Winemaker Notes
To make this Santa Cruz Pinot Noir in 2017, Rhys Vineyards used portions of their newest vineyard, the densely spaced Mt. Pajaro, as well as barrels from Alpine and Horseshoe vineyards. They feel this terrific, mountain grown Pinot Noir is ideal for drinking while customers wait for their Rhys vineyard designates to mature.
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming all from the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2017 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Alesia is similarly colored yet offers a more complex, mineral-laced style. Notes of black raspberries, sassafras, forest floor, and ample spice nuances give way to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully polished, layered Pinot Noir that's already drinking beautifully, yet will cruise for 7-8 years in cool cellars if you're so inclined.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep ruby, the 2017 Alesia Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains has a spicy nose of pipe tobacco, Earl Grey tea leaves and dried rose petals with dried herbs, woodsmoke, prosciutto and licorice over warm cranberries and blackberries. Light to medium-bodied, it has a good core of earthy fruit with a very soft frame and juicy acidity, finishing long and spicy.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.