I have always found Rhys chardonnays, including this one, very oaky. Rhys’s website expresses a goal of low oak influence, but I figure that was a recent change of philosophy, because this wine cannot be seen as having low oak influence. I find the combination of strong oak and restrained fruit distinctive. While I don’t necessarily prefer the oak, I don’t hate it. Anyway, I digress. This wine tastes fresh and young, with great acidity, so it still seems eminently ageworthy.
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Stored at room temp since purchase. A bit oxidative. Just slight nuttiness, not unpleasant. More angular than is typical in CA chardonnay. Lots of nice acidity on the finish.
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Lemon curd (w/ a bit too much powdered sugar) and chalky minerality on the nose. Palate is nice, but a bit blowsy. Perfectly good overall; I don't see this getting any better from here.
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Delicious. Rhys's website indicates that this wine was made from grapes deemed unsuitable for the Horseshoe Vineyard designation. But this hardly tastes like a second wine. It offers a beautiful core of lemon custard with hints of freshly baked biscuit and sea salt. I can't speak highly enough of Rhys's entire range of wines.
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This one is signing right now. A bit more balanced style between old and new world. For the price point (compared to Kevin's higher end vineyard design chards) this one exceeded expectations with really solid acidity and a nice complement of secondary flavors adding to complexity on the palate.
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Had a glass of this over the weekend. Reminds me of the intersection between the modern CA style and the more driven style that I more appreciate. There still for me remains enough oak shading this wine to allow it to have that more seductive aromatic, yet it does have a good infusion of lemon notes and suave chardonnay character to please a lot of different palates. Where I could see this wine really succeeding is putting in in the glasses of people that are trying to move away from the modern chard style, yet not fall too fast into the camp of concrete and stainless made chardonnay with high acid! It seems to do both sides well enough and drinks optimally now IMO.
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First sniff out of the bottle revealed a bit of citrus and tropical fruit. This also showed up on first sniff from the stem and sip. Hint of mango on the nose and palate. Dried peach as well. Nice long finish with a milli-second of tartness that detracts a little from the enjoyment.
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Full, lifted and robust aromatics undoubtedly bring some oak, but it's well integrated with baked apples and mineral notes. Palate has round fruit but a big burst of acidic verve and energy. Really enjoy the interplay of plush fruit, fresh and lively acidity and oak notes. Dances on the palate into a long, lively finish. This is all good and in an ideal place.
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Decent and quaffable.. but a bit oaky for my taste.. plenty of bright fruit but the caramel/buttery feel is dominant. i thought Rhys did a very lean version of Chard.. guess not this one? not bad, but not great.
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On opening, this was pretty tight. Fairly high pitched nose with some tropical fruits, no intrusive oak element. Zippy acidity is in your face from the get go, nicely fruited and somewhat steely. You can definitely find the Burgundian influence here...and nice to be able to stave off drinking the single vineyard wines for a while.
After a couple hours, unfortunately I felt like this fell apart. Very open knit with significant oak showing, in a style that would definitely not be mistaken for old-world.
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Deep golden. Very toasty and buttery aromas, fairly round and juicy on the palate, but with some time open this came into focus. Not taught and firm like the estate Chards, but it was nice enough for its style.
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2008 Rhys (The Medlar, London): Quite a full light gold. Mineral and oat nose. Reasonably rich on the attack. Mellow. Nicely round with decent length. Promising start. ***1/2
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Private Dinner at Craft Butchery (Craft Butchery in Westport, CT): Very nice Chardonnay that towed the line between new world and old world. Could taste and smell the oak influence but by no means over the top. Had a little more finesse than the big powerhouse Chardonnays from California. Had notes of marshmallow, vanilla, mango and lemon oil but a little more subtle than the typical Cali Chard. More impressed with this bottle than the one I tried previously from Rhys.
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Bold rich nose has rich fruit and buttery notes. Palate is rich and toasty but there is good balancing acidity to provide freshness and focus. A notch below the estate chards tasted side-by-side but a very good chard in its own right.
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An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: Even with a lot of air, there is a very rich quality to the nose with roasted marshmallows, vanilla, some clarified butter, and meyer lemons.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium acidity. The feel shows a much richer side, but it isn't overdone or flabby with roasted marshmallows, vanilla beans, meyer lemons, and some white peaches.
Overall: It wasn't fair having this right after a vertical of Alpine Chards. I did decant this for most of the afternoon to make sure air wouldn't be a problem. While I would like to know where this will go with time, this was my last bottle. It's still a very good Chardonnay, but it did suffer with the company.
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The basic Rhys Chard. I found this to be quite good but different. It had a almost Riesling sweetness to it. It did have a very nice aroma and roundness to the mouth feel.
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13.0% alcohol. In a very, very fine place right now. Gorgeous nose of crisp apple, minerals, and a tropical note. In the mouth, delightful. Crisp and focused, with mouth-watering apple and tropical fruit. Brilliantly tangy acidity. Long finish. This is smoking good. A-/A
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Cowhorn, Rhys, some Italians, ++ (Pronzo's): Their basic Chard. This has developed since release. It is rounder with more oak than the single vineyard stuff but still very nice. Light gold/silver in color. The nose has some lemons and a bit of vanilla/Crème Brule. It is round and while not flabby, not crisp either. It is quite tasty. Going back later in the evening, it shows some depth too. Still drinking quite well, no hurry on this. I wonder how this will compare with the Alescia Chards.
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Some great wine for the end of 2013 (Our home): This is their basic Chard, only made in this vintage IIRC. Very nice and still very young. Nice minerality on the nose with some lemon curd. Medium bodied. Still young, but starting to show some complexity. Always a crowd pleaser especially for people who don't drink Chardonnay.
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Been a year since last bottle and this wine has changed a lot. I am not a total oakaphobe but it is front and center now. Buttery for sure but really well balanced with subtle background fruit. I think the cougars would approve.
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my first rhys chard. nose is quite rich. some buttery elements, some tropical fruits. The color is a deeper yellow. again rich is color. The taste has tropical fruits, some distant lemon elements and then a strong lingering minerality on the finish along with some hints of oak. This is a big and full bodied chardonnay but has balance. Drinking alone - wish I was having it with food.
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Rich and bold nose (notes of buttery lemon peel). A very full bodied and rich mouthfeel with citrus and pineapple balanced by a good bit of acidity. A very good example of a very good california chardonnay. Went well with grilled chicken pesto pasta.
