't think any of my Rhys (except the 2004 Alesia's) are ready, I mostly drink the 2006 San Mateo to keep me away from my stash) Knowing that this was probably nowhere near prime-time, I gave it a 3 hour decant - outdoors in the cool autumn Sag Harbor air. Swirling the small bottom decanter had me re-reading the label to make sure I didn't grab a syrah ... it was all that (kept finding that intriguing burnt rubber funk note).
The wine is pretty tight knit right now, in its cocoon of sorts, melting into the open winged beauty it surely will become. There is a earthen minerality, but wrapped around a blue/ purple fruited structured core, and lots of herbs, a tad on the astringent side. Its almost a little bit angular right now. The finish isn't firing right now for me, but I have the utmost faith it will become very nice. I put the last third of the decanter back in the bottle and will see where it goes tomorrow - as that was part of my curiosity and interest. Where these wines are going..... I keep having great experiences with day 2's on the San Mateo - it's a lovely wine. I would buy 5 more cases if I could.
NOTE TO SELF - From my experience tonight, I would try to wait 3 more years before opening another -
I just don't have enough of the San Mateo to hold me that long!
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This is opening up nicely now. It's a medium garnet color. The nose has red cherries, sweet tobacco, rhubarb, and loam. The tannins are firm but starting to smooth out. Very nice, bright fruit, some interesting depth. Nicely balanced, the acidity brightens the palate and the tannins hold everything up. Excellent now, but I think it will continue to improve. Long, engaging finish.
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Certainly a a very interesting, complex, but young wine. Sour cherry, red berries and green pepper on the nose. Lots of structure. If I'm able to wait that long, I'd like yto wait not one but two years till I try this again, to soften out the tannins,
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Wonderfully expressive nose of red fruits and minerals. Sour cherry taste with a bit of earth and tea. Once again, very refined, crisp and focused on the palate. Great balance with a good amount of acidity. No flabby pinot here. I think the included stems and the tea element add to the long finish.
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14.1% alcohol. Popped about 1 hour prior to tasting. Medium ruby red. Aromas (mainly red fruit) jump from the glass. Rasberries, cherries and other red fruit goodness combined with an agreeable dose of spice. Well balanced and excellent fruit concentration. Lingering aftertaste.
Very tasty effort Mr. Brinkman!
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Drinking beautifully right now with about an hour of air. I liked this much better than I did about six months ago, when I found it nice but a tad atypical. Now it's silky smooth pinot fruit. Medium-bodied with nice intensity.
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Tart cherry and toasty oak on the nose with strawberry, sour cherry along with a bit of wet forest floor on the palate. Hiints of sweetness and soft tanin finish off a nice wine.
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Wow. This was really nice. Popped and poured. The SC has historically been my least favorite Alesia but this was great. Very balanced and pure with some complexity, but favored for it's enjoyment factor tonight.
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What a difference a year (or slightly less) makes - since my last bottle, this wine has improved dramatically and is starting to come into its own. Dark in color (more purple than ruby), the first sniff of this wine gives rich, aromatic reddish purple fruits with hints of acidity that tickle the nose. The oak and stems that felt disjointed last time have started to meld, giving this an appealing smoky sense on the nose. The palate brings forth a fairly creamy and dense mouthfeel of sweet fruits, leading to a finish that's a shade on the herbal bitter side, but in a way that is not really a flaw but a stylistic choice, that will moderate over time. Give this time because of the structure that still needs to resolve, but this is getting closer to its window. Very enjoyable - interesting to compare to the Rivers-Marie Sonoma Coast pinot - this is a little less sweet and oaky but feels a bit more serious; at $35 however, this may be less of a great value than the R-M or a Copain Tous Ensemble pinot. I look forward to comparing this to the 08, the last vintage of this bottling; however this is a perfect example of the payoff that comes with letting the Rhys wines age for a bit.
Additional notes: cork was a bit rubbery soft, crumbling upon opening. Tangy acidity and some cinnamon spice on palate as well.
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Nose of wild cherries, spice (nutmeg?), stems, minerals, and at one point a bit of root beer. Palate shows earth and minerals, strong backbone, taut. Goes through many changes in the glass; an alluring and complex pinot, certainly on a par with a very good villages-level burgundy.
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Still very young. Reluctantly showing black cherry and strawberry along with spice and floral notes on the nose. Slightly brooding flavors of mineral and stems to contrast the fruit. Very good now, but should really come together with some age. Drink now-2015. 90+ pts.
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Decanted for 3 hours. complex, lovely aromas with lots going on. On the palate, cool berries, with some stony minerals and herbs. Very fine tannins, but not fully integrated, this wine is really not ready for prime time, I believe it will improve a lot in the next 3 years. No heat, no blousy cola, just great balanced ripe fruit, with a touch of whole cluster and barrel taste. Really nice!
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14.1% alcohol. Medium ruby red. Expressive red fruit aromas. Complex and focused flavors, good fruit concentration, lingering aftertaste. I'm assuming this was whole cluster - lots of spicy, herbal interest. Really enjoyable.
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Really expressive nose with crushed berries, spice, herbs and earth. Nice fruit and balance on the palate leading to a long and easy finish. Not overdone like I find most CA pinot to be. Very nice.
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Medium-dark ruby-purple color. Initially very tight, the nose had some dark fruit and spice. The palate was also dominated by dark fruit, spice, and a very firm structure. After about an hour of air, it opened up with some cola and cherry on the nose and palate. Nice balance, very like-able. Moderate, enjoyable finish.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Primary dark fruit/earth aromas, smoke, sweet entry, tannins grip on the finish. Will never be overly complex, however time will add more diminsions. What it does offer, it is packaged nicely, compact juice. My last bottle will sit for 3 years+. 89+ Waiting for the Rhys bottlings to rest is painful.
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Both papa Rhys and this "2nd label" seem to get a fair amount of hipster attention for being a diamond in the California cherry-cola infused rough. This is my first tasting of either label. It does show some nice notes of wet autumn leaves and has plenty of rich, sweet fruit. It has a bit of disjointedness and heat at first but with time the midpalate becomes sensuously silky and the whole package is more harmonious. This has a definite Cali meets Euro feel. Very young, needs time, glad I have more.
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The BH tasting note on this one is spot on. This wine has a vegetal quality on the nose and palate--the essence of beetroot--that makes this savory and distinctive. This is not a green pepper 04 Red Burg characteristic, but rather an earthy, savory, and slightly bitter profile. I've found similar qualities in certain bottles of Gevrey Chambertin. Framing the beetroot is nice acidity and subtle minerality. This is relatively deep and warm--a nice winter wine. This is very distinctive and not necessarily for everyone, but it's delicious pinot. It doesn't have the focus, intensity, and complexity of Rhys/Alesia's higher-end wines, but it's nice nonetheless. I don't have a strong sense of how this one will age.
