Pinot Noir 'Alpine Hillside Vyd', Rhys Vineyards

Score

98

"Like its Horseshoe Hillside counterpart, the 2019 Pinot Noir Alpine Hillside Vineyard is spectacular throughout and redefines what is possible with this grape variety in California. The nose amplifies the intensity of the Alpine bottlings' aromatic complexity, spotlighting minty, herbal and citrus-rind aromas, offering an almost cooling quality to the dark fruits and dried spices layered beneath. The palate is supple, enveloping and supremely elegant, maintaining impressive levity and energy despite its expansive frame. The finish is simultaneously impactful yet restrained, with its substantial tannin structure receding before returning, swelling and gaining continuous power and length. This is a magnificent wine that should be present in any serious collection of Pinot Noir."

Score

96+

"Another parcel selection from an estate vineyard, the 2019 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard Hillside reveals a medium ruby color to go with complex notes of ripe red and black fruits, dried herbs, earth, leather, and baking spices. Rich, medium-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and balanced, it has some bloody, gamey, exotic characteristics as well as enough tannins to warrant 2-4 years of bottle age. While it doesn,t match the magical 2018, it's a seriously brilliant 2019 that's well worth seeking out and cellaring."

Score

96

"The 2019 Pinot Noir Alpine Hillside is completely shut down today. Beams of tannin totally wrap around the fruit today. Readers should plan on being very patient here. This is an especially austere wine. Although this is a barrel selection, many of the barrels for Alpine Hillside emerge from parcels in the middle of the hill, where the terrain is the steepest."