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My last bottle of this, and probably the best. It's shed some of the overt pineapple (though it's still there), and showing more white flowers and pear. Nice wine, and I think it's in a great spot right now.
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Medium-bright yellow color with some haze to it. Aromas of toasted nuts, lemon, nutmeg, vanilla, and pear. Palate is initially very coarse and woody with a bitter, woody, lemon-pith element that is hard to get past. With lots of air, this actually rounds out and shows better with spiced apple, pear, lemon, and toasted nut elements working in a more harmonious whole. Disjoint at the moment and not clear it will recover any freshness with additional time in the bottle. Drink.
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13% Lt gold. Fairly expressive aromas of pear and apple with a note of butter cream and minerals that is lightly framed in oak. Similar flavors with a slightly bitter/oaky? finish. Nice purity, with richness and breadth yet is almost weightless. Well balanced. After 90 minutes the fruit lessens, the minerals kick in more and this gets broader in the mouth, develops a creaminess, becomes more looseknit and finishes a bit hollow. I do enjoy the flavors.
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Medium-bright yellow color. Aromas of sweet apple, vanilla, pear, a hint of lemon curd, and honeysuckle. The palate is a bit flat initially with yellow apple, pear, and vanilla that carry into a medium finish that seems lacking in acid. This actually seemed brighter with some lemon notes showing up after a couple of days open. No reason to wait on this, but seemingly no need to hurry either. Drink or hold.
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Third bottle of three. This bottle resembles the first, and displays more structure than the last, which in hindsight may have been a bit off. Still not that impressed, especially in the entire chardonnay pantheon, but from California this is better than most. Not wowed though, especially for the price. As per my first note, this did indeed gain integration, but lost verve which, with this wine, is a net loss. 90pts pure quality, 86pts personal preference.
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Friends at the Playground; 4/28/2013-4/29/2013 (Santa Ana, CA): Interesting this is the only vintage. Not what I was expecting but hit right in Chris' wheelhouse. Color is gold hinting that the wine is older than it is. Lots of fruit flavors, a cocktail so to speak, of tree fruits. Heavyweight mouthfeel because of the lack of acid and a very noticeable finish of butterscotch hard candy. This can polarize the field.
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A fair bit of pineapple to this wine, but not in a sweet way. Fairly straightforward, and doesn't change much over a couple of hours. And while it comes nowhere near hitting the highs of the Alpine (haven't yet had the Horseshoe chardonnay), it's still a good drink. Acidity seems to have come out a bit since the last time I tried this wine, but it's missing the firm structure and minerality that I look for.
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Great balance, even though this is their entry level Chardonnay it has good complexity, citrus, great acidity and a little bit of fat and salty bluestone. Good stuff.
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Ehh.... Not so impressed. To set the record straight, I'm a confirmed Europhile, and have no business drinking or trying to find the touch I enjoy here - my apologies. This is my second bottle of three, and while this is more integrated and reflective of a style and terroir, I'm just not that wowed. An oak bomb, this is lacking an elegance, breed, sophistication, whatever the terminology. I really want to like this more (but it's big and fat), but it basically looks like a duck, walks like a duck (an obese duck).... It's California Chardonnay, and it's never going to walk beside (waddle), or keep up with, the gems from France for half the tariff. Sorry, just my truth. Maybe it's the warm vintage....Maybe my oak phobia....
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This has improved since my first bottle. Dense and rich but energetic. Showing citrus, pineapple, with nice floral elements, a touch of oak. Beautiful texture, almost oily, with enough acid cut to balance. I'm looking forward to the Horseshoe and Alpine chards if this wine was from barrels that didn't make the grade.
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started out cloudy.. decanted for 2 hours. Nice predominant notes of lemon curd, with a little butterscotch to make it round. I think this was a bit too young, as after following it for an hour, it was just starting to hit its stride. Nice effort.
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Starts a bit tight but really opens up after some time. Had half bottle left second day and was just singing out of the glass with apples and pears over a firm acidity.
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Very nice Chard. Not as crisp and mineral driven as the other Rhys Chards. Pale silvery gold in color. The nose has lots of lemon chiffon. Round, slightly oily, full texture. The lemon chiffon translates to the palate. This made a nice cocktail, out side on a nice fall afternoon. I would drink these up in the next couple of years.
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This wine is in a sort of between state. It's certainly rich, and has plenty of fruit to go along with a healthy dollop of oak. On the other hand it seems to have an out of balance acidic element that is initially quite jarring on the palate. It's hard to reconcile the obvious richness with the acidic attack. Not really sure what to make of it. Left half the bottle in the fridge to revisit later. Judgement reserved for now.
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Yellow Gold colour. Nose initially showed lemon, some toasted oak and a slight buttery note. Opened up with air and some pear and saline notes also became present. The palate shows a decent amount of oak but also some lemon, tangerine and a decent dollop of minerals just before the slightly short finish. Decent acidity. The one thing i was surprised about was all the sediment - this is the most sediment I've ever had in a white wine, esp., one this young. Even for wines that keep the lees in the bottle like the Peay Chards.
Overall, this wine is really losing its baby fat and starting to come into its own. When I had this about 9 months ago it had a lot more tropical fruit and more buttery tones to it. It had good acidity like it does now but the minerals were pretty hidden. The oak is starting to become integrated as well so happy to have 2 more bottles to see where it evolves too. I believe there is upside potential in this wine.
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I certainly understand the comments about the lack of acidity in this wine. It's mostly about fruit expression but that expression is pretty damn good. There is a complexity and spiciness not present in the Alpine that I really liked...but that lack of acidity left it without a finish. So it is a divided wine for me. Not sure I want more of this but I do look forward to trying future vintages from Horseshoe from cooler years.
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- Yellow gold color and aromas of apricot and orange blossom and has flavours of apricot - Not particularly noteworthy. Pretty muted. I was expecting something elegant and this was not. A bit of an edge to it.
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As others have written, heavy tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple) flavors/aromas predominate. There seems to be quite noticable oak at this stage. Minimal acidity present. Not very balanced at all. Would not buy again, particularly at this price point.