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lighter than expected. sweettart like fruit on nose and palate. light on palate but nice feel overall. certainly short on the finish. maybe this will open as time marches on. hope so.
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Karen's pinot tasting. A real crowd pleaser, with some nice funk on the nose. On the palate more sweet and round, in a good way, with enough bracing acidity and balance to make it a pretty nice package.
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while it was an ok, kinda solid wine, it was the worst Ryhs yet. couldn't hold its own against the bolge 07 sonoma, which is $12. hope its in a closed phase. nothing going on.
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Very tight upon opening, but some nice dark berries, evergreen needles and underbrush emerge on the nose. I enjoyed the palate, despite it being obviously closed at the moment. Similar to the nose in flavor, but less pronounced, and showing nice balance. This may develop nicely, but I would advise against opening one for awhile. 86 today, potential for improvement.
Day 2 - Sad to see where this has gone. Syrupy with quite a bit of sweetness in the mouth now, lots of jammy fruits and it has gone a bit flabby. I hope this isn't where the wine is headed over time.
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Popped and Poured. Generic new world pinot nose, with a bit of pine in it. Bright sweet fruit on the attack with a streak of green, somewhat lighter style.
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14.1% ABV. Dark translucent black garnet. On the nose, high toned Pinot fruit with an aluminum black cherry quality. Loamy earth. Medium bodied with tangy sweet black cherry fruit. Pretty good. I found this more enjoyable than an '06 San Mateo tasted recently which seemed to have a dearth of fruit.
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Quite dark in color, a preview of the dark berry flavors this wines shows off. Some definite notes of whole cluster on the nose. Quite flavorful, though the fruit is on the reserved side, with hints of toast, quite structured with good doses of fine tannins and acidity through the medium finish, which again seems to show some of what I perceive as a significant whole cluster component. Nice wine, though a bit brawny at the moment, in need of a couple years to smooth the rough edges. I like the overall balance, and more reserved flavor profile, but the darker profile and green elements are maybe a little too dominant today.
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Opened at ~57degF. Gently aerated. Initially: Tight aromas of dusty red fruits. Gentle acidity and powdery light dusty tannins in the mouth. Silky and light weight in the mouth but with medium intensity spicy fruit flavors. Juicy, long finish with a touch of pepper. After extra time in the glass, some light floral aromas emerge with some herbs. Still quite tightly knit.
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Disjointed on day 1 (even after an hour of air), much better on day 2.
The fruit is a bit ripe for my taste, and I get a trace of heat on the finish. Otherwise, this is graceful, subtle, and shows pretty good depth and tannic structure. I like this very much.
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This was good in a kinda cola like way. It’s got some sweetness thing going on that I hadn’t expected. Maybe that put me off a little bit. There’s typicity, but the unexpected sweetness tripped me up a bit.
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This is coming off quite herbal on both nose and palate; cool climate in profile, but palate still shows some cherry cough syrup character, together with some stemmy greenness and more than a bit of oak which does not feel integrated yet. Perhaps in time this will come together, but right now, this bottle underscores to me what a bargain the 06 San Mateo was. 87-88
Update: on subsequent days, the stalkiness lessened and this came together a bit; showing more cola characteristic now; a bit more enjoyable, upgrading to 88-89
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Tight with reductive funk on open. Airs out nicely to reveal crisp red fruit, citrus, and floral notes. Good concentration and a steely persistence in a restrained, yet flavorful style. The finish lengthens the longer its open, but maintains deft energy through the bottom of the bottle. Very precise.
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Day 1: Pop and pour. light purple. initially some funk that's unusal on a pinot. reminded me of a syrah :) after 45 mins that blew off and some nice red fruit, earthiness, florals came out. Definitely young and acidic. Day 2: vacum seal, fridged. day 2 at room temp. classic beautiful pinot with cherry, raspberry. Silk palate. awesome. about 1/3 left Day 3: again vacuum seal, fridge. day 3 at room temp. that funk has for some reason returned. dominated the nose with earth mixed in. Interesting. Not bad still.
All in all good wine for the money..
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my wife opened this without asking whether or not it would likely be good and see what happens? this is very stemmy, hardly any fruit, and a touch of etoh. if you're looking for a lesson on what stems contribute to a finished wine and willing to invest the cost of the bottle to learn, then knock yourself out. if not, then these deserve a min of 1-2 years before revisiting. i am a huge fan boy of rhys and alesia and i have no question in my mind these won't exceed the quality of the '04 and '06s. while those wines drank much better young ('06 > '04), these will require a bit of patience. my broken case will rest for some time. on another note, the san mateao and '06 sonoma coast are worth checking out at this point in time.
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Aromas of raspberry, cola, stemmy green olive and a strong gritty, loamy earth note. There is a nice weighting and silky texture. Unfortunately the finish is dominated by dirty, drying tannins. Too many stems for the fruit at this stage. Not sure how this will age. My experience with other heavy whole cluster Pinot (B-C, Calera, Cristom) has not been positive.
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Nose has subtle complex notes of smoke, spices, cherries and rasperries. However, those notes are somewhat overshadowed by a green stemmy element. This will be an even better wine once that element becomes better integrated. Palate is well balanced with refreshing acidity and a fine-grained earthiness.
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This wine was opened and poured. It showed well from beginning to end. The wine develops nicely in the glass gaining weight, complexity and texture with airing. The bouquet begins with reserved aromatics of spice, cherry and earth notes that become expressive, complex and nuanced after about 45 minutes. The medium bodied palate shows balance and depth with tannins present on the finish. This drinks well now but does begin with a more reserved personality. This should improve with two to three years of bottle age.
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Fairly tight early on showing some grape skin type notes on the nose very similar to the 07 Rivers Marie Sonoma Coast. Juicy palate that is straight Pinot in flavor but not distinctive. Day 2 sees the palate pick up weight and some spice aromas come out. The fruit is more expressive all around but still not hugely complex. Well balanced.
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Nose - bursting with purple fruit and bay, smoky, roasted plum, exotic wood spice, white flowers. Intense roasted plum, smoky, with a good mineral structure, nice herbal stemminess. Drink '13-'23.
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Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Middle Eastern Foods: Decanted about 2 hours prior to consumption. Rich nose showing notes of soil. Lots of fruit here and almost big but not showing sweetness. Expressive with a strong grip. Of the three 07 Alesia's this was the most 'ready' to me and the most forward though it will also live for a while in bottle.
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Persian Food Meets Pinot and Chard (The Murray Casa): Stalky note on the nose and a deeply fruited wine with blue and black flavors but lacking the overt or syrupy sweetness. A stony and soily/loam finish. Listed @ 14.1%.
