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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.6 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 90 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by leadpencil on 2/24/2023 & rated 94 points: Medium bodied. Lemon curd and limestone (591 views) | | | Tasted by fisk15 on 8/26/2022 & rated 92 points: Deep gold color, apple, orange peel, toasty oak notes. Very good. (992 views) | | | Tasted by WetRock on 7/3/2022: Patience is paying off. These are starting to blossom. No coaxing or wondering needed. This one showed a marked flinty character after a couple hours of air. Otherwise its a forwardly expressive now, showing fresh apples, citrus rind, nougat and hints of tropical fruits. Its really cut from its own cloth, not exactly showing like a more valley centered Chardonnay we are used to. But I wouldn't really call it Burgundian either. Quite good. (1219 views) | | | Tasted by fredb on 6/9/2022: Initially a deep gold color that quickly turns more of a honeyed hue. Aromas of butterscotch, lemon, and buttered popcorn. Palate has striking lemon/grapefruit tartness that pervades from start to finish. Grilled pineapple, mango, grapefruit, lemon, some toasted hazelnut notes show up in the palate over time. The finish is medium-long. This held steady for several hours over which it was consumed. Strong showing and worth the patience. Drink. (1124 views) | | | Tasted by jfkwines on 6/8/2022 & rated 95 points: Insane golden hue. Like others below I was concerned of the cork but a quci cheese cloth strain into a small decanter and we were good to go. Mango, lemon, a little goldenrod. Paired beatuifully with raw oysters and large shrimp ( not cocktail sauce though) . Drink for an epic white or hold altough I am not sure how much more aging is going to occur (1140 views) | | | Tasted by wineack on 4/20/2022 & rated 96 points: I was a little concerned about this one when I had trouble getting the cork out. Then when I saw the yellow color in the glass, I was more concerned. I need not have been worried. The wine was absolutely amazing and still has plenty of life ahead of it. The nose showed apple and pear fruit with hazelnut and butterscotch. The fruit on the palate was lush and followed by enough acidity to keep the wine refreshing. I wish that I had several more bottles of this wine. Absolutely stunning! My wife and sister loved it, as well. (1102 views) | | | Tasted by Joshbturner on 1/7/2022: Love this. As other reviewers in the last year have noted, this wine has a lot of life left. Holding up very well for days in the fridge. What a treat. Wish I had more! (1020 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 11/23/2021 & rated 89 points: Lots of pear and quince flavors, with apple peel, marzipan and citrus notes. Mature and probably past its peak. (1135 views) | | | Tasted by conform on 8/10/2021: Dense and rich, with ample acidity to balance. Striking savory notes of sesame and miso in the nose. Last couple ounces sat in the fridge for a couple days and were still vibrant and intense. (1173 views) | | | Tasted by jlm on 7/4/2021: Medium gold. Very complex nose with notes of walnut skin, jasmine, chalky mineral, and yellow stone fruit. Wonderfully expressive. The palate is medium full and rich with good brightness and cut. The acidity well integrated but leaves a zing on the back end. The finish is long and flavorful but has a prominent note of grapefruit pith that's slightly bitter and a bit distracting. That aside, this was excellent and drinking in a great place. Bodes well for the development of more recent vintages. Although the alcohol is listed at 13.7%, so about a point higher than most vintages now. It would be interesting to learn what if any differences in vineyard management or winemaking are behind that shift. (1114 views) | | | Tasted by texaswinelover on 3/20/2021: Was pleasantly surprised a couple of nights ago. Usual crisp acidity and lemony citrus with well defined finish. But best part was the evolution over the next couple nights....delightful roundness with filling out. Much more suited to my acid shy palate. Really enjoyed. Not over the hill by any standard. (1142 views) | | | Tasted by MAOC on 11/19/2020: Needed a little air on opening but was reasonably ready to go. Maturing citrus and stonefruit, quite ripe and rich, with a classic old school Burgundian buttery edge and a slight stoniness in the background. Perhaps just lacking a little complexity but that didn’t decrease the enjoyment much ****+ (1089 views) | | | Tasted by millej on 4/25/2020: Consumed over the course of a Wine Berserkers Zoom call with Kevin and Jeff
On first opening - beautiful nose, gorgeous mature fruit. Chalk, a hint of matchstick. The finish tails off a bit, not a lot going on
Tightens up a bit with air, some nice citrus notes emerging
10 minutes in a honeyed note starts emerging and the finish is lengthening. really a lovely Burgundian Batardish nose but still a bit light on the palate at this point.