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Pop-n-pour after sitting on ice at 4th of July BBQ. Vivid yellow-straw color. Leads with Intense tropical fruits then leads through a fat, buttery mid-palate. There are some minerals there on the short finish if you really search through all the flab. Lacking acidity, and lacking on the finish. This wine was enjoyed more, it seems, by the people who hadn't paid for it. Lots of chard available at this quality level for ½, even ¼ the price. Kevin should be more careful on what he puts the Rhys name.
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Had over dinner, no detailed notes. This is a nice mix of mild tropical fruit flavors, with a fat mid palate that coats the mouth, and steely mineral driven finish with a moderate amount of oak influence. Very nicely put together, but at this price point was expecting a little more depth. Not sure if time will add complexity or not.
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nose: very creamy nose filled with tangerines, creams, vanilla, some butter and meyer lemons
taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity that really shows after some air. Not flabby, but certainly on the fat side with plump tones of marshmallow, vanilla, creams, tangerines and some oak tones+meyer lemons
overall: a difficult chard to get a real grasp on. Has the rich california flavors that one comes across, but also has some tart acidity too. This holds its style well and is an interesting chard.
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A bit fat. I'm tasting butterscotch with a a dash of lemon. The high acidity keeps the wine interesting as I make my way through the bottle, but otherwise this wine seems fairly pedestrian for California chardonnay.
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Tried a pop and pour at first - but then poured it into a decanter. Cloudy color. Some melon and tropical fruit on the nose. This opened a bit more in the decanter. On the palate it seems a bit flabby and fat. Nothing wrong with the wine - but a bit disappointed - does not come anywhere close to the Alpine Vineyard chards of the past.
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Le Cadeau Tasting Dinner with Tom and Deb Mortimer (In Season, Mpls): This started off light and subtle, but really grew and evovled over 30 minutes. Light oak, apple and citrus, mineral. The change in depth was really striking, this became round and rich compared to where this started, at least a 2pt evolution.
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Not showing a lot at this point. Is it closed or just underwhelming for all the hype.Wondering if this was worth $45. Blown away tonight in comparison by a basic $35 Ramey Sonoma Coast and especially by a Leiger Meridth Chardonnay with fruit from Sonoma that totally rocked.
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Must've been a root day.: I didn't mind the tropical fruit. I didn't mind the vanilla. I didn't even mind the coconut, and this has a nice dense presence on the tongue. But good chardonnay should not smell like cotton candy.
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Tropical and oaky. Fat. This had a decent mouthfeel and was certainly very forward in its flavors and aromas, but that is not what I am looking for in Rhys. If you served this to me blind and said this is a Cali Chard, I would have come away mildly impressed. From Rhys I expect more delineation and character, and less of a tropical profile.
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Nicely aromatic nose of ripe citrus. Very ripe, with considerable residual sugar. All, in all, a bit flabby in general. Pretty average- hopefully the SVD is better.
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This was probably the best chard I've ever had. The problem is that I found it to br just better than drinkable. I give up on finding a Chardonnay I will like, as this grape just is not for me.
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On the nose, tropical fruit, and maybe a little oak. In the mouth, much more fruit-forward than the Alpine Chard -- clearly new world -- but "saved" by the acidity. Nicely done in a bigger style than I would expect. Still showing more oak than I like; I wonder how I would react to this blind?
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Christmas Run; 12/24/2011-12/26/2011 (Around the Bay): Oakier and denser than the other Chardonnay in the mix, now lost to the recycling bin. Not as impressed with this in a blind setting than over most of a bottle. Drank well at warmer temperatures, really delicious but not showing as much mineral in light of the Huet. 90+
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Intense, penetrating tropical fruit on the nose. Palate could use a bit more acidity, but it has a very nice mix of white fruit and very light pineapple, and doesn't go to the overtly tropical end of the spectrum. A nice wine, but for early consumption. After an hour or so the nose develops some nice white flowers, and the tropical character fades a bit. The palate, while very nice, is not what I would call racy or vibrant. Fruit-forward wine, to be enjoyed young for what it is.
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Delicious. Slightly cloudy, deep straw yellow. Big nose of brioche, toffee, ripe pineapple, poached pears, vanilla, hints of baked apple, nutmeg, and various other tropical fruits and white sweet flowers. In other words - ripe. Yet this has an adequate framework of acidic structure that lends definition and keeps this from being another run-of-the-mill chard. Will gain a bit of integration, but might lose some verve at the same time. Certainly approachable and yummy now.
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Bright yellow color with a bit of haze. Sweet fruit aromas of spiced pear, vanilla, yellow apple, and lemon. Palate has nutmeg, vanilla, pear, melon, lemon, and apple elements and finishes medium-long with a hint of alcohol and apple notes. A hint of spearmint starts to emerge on the nose with air. Delicious now with a lot going for it. Drink or hold.
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Was a little underwhelmed by this one. For the record, I think the Rhys Alpine Chard (which I had once I'll confess) was among the best bottles of Cali chard I've ever tasted. Precise, deep and complete. This one was just nice. Not much concentration of fruit, and only moderate acidity. Ultimately a little bland.
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13.0% ABV. Medium gold in the glass. Stony apple nose with background lemon curd and a hint of oak. Riper smelling (and tasting) than I was expecting. Medium bodied with crisp apple/pear like fruit. Nice length. This is tasty and interesting.
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Nice but not quite as good as the Alpine Chardonnay. This has a ripe apple/pear nose with good acidity but it is missing the wonderful minerality which really sets the top tier Rhys Chardonnays apart from the pack.
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at first the nose suggests a delicate wine, but after a few minutes it amps up with lemon curd, banana, and some vanilla bean deep in the mix, but what is most apparent here is coconut and butterscotch. one of my favorite aspects of the rhys chards i've had is the precision of the acid and it's balance by the fruit and minerality; this interplay is lacking here. enough acid to keep it from falling flat, however. in fact, after an hour of being opened, the acid kicks up yet another notch, but still no where near what the alpine typically delivers. medium (for a chard), almost creamy body. a suggestion of crisp citrus on the finish with minerals, however the the lingering butterscotch and tropical fruit on the finish is a bit much for me.
i'd like to see what this does with more time. it's certainly a fine bottle, just different from the rest of the chard portfolio and not towards my preference.
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Pineapple, butterscotch, melon, lemon/citrus. Almost viscous texture. Lots of acid. On the brink of painfully intense. Balanced, but the tropical fruit and butterscotch takes it out of my sweet spot.