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Young, as with all these wines in bottle. Stemmy on the nose, with red fruit and earth. In the mouth, sharp and linear, with slightly green notes from the stems. About 60% whole cluster here. Beautifully structured and pure. Needs significant time. B+
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3/13/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Rich and dense for appellation level wine, wonderfully fresh for its age with plenty of bright red berry throughout. Just slightly too much pronounced whole cluster character dominating, particularly aromatically. But still very good, with at least 5+ years of life going forward.
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5/30/2020 - norsktorsk Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a very nice wine.
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11/28/2019 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful tart red cherry and spice with a touch of evergreen, very compelling and very hard to stop drinking. A perfect Thanksgiving wine.
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7/11/2017 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Bottle #2 of 3. Superb red fruits, taut, beautiful acidic structure and precision, almost luminous in it's flavor profile. A gem.
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1/26/2017 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 89 Points
dry cork, wine is fine. Had to force the cork DOWN it was so dry.
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11/20/2016 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
A lazy sunday afternoon (Eric&Megan's): Nose: The nose has balance and warmth to it with baking spices, red cherries, rhubarb, red fruits, raspberries, and earth notes. There is a tart quality to the fruit with good depth.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and medium+ tannins. The tannins are silky and refined with the acidity providing a nice spine. The feel is rounded with baking spices, red cherries, red fruits, raspberries, and some rhubarb.
Overall: This was still showing some whole cluster notes on the nose and palate. It is rounding into form and still has another 3+ years of development and the structure to hold further.
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6/27/2016 - Don and Pam Likes this wine: 89 Points
still great fruity flavor, touch of cinnamon.
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11/14/2015 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
14.1% alcohol. Age has done wonders for this wine. It has resolved and worked itself out beautifully. Lovely nose of black cherry, subtle steminess, and pretty earth notes. In the mouth, refined, vibrant, and enjoyable, with plenty of up-front cherry fruit, excellent underlying complexity from the earthy notes, and good acidity. Smooth, elegant finish. This has turned out better than I would have anticipated from tasting it young. A-
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8/24/2015 - EhrlichDY wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured and consumed over four hours including dinner. Glossy ripe fruit representative of both the vintage and the region. Smooth and tasty but perhaps lacking depth or complexity. A fine effort for an appellation wine. Drink now or over the next five years.
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8/3/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious red cherry and raspberry aromas and favors with wonderful floral and asian spice notes on the long lively finish.
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6/11/2015 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Bottle #1 of 3. Wow. Even better than the 08, this is taut and shining, and seems to be just coming out of its shell - bursting with energy. Drooling for all my single vineyard gems at the back of the cellar. Impressive flavor profile, complexity, precision and class. If this is a taste of things to come..... This has another 6-8 years on its peak would be my guess.
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2/28/2015 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 90 Points
KEITHAKERS note is spot on for me. Popped and poured and drank over two days. Showed better on day two with better concentration. Drink or hold.
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1/8/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lower 2/3 of the cork fell apart, but the wine was lovely! Delicious tart red cherry and raspberry aromas and favors with wonderful floral and asian spice notes on the long lively finish.
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9/13/2014 - forceberry wrote: 87 Points
Clear garnet to pomegranate red. Rich, expressive and perfumed nose with sweet floral aromas, fresh red berries, some more wild tones, a touch of fluoride gel and a whiff of sweet chocolate; with aeration the nose turns a little sweeter with aromas of cranberry jam. Quite full-bodied, concentrated and rich in mouth for a Pinot Noir, although the wine still retains that trademark acidity. Surprisingly complex and even a little atypical taste with flavors of ripe, dark cherry fruit, orange peel, unripe raspberry, some earth and a little black tea. Quite tannic structure, whereas the body is a bit flabby and heavy despite the acidity. Long and slightly sweet finish with aromas of tart cranberry, sweet butterscotch and bitter spice.
This is definitely an interesting Pinot Noir, although I definitely prefer ones exhibiting more elegance and less exuberance. Flavor-wise the wine is definitely interesting and intriguing (although having a bit too much oak still, even after being out of the barrel for some 6 years), but body-wise the wine is in my opinion too big and heavy for a Pinot Noir. I usually enjoy Pinot Noirs, but only when the fresh and elegant red fruit characteristics present themselves with an equally elegant body; this wine had quite ripe, yet still enjoyable PN characteristics, but the bigger body took away much enjoyment. A good - even an impressive - Cali Pinot, but not a great one.
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6/21/2014 - skinut Likes this wine: 91 Points
After drinking 2009 & 2010 Saintsbury Brown Ranch, then 2011 Failla, this 2007 is even weightier on the palate. Nose is more subtle but distinct. Overall a subtle palate of not muted but also not bright fruits. Strikes a beautiful balance along with an acidity level just perfect for food.
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4/7/2014 - floydtp wrote: 90 Points
Tasted non-blind at home. Drink over the course of 3 hours out of a decanter. Initially, it had a bright nose of cherries and raspberries but the nose turned darker after some air. Black cherries on the palate with some spice and black tea. Medium length finish that is fairly consistent with a bit of powdery/chalky texture at the very end. Medium acidity and mostly resolved tannins. Very little evidence of oak. Solid effort at this price point although I personally prefer more of a red fruit profile. Drink now and over the next 3-4 years.
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2/3/2014 - leadpencil wrote: 91 Points
Bing cherry, rose petal, Asian spice
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1/14/2014 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour - note after 45 minutes. Bright red fruit and pomegranate on the nose. Similar on the palate with a hint of an earthy almost terroir driven finish. Very well balanced.
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12/8/2013 - jfkwines wrote: 90 Points
Gone too fast. Really in a sweeet spot
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11/24/2013 - gzim wrote: 88 Points
Still very young... nice red berry profile with a bit of pine sap.
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11/16/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 89 Points
A pleasurable pinot with dinner after a short decant. No reason to wait to drink this wine. Certainly not earth shattering.
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11/14/2013 - xwine wrote:
Starts off with loads of intense raspberries on the nose, then develops smoke and spice notes, almost campfire. The palate first appears somewhat delicate in contrast to the nose, but then picks up weight (maybe too much), and ends up a bit too big and clunky -- maybe "awkward" is a better choice -- for my taste. I liked this better earlier this year.
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7/26/2013 - jwkagel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Color was light red heading towards brick. Aromas of cherry and a hint of anise. The flavors were well balanced and smooth. The light cherry was present throughout the taste with the flavors of oak lingering into the finish.
