2012 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Alder Springs
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A delicious effort, the 2012 Alesia Pinot Noir Alder Springs Vineyard gives up lots of black fruits, peppery herbs, licorice and hints of crushed rock to go with a medium-bodied, nicely textured, classical feel on the palate. There's crunchy acidity and notable tannin here, and this rock-solid effort will hit its peak in a few years, and evolve nicely through 2022.
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Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A gorgeous, supple wine, the 2012 Pinot Noir Alder Springs is beautifully supple and expressive in the glass. Sweet dark cherries, spices, leather and menthol flesh out in an open, resonant Pinot to drink over the next few years. This is total class.
(made from fruit picked at between 20 and 22 degrees Brix): Ruby-red. Aromas of cherry-cola, sassafras and Asian spices, with a hint of mocha in the background. Fleshy but lively and precise, offering intense dark berry and floral pastille flavors and a touch of licorice. Closes on a boysenberry note, with supple tannins making a late appearance. Kevin Harvey told me that this vineyard's fruit "reached maturity at ridiculously low sugar levels."