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Succumbed as others have. Nose of orange, minerals, vanilla and orchard fruit. The palate features a vibrant lemon core and rounding out with pebbles, melon, straw and oak; drinking great now. Reminds me of the 09 Rivers-Marie Thierot or maybe the Peay Sonoma Coast only with a bit more focus.
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I couldn't stay away after recent delivery. Light golden color. Fresh citrus, orange, and hints of vanilla bean (mild) on the nose. Crisp clean palate, with a little melon and burst of acidity. Concentrated, but not overly so. Finishes clean and vibrant, with a nice mineral edge with ripe melon fruit repeating. Clean transparent wine, with the faintest hint of oak, but a very strong vibrant palate and nice mineral edge. Very nice Chard. Rounds out in the mouth with air as others have noted.
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This is very good. Citrus and perhaps a bit of nuttiness on the medium-intense nose. The palate is a medium-bodied cocktail of concentrated lemon cream, some spice, and the texture is very nice. While this does not lack in acidity, this is a softer, friendlier version of the Alpine Chard, and it's totally open for business right now. With air, this picks up a little complexity and is pretty round in the mouth. Lovely to drink while waiting for the Alpines to uncoil.
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Rhys Vineyards Winery Pickup Weekend (Rhys Vineyards Skyline cave): My wine of the day. Great silky smooth texture, tropical fruit, some green flavors, floral perfume. Not high in acid or astringency, this baby is ready to drink now. I wish I could get my hands on some but sadly not likely to see any allocated.
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Nose - warm nutmeg-y spices and a lovely rich lemon meringue. Rich and vibrant, lemon, nutmeg, cinnamon and subtle oak spices, good acidity. Very nice! Ready to drink. 92+ pts
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Rhys Pickup Day (Rhys Winery, Santa Cruz Mtns.): Pineapple, light butterscotch and toast on the nose. Light to medium body, pure mineral midpalate, pineapple, laser-sharp lemony acidity through the finish. Delicious and drinking well now.
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Tasted at the Rhys pickup event, and no notes taken. Lovely lemon curd nose, with a finely detailed palate which is nicely balanced. Excellent. If this is the "declassified" stuff, I can't wait to see what the vineyard designates are like!
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3/4/2024 - ahlswedej wrote:
Website says drink now
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6/11/2023 - leadpencil Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still youthful with crisp acidity and minerality
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2/15/2022 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very polished mix of oak, lemon curd, and pear. This wine presents as compelling a case as could be made for overt oak in white wine.
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10/29/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points
Mature and ripe apple and lemon, plenty of spice, lots of vibrant energy. Still very good. Just as good on Day 2.
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7/27/2021 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have always found Rhys chardonnays, including this one, very oaky. Rhys’s website expresses a goal of low oak influence, but I figure that was a recent change of philosophy, because this wine cannot be seen as having low oak influence. I find the combination of strong oak and restrained fruit distinctive. While I don’t necessarily prefer the oak, I don’t hate it. Anyway, I digress. This wine tastes fresh and young, with great acidity, so it still seems eminently ageworthy.
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11/18/2020 - jbaron wrote: 90 Points
Better on opening than an hour later, but surprisingly good given that it was overlooked in the basement.
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8/30/2020 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
Was a little dark, nutty. DNF
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3/15/2020 - Chrisinroch wrote:
Stored at room temp since purchase. A bit oxidative. Just slight nuttiness, not unpleasant. More angular than is typical in CA chardonnay. Lots of nice acidity on the finish.
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3/9/2017 - scamhi wrote:
started out like a generic chardonnay, after about 1.5 hours it morphed into a wine similar to a chassagne montrachet
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2/9/2017 - collin wrote:
Lemon curd (w/ a bit too much powdered sugar) and chalky minerality on the nose. Palate is nice, but a bit blowsy. Perfectly good overall; I don't see this getting any better from here.
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10/6/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Rhys's website indicates that this wine was made from grapes deemed unsuitable for the Horseshoe Vineyard designation. But this hardly tastes like a second wine. It offers a beautiful core of lemon custard with hints of freshly baked biscuit and sea salt. I can't speak highly enough of Rhys's entire range of wines.
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9/4/2016 - JBVino wrote:
This one is signing right now. A bit more balanced style between old and new world. For the price point (compared to Kevin's higher end vineyard design chards) this one exceeded expectations with really solid acidity and a nice complement of secondary flavors adding to complexity on the palate.
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10/19/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Had a glass of this over the weekend. Reminds me of the intersection between the modern CA style and the more driven style that I more appreciate. There still for me remains enough oak shading this wine to allow it to have that more seductive aromatic, yet it does have a good infusion of lemon notes and suave chardonnay character to please a lot of different palates. Where I could see this wine really succeeding is putting in in the glasses of people that are trying to move away from the modern chard style, yet not fall too fast into the camp of concrete and stainless made chardonnay with high acid! It seems to do both sides well enough and drinks optimally now IMO.
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10/19/2015 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than previous bottle.
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12/27/2014 - JBVino wrote:
pleasantly surprised with first experience with this wine. really solid mixture of acidity, citrus flavors for a wine that has great lift and verve.
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12/23/2014 - marka wrote: 92 Points
First sniff out of the bottle revealed a bit of citrus and tropical fruit. This also showed up on first sniff from the stem and sip. Hint of mango on the nose and palate. Dried peach as well. Nice long finish with a milli-second of tartness that detracts a little from the enjoyment.
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12/13/2014 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Full, lifted and robust aromatics undoubtedly bring some oak, but it's well integrated with baked apples and mineral notes. Palate has round fruit but a big burst of acidic verve and energy. Really enjoy the interplay of plush fruit, fresh and lively acidity and oak notes. Dances on the palate into a long, lively finish. This is all good and in an ideal place.
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12/5/2014 - mye wrote: 87 Points
Decent and quaffable.. but a bit oaky for my taste.. plenty of bright fruit but the caramel/buttery feel is dominant. i thought Rhys did a very lean version of Chard.. guess not this one? not bad, but not great.
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11/27/2014 - joshbryer Likes this wine:
On opening, this was pretty tight. Fairly high pitched nose with some tropical fruits, no intrusive oak element. Zippy acidity is in your face from the get go, nicely fruited and somewhat steely. You can definitely find the Burgundian influence here...and nice to be able to stave off drinking the single vineyard wines for a while.
