Rhys Vineyards, Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2013

It was Jeremy Seysses of Burgundy’s Domaine Dujac who alerted me to the amazing things that Kevin Harvey and his team at Rhys are doing, and that seems appropriate as the wines certainly seem to nod to Dujac’s style. The 2013 Alpine Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of the most compelling young wines I’ve tasted from Rhys. Its youthful and savoury bouquet of crisp red and black cherry, fresh herbs, cinnamon and rich forest floor is followed on the palate by a wine of impressive vibrancy and depth. Rhys wines are built for the cellar, and the handful of older bottles I’ve encountered suggests that patience really is rewarded.