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7/22/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Nose: Nice tart and attractive tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, baking spices, some whole cluster, and herbs. There is nice depth with a coolness to the tones along with a tart quality as well.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity and nice silky tannins. There is some nice backbone to this along with tart tones of dark red cherries, raspberries, baking spices, and herbs.
Overall: There is nice intensity to the fruit that lets you know this is from California. This feels like it has further development, but if you give it air right now, it is extremely good.
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7/22/2013 - thomaskeil wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Cloudy garnet with slight brown tones. Red berries and some earth/green herb. Good balance. Fairly bright on palate, but flavors are a bit muddied. Could be a phase and waiting is possible as nothing seems to be fading, but don't sense that this has the 'guts' to get better than now, which is a quite nice CA pinot.
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6/13/2013 - 2loyal wrote: 90 Points
Deep red-to-black, pretty full-bodied, with some nice Earthiness to it. Still a bit stemy, this has seemed to continue to improve, but I doubt it will get much better. Enjoy.
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4/3/2013 - cbbrown3 wrote: 90 Points
The wine is a bright, ruby red color. The very open and appealing nose has cherries, baking spices, minerals, smoke, white pepper, underbrush, raspberries, wild flowers, and earth. This has medium body, fairly solid tannins, and very good acidity. The palate has tart cherries, juicy raspberries, loads of minerals, white pepper, and just enough earthiness to add a lot of appeal. The finish has decent length with nice spicy, earth driven fruit, but it would have been nice if it was a touch fuller and a little longer, but those are minor quibbles.
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3/30/2013 - gzim Likes this wine:
Popped and poured. Showed very nice, round easy to drink.
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2/26/2013 - xwine wrote:
Well this is really drinking well right now. Wonderful aromatics, with red fruit, earth and plenty of spice. The palate is rather tightly structured, almost stern, with nicely layered fruit underlying it all, finishing with a lip-smacking tartness which leaves me wanting more. Very nice.
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2/26/2013 - gzim wrote: 91 Points
Gaining in both berry weight and complexity since my last visit, very nicely. Very nice red berry core with a touch of spice and pine needles, Beautiful finish
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2/6/2013 - WST wrote: 90 Points
I thought this would be nearing peak, but it's still a baby. Mostly primary with red raspberry, sour cherry and black fruit. Earthy notes. Great floral aromas as it warms from cellar temperature. If I had more, I'd hold them.
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1/25/2013 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Very drinkable not overly fruity.
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12/26/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Great wine - especially for a second label. Ripe and rich (but not overdone) aromas and flavors of dark cherry, earth and spice. Leather and tobacco notes emerge after a couple of hours. Medium body with impeccable balance and a long finish. Continues to improve - more integration and depth over the past few bottles. Just seems like everything works in complete harmony. This can compete head-to-head with a lot of the "big boys". Wish I had more - a lot more.
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12/10/2012 - btock Likes this wine: 90 Points
First experience with this wine and was impressed. Firmly structured. Popped and poured but this could have used a splash decant because it got much more interesting as the night went on. The fruit is there at the core, but there's minerality and acid that give the wine grip. I liked the forest, evergreen whifs in the nose and the floral pinot elements that came through. I'm a fan of the "sonoma coast" types of Cali Pinots that have that intensity, so this was my kind of wine. Good now, think this will be better in 2-3 years.
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11/25/2012 - arniec wrote: 93 Points
Drinking really well. Lots of sour cherry flavors. Pairing really well with Thanksgiving leftovers. Wish I had more.
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11/18/2012 - vinosean wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well at this stage. Baking spices/flour on the nose and palate. Finishing with blueberry bottle cap candy and baking powder dryness on the finish.
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11/7/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 90 Points
14.1% ABV. Translucent garnet in the glass. Aromas of high pitched black cherry with a slight metallic quality. Medium bodied with tangy, somewhat savory. black cherry fruit. Drinking pretty well.
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8/30/2012 - gutt22 wrote:
14.1% alcohol. Drinking well now. Black cherry color. Pretty nose of black cherry, earth, and stems. In the mouth, slightly rustic, with a stemmy edge to the black cherry and earth notes. Strong acidity and a solid finish. B+
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8/19/2012 - rickspicks wrote:
Drank last night without notes, but I remember thinking it was really nice and drinking great right now. Red fruits with deep, rich flavors, a lush mouthfeel and a satisfying finish.
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8/13/2012 - swp3 wrote:
Will benefit from at least 2-3 years bottle age, probably more. Or vigorously decant. Great aromatics, depth and structure, but it's astringent and has some hard edges right now. Still, this has big potential, which you can tell will be realized. The 91-point scores aren't getting it. It's actually an unusually good bottle of Pinot and a great value.
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7/23/2012 - VinoDiver wrote: 91 Points
This is in a great place right now. For the most part I have not enjoyed the Alesia wines as much as the Rhys, but this one sure hits the mark. Deep red fruits, lush mouthfeel and wonderful nose. Finished lingered and was just as good on day 2. Great wine
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7/5/2012 - E wrote: 92 Points
This is hitting full stride...had with lobster and steamed clams from the highly recommended Trenton bridge lobster pound ...excellent
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6/21/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 90 Points
Another nice bottle. Cherry, cranberry, tobacco, and loam. Very smooth. Medium weight.
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6/14/2012 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Another terrific bottle. Big nose of cherry, earth and spice with a good dose of bramble. Medium body with great balance and a super-smooth mouthfeel. Intense, vibrant flavors with good depth and nice complexity. Long finish with just a hint of tartness. Clearly a California pinot with all the fruit, but not at all too ripe. Drinking great right now.
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5/20/2012 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 89 Points
Big, baked black cherry nose. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Ripe red and black cherry fruit, not baked as the nose suggests. Accented by a bit of clove and cinnamon. Nice but doesn't bear much resemblance to the Rhys estate wines.
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5/8/2012 - gbauer wrote:
On the nose, good red fruit, spice, some bramble (stems?). In the mouth, good acid and red fruit with iron/minerality to balance. Very nice.
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5/6/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 91 Points
14.1% ABV. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Less high-toned than I recall with a more earth and mineral driven nose over serious/structured smelling black cherry fruit. Medium bodied with slate and structured black cherry fruit on the palate. Enjoyed this, as an example of a different and distinct style of California Pinot.
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4/24/2012 - HenryW wrote: 87 Points
Nice fresh nose of rhubarb and black cherries. Palate is not as good and comes across as hard and burly.