After a couple hours, unfortunately I felt like this fell apart. Very open knit with significant oak showing, in a style that would definitely not be mistaken for old-world.
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10/8/2014 - jwsmith wrote: 92 Points
One of the best CA chards in sometime pure tart bright fruit really enjoyable
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9/20/2014 - jlm wrote:
Deep golden. Very toasty and buttery aromas, fairly round and juicy on the palate, but with some time open this came into focus. Not taught and firm like the estate Chards, but it was nice enough for its style.
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9/11/2014 - SimonG wrote: 90 Points
2008 Rhys (The Medlar, London): Quite a full light gold. Mineral and oat nose. Reasonably rich on the attack. Mellow. Nicely round with decent length. Promising start. ***1/2
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8/27/2014 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opening up beautifully since the bottle we enjoyed over a year ago. Wish I had more!
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8/15/2014 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Private Dinner at Craft Butchery (Craft Butchery in Westport, CT): Very nice Chardonnay that towed the line between new world and old world. Could taste and smell the oak influence but by no means over the top. Had a little more finesse than the big powerhouse Chardonnays from California. Had notes of marshmallow, vanilla, mango and lemon oil but a little more subtle than the typical Cali Chard. More impressed with this bottle than the one I tried previously from Rhys.
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8/12/2014 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Note after 2 hours in a decanter. Notes of apples and marshmallows on the nose. Nice tropical fruit on the palate. Really lovely balance.
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7/18/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine:
Bold rich nose has rich fruit and buttery notes. Palate is rich and toasty but there is good balancing acidity to provide freshness and focus. A notch below the estate chards tasted side-by-side but a very good chard in its own right.
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7/18/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 88 Points
An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: Even with a lot of air, there is a very rich quality to the nose with roasted marshmallows, vanilla, some clarified butter, and meyer lemons.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium acidity. The feel shows a much richer side, but it isn't overdone or flabby with roasted marshmallows, vanilla beans, meyer lemons, and some white peaches.
Overall: It wasn't fair having this right after a vertical of Alpine Chards. I did decant this for most of the afternoon to make sure air wouldn't be a problem. While I would like to know where this will go with time, this was my last bottle. It's still a very good Chardonnay, but it did suffer with the company.
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7/15/2014 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 89 Points
The basic Rhys Chard. I found this to be quite good but different. It had a almost Riesling sweetness to it. It did have a very nice aroma and roundness to the mouth feel.
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4/25/2014 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
13.0% alcohol. In a very, very fine place right now. Gorgeous nose of crisp apple, minerals, and a tropical note. In the mouth, delightful. Crisp and focused, with mouth-watering apple and tropical fruit. Brilliantly tangy acidity. Long finish. This is smoking good. A-/A
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4/6/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Cowhorn, Rhys, some Italians, ++ (Pronzo's): Their basic Chard. This has developed since release. It is rounder with more oak than the single vineyard stuff but still very nice. Light gold/silver in color. The nose has some lemons and a bit of vanilla/Crème Brule. It is round and while not flabby, not crisp either. It is quite tasty. Going back later in the evening, it shows some depth too. Still drinking quite well, no hurry on this. I wonder how this will compare with the Alescia Chards.
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3/23/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was a big hit. Nice depth and soft oak with crisp minerality.
Well done!
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1/18/2014 - Lessthanzero wrote: 91 Points
Quite the nice improvement for previous bottles. Semi big and rich, but showing complexity and minerality. Well done!
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1/1/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 92 Points
Blind I would have thought this to be a Meursault. Nice minerality and focus. Medium depth and a precise finish.
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1/1/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Some great wine for the end of 2013 (Our home): This is their basic Chard, only made in this vintage IIRC. Very nice and still very young. Nice minerality on the nose with some lemon curd. Medium bodied. Still young, but starting to show some complexity. Always a crowd pleaser especially for people who don't drink Chardonnay.
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11/24/2013 - tbone wrote:
Been a year since last bottle and this wine has changed a lot. I am not a total oakaphobe but it is front and center now. Buttery for sure but really well balanced with subtle background fruit. I think the cougars would approve.
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11/20/2013 - lolo66 wrote:
my first rhys chard. nose is quite rich. some buttery elements, some tropical fruits. The color is a deeper yellow. again rich is color. The taste has tropical fruits, some distant lemon elements and then a strong lingering minerality on the finish along with some hints of oak. This is a big and full bodied chardonnay but has balance. Drinking alone - wish I was having it with food.
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11/4/2013 - Love4Vino Likes this wine:
Rich and bold nose (notes of buttery lemon peel). A very full bodied and rich mouthfeel with citrus and pineapple balanced by a good bit of acidity. A very good example of a very good california chardonnay. Went well with grilled chicken pesto pasta.
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10/19/2013 - xwine wrote:
My last bottle of this, and probably the best. It's shed some of the overt pineapple (though it's still there), and showing more white flowers and pear. Nice wine, and I think it's in a great spot right now.
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9/28/2013 - Acohen wrote: 91 Points
Light pale straw yellow color with apple, pear and lighter mineral and acidity than other Rhys Chardonnays. Nice finish but less racy than others
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9/14/2013 - fredb wrote:
Medium-bright yellow color with some haze to it. Aromas of toasted nuts, lemon, nutmeg, vanilla, and pear. Palate is initially very coarse and woody with a bitter, woody, lemon-pith element that is hard to get past. With lots of air, this actually rounds out and shows better with spiced apple, pear, lemon, and toasted nut elements working in a more harmonious whole. Disjoint at the moment and not clear it will recover any freshness with additional time in the bottle. Drink.
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9/7/2013 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Crisp and fresh. Mellon and and pears with a bit of minarality underneath.
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9/2/2013 - Brsed Likes this wine: 91 Points
Softer fruit (not quite as crisp as other Rhys chards) with a nice pear element.
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8/21/2013 - dexwine wrote: 88 Points
13% Lt gold. Fairly expressive aromas of pear and apple with a note of butter cream and minerals that is lightly framed in oak. Similar flavors with a slightly bitter/oaky? finish. Nice purity, with richness and breadth yet is almost weightless. Well balanced. After 90 minutes the fruit lessens, the minerals kick in more and this gets broader in the mouth, develops a creaminess, becomes more looseknit and finishes a bit hollow. I do enjoy the flavors.
