Tasting Notes 165 found

wow... this was fantastic!!... poured it and was darker than any chard from Rhys I've ever seen -- had me worried, and my wife frightened (she hates smoke and age and roundness)... anyway, none of the above came out on the palate after about three hours of decant... this was - yes - rich on the palate but with great acidity and lift... just the right balance... fantastic, reminded me of the days when we were still drinking 20-year-old white burgs (from the '80's) and loving this experience (161 views)

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Powerful, ripe, good acid, with a hint of reduction to add interest. Drinking very nicely. (602 views)

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Lemon, pear, green apple and crisp finesse (1049 views)

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This was quite excellent. Against a 14 PYCM Chassagne 1er and no one would think this (Rhys) was Burgundy. But that’s ok! It was delicious with some tropical flavors (e.g., pineapple) and excellent tension between the acid, vibrant fruit, and now 12 years of age. Great stuff. (962 views)

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Orange / yellow gold color. Strong nose of yellow fruit, oak and melted butter. Toasted brioche. Good richness, fullish yet dry. Extract. For a cream sauce or smoked oily fish. Never seems heavy. Holding strong but I would drink these up. Everything in the right place. No whimpy wine here. (93) (1436 views)

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Deep golden color, toasty oak and advanced fruit notes. Cellared since release with good cork, I just prefer these with a little less age on them. (1485 views)

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Green apples, Hawthorne fruit, fresh figs, and peaches with honey, butterscotch, and brown butter. I’m getting some tropical flavors too and lots of minerals. Orange acidity on the long finish. This has the honeyed texture of aged Chardonnay, but it still has power and feels youthful and vibrant in the mouth. Feels like a Chablis Grand Cru but with California fruit.

I think that I might have preferred it a little younger, but this wine was still very good. I’ve been impressed with every bottle of Santa Cruz chardonnay that I’ve tried. This needed about 25 minutes of air to hit its stride and best in Chablis glass.

This was a fantastic match with Sweet Potato Galette with Egg on top. The runny egg yolk, creamy sweet potato, and crust with buckwheat and buttermilk were just the right thing with this. It was a good match with Mackerel with Beet and Orange salsa too. Also nice to drink on its own. (1211 views)

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Open that bottle - Jason chooses 2004 Ridge Monte Bello (Dan's): Pop and pour. The color is golden yellow, darker but not concerning for the age. The palate has butterscotch, a touch of sherry/oxidation, golden fruit, and plenty of acid. The oak is well-integrated. There's no way someone would think this is Burgundy, it's a California profile that is not over the top and has aged very well. I'll drink my last bottle by the end of next year. (1368 views)

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Open THAT Bottle - at Dan's!: This was drinking surprisingly well! The color was a deep golden yellow, which initially gave me pause that the wine might be over the hill, but it was actually drinking extremely well! Lots of pear, some Meyers Lemon, with a touch of toasted oak and red apple. Also showed some minerality and butter notes, and some smoked gouda notes. There were also some slight reductive notes, but I thought these complimented the wine more than detracted from it. I cannot see this wine improving, but it is certainly drinking well now! I would drink within the next year or so. 93-94 and a very enjoyable CA Chardonnay! (1883 views)

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Noted that last bottle was fully mature and really liked it (93); this one seems over the hill. Even darker, none of the tropical fruit notes as it veers into oxidized range. Scoring it rather than indicating it's flawed but that's a judgment call. Since the prior bottle in September was also getting a deep golden color but still had enough fruit and vibrancy, I'm assuming this is the extra 8 months plus normal range of bottle variation instead of a flawed bottle that is completely unrrepresentative. Still gave it 85 because some richness was still there and wasn't at the pour out level. Interestingly, I've noticed that many of my older Rhys Chards have protruding capsules and corks soaked through (have not seen that on ANY other bottle in my cellar), but this one actually looked pristine. (1241 views)

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Flat out fantastic. Probably the best chardonnay from Rhys I've ever had. Dead ringer for a white burgundy. Certainly among the best new world chardonnays I've ever had. (1340 views)

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All I can saw is WOW.
Golden color, amazing taste profile. Lasts forever on the palate.
Agree it needs about 30-60 minutes to wake up.
Worth the wait. (1380 views)

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This is really good. The bouquet is on the richer end of the spectrum, with loads of vanilla bean, grilled pineapple, clarified butter, honey and beeswax, but this is well balanced by fresh notes of lemon zest, white ginger, and herbal hints of tarragon and lemon verbena. A sexy, engaging bouquet, but not OTT. The palate is leaner and brighter, with lots of energy and zippy lemon acids, a layered mouthfeel and a nice slightly bitter finish. Overall, delicious and satisfying, and clearly in the so-good-now-so-don’t-wait zone. Drink now. 93-94 pts.

This is probably my 10th Rhys Chardonnay, and while all have been at least very good, this is the first that is truly thrilling. (1377 views)

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Electric. Needs air to shake off buttery overtones. Then it remains but in harmony with a concentrated citrus peel, slate and smoke concoction. Interesting and full and salivating. (1338 views)

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Just dig everything about this wine. Borderline tropical and the green apple note provides me with a full spectrum of character to this wine. Nice lift, balance and finish. What's not to enjoy other than it being my last bottle. (1124 views)

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