Unearthing Greatness: The Wine Collector’s Journey to Perfect Pinot Noir Production Chris Lehoux, April 8, 2024 Mt. Pajaro vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains at sunset Experiencing renowned Pinot Noir vineyards, especially after savouring the divine wines made from the Grand Cru Burgundy vineyards, can be extremely exhilarating. The best quality Pinot Noir wines in the world have an aura that takes the drinker to a different dimension, and in ideal vintages, the aroma, flavors and textures are equally splendid. No other wine can measure up to them, that’s why Burgundy wine collectors are unique, possessing an intense obsession to recreate the experience of tasting such extraordinary wines. Their pure passion allows them to endure multiple disappointments, very much like the Pinot Noir wine itself, which when good, is unparalleled, but when bad, it needs to be discarded. The inconsistency of Burgundy’s weather, and even the considerable variations in the microclimates of various areas, make each single-vineyard bottling distinct depending on the vintage. Kevin Harvey in the vineyards One individual set out on a mission to find varied expressions of “minerality, tension and complexity” that he revered in Burgundy Pinot Noir wines and astonishingly, he discovered them in a more predictable climate that is always perfect for Pinot Noir throughout the year. That individual is Kevin Harvey – a native Californian, brought up in Houston, Texas who returned to California as a software entrepreneur who sold his primary upstart in the late 1980s. The modest sum acquired from the sale, considering software was not as big an industry as it is today, he contemplated moving back to Houston as the cost of living in San Francisco was significantly high back then too. But fate would have it that he met his future wife; a Californian through and through, so he decided to settle down in California, venturing into other software pursuits as well as further exploring his passion for Burgundy wine. Mt. Pajaro Vineyard in Santa Cruz Mountains Kevin was never personally impressed with the richer, more plush California Pinot Noir wines that were popular when he first developed a serious interest in wine collecting. This kept him returning to the renowned vineyards of Burgundy, spending considerable time with wine producers who were also close friends. They thoroughly explained what makes the Grand Cru vineyards of their region special, a concept referred to as “terroir.” Driven by his enthusiasm for these exceptional wines, Kevin delved into the study of soil depth, makeup, structure, chemistry, hydrology, and climate, among other things. Eventually, he planted a vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains which, to his astonishment, appeared to provide the perfect soil for high-quality Pinot Noir. Burgundy wine collectors are notoriously difficult to impress, owing to their unswerving loyalty to their chosen wine and the perception that no other place can match it. However, Kevin was captivated by his research, despite knowing it would take years of producing a single barrel of wine from his newly planted vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California, to determine whether it could even come close. He was aware that producing this wine in his garage without any winemaking or vineyard growing experience might not reveal the site’s full potential. He would count himself lucky if the wine was even palatable; the fact that it was good and continued to improve was unbelievable. Realising that the cost of living in California was already high, he was, understandably, not eager to increase his expenditure even more by opening a winery. The vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains managed by the Rhys Vineyards are merely an approximate 12 miles away from the ocean. The rich exploration of the land revealed that much of it had an approximately 20 inches deep layer of clay soil peppered with fractured, decomposing limestone rock, vastly aiding in nutrient availability to the vine roots. This was found to be strikingly similar to the soils of popular Grand Cru sites in Burgundy, known for the complexity and interest they lend to wines. The wines from these sites attracted Kevin’s interest owing to their diverse expression much like the Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards. Intriguingly, a mere 400 yards could distinguish these vineyards monumentally as they have been influenced by millions of years of tectonic shifts involving the Pacific Plate, North American Plate, and the Farallon Plate. This has resulted in the soil layering akin to a cake, with each layer varying in age by tens of millions of years, giving these vineyards a geological edge. The potential to discover a site with ideal soils and the ability to exhibit a vast array of terroir, clubbed with the apt cool mountain climate, was just too enticing to ignore. Thus, in 2004, Kevin laid the foundation for Rhys Vineyards. By 2007, he had put five distinct vineyards from the Santa Cruz Mountains into production, and currently, there are six. During his early periods of exploring Burgundy, he could have never predicted that a place in California would not only match the level of “minerality, tension and complexity” of Burgundy wines but could consistently maintain the high-quality year after year, without being plagued by the severe vintage variations typical of Burgundy. The majestic redwood tree in the Mt. Pajaro vineyard stands tall as the marine fog rolls in. Almost 30 years after he planted his first plot of land in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the mission that drove him all these years has been finally ascertained as he wanted his vineyards to get to an age where they would be in their prime, and therefore, he could finally see if they were capable of having multifaceted