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4/22/2012 - Tubulus wrote: 91 Points
Extremely strong nose, mostly fruit though, not so much spice. Taste is all fruit with a touch of green, but not enough to bother me. Not getting much forest floor or undergrowth or whatever other things one might encounter. Medium acidity. Very pleasurable - to me an ideal California pinot - lots of fruit, but zero sense of sweetness and enough structure to keep the palate fresh. Seems to be in a good place.b
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4/20/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 88 Points
Decanted about an hour. Bright ruby red color. Cherries, underbrush, raspberries, smoke, minerals, white pepper, and some wild flowers on the intoxicating nose. Medium body at best with persistent, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Intense red fruit and spice on the palate with a bit of stems coming out on the back end. Nice length on the finish which again shows some stems or herbal elements. I don't know if additional cellar time will help the stems/herbal notes integrate. Not bad right now, some additional cellar time may bring this up to the next level.
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4/12/2012 - galewskj wrote: 87 Points
This tasted the same on day 1 and 2. A medium-bodied new world pinot noir. There isn't anything remarkable about it.
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3/15/2012 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 88 Points
Blind Tasting '04-'07 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noirs (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Black cherry and cut apple on the nose. Medium bodied with medium acidity. Mix of tart and sweet blackberry and plum fruit, some black licorice. Not bad, but not the flavor profile I'm looking for from Pinot. (my 6th, group's 6th)
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2/21/2012 - B Paul wrote: 90 Points
Nice bottle; better on night two. Still has the stuffing to go for a few years.
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12/13/2011 - Rieslingfan wrote: 88 Points
Red fruit, a bit of spice and a long, fruity finish. Nice, uncomplicated drinking - a good thing for a Monday night.
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11/19/2011 - MCUBEB wrote: 87 Points
This bottle is a little off. Not corked but seems disjointed. Nose is great with notes of roses and red fruit but on the palate there is lots of up front fruit and notes of spices but this doesn't seem to meld together.
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11/6/2011 - gbauer wrote:
Typical red berry fruit on the nose. In the mouth good balance of fruit and acid -- with some earth and minerality. Very nice. Could improve with some time.
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10/31/2011 - SJ wrote: 90 Points
Floral and herbal nose with a high-toned, sage-like greenish note. Dark brambly fruits predominate on palate, with med + acidity and tannins. Good richness through the midpalate, oak is well managed. Get the same herbal green character on the palate which is kind of refreshing but wonder where that will go with more age.
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10/18/2011 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 89 Points
Purple, still, but moving to a little more to the 'red' spectrum. A nice drinker.
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10/3/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 91 Points
Another lovely bottle. Nice, nose of dark berry, cherry, earth, and spice. Intense, ripe, sweet flavors on the palate, with just a hint of green. The balance and mouthfeel of this wine were both really terrific and combined to create a super-smooth, almost creamy texture. Nice long, fruity finish. Nothing spectacular, but everything (except perhaps the hint of green) is very enjoyable. This was just a bit richer and sweeter than a prior bottle.
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9/6/2011 - twelch wrote: 90 Points
Opened and shared a glass then set aside for a few hours to get air as it needed it. Big bright fruit filled nose right off the bat but with a green finish to it. A few hours later the green seemed to fade a tad and drank a lot better. Still young with some full tannins for a cali Pinot. Not sure what to think of this; it's almost as if someone mixed a Cali frut forward Pinot and a well structure French Burg. The nose and initial attack on the palate was all California but finished with a green burgundy streak that yearns for years in bottle. Hmmm I liked it but want to try again in a few years; maybe these really do need a lot of time.
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8/21/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
Found a few of these while doing cellar inventory. Popped and poured. This showed really well; nicely balanced and packed with flavor. Glad to have a few more to see if it continues to improve with time in the cellar.
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8/16/2011 - Hex triplet #43302E wrote: 88 Points
Very pretty transparent color, leaning toward crimson. The nose hit clear strawberry and cherry. Red fruits and strawberry in the mouth. Bright and straightforward. Good balance. Still a bit tight, but pretty now.
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8/14/2011 - gzim wrote:
its pop a pinot Sunday.The cork broke, nothing wrong with it, just the rabbit didn't grab onn enough an pulled thru, so I had to use a coffee filter.... smells great, nice fruit licked off my fingers.
Still not ready for prime time, but showing very nice fruit, just a bit thin on the finish.
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8/13/2011 - mdaniel wrote: 91 Points
Ventured & double decanted 2 hrs prior. No detailed note, but quite structured and balanced.
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8/7/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Leslie visits Cleveland - Part 2: Drinking well if still primary. Cherries. Great acidity. Not super complex but I like it.
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8/1/2011 - VinoDiver wrote: 88 Points
A nice wine that drank well over a couple of days. Aromas and flavors were consistant with Pinot. Wine had a short finish and was rather simple as compaired to others in this price range, but still a very good pinot just not outstanding.
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7/16/2011 - curtispomeroy wrote: 88 Points
This bottle was a step behind the previous one we drank. Fruit was more muted and, in general, nothing really stood out. Become even more one-dimensional on day two.
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6/27/2011 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Intense, focused flavors of cherry, plum, earth and spice. Perfect balance with a light-to-medium, super-smooth, silky mouthfeel. Good, firm grip and a long fruity, slightly drying finish. This is a really lovely, elegant, slightly feminine, very classy wine. Not a lot of complexity, and there is nothing especially powerful, rich or concentrated, but everything is in perfect, delicious harmony.
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6/2/2011 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rhys Alesia '04-'07 Blind Tasting (Tom's House, Palo Alto, CA): Sweet red cherry nose. Light to medium body with dark cherry fruit but nice lifting, medium+ acidity. Not complex but delicious. (my 3rd, group's 4th)
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5/11/2011 - Brady D Does not like this wine:
Disappointing. Brought to a Pinot tasting. Sadly this was disjointed and not showing well. Some thought VA, others thought sulfur, I just thought mediocre. Hold and pray.
PS - this is no way impacts my opinion of Rhys' estate wines. Different animals entirely.
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4/11/2011 - BillB656 Does not like this wine:
This is totally one dimensional. Fruitiness, bits of earth, simple really. Maybe it's shut down as I really enjoyed the last bottle I had.
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4/2/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine:
14.1% ABV. Translucent black garnet in the glass. Aromas of high toned red fruit with nuances of loamy earth, black cherry, and a metallic mineral quality. Medium bodied with tangy black cherry fruit on the palate. Pretty good.
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3/25/2011 - AWei wrote: 88 Points
Muted fruit, needs more time I think.
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3/20/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Popped and poured beside an '03 Chevillon NSG. No notes taken. Showed pretty well, but I believe everyone preferred the Chevillon which showed a bit more complexity on both the nose and palate.
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3/13/2011 - etherscreen wrote:
no formal note, but drinking nicely right now. the stems have integrated pretty nicely. a fine qpr.
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3/12/2011 - reese wrote: 83 Points
Very lean with wood tannins prominent on the finish. I don't think the fruit will outlive the tannins on this wine.
