Rhys Alpine Hillside Pinot Noir 2017

I always find the Hillside releases to be similar to the base release yet always with more density and depth. Some years the differences are easy to spot, some years, not so much. In 2017, the differences between the base cuvée and the Hillside are easy to spot. The 2017 Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard Hillside is a clear step up over the base cuvée and, I’d wager, one of the Pinot Noirs of the vintage. Sporting a deeper ruby color (it’s deeper colored than the base release), it displays awesome notes of spiced black cherries, mulberries, sassafras, sagebrush, mint, and forest floor. Deep, medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and with both power and elegance, it’s a brilliant effort from the Santa Cruz Mountain that offers just about everything you could want from Pinot Noir. It has some upfront appeal yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise of 15+ years in cool cellars. Maturity: 2021-2036. Score – 98. (jebdunnuck.com, Oct. 31, 2019)