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7/3/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium-bright yellow color. Aromas of sweet apple, vanilla, pear, a hint of lemon curd, and honeysuckle. The palate is a bit flat initially with yellow apple, pear, and vanilla that carry into a medium finish that seems lacking in acid. This actually seemed brighter with some lemon notes showing up after a couple of days open. No reason to wait on this, but seemingly no need to hurry either. Drink or hold.
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7/2/2013 - missionpk Likes this wine: 90 Points
I see similarities between this and the Varner SV SCM wines, which is sort of cool. All Chard seems expensive to me, so I'm not the best judge of QPR.
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6/1/2013 - sawira wrote: 90 Points
Third bottle of three. This bottle resembles the first, and displays more structure than the last, which in hindsight may have been a bit off. Still not that impressed, especially in the entire chardonnay pantheon, but from California this is better than most. Not wowed though, especially for the price. As per my first note, this did indeed gain integration, but lost verve which, with this wine, is a net loss. 90pts pure quality, 86pts personal preference.
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4/29/2013 - brigcampbell wrote:
Friends at the Playground; 4/28/2013-4/29/2013 (Santa Ana, CA): Interesting this is the only vintage. Not what I was expecting but hit right in Chris' wheelhouse. Color is gold hinting that the wine is older than it is. Lots of fruit flavors, a cocktail so to speak, of tree fruits. Heavyweight mouthfeel because of the lack of acid and a very noticeable finish of butterscotch hard candy. This can polarize the field.
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4/19/2013 - wcchang wrote: 92 Points
Good complexity with great balance. Nice minerality.
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4/18/2013 - xwine wrote:
A fair bit of pineapple to this wine, but not in a sweet way. Fairly straightforward, and doesn't change much over a couple of hours. And while it comes nowhere near hitting the highs of the Alpine (haven't yet had the Horseshoe chardonnay), it's still a good drink. Acidity seems to have come out a bit since the last time I tried this wine, but it's missing the firm structure and minerality that I look for.
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4/8/2013 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Expressive nose with citrus, mineral, and a hint of oak which carries to a delectable creamy palate and finish with refreshing acidity.
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3/15/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great balance, even though this is their entry level Chardonnay it has good complexity, citrus, great acidity and a little bit of fat and salty bluestone. Good stuff.
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2/12/2013 - sawira wrote:
Ehh.... Not so impressed. To set the record straight, I'm a confirmed Europhile, and have no business drinking or trying to find the touch I enjoy here - my apologies. This is my second bottle of three, and while this is more integrated and reflective of a style and terroir, I'm just not that wowed. An oak bomb, this is lacking an elegance, breed, sophistication, whatever the terminology. I really want to like this more (but it's big and fat), but it basically looks like a duck, walks like a duck (an obese duck).... It's California Chardonnay, and it's never going to walk beside (waddle), or keep up with, the gems from France for half the tariff. Sorry, just my truth. Maybe it's the warm vintage....Maybe my oak phobia....
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2/8/2013 - WST wrote: 90 Points
This has improved since my first bottle. Dense and rich but energetic. Showing citrus, pineapple, with nice floral elements, a touch of oak. Beautiful texture, almost oily, with enough acid cut to balance.
I'm looking forward to the Horseshoe and Alpine chards if this wine was from barrels that didn't make the grade.
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1/23/2013 - dave kammerer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent bottle last night with seared tuna. Great balance of fruit and acidity and drinking very well right now. Wish I had more than one left. PNP
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1/7/2013 - pakabear wrote: 91 Points
Nice balance, some nicer minerality mixed with butter popcorn (not overdone).
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12/24/2012 - gzim Likes this wine: 90 Points
started out cloudy.. decanted for 2 hours. Nice predominant notes of lemon curd, with a little butterscotch to make it round. I think this was a bit too young, as after following it for an hour, it was just starting to hit its stride. Nice effort.
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12/15/2012 - tbone wrote:
Pretty delicious last night, time has helped this wine and bodes well in the future as well.
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11/24/2012 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Starts a bit tight but really opens up after some time. Had half bottle left second day and was just singing out of the glass with apples and pears over a firm acidity.
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11/18/2012 - 14frimaire wrote:
A very nice Chardonnay
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10/22/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Chard. Not as crisp and mineral driven as the other Rhys Chards. Pale silvery gold in color. The nose has lots of lemon chiffon. Round, slightly oily, full texture. The lemon chiffon translates to the palate. This made a nice cocktail, out side on a nice fall afternoon. I would drink these up in the next couple of years.
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9/8/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Late Summer Afternoon Outside with Friends (Lake Forest IL): Lots of lemon aromas with floral and oak spice hints. Similar lemon and lemon peel flavors with plenty of acidity helping provide length.
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8/31/2012 - jwsmith wrote: 89 Points
Really not that exciting favors were out of balance.
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8/27/2012 - Rieslingfan wrote:
This wine is in a sort of between state. It's certainly rich, and has plenty of fruit to go along with a healthy dollop of oak. On the other hand it seems to have an out of balance acidic element that is initially quite jarring on the palate. It's hard to reconcile the obvious richness with the acidic attack. Not really sure what to make of it. Left half the bottle in the fridge to revisit later. Judgement reserved for now.
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8/18/2012 - WST wrote: 89 Points
Dense and rich but energetic. Showing citrus, pineapple, floral elements, and more than a touch of oak.
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8/10/2012 - kultcha wrote: 89 Points
Yellow Gold colour. Nose initially showed lemon, some toasted oak and a slight buttery note. Opened up with air and some pear and saline notes also became present. The palate shows a decent amount of oak but also some lemon, tangerine and a decent dollop of minerals just before the slightly short finish. Decent acidity. The one thing i was surprised about was all the sediment - this is the most sediment I've ever had in a white wine, esp., one this young. Even for wines that keep the lees in the bottle like the Peay Chards.
Overall, this wine is really losing its baby fat and starting to come into its own. When I had this about 9 months ago it had a lot more tropical fruit and more buttery tones to it. It had good acidity like it does now but the minerals were pretty hidden. The oak is starting to become integrated as well so happy to have 2 more bottles to see where it evolves too. I believe there is upside potential in this wine.
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8/5/2012 - galewskj wrote: 89 Points
Initially lemon and toasted oak. The lemon blew off and some mild tropical flavors entered. Overall, not that interesting and overpriced.
