New Rhys/Aeris release - Stunning Customer Appreciation

I’m pretty stunned by a unprecedented level of customer service from Rhys. Got the letter below today, but the punchline is that they’re releasing two new Aeris wines (a white and a red) and sending them to clients free of charge to try out. What could be classier?

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Hello from Aeris wines!

After 12 years of hard work, we are extremely excited to be on the cusp of releasing our first wines from Centennial Mountain in California. Given our appreciation for your past support of Aeris, we are sending bottles of our debut Aeris Bianco and Aeris Rosso bottlings to you free of charge. While local customers will be able to taste these wines at our pickup day, we wanted to make sure that out-of-the-area customers will get a look as well. We hope you enjoy previewing our first efforts! We plan to ship these wines next week, so please let us know if you’ve moved or are otherwise unable to receive them.

As background:

After 12 years of work finding and developing the right site and bringing vines in, we finally have the first wines from our Centennial Mountain vineyard in Sonoma. The biggest focus of Aeris Centennial Mountain is Nebbiolo with over 11 acres planted. Meanwhile, after many years spent getting the approval for Nerello Mascalese and Carricante through the system, we are thrilled with how the wines are performing. Since we know we have one chance to make a first impression, we are going to wait until the fabulous 2018 vintage to release the first variety-designated wines (Nebbiolo, Nerello Mascalese and Carricante) but we thought these 2017s would be a great value-oriented introduction to Aeris Centennial Mountain.

2017 Aeris Centennial Mountain Bianco $35-

Planting a new variety is exciting and terrifying, but we did a lot of research before committing to growing Carricante in CA. Right away, we are seeing the site transparency and acidity (in a warmer climate) that we hoped for. This is an everyday, accessible example of Carricante that we plan to release each vintage. In 2018, we have produced both a Bianco and a Carricante designated bottling.

2017 Aeris Rosso $49-

We are really excited about this unique blend. It is 50% Nebbiolo, 20% Nerello Mascalese with smaller amounts of Nerello Capuccio, Primitivo, Zinfandel and Barbera. This will be a signature bottling of Aeris going forward as we love the combination of spicy red fruit, delineation and accessibility. In 2018, we will also have varietal reds (Nebbiolo and Nerello Mascalese) but blending this Rosso bottling is a major focus each year.

Saw this as well. Very impressed. Nice recovery from the prior fiasco.

I just got this as well. Completely makes up for my dissatisfaction in the first vintage of the Aeris wines (after which I did not buy the following vintage). Very nice.

Not willfully breaking environmental laws, irrevocably destroying protected area & hoping lots of $$$ will smooth over breaking the law?

The wines also came with price tags, so I hope they’ll be available for purchase as well.

My last email from Aeris was a shipment notification in November. Who did these go out to?

I’ve purchased two rounds of Aeris (I think that’s all of them?), and did not get this, interesting. I guess that leaves me a little less stunned by the customer service haha. I hope I get a chance to try the wines.

I bought from first release. No letter here either.

Interesting. Wonder how they organized this. I’ve been on the mailing list for Rhys for a long time and also bought the first, but not the second of this. I’m teetering on the edge of dropping off the list, nothing bad, but the Pinots haven’t thrilled me as much as the Chardonnays.

Two time purchaser of Aeris. No letter here…

None for me either, but maybe too much whinging on my part on this board about the quality of that release?

I guess if you are a prior Rhys customer, but have never purchased the Aeris’ wines then you do not receive any free ones.

Long time Rhys customer, and have purchased from both of the previous Aeris offerings. No letter here.

Was this a letter or email as I have not received either.

No letter for me either. Been Purchasing Rhys for a while and also bought 6 bottles of the 2014 Aeris first release.

JF

Long time supporter and two time Aeris purchaser here…no letter or email here.

I think Rich’s post is having the opposite of its intended effect. Oops.

Yet the thread title is just as relevant!

I wonder if only Aeris customers with previous “issues” received this? I have been purchasing Rhys wines forever, and the last two vintages of Aeris. Granted I have had some cork issues with a few Rhys wines…does that get me some love? ; )

Hello everyone,
If any Rhys and Aeris customers have not received this email and would like to sample these wines, please send an email to info@aeriswines.com. Local customers will be able to taste the wines at our pickup day (fingers crossed given the situation!!).
Apologies for any confusion!