Rhys Vineyards

Rhys Vineyards is a wine producer making wines from seven estate vineyards in the mountainous, cool coastal climates to the north and south of San Francisco Bay. The Californian estate focuses on the cultivation of three grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.

Six of the estate's vineyards are based in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south of San Francisco. These vineyards all differ slightly in terms of terroir, particularly when it comes to soil and aspect. The estate's soil types range from clay loam to shallow, rocky soils, all giving distinct characters in the wines. The individual vineyards' mesoclimates are largely dependent on their aspects and degrees of slope, as each has a different exposure to sunlight and breezes from the nearby Pacific. One of the vineyards, Skyline, is one of California's highest vineyards, at an altitude of 2360ft (720m) above sea level.

Rhys Vineyards make a range of single-vineyard Pinot Noir wines, as well as several Chardonnay and Syrah wines. The company also has a 14-hectare (35-acre) site in Anderson Valley planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

In the winery, grapes are vinified by block in small, one-ton fermentation tanks. The grapes are treaded by foot, instead of using mechanical punchdowns or pumpovers. Rhys Vineyards uses natural yeasts for fermentation, and the wines are aged in French oak.