2004 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard- USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (10/10/2010)
14.4% alcohol. Opened two hours before drinking but not decanted. Dark black cherry color, perhaps showing the faintest signs of bricking now. Aromatic nose of black cherry, blackberry, spice, and plenty of earth. In the mouth, balanced and delightfully velvety. The fruit is still quite forward but has receded a touch in favor of earthy notes. Smooth and lingering through, with no rough edges. A-
I am down to a single bottle remaining of each of the 4 Alesia pinots from 2004, a very difficult vintage for producers who strive for a refined low-octane style. I’ve noticed that my TN’s are less glowing, less favorable, as time marches on for these 2004 pinots. Generally, the same is true of just about all '04 pinots from California that I have tasted. With the exception of several Santa Cruz Mountains wines (Rhys and Mount Eden), there just is not a lot of love I can conjour up for the '04s, as they seem a bit heavy and dull compared to other vintages. Recent '04 wines from Arcadian and Rivers-Marie were even less fun IMO. The vintage from Hell.
I hear you on that, Lew. A lot of 2004s haven’t developed very nicely. It was definitely a vintage to drink early. There are a few exceptions, as you’ve noted. The Swan Estate, Siduri Hirsch, and some of the Williams Selyem wines spring to mind as some I’ve had recently that have aged well from 2004.
Tom,
Thanks for the note on this. As opposed to Lew’s general take on the '04 vintage, I’ve had the opposite experience with the Alesias (sounds like he has too with the Rhys). I wasn’t a huge fan of this one on relase, thought it was solid, not much more, but bought it to support what Kevin was doing. But after a few years of bottle age, really started enjoying the '04 Alesias. Not as serious as the Rhys wines, but I find those '04s really delightful now. They’ve been my go-to pull for (non-wino) dinner parties over the past year or two and everyone loves them. Can’t wait for the '06 Alesia to mature a bit more, because I think they’re much better.
In all honesty, given the range of Rhys wines, I couldn’t afford to keep buying the Alesia wines even if they still made them (given that the Rhys really are on another level entirely), but they’re lovely wines that really blossom with a few years of age.
I still have a handful of the Chilleno (sp) Valley Syrah from '04. Very funky/stinky on release and I haven’t had one in a long time. Kevin was cool enough to refund my purchase price without requiring I return the wines. Any of you guys cracked one of these lately?
I had one a couple of months back. I recall a very strange spoiled milk nose but the wine itself, while not my favorite, tasted OK.
From what I have gleaned in other tasting notes this wine is definitely a hit-or-miss experience. I’m saving my final bottle for a few years in the name of science.
Coincidentally, I had a bottle of this Sunday night - it was absolutely stellar. A- is exactly where I’d put it. I was very pleasantly surprised. Drink now or hold, it should be good for quite a few years to come.
I drank one of these a few days ago… Firmly puts me in the same camp as others here… to me, this has definitely improved and gained some much appreciated secondary profile.
2004 Rhys Alesia Pinot Noir Chileno Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast) 91
Opened 3 hours before serving (poured a half glass, did not decant) Great nose of spice and deep dark red berries. on the palate a little bit of cake spice, then I got black tea / moist earth, and a very nice elegant finish of dark red berries (not blue or over ripe fruit), very dark appearance, and a very fine tannin core … it’s great to realize in such a sort time, how far this winery has come. (86 views)
I haven’t had the Chileno PN 2004 since March 2009 … but it was a clean bottle and really nice. There was plenty of bottle variation with these 2004s, but the clean bottles are terrific. One more of the Kanzler, Chileno, and the Sonatera … it’ll be interesting to see where they are over the next 1-2 years.
Gary – had the Family Farm at Christmas, and it was singing. Really beautiful. Thinking about opening my last bottle soon, as well. The Syrahs? Well, those are gone … I was one-for-three on clean bottles there.