varied nuances from site to site. Also, it took time to learn how to manage his vineyards, which are 100% organic today, and he dry farms four of his oldest sites and is currently in the process of converting the others. After spending all those years standing in the middle of the prestigious vineyards of Burgundy, noting how plots near each other could make wines with entirely different expressions of excellence, he is finally experiencing that for himself with his own vineyards in the much lesser-known area of the Santa Cruz Mountains. A place that will never have that many vineyards with only 1,500 acres planted, compared to Sonoma’s almost 63,000 acres, due to much of the Santa Cruz Mountains being protected by open space trusts and, according to Kevin, one cannot “farm economically” there since it is a patchwork of tiny plots, not making it appealing for big wineries to come in as they can’t have a contiguous 100-acre vineyard. It is often impossible to see where life is heading as Kevin could have ended up back in Houston after selling his company for a relatively small amount in the ’80s, living an easier life with a lower cost of living. He would have had much more time and money to spend in Burgundy and build an impressive collection. Yet, love for his wife kept him in California and led him to the seemingly impossible: discovering an excellent situation in which he could make the wines he cherished yet with terroir expressions of their own. It hasn’t happened overnight and he didn’t know if the day would ever come, but it is here, and he is far from easing up on his mission as he is ready to take it to the next level. Bearwallow Vineyard in Anderson Valley, California Rhys Vineyards has made an exciting acquisition in Anderson Valley, California. This location is revered for its cool climate perfect for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, ideal for producing vibrant still wines and top-notch sparkling wines that are worthy competitors to Champagne. This parcel of land was different from his Santa Cruz Mountains purchases as it already had six acres of Pinot Noir, but he went ahead to plant 25 additional acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. His Santa Cruz vineyards have been thoughtfully planted with carefully chosen grape clones, a quality wine production technique he borrowed from Burgundy producers. Using a field selection from his Santa Cruz vineyards, he planted the remaining land in Anderson Valley. The 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Chardonnay, in Anderson Valley AVA, California, is a wine to look out for. It’s made entirely from Chardonnay from the exclusive single vineyard Bearwallow. Even though categorised as a regional wine, it’s essentially a single-vineyard wine. It presents lovely floral notes combined with a striking mineral streak, and lemon curd and peach cobbler flavors balanced by a crisp acidity. Another remarkable wine is the 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Bearwallow Vineyard, Chardonnay, in Anderson Valley AVA, California. This wine is also made entirely from Chardonnay, but these are the best grapes from the Bearwallow Vineyard. Its bright lemon zest aroma is complemented by a powerful stony minerality that leaves a lasting impression, with notes of sea spray and broken slate resonating in one’s mind. The 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California, made entirely from Chardonnay originating from three of the Rhys vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is also noteworthy. It offers more fleshy stone fruit flavors that are beautifully complemented by the zingy acidity with hints of baking spices, expressing a purity of fruit wrapped in an aura of elegance. 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Mt. Pajaro Vineyard, Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California: 100% Chardonnay from Mt. Pajaro vineyard. A stunning Chardonnay that gives an exquisite expression of the exotic yet refined structural quality of a white orchard with aromas of citrus blossom, green mango and passion fruit with lots of tension and verve. 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley AVA, California: 100% Pinot Noir from the single vineyard Bearwallow, even though it is listed as a regional wine it is actually a single vineyard. Effusive bouquet of aromas emanates from the glass with lilacs, shaved nutmeg, and fresh morels with bright rhubarb flavors wrapped in very fine tannins. 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Bearwallow Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Anderson AVA, California: 100% Pinot Noir from the top grapes coming from Bearwallow vineyard. Deep, multilayered wine with tree bark and forest floor that has rich flavors of black cherry and has substantial tannins and an alluring silky texture. 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Mt. Pajaro Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California: 100% Pinot Noir from six of the Rhys vineyards in Santa Cruz Mountains. An aristocratic wine that still has lots of generosity with layers of juicy red and black fruit with deliciously delectable notes of cocoa powder and candied wild violets yet it has an addictive savory quality that is brought over the top by the finely etched tannins. 2021 Rhys Vineyards, Mt. Pajaro Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, California: 100% Pinot Noir from Mt. Pajaro vineyard. A wine that leaves one speechless as it has an incredible depth of concentration with a mid-palate filled with brambly fruit that is multi-dimensional with sage, anise seeds, crushed limestone and smoldering earth dancing about in one’s head with an extraordinarily long, expressive finish that is lifted by marked acidity. About the Author: Chris Lehoux Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored! Wine