Day 2 - well, I may have blown the initial call on this one. There's a nice dark fruit aroma that is appealing. The tannins have subsided, the fruit altho very elegant is nicely in balance now. Day 2 score - 85.
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3/10/2011 - jbaron wrote: 88 Points
Muddled. Somewhat tasty, but muddled, without (IMO) enough fruit to survive the structure. I would have liked for this entry level wine to have had less structure to go along with the level of fruit, but instead, it seems to be a jumbling of the worst of the barrels and all of the structure that comes with that somewhat random selection, as if all of the barrels were given the same treatment, and THEN selected out...
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3/10/2011 - curtispomeroy wrote: 90 Points
Delicious cherry fruit. Nicely balanced.
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3/1/2011 - John wrote: 80 Points
tight and tannic. needs more time
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2/25/2011 - arniec wrote: 92 Points
Nice fruit. No tannis. Very drinkable
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2/14/2011 - MCUBEB wrote: 92 Points
Nose of rosses and red fruit. Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, with notes of spices and vanilla on the palate. Silky texture which finishes with some red fruit and savory notes of soy and mushrooms with some stemmy character to it.
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1/9/2011 - pkbackman wrote: 88 Points
Muted fruit. Muted everything. Very good just not great. Rhys wines are just not my style apparently.
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1/7/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very restrained, smooth, and savory in taste. Not much aroma, probably just needs more time than I have patience.
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12/25/2010 - gblacave wrote: 90 Points
Pop and Pour. Great to see where this has gone in the last year. Enticing nose of red sour berries, with touches of darker berries, evergreen, underbrush and a nice dried floral component. Very nicely balanced and drank well the whole night, getting a little more open toward the end of the bottle. A great lifting acidity at the end put this into the outstanding braket. Delicious example for a basic bottling and, IMO, why Rhys is regarded so highly.
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12/25/2010 - HenryW wrote: 88 Points
Bright cherry fruit on the nose and palate. The acidity pokes out a bit.
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12/25/2010 - mdaniel wrote: 90 Points
Double decanted: this wine is all about spices and complexity with nice acidity. Nice intro to the wines by Kevin Harvey.
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12/20/2010 - sdatl wrote: 91 Points
A bright red Pinot with crisp acidity, a spicy backbone, and, with a little time, tons of rich red cherry fruit and baking spice; fine to open now with some air time in the glass, but I am sure it can rest a while longer and be ready right after uncorking
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12/19/2010 - olm2000 wrote:
solid raw material but needs time to soften up...give it plenty of air if you open one now...lots of complexity lurking under the tannin I think
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12/9/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
Spice, depth and richness. The best this wine has yet shown.
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12/5/2010 - jc-mmb wrote: 89 Points
better than the previous bottle but still can't put it at 90 or above. nice bright color. nose is full of bright red fruits, spritz and a little spice touch. palate is still lighter than i like my pinots but sits very well. lovely fresh vibrant fruits, spritz and a fresh earthy quality. finish is little thin and mostly fruit. tasty but not top tier.
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11/20/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
14.1% alcohol. Medium ruby. Expressive red fruit and spice aromas. Strawberries, cherries, rasberries, rubarb and distinctive spice flavors. Extremely well balanced, excellent mouthfeel. Lingering aftertastet. A very appealing wine from the team at Rhys!
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11/19/2010 - gzim wrote:
I am still filled with alittle of the young boy excitement from receiving the recent delivery of my 2008 Rhys purchase. Wanting to open s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g, I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so next best thing, I popped a 2007 Sonoma. As I don't think any of my Rhys (except the 2004 Alesia's) are ready, I mostly drink the 2006 San Mateo to keep me away from my stash) Knowing that this was probably nowhere near prime-time, I gave it a 3 hour decant - outdoors in the cool autumn Sag Harbor air. Swirling the small bottom decanter had me re-reading the label to make sure I didn't grab a syrah ... it was all that (kept finding that intriguing burnt rubber funk note).
The wine is pretty tight knit right now, in its cocoon of sorts, melting into the open winged beauty it surely will become. There is a earthen minerality, but wrapped around a blue/ purple fruited structured core, and lots of herbs, a tad on the astringent side. Its almost a little bit angular right now. The finish isn't firing right now for me, but I have the utmost faith it will become very nice. I put the last third of the decanter back in the bottle and will see where it goes tomorrow - as that was part of my curiosity and interest. Where these wines are going..... I keep having great experiences with day 2's on the San Mateo - it's a lovely wine. I would buy 5 more cases if I could.
NOTE TO SELF - From my experience tonight, I would try to wait 3 more years before opening another -
I just don't have enough of the San Mateo to hold me that long!
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10/26/2010 - JavaMonkey wrote: 90 Points
This is opening up nicely now. It's a medium garnet color. The nose has red cherries, sweet tobacco, rhubarb, and loam. The tannins are firm but starting to smooth out. Very nice, bright fruit, some interesting depth. Nicely balanced, the acidity brightens the palate and the tannins hold everything up. Excellent now, but I think it will continue to improve. Long, engaging finish.
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10/25/2010 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Floral with all red fruit with a firm, herbal middle that will require a few years to soften and harmonize better, but 89+ point potential, 2014-2022.
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10/15/2010 - Lessthanzero wrote: 90 Points
Certainly a a very interesting, complex, but young wine. Sour cherry, red berries and green pepper on the nose. Lots of structure. If I'm able to wait that long, I'd like yto wait not one but two years till I try this again, to soften out the tannins,
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10/12/2010 - Brsed wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully expressive nose of red fruits and minerals. Sour cherry taste with a bit of earth and tea. Once again, very refined, crisp and focused on the palate. Great balance with a good amount of acidity. No flabby pinot here. I think the included stems and the tea element add to the long finish.
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10/2/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
14.1% alcohol. Popped about 1 hour prior to tasting. Medium ruby red. Aromas (mainly red fruit) jump from the glass. Rasberries, cherries and other red fruit goodness combined with an agreeable dose of spice. Well balanced and excellent fruit concentration. Lingering aftertaste.
Very tasty effort Mr. Brinkman!
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9/22/2010 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking beautifully right now with about an hour of air. I liked this much better than I did about six months ago, when I found it nice but a tad atypical. Now it's silky smooth pinot fruit. Medium-bodied with nice intensity.
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9/10/2010 - N2Vin wrote: 92 Points
Tart cherry and toasty oak on the nose with strawberry, sour cherry along with a bit of wet forest floor on the palate. Hiints of sweetness and soft tanin finish off a nice wine.
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9/1/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
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8/30/2010 - Franklin wrote: 91 Points
Wow. This was really nice. Popped and poured. The SC has historically been my least favorite Alesia but this was great. Very balanced and pure with some complexity, but favored for it's enjoyment factor tonight.
