Rhys Vineyards Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019
The estate
California’s quest to become a world-class wine producer began quietly in the 1950s. For most of the following half-century, the focus was on proven terroirs, while winemakers learned to craft wines capable of appealing to both consumers and critics. Few producers had the time, resources, or desire to explore the state in search of its finest terroirs, and even fewer to determine which grape varieties would be best suited to them.
But with the new millennium, California entered a new phase, carrying the promise that by the end of the century, we would have matched regions such as Burgundy, the Rhône, and Piedmont, both in the grandeur of our vineyards and in the wisdom of our winemaking expertise.
Yet today, among the thousand or more wineries spread across California, perhaps only one comes close to the greatest European estates in the breadth and quality of its terroirs, as well as in its choice of grape varieties and winemaking philosophy. That estate is Rhys, and the man behind it is Kevin Harvey.
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Format: 75 cl |
Country: USA |
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| Region: Santa Cruz Mountains, California |
Farming: conventional agriculture |
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| Grape variety: Pinot noir |
Tasting: a moderately dark red-purple color in the glass. Charming aromas of dark red fruit, rose petals, and stem emerge from the glass; they become more expressive the following day, from a bottle that was opened and then recorked. The light- to medium-bodied red and purple fruit profile, enhanced by spicy and herbal notes, is highly approachable. Lively, fresh, and charming, with restrained tannins and bright acidity in the background. |