We are pleased to offer the second set of Alesia wines from the heralded 2019 vintage, the Anderson Valley Chardonnay and Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir. The customer feedback on the previous 2019 Alesia release has been tremendous, and we expect these two wines to generate similar excitement. They are classic Alesia wines that drink well right away and will continue to improve with age. Given that we craft the Alesia wines from the same estate vineyards as the Rhys vineyard designated wines, they share the same purity, complexity and elegance. To make this more apparent we have brought our Alesia wines under the Rhys label starting with 2019 vintage.

2019 Alesia Anderson Valley Chardonnay

Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media (July 2021) The 2019 Chardonnay Alesia (Anderson Valley) is another gorgeous wine in this range. Lemon confit, white flowers and marzipan flesh out the mid-palate nicely. Light tropical notes add exotic flair, but without dominating the balance, while bright saline accents perk up the finish. 92.

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (September 2020) Bright white peach, tart pineapple, white flowers, and a kiss of honeyed minerality all emerge from the 2019 Chardonnay Anderson Valley Alesia, and this pure, medium-bodied, classy Chardonnay has bright acidity, medium body, plenty of mid-palate richness and depth, and the class to keep for 4-6 years. 91.

John Gilman, ViewFromtheCellar.com (May/June 2021, #93) The 2019 Alesia Anderson Valley bottling of chardonnay from Rhys Vineyards is beautifully floral out of the blocks this year, offering up a bright and very refined bouquet of apple, pear, fresh almond, acacia blossom, a hint of crème patissière, a lovely base of soil tones and a deft framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, zesty and focused, with an excellent core of fruit, lovely soil signature and a long, complex and balanced finish. This is a touch riper than the Santa Cruz Mountains bottling of Alesia this year, tipping the scales at an even thirteen percent alcohol and it is already wearing its heart on its sleeve, though it has the structure to also age beautifully. This may well be my favorite vintage yet of the Alesia Anderson Valley chardonnay! 2021-2035+. 92.

2019 Alesia Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noir

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (September 2020) The 2019 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Alesia, which comes all from the Santa Cruz Mountains, is well worth checking out for readers looking to understand the style of this estate. Spiced red and black fruits, savory herbs, and loamy earth are just some of the nuances in this charming, medium-bodied, balanced Pinot Noir. The tannins aren’t quite as polished or integrated as in the single vineyard, but it’s beautifully balanced and certainly has classic Rhys character. It should drink well for 5-6 years or more. 92.

John Gilman, ViewFromtheCellar.com (May/June 2021, #93) Similarly, the 2019 Santa Cruz Mountains pinot noir from Alesia has set the bar higher for subsequent vintages of this label than has ever been set before. The wine comes in at 13.2 percent octane and offers up a cool, soil-driven and very classy bouquet of sweet dark berries, cassis, raw cocoa, a beautiful array of spice tones (that hint at fresh nutmeg, cardamom and allspice), a marvelous base of stony soil, woodsmoke and a touch of cedar. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a very elegant profile, a lovely core of black fruit, excellent transparency and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, poised and beautifully balanced finish. This is great juice! 2028-2060. 93+.