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Rhys, “Alpine Vineyard” Pinot Noir

California, United States 2014 (750mL)
$120.00
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Rhys, “Alpine Vineyard” Pinot Noir

The Santa Cruz Mountains stretch along the coastline between Highway 101 and the Monterey Bay, from just south of San Francisco down to the town of Santa Cruz. This area has long been responsible for some of the greatest wines to ever come from California. 
Tell someone who knows historic California that you’re opening some back-vintage Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir from David Bruce, Martin Ray, or Mount Eden tonight and I guarantee you just made a new best friend who will fly in last-minute from across the country. This wild, untamed patch of forest, with all its nooks and crannies, is home to some of the greatest—and most beautiful—vineyard land in the entire country. There are two modern-day “kings of the mountain” sitting in the dramatic peaks, valleys, and switchbacks that define this region: Ridge Vineyards, with their Monte Bello Estate (arguably the finest Bordeaux lookalike to ever come from the Western Hemisphere), and Rhys’ Alpine Vineyard, source of today’s “I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-Burgundy” Pinot Noir. For anyone who collects wine, this bottle was no doubt instantly recognizable; for those who’d like to join the club of elite Pinot Noir drinkers, this would be a great place to start!
Rhys Vineyards was founded by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, well-versed in Burgundy and the means to develop the estate vineyards and winery. The vineyards and cellar are immaculate, farmed both organically and biodynamically. In the cellar, the wines see mostly whole-cluster, native yeast fermentations and are easy on the oak profiles, allowing the terroir of the vineyards to shine.

The Alpine Vineyard is particularly steep. The soils are thin, well-drained, variably chalky and rocky. For a small site, the elevation varies dramatically, rising up to 1500’. It’s a south-facing site just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, shrouded in fog trapped in the deep, narrow valleys.

This 2014 shows just what a combination of knowledge, dedication, and a spare-no-expense approach to winegrowing can achieve. In a word: brilliance. Layers upon layers of rich black-and-blue fruit, Maraschino, Curaçao, and espresso bean, all buoyed upon a seamless mineral core. Fleeting notes of a savory character hint at its stem inclusion, lifting the forest floor and charred walnut shell aromas. The closest I can come to comparison is a theoretical cross between a Richebourg and Bonnes-Mares: dense with a svelte power, full of seductive charm, showing a youthful irresistibility while promising so, so much more down the line. In Burgundy, that’ll set you back a full paycheck for sure.

So why haven’t you seen more wines from this region? Only 1,300 acres (out of the region’s 480,000) are planted to vineyards, divided across a wide assortment of microclimates and exposures. Should you ever decide to explore this terrain (highly recommended), do NOT bring friends who get carsick—it won’t be a good time for either of you. As for Rhys, the winery’s waitlist has been full for years with those in the know (who take 100% of their allocation and beg for a few more precious cellar trophies). I’m not going to say this is your only shot at some, but…it’s probably a good idea to get while the getting’s good. If enjoying a bottle now, I’d suggest decanting it about an hour before service in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees; otherwise, feel confident that you can lay this wine down in your cellar for extended aging. The attached duck breast recipe incorporates a tangy bigarade sauce that should complement this bright, high-energy Pinot perfectly. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesSanta Cruz Mountains
Soil
Sedimentary Shale over Limestone
Farming
Organic & Biodynamic
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
French Oak Barriques
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
One Hour
Pairing
Duck 'Bigarade'

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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