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8/20/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
What a difference a year (or slightly less) makes - since my last bottle, this wine has improved dramatically and is starting to come into its own. Dark in color (more purple than ruby), the first sniff of this wine gives rich, aromatic reddish purple fruits with hints of acidity that tickle the nose. The oak and stems that felt disjointed last time have started to meld, giving this an appealing smoky sense on the nose. The palate brings forth a fairly creamy and dense mouthfeel of sweet fruits, leading to a finish that's a shade on the herbal bitter side, but in a way that is not really a flaw but a stylistic choice, that will moderate over time. Give this time because of the structure that still needs to resolve, but this is getting closer to its window. Very enjoyable - interesting to compare to the Rivers-Marie Sonoma Coast pinot - this is a little less sweet and oaky but feels a bit more serious; at $35 however, this may be less of a great value than the R-M or a Copain Tous Ensemble pinot. I look forward to comparing this to the 08, the last vintage of this bottling; however this is a perfect example of the payoff that comes with letting the Rhys wines age for a bit.
Additional notes: cork was a bit rubbery soft, crumbling upon opening. Tangy acidity and some cinnamon spice on palate as well.
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8/6/2010 - xwine wrote:
Nose of wild cherries, spice (nutmeg?), stems, minerals, and at one point a bit of root beer. Palate shows earth and minerals, strong backbone, taut. Goes through many changes in the glass; an alluring and complex pinot, certainly on a par with a very good villages-level burgundy.
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7/15/2010 - Rayburn wrote: 91 Points
Great expression of Sonoma Coast. Wonderful red fruit with a moderate tannin and medium finish.
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7/12/2010 - riccodog13 wrote: 90 Points
Still very young. Reluctantly showing black cherry and strawberry along with spice and floral notes on the nose. Slightly brooding flavors of mineral and stems to contrast the fruit. Very good now, but should really come together with some age. Drink now-2015. 90+ pts.
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7/2/2010 - gzim wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. complex, lovely aromas with lots going on. On the palate, cool berries, with some stony minerals and herbs.
Very fine tannins, but not fully integrated, this wine is really not ready for prime time, I believe it will improve a lot in the next 3 years. No heat, no blousy cola, just great balanced ripe fruit, with a touch of whole cluster and barrel taste. Really nice!
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6/13/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 91 Points
14.1% alcohol. Medium ruby red. Expressive red fruit aromas. Complex and focused flavors, good fruit concentration, lingering aftertaste. I'm assuming this was whole cluster - lots of spicy, herbal interest. Really enjoyable.
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6/5/2010 - keelegl wrote: 91 Points
Really expressive nose with crushed berries, spice, herbs and earth. Nice fruit and balance on the palate leading to a long and easy finish. Not overdone like I find most CA pinot to be. Very nice.
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5/18/2010 - JavaMonkey wrote: 88 Points
Medium-dark ruby-purple color. Initially very tight, the nose had some dark fruit and spice. The palate was also dominated by dark fruit, spice, and a very firm structure. After about an hour of air, it opened up with some cola and cherry on the nose and palate. Nice balance, very like-able. Moderate, enjoyable finish.
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4/18/2010 - aussie05 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Primary dark fruit/earth aromas, smoke, sweet entry, tannins grip on the finish. Will never be overly complex, however time will add more diminsions. What it does offer, it is packaged nicely, compact juice. My last bottle will sit for 3 years+. 89+ Waiting for the Rhys bottlings to rest is painful.
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3/12/2010 - danstrings wrote: 89 Points
Fish adn Farm JLo -- Nice spicy domestic pinot, a tad syrupy tonite but nice.
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2/25/2010 - BillB656 wrote:
Both papa Rhys and this "2nd label" seem to get a fair amount of hipster attention for being a diamond in the California cherry-cola infused rough. This is my first tasting of either label. It does show some nice notes of wet autumn leaves and has plenty of rich, sweet fruit. It has a bit of disjointedness and heat at first but with time the midpalate becomes sensuously silky and the whole package is more harmonious. This has a definite Cali meets Euro feel. Very young, needs time, glad I have more.
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2/16/2010 - mye wrote:
typical Rhys, typical delicious.
similar as prior note.
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2/6/2010 - rc@ughey wrote: 89 Points
The BH tasting note on this one is spot on. This wine has a vegetal quality on the nose and palate--the essence of beetroot--that makes this savory and distinctive. This is not a green pepper 04 Red Burg characteristic, but rather an earthy, savory, and slightly bitter profile. I've found similar qualities in certain bottles of Gevrey Chambertin. Framing the beetroot is nice acidity and subtle minerality. This is relatively deep and warm--a nice winter wine. This is very distinctive and not necessarily for everyone, but it's delicious pinot. It doesn't have the focus, intensity, and complexity of Rhys/Alesia's higher-end wines, but it's nice nonetheless. I don't have a strong sense of how this one will age.
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1/25/2010 - jc-mmb wrote: 86 Points
lighter than expected. sweettart like fruit on nose and palate. light on palate but nice feel overall. certainly short on the finish. maybe this will open as time marches on. hope so.
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1/23/2010 - danstrings wrote: 90 Points
Karen's pinot tasting. A real crowd pleaser, with some nice funk on the nose. On the palate more sweet and round, in a good way, with enough bracing acidity and balance to make it a pretty nice package.
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1/15/2010 - John wrote: 80 Points
while it was an ok, kinda solid wine, it was the worst Ryhs yet. couldn't hold its own against the bolge 07 sonoma, which is $12. hope its in a closed phase. nothing going on.
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1/13/2010 - gblacave wrote: 86 Points
Very tight upon opening, but some nice dark berries, evergreen needles and underbrush emerge on the nose. I enjoyed the palate, despite it being obviously closed at the moment. Similar to the nose in flavor, but less pronounced, and showing nice balance. This may develop nicely, but I would advise against opening one for awhile. 86 today, potential for improvement.
Day 2 - Sad to see where this has gone. Syrupy with quite a bit of sweetness in the mouth now, lots of jammy fruits and it has gone a bit flabby. I hope this isn't where the wine is headed over time.
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1/10/2010 - pakabear wrote: 87 Points
Popped and Poured. Generic new world pinot nose, with a bit of pine in it. Bright sweet fruit on the attack with a streak of green, somewhat lighter style.
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1/4/2010 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Better than the last, not as obviously sweet. Maybe I adjusted. There's good typicity, complexity and length. I enjoyed it very much,
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12/30/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 90 Points
14.1% ABV. Dark translucent black garnet. On the nose, high toned Pinot fruit with an aluminum black cherry quality. Loamy earth. Medium bodied with tangy sweet black cherry fruit. Pretty good. I found this more enjoyable than an '06 San Mateo tasted recently which seemed to have a dearth of fruit.
