Written by:

Vinous, Decanter, Mercury News, East Bay Daily Times, et al.

Vinous

“Centennial Mountain is a new range from Rhys that takes the place of Aeris. In short, all the Aeris wines have now been folded into Centennial Mountain, while the Italian Aeris wines have been discontinued. In my view, that greater focus is going to be a positive. The 2021s are seriously impressive across the board.”

2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese

“The 2021 Nerello Mascalese is another exotic wine in this range from Centennial Mountain. Crushed red berry fruit, orange peel, new leather and spice all meld together effortlessly. The 2021 spent a year in French oak barrels followed by a second year in cask. The Nerello Mascalese is gorgeous, but it does take an adventurous palate to fully appreciate its charms, as it is very different from the norm in California. A touch of Nerello Cappuccio rounds out the blend.”

94 Points: Outstanding. A wine of remarkable personality and breed that is well worth seeking out

-Antonio Galloni, January 2025

Decanter

“Searching for a Sicilian Soul: Territories New”

“At home in northern California, I approach Kevin Harvey (pictured), North America’s sole producer of Nerello Mascalese, curious to understand what he sees in the variety that justifies the lengths to which he has gone to produce this wine. With a proven tracker record in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay under his Rhys Vineyards label, Harvey is a vintner who does his homework and doesn’t believe in half-measures – he and his team had to import the Nerello Mascalese vine stock from Europe and put it through the UC Davis Clean Plant Program before propagation and planting could begin. They spent years studying the soil and climate of their site to ensure that it would be a good match and they engaged Sicilian winemaker Salvo Foti as their mentor. And – just like winemakers on Mt Etna – they have found that meticulous viticulture, a hands-off approach and minimal new oak has brought about the best results.

The success of his Centennial Mountain label means they can now provide a California benchmark – and vine stock – to others looking for varieties with the potential to thrive in our changing climate.

Insight into Nerello Mascalese: Nowell-Smith’s six to try

2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese

A rich, dark wine that shares the complexity of previous vintages, as well as their ability to change in the glass. This opens with perfumed red fruits, orange peel and blood orange. It has great body 1without being suffocating. Still young, its tannins are strong but they’re in balance. There is a long, faintly herbal finish, with just the right amount of sage to pair beautifully with grilled foods. You can enjoy this today, though it could well hold up for another decade.” 92 Points: Highly recommended

-Kate Nowell-Smith, October 2024

Mercury News and East Bay Daily Times

“Los Gatos-based Rhys Vineyards stretches into Sonoma for new vintage Centennial Mountain releases wines made from Italian grapes”

“It began as Aeris and was inspired by a visit to Sicily, where Rhys owner Kevin Harvey fell in love with Carricante, a flowery yet lean white that thrives in the volcanic ash of Mount Etna. He likened it in complexity to a white Burgundy.

Similarly, he was taken by Nerello Mascalese, a popular medium-body, high-acid Sicilian red. Both have been grown in Sicily for millennia.

Soon, Harvey was importing and planting the first of these varieties in the U.S., on a special spot 2,000 feet up on Sonoma Mountain. Beginning in 2013, the Rhys team also planted Nebbiolo and Barbera there and for a time produced a red blend under the Aeris label. But the name changed in 2021 to the place where these vines are grown in the Alberello tradition—that’s Italian for ‘small trees.’

The vineyard is organically and mostly dry-farmed, and director of winemaking Jeff Brinkman uses large casks and native yeasts to preserve the unique personalities of these varieties. With the 2021 release of Centennial Mountain, they are getting their arms around these vines in their new home.

This is another side of Los Gatos-based Rhys that’s worth exploring.

The 2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese is truly a food wine thanks to its brazen acidity.

-Laura Ness, May 2025

Vinography

“This week included the new incarnation of one of California’s most ambitious vineyard projects. Formerly called Aeris, this project from the folks at Rhys Vineyards has now reverted to the name of the site: Centennial Mountain Vineyard. Planted in the volcanic soils high above Lake Sonoma, this site holds California’s first plantings of Carricante, as well as Nerello Mascalese and Nebbiolo.”

2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese

“Medium hazy ruby in the glass, this wine smells of cherries, berries, and a hint of dried herbs. In the mouth, powdery tannins coat the mouth as flavors of strawberry and cherry mix with dried herbs and road dust on the palate. Hints of candied citrus linger in the finish. Excellent acidity.” 8.5 to 9 Points out of 10

-Alder Yarrow, April 2025

The Baltimore Sun, South Florida Reporter, Capital Gazette

“Centennial Mountain”

“The founders of Rhys Vineyards have created a new line of wines focused on Italian grape varieties hard to find in California. The wines, made from grapes rarely grown in California, have the same stroke of excellence that accompanies the fabulous terroir-driven Rhys wines.

The team worked with Italian agronomists and winemakers before planting vines in 2013 atop a ridgeline on Centennial Mountain in northern Sonoma County. The team found the modest diurnal temperature swing is best for these grapes because cool days preserve freshness and complexity while warm nights balance acidity and sugar. This is particularly important to the health of carricante, nerello mascalese and nebbiolo grapes.

The vineyard contains 42 small blocks farmed organically.

In last week’s column, we raved about the Centennial Mountain Carricante. But we also were intrigued by the 2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese that reminds us of a pinot noir or syrah. A little nerello cappuccio joins the nerello mascalese to create a softly textured, hedonistic wine with red fruit character and fine tannins.

As some grapes struggle to adopt to warmer temperatures, it is intriguing to watch how emerging projects like this perform. So far, these new wines are incredible.

-Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr, May 2025

Keith Beavers on Instagram

2021 Centennial Mountain Nerello Mascalese

“These Sicilian varieties are now part of California wine history thanks to Rhys Vineyards and they are delicious.”

-Keith Beavers, of VinePair, February 2025