15 minutes - starting to fill out
25 minutes - chalk and a hint of grapefruit, really enjoying this
30 minues - okay, now it's gotten a lot bigger, mouthfilling flavors
45 minutes - much stonier, some plum emerging
60 minutes - With some roast pork shoulder the fruit becomes much sweeter
On day 2 all the flavors have integrated and smoothed out though some complexity has been lost. My guess is that good as it was I missed the best of it around the 2-3 hour mark. (1244 views) | | | Tasted by europat55 on 7/24/2019 & rated 92 points: Nose: A- Palate: B++/A- (1423 views) | | | Tasted by mlawren1 on 8/3/2018 & rated 92 points: Crisp and acidic. Lemon, green apple, and a little honey. Finishes with a hint of tar. (1974 views) | | | Tasted by mlawren1 on 6/30/2018 & rated 93 points: Perfect wine on a hot day with some crab legs. Bit buttery then gives way to pineapple and green apples. Great wine. (1974 views) | | | Tasted by andolini on 5/9/2017 & rated 91 points: Popped and poured. Lemon, acidity, minerality, some green apple, petrol, and tartness. Very nice. (2860 views) | | | Tasted by MikeATL on 5/2/2017 & rated 94 points: Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Wonderful complexity, nimble and subtle and finely balanced, it is excellent now but has a bright future left. (3037 views) | | | Tasted by dcwino on 12/27/2016 & rated 93 points: Poker night - Bordeaux single blind - 95 GPL, 01 Ausone, 11 The Lovers, 03 Margaux and etc.: Nice mature domestic Chardonnay nose, lemon curl, apple chips, creme brulee, a hint of oak and wet stone. Excellent concentration, nicely integrated palate, good acidity, strong presence of mineral and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of oak at the end. This is a nice mature, well balanced, domestic Chardonnay. I don’t find it Burgundian but very harmonious and enjoyable. (3028 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 11/28/2016 & rated 94 points: Drinking beautifully! Wonderful nose with vibrant citrus, mineral, and a hint of vanilla which carries to a delectable palate and long finish with lively acidity. (2160 views) | | | Tasted by thomaskeil on 10/23/2016 & rated 92 points: We had the '09 Leroy Bourgogne side-by-side with the '07 Rhys Alpine and the comparison was fun. Both were aging gracefully on a base of flinty acidity and light vanilla. The Leroy had a lighter fruit touch, though with both the fruit was bright, mainly orchard with a touch of citrus. The Leroy cleared the palate quickly while the Rhys left a lasting, evolving palate impression. Both complemented the acorn squash risotto topped with seared black cod, but with the Leroy clearing/separating flavors and the Rhys blending/enhancing them. Both seem near/at maturity with no signs of impending decline. (2144 views) | | | Tasted by wilypod on 8/28/2016 & rated 94 points: Leesy toasted aroma of butterscotch, sea salt caramel, lemon cream, flinty minerality, apple pie held together with bracing acidity. Full bodied. Almost too much Krug-Like opulence in one bottle, but most beautiful! 4+14+18+8 (2103 views) | | | Tasted by JBVino on 8/19/2016: GOOD. Really good acidity gives this wine great lift. Length and complexity on the palate is compelling. (1882 views) | | | Tasted by fredb on 4/28/2016: Medium-deep gold color. Aromas of lemon, hazelnut, and pineapple. Palate has quite a lot going on, ranging from marzipan/hazelnut to ripe mango, grilled pineapple, nutmeg, and pear. Finish is medium with acidic zip to keep you coming back to the glass. Has evolved from release and seems to have further positive evolution ahead. Drink or hold. (1906 views) | | | Tasted by jrkennedy37 on 4/21/2016: Outrageously good. Mineral driven, impeccable balance, still quite young considering almost ten years old. (1394 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2009, IWC Issue #144
(Rhys Vineyards Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (9/17/2011)
(Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard) Light lemon yellow color; lovely, tart lemon, lemon rind, mineral, oyster jus nose; gorgeous, tart lemon, mineral, oyster jus palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 94 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (10/21/2010)
(Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard) Very light lemon yellow color; nice creamy, lemon, mineral nose; tasty, tight, tart lemon, mineral palate with depth; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. 92 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/4/2010)
(Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard) Light yellow color; floral, lemon cream, lemon curd nose; tasty, rich, but poised, tart citrus, lemon, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Rhys Producer website2007 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine VineyardWinery Note:
January, 2010: Our 2007 Chardonnay starts with a mineral dominated nose that includes complex white flower, crushed chalk and wet stone notes. The vibrant fruit is very intense, focused and pure. The finish is laser-like and tightly wound with racy acidity, terrific length and a reverberating rocky complexity. This Chardonnay will require more cellar time than our 2006 but will ultimately reach greater heights.. Drink/Hold.Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeAlpine Vineyard On weinlage-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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