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12/26/2009 - alanr wrote: 89 Points
Quite dark in color, a preview of the dark berry flavors this wines shows off. Some definite notes of whole cluster on the nose. Quite flavorful, though the fruit is on the reserved side, with hints of toast, quite structured with good doses of fine tannins and acidity through the medium finish, which again seems to show some of what I perceive as a significant whole cluster component. Nice wine, though a bit brawny at the moment, in need of a couple years to smooth the rough edges. I like the overall balance, and more reserved flavor profile, but the darker profile and green elements are maybe a little too dominant today.
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12/22/2009 - jakuda wrote:
Opened at ~57degF. Gently aerated. Initially: Tight aromas of dusty red fruits. Gentle acidity and powdery light dusty tannins in the mouth. Silky and light weight in the mouth but with medium intensity spicy fruit flavors. Juicy, long finish with a touch of pepper.
After extra time in the glass, some light floral aromas emerge with some herbs. Still quite tightly knit.
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12/16/2009 - sehill wrote: 92 Points
This showed about the same as a previous bottle.
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12/13/2009 - danstrings wrote: 89 Points
A nice, relatively balanced, interesting domestic Pinot. A sweeter more flamboyant style, but pretty darn good, crowd pleaser.
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12/4/2009 - jwwinec wrote:
Disjointed on day 1 (even after an hour of air), much better on day 2.
The fruit is a bit ripe for my taste, and I get a trace of heat on the finish. Otherwise, this is graceful, subtle, and shows pretty good depth and tannic structure. I like this very much.
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12/3/2009 - mebydef wrote: 91 Points
This was good in a kinda cola like way. It’s got some sweetness thing going on that I hadn’t expected. Maybe that put me off a little bit. There’s typicity, but the unexpected sweetness tripped me up a bit.
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12/2/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 88 Points
This is coming off quite herbal on both nose and palate; cool climate in profile, but palate still shows some cherry cough syrup character, together with some stemmy greenness and more than a bit of oak which does not feel integrated yet. Perhaps in time this will come together, but right now, this bottle underscores to me what a bargain the 06 San Mateo was. 87-88
Update: on subsequent days, the stalkiness lessened and this came together a bit; showing more cola characteristic now; a bit more enjoyable, upgrading to 88-89
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11/28/2009 - hkfoebee wrote:
feminine sour cherry palate with firm backbone. weel made. sorry it's the last bottle...
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11/21/2009 - Jody Smith wrote: 91 Points
Tight with reductive funk on open. Airs out nicely to reveal crisp red fruit, citrus, and floral notes. Good concentration and a steely persistence in a restrained, yet flavorful style. The finish lengthens the longer its open, but maintains deft energy through the bottom of the bottle. Very precise.
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11/21/2009 - mye wrote: 90 Points
Day 1: Pop and pour. light purple. initially some funk that's unusal on a pinot. reminded me of a syrah :) after 45 mins that blew off and some nice red fruit, earthiness, florals came out. Definitely young and acidic.
Day 2: vacum seal, fridged. day 2 at room temp. classic beautiful pinot with cherry, raspberry. Silk palate. awesome. about 1/3 left
Day 3: again vacuum seal, fridge. day 3 at room temp. that funk has for some reason returned. dominated the nose with earth mixed in. Interesting. Not bad still.
All in all good wine for the money..
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11/19/2009 - etherscreen wrote:
my wife opened this without asking whether or not it would likely be good and see what happens? this is very stemmy, hardly any fruit, and a touch of etoh. if you're looking for a lesson on what stems contribute to a finished wine and willing to invest the cost of the bottle to learn, then knock yourself out. if not, then these deserve a min of 1-2 years before revisiting. i am a huge fan boy of rhys and alesia and i have no question in my mind these won't exceed the quality of the '04 and '06s. while those wines drank much better young ('06 > '04), these will require a bit of patience. my broken case will rest for some time. on another note, the san mateao and '06 sonoma coast are worth checking out at this point in time.
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10/30/2009 - pgordon62 wrote: 86 Points
Aromas of raspberry, cola, stemmy green olive and a strong gritty, loamy earth note. There is a nice weighting and silky texture. Unfortunately the finish is dominated by dirty, drying tannins. Too many stems for the fruit at this stage. Not sure how this will age. My experience with other heavy whole cluster Pinot (B-C, Calera, Cristom) has not been positive.
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10/29/2009 - HenryW wrote: 90 Points
Nose has subtle complex notes of smoke, spices, cherries and rasperries. However, those notes are somewhat overshadowed by a green stemmy element. This will be an even better wine once that element becomes better integrated. Palate is well balanced with refreshing acidity and a fine-grained earthiness.
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10/10/2009 - sehill wrote: 92 Points
This wine was opened and poured. It showed well from beginning to end. The wine develops nicely in the glass gaining weight, complexity and texture with airing. The bouquet begins with reserved aromatics of spice, cherry and earth notes that become expressive, complex and nuanced after about 45 minutes. The medium bodied palate shows balance and depth with tannins present on the finish. This drinks well now but does begin with a more reserved personality. This should improve with two to three years of bottle age.
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7/15/2009 - WetRock wrote:
Fairly tight early on showing some grape skin type notes on the nose very similar to the 07 Rivers Marie Sonoma Coast. Juicy palate that is straight Pinot in flavor but not distinctive. Day 2 sees the palate pick up weight and some spice aromas come out. The fruit is more expressive all around but still not hugely complex. Well balanced.
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6/27/2009 - yhn wrote: 93 Points
Nose - bursting with purple fruit and bay, smoky, roasted plum, exotic wood spice, white flowers.
Intense roasted plum, smoky, with a good mineral structure, nice herbal stemminess. Drink '13-'23.
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3/28/2009 - WetRock wrote:
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Middle Eastern Foods: Decanted about 2 hours prior to consumption. Rich nose showing notes of soil. Lots of fruit here and almost big but not showing sweetness. Expressive with a strong grip. Of the three 07 Alesia's this was the most 'ready' to me and the most forward though it will also live for a while in bottle.
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3/28/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Persian Food Meets Pinot and Chard (The Murray Casa): Stalky note on the nose and a deeply fruited wine with blue and black flavors but lacking the overt or syrupy sweetness. A stony and soily/loam finish. Listed @ 14.1%.
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3/20/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
Young, as with all these wines in bottle. Stemmy on the nose, with red fruit and earth. In the mouth, sharp and linear, with slightly green notes from the stems. About 60% whole cluster here. Beautifully structured and pure. Needs significant time. B+
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