Rhys Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2019
(Anderson Valley, California) - [WA 93] [JD 91]

• Practicing Biodynamic
• 100% Pinot Noir
• Bearwallow Vineyard (Anderson Valley AVA)
• The vines are a Rhys Selection Massale Pinot Noir. The elevation is 300′-600′
• Wolfey-Bearwallow Series – 10”-25” topsoil over deep fractured shale
• Hand-harvested
• Native yeast fermentation
• 5% whole cluster grapes go through 5 day cold soak and then fermentation begins. The wine is foot trodden twice a day during fermentation
• Aged 18 months in in 10% new French oak, 15 of those months the wine is aged on the lees
• 13.8% ABV

While driving northwest on Hwy 128 through the “Deep End” of Anderson Valley, it is difficult not to be struck by the majesty of Bearwallow Vineyard. As you round the bend, the sight of the steep vineyard-covered hills rising above the redwoods is quite spectacular. After tasting many examples of the elegant, mineral driven Pinot Noir that these “Deep End” hills can produce we were extremely excited to be able to acquire such a prime site in 2008.

Unlike our previous vineyard developments, six acres of eight year old Pinot Noir vines had already been planted but we immediately began the development of an additional 25 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While waiting for our new acreage to become productive, the existing vines have produced the grapes for our Rhys Bearwallow Pinot Noir bottling. While we can’t wait to see what our new vines will bring, we love the wild berry, spicy, mineral driven Pinot produced by the older vines.