Winemaker Notes
The Cuvee Alyce is a blend of the top barrels for the vintage. It varies from vintage to vintage but generally comes from a heavy clay portion of the vineyard that is planted to clone 777.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Pinot Noir Cuvee Alyce pours a deep ruby color and is layered with aromas of leather, baked cherries, truffle, and crushed flowers. The palate is rounded, with a medium-bodied frame, a silky texture, ripe tannins, and an elegant, ripe finish. It has a more supple and pliant feel and is approachable now or over the coming 10 years.
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Vinous
Hansel’s 2023 Pinot Noir Cuvée Alyce offers terrific density and power, but it is also tightly wound at this stage. Readers should be in no rush. Time in the glass reveals a Pinot endowed with notable textural presence and fine balance. Cuvée Alyce is a blend from sections on the North and South Slopes planted on clay, where wines tend to naturally offer a good bit of breadth. This is impeccably done in an overt style that captures the essence of the Russian River Valley.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.