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7/29/2012 - WetRock wrote:
I certainly understand the comments about the lack of acidity in this wine. It's mostly about fruit expression but that expression is pretty damn good. There is a complexity and spiciness not present in the Alpine that I really liked...but that lack of acidity left it without a finish. So it is a divided wine for me. Not sure I want more of this but I do look forward to trying future vintages from Horseshoe from cooler years.
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7/27/2012 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. one hour --
Solid wine; not as focused as the ’09 Alpine Chard; a bit less tropical than the Alpine, too. Very good.
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7/26/2012 - marka wrote: 88 Points
- Yellow gold color and aromas of apricot and orange blossom and has flavours of apricot - Not particularly noteworthy. Pretty muted. I was expecting something elegant and this was not. A bit of an edge to it.
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7/15/2012 - dmcmillen wrote: 85 Points
As others have written, heavy tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple) flavors/aromas predominate. There seems to be quite noticable oak at this stage. Minimal acidity present. Not very balanced at all. Would not buy again, particularly at this price point.
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7/5/2012 - MotoMannequin wrote:
Pop-n-pour after sitting on ice at 4th of July BBQ. Vivid yellow-straw color. Leads with Intense tropical fruits then leads through a fat, buttery mid-palate. There are some minerals there on the short finish if you really search through all the flab. Lacking acidity, and lacking on the finish. This wine was enjoyed more, it seems, by the people who hadn't paid for it. Lots of chard available at this quality level for ½, even ¼ the price. Kevin should be more careful on what he puts the Rhys name.
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6/22/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Had over dinner, no detailed notes. This is a nice mix of mild tropical fruit flavors, with a fat mid palate that coats the mouth, and steely mineral driven finish with a moderate amount of oak influence. Very nicely put together, but at this price point was expecting a little more depth. Not sure if time will add complexity or not.
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6/10/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 89 Points
Big and rich with nice acidity. Short finish is the only thing keeping this wine from scoring higher.
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3/27/2012 - yui wrote: 91 Points
Great but at $50 ????
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3/24/2012 - jakuda wrote:
Saline, pear, cream and light butter. In the mouth it's a bit rounded with some vanilla. Short finish.
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3/19/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote: 89 Points
Restrained chard, but maybe too restrained. Under-delivered for the price.
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3/8/2012 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
nose: very creamy nose filled with tangerines, creams, vanilla, some butter and meyer lemons
taste: medium/full bodied with medium+ acidity that really shows after some air. Not flabby, but certainly on the fat side with plump tones of marshmallow, vanilla, creams, tangerines and some oak tones+meyer lemons
overall: a difficult chard to get a real grasp on. Has the rich california flavors that one comes across, but also has some tart acidity too. This holds its style well and is an interesting chard.
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2/15/2012 - DuaneT wrote: 88 Points
A bit fat. I'm tasting butterscotch with a a dash of lemon. The high acidity keeps the wine interesting as I make my way through the bottle, but otherwise this wine seems fairly pedestrian for California chardonnay.
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2/13/2012 - cookie7 wrote: 87 Points
Tried a pop and pour at first - but then poured it into a decanter. Cloudy color. Some melon and tropical fruit on the nose. This opened a bit more in the decanter. On the palate it seems a bit flabby and fat. Nothing wrong with the wine - but a bit disappointed - does not come anywhere close to the Alpine Vineyard chards of the past.
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2/9/2012 - fisk15 wrote: 89 Points
Nice but certainly not a QPR leader. Drinking better now than upon release.
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2/8/2012 - elamasters wrote: 91 Points
Very nice Chardonnay. Nice richness and creaminess without being at all heavy. In style, it is a lot like a baby Aubert.
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2/7/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Le Cadeau Tasting Dinner with Tom and Deb Mortimer (In Season, Mpls): This started off light and subtle, but really grew and evovled over 30 minutes. Light oak, apple and citrus, mineral. The change in depth was really striking, this became round and rich compared to where this started, at least a 2pt evolution.
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2/7/2012 - chablis28 wrote: 88 Points
Not showing a lot at this point. Is it closed or just underwhelming for all the hype.Wondering if this was worth $45. Blown away tonight in comparison by a basic $35 Ramey Sonoma Coast and especially by a Leiger Meridth Chardonnay with fruit from Sonoma that totally rocked.
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1/18/2012 - BobS wrote: 87 Points
not much to recommend this except the low alcohol content...
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1/16/2012 - coremill wrote: 84 Points
Must've been a root day.: I didn't mind the tropical fruit. I didn't mind the vanilla. I didn't even mind the coconut, and this has a nice dense presence on the tongue. But good chardonnay should not smell like cotton candy.
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1/13/2012 - TheBusiness724 wrote: 87 Points
Tropical and oaky. Fat. This had a decent mouthfeel and was certainly very forward in its flavors and aromas, but that is not what I am looking for in Rhys. If you served this to me blind and said this is a Cali Chard, I would have come away mildly impressed. From Rhys I expect more delineation and character, and less of a tropical profile.
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1/6/2012 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 86 Points
Nicely aromatic nose of ripe citrus. Very ripe, with considerable residual sugar. All, in all, a bit flabby in general. Pretty average- hopefully the SVD is better.
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1/3/2012 - mdaniel wrote:
This was probably the best chard I've ever had. The problem is that I found it to br just better than drinkable. I give up on finding a Chardonnay I will like, as this grape just is not for me.
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12/29/2011 - pismo45 wrote: 89 Points
Nice medium bodied wine. Elegant but not a lot of intensity. Better than many chardonnays we drink but probably not good value.
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12/28/2011 - gbauer wrote:
On the nose, tropical fruit, and maybe a little oak. In the mouth, much more fruit-forward than the Alpine Chard -- clearly new world -- but "saved" by the acidity. Nicely done in a bigger style than I would expect. Still showing more oak than I like; I wonder how I would react to this blind?
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12/27/2011 - fisk15 wrote: 89 Points
Nice, but not as delineated as the other Rhys chards. A bit fat and felt like a bit less acidity.
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12/26/2011 - silton wrote:
Christmas Run; 12/24/2011-12/26/2011 (Around the Bay): Oakier and denser than the other Chardonnay in the mix, now lost to the recycling bin. Not as impressed with this in a blind setting than over most of a bottle. Drank well at warmer temperatures, really delicious but not showing as much mineral in light of the Huet. 90+
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12/25/2011 - xwine wrote:
Intense, penetrating tropical fruit on the nose. Palate could use a bit more acidity, but it has a very nice mix of white fruit and very light pineapple, and doesn't go to the overtly tropical end of the spectrum. A nice wine, but for early consumption. After an hour or so the nose develops some nice white flowers, and the tropical character fades a bit. The palate, while very nice, is not what I would call racy or vibrant. Fruit-forward wine, to be enjoyed young for what it is.
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12/24/2011 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Delicious. Slightly cloudy, deep straw yellow. Big nose of brioche, toffee, ripe pineapple, poached pears, vanilla, hints of baked apple, nutmeg, and various other tropical fruits and white sweet flowers. In other words - ripe. Yet this has an adequate framework of acidic structure that lends definition and keeps this from being another run-of-the-mill chard. Will gain a bit of integration, but might lose some verve at the same time. Certainly approachable and yummy now.
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12/20/2011 - jwsmith wrote: 89 Points
A good bottle of Chard but not great muted tones of apple and brioche, very nice.
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12/15/2011 - fredb Likes this wine:
Bright yellow color with a bit of haze. Sweet fruit aromas of spiced pear, vanilla, yellow apple, and lemon. Palate has nutmeg, vanilla, pear, melon, lemon, and apple elements and finishes medium-long with a hint of alcohol and apple notes. A hint of spearmint starts to emerge on the nose with air. Delicious now with a lot going for it. Drink or hold.
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12/11/2011 - herberto wrote: 88 Points
Was a little underwhelmed by this one. For the record, I think the Rhys Alpine Chard (which I had once I'll confess) was among the best bottles of Cali chard I've ever tasted. Precise, deep and complete. This one was just nice. Not much concentration of fruit, and only moderate acidity. Ultimately a little bland.
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12/3/2011 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 92 Points
13.0% ABV. Medium gold in the glass. Stony apple nose with background lemon curd and a hint of oak. Riper smelling (and tasting) than I was expecting. Medium bodied with crisp apple/pear like fruit. Nice length. This is tasty and interesting.
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12/1/2011 - B Paul wrote: 90 Points
Well made, solid Chard - my first from Rhys. As others have noted, a bit more tropical than expected. That said still has good cut to it. Nice.
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11/26/2011 - 14frimaire wrote:
I thought this was very nice, not life changing but very nice.
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11/23/2011 - locovino wrote: 88 Points
Nice but not quite as good as the Alpine Chardonnay. This has a ripe apple/pear nose with good acidity but it is missing the wonderful minerality which really sets the top tier Rhys Chardonnays apart from the pack.
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11/23/2011 - etherscreen wrote:
baby killing i know....
at first the nose suggests a delicate wine, but after a few minutes it amps up with lemon curd, banana, and some vanilla bean deep in the mix, but what is most apparent here is coconut and butterscotch. one of my favorite aspects of the rhys chards i've had is the precision of the acid and it's balance by the fruit and minerality; this interplay is lacking here. enough acid to keep it from falling flat, however. in fact, after an hour of being opened, the acid kicks up yet another notch, but still no where near what the alpine typically delivers. medium (for a chard), almost creamy body. a suggestion of crisp citrus on the finish with minerals, however the the lingering butterscotch and tropical fruit on the finish is a bit much for me.
i'd like to see what this does with more time. it's certainly a fine bottle, just different from the rest of the chard portfolio and not towards my preference.
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11/21/2011 - Hex triplet #43302E wrote: 87 Points
Pineapple, butterscotch, melon, lemon/citrus. Almost viscous texture. Lots of acid. On the brink of painfully intense. Balanced, but the tropical fruit and butterscotch takes it out of my sweet spot.
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11/20/2011 - silton wrote: 92 Points
Succumbed as others have. Nose of orange, minerals, vanilla and orchard fruit. The palate features a vibrant lemon core and rounding out with pebbles, melon, straw and oak; drinking great now. Reminds me of the 09 Rivers-Marie Thierot or maybe the Peay Sonoma Coast only with a bit more focus.
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11/20/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
I couldn't stay away after recent delivery. Light golden color. Fresh citrus, orange, and hints of vanilla bean (mild) on the nose. Crisp clean palate, with a little melon and burst of acidity. Concentrated, but not overly so. Finishes clean and vibrant, with a nice mineral edge with ripe melon fruit repeating. Clean transparent wine, with the faintest hint of oak, but a very strong vibrant palate and nice mineral edge. Very nice Chard. Rounds out in the mouth with air as others have noted.
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11/4/2011 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is very good. Citrus and perhaps a bit of nuttiness on the medium-intense nose. The palate is a medium-bodied cocktail of concentrated lemon cream, some spice, and the texture is very nice. While this does not lack in acidity, this is a softer, friendlier version of the Alpine Chard, and it's totally open for business right now. With air, this picks up a little complexity and is pretty round in the mouth. Lovely to drink while waiting for the Alpines to uncoil.
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2/26/2011 - SanFranSoxFan04 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rhys Vineyards Winery Pickup Weekend (Rhys Vineyards Skyline cave): My wine of the day. Great silky smooth texture, tropical fruit, some green flavors, floral perfume. Not high in acid or astringency, this baby is ready to drink now. I wish I could get my hands on some but sadly not likely to see any allocated.
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2/26/2011 - yhn wrote: 92 Points
Nose - warm nutmeg-y spices and a lovely rich lemon meringue.
Rich and vibrant, lemon, nutmeg, cinnamon and subtle oak spices, good acidity. Very nice! Ready to drink. 92+ pts
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2/26/2011 - zscheiner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rhys Pickup Day (Rhys Winery, Santa Cruz Mtns.): Pineapple, light butterscotch and toast on the nose. Light to medium body, pure mineral midpalate, pineapple, laser-sharp lemony acidity through the finish. Delicious and drinking well now.
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2/26/2011 - xwine wrote:
Tasted at the Rhys pickup event, and no notes taken. Lovely lemon curd nose, with a finely detailed palate which is nicely balanced. Excellent. If this is the "declassified" stuff, I can't wait to see what the vineyard designates are like!
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2/26/2011 - Steve Brickley wrote: 90 Points
yellow, sweet flowery nose, some butter, green tea, light oak.
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