This is progressing slowly but nicely. It's all about structure rather than richness -- high acidity, no oxidation, lots of minerality and citrus-fruit flavors. Very classy wine, still young. I recommend decanting, and serve it no colder than cellar temperature (even room temperature is fine).
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-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over approx. 1 hr. --
This is aging quite nicely. Rich, but with good acidity. Not sure this gets better, per se, but no need to rush to drink. The bottom inch of the cork did break, and I've had other cork issues with bottles of Rhys from this general time period --- I'd recommend an Ah-so, if you have one.
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A distinct but not overwhelming whiff of gunsmoke. Still good acidity, some yellow and white fruit, some of the reduction remains on the palate as well. Tasty juice - a lovely aged American chard. My favorite quote, from a friend with whom we drank this, was “this has everything I liked about Chardonnay and nothing I don’t.”
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Wonderful Chardonnay in its prime. Full and rich with a little oak. First time drinking a Rhys chard with 10+ years age. I will be keeping more of my Horseshoe and Alpine for a little longer. No wonder Rhys is winery of the year.
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Similar to previous bottles, but on steroids. Oak is still there with a deft touch of oak, white fruits, and butterscotch has made an appearance. I’m thinking the first bottle that was so cloudy was an aberration as this again was clear throughout. 95+
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Now we're talking! Put my Rhys wines on accelerated drink list due to 3-4 bottles of chard and syrah having to be dumped down the sink due to premature oxidation due to flawed corks. With several recent Cellartracker reviews showing oxidation, I was not confident, but this one was finally a winner. Beautiful hue and aroma showed right away that this one would meet a much better fate. Clear and light gold, no hint of browning. Beautiful pear and stone fruit on the palate. Not enough to completely restore my faith, but very happy tonight.
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With Sushi….from 500 ml. Funky/ slightly Oxd upon opening but it mostly blew off. Nice minerality but not anything like I see in other notes. This was from the original shipment release. Will be opening another soon. This is my 4th bottle but have not taken notes previously .
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Golden Color, lemon and green apple on the nose and palate. Hint of vanilla on the palate as well. medium body, medium acidity, not a fruit forward wine. This is drinking much better and balanced compared to when when I opened a bottle in 2018. Not sure of QPR as there are a lot of nice Chards for less.
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From a perfect bottle , this had a deep yellow center with clear rims. The medium intensity nose was pretty quiet at first but developed to show citrus, apples, light toasty oak, and some minerals.
At first this was watery, then oaky, then it came into much better balance with a strong citrus tang.
Yes the oak is a little strong here but there is a fair amount to like in this bottle. It seems somewhat less oaky that prior bottles. My view is that this wine will easily last for a decade. The question is if it will get better. I don’t think I have the patience to find out.
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Guys Night - Anything Goes Blind!: I am impressed with how well these drink with some bottle age. This is in a very good window right now, and I would not hesitate to open one if I had them in my cellar! I think these wines really shine in the 8 -12 year window. This wine is squarely in my wheelhouse with creamy pear, some apple, some Meyers lemon and some toasty oak. The mouthfeel is lush and creamy with enough acidity to keep the fruit lively, but tame enough to allow the creaminess to come through. The oak was still present, but well integrated and the finish was very good with medium to medium long length and a nice creamy pear finish. 94 points and in its peak window, IMO.
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Guy's Night: Anything Goes Double Blind (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Light medium plus gold color. Drank a glass over an hour. This was really drinking well tonight. The nose shows distinct Meyer lemon with hints of tangerine cream, toasted, roasted almonds, and subtle cedar sawdust. The palate is medium full bodied with an ultra creamy texture to the Meyer lemon fruit; there's touches of white grapefruit and lemon peel; quite tangy, with subtle salinity and round integrated oak framing, almond, and a medium plus finish. Very good, I probably drink over the next 3 years.
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Decanted for 1 h then back into bottle. Now 4 h after decant. Lovely aromas of apples, Meyer lemon, mineral, a bit of herbs, mild honeysuckle, and a hint of nuts. Palate w apples, lemon, excellent minerals, some herbs. Lovely finish. Medium-full body. Excellent acids. Taking on tertiary characteristics but still very fresh. I think there is more room for evolution. But drinking really well now. 92+
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Deep and rich, and in early maturity. Citrus and cooked fruit nose, powerful palate impression, and a mineral and acid-driven finish. Will keep my other bottle for a bit to see where this goes, but it's very satisfying now.
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Straw to pale yellow, much lighter than a 2011 opened a few days before. The nose is also markedly different from the '11, with no sign of reduction and a much more classic set of aromas: lemon, apple, stone, some floral elements. The palate has depth and fullness without weight, and wonderful acidic lift, leading into a very solid finish. This vintage is still showing quite young, but it has all its elements in fine balance to age gracefully. I expect this to start showing new dimensions with another 3-4 years in the cellar.
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Maturing beautifully with citrus notes on the nose and layered palate with refreshing acidity and mineral notes on the long finish. Continues to drink beautifully!
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A golden hue, slightly yellow with signs of its age. Initial the nose was a bit closed and musty, but as it opened it brought increasing freshness. After a few hours it blossomed with notes of pear, cooked apple, stewed spices, hazelnut, and brioche. Also some more exotic fruits - maybe quince - and citrus blossoms. Butter later, but also with spice and a nice freshness and hint of match stick that I usually associate with burgundy. Quite complex and drinking beautifully as a more mature Chardonnay. On the palate, this is full bodied, with good density on the mid palate. White fruit driven with a balanced core of acidity that gives the wine vigor and lightness despite the rather ripe fruit and mouth feel. Quite precise and delineated with a slightly reduced finished that brings in some orange citrus notes. Good length on the finish. I haven’t had many of Rhy’s wines, let alone with age, and this is impressive.
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Yellow gold. Nose at first quite muted, but completely intense on the palate immediately. With warmth in glass, lemon-washed pear, apple, hazlenut/almond, quince, minerals, oak spice. Powerful palate, rich and long. Meursault/Chassagne-esque. In a good place, or will keep.
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PnP. Medium gold. Nose of citrus. Medium weight with brilliant acidity and wet stones and lemon-line on the palate. Still tastes very linearwithout a lot of complexity. Not sure if will improve going forward.
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Medium to deep yellow with an amber hue. Super crisp and delicious, vibrant acids that do not over power. Creamy mineral nose with stone fruit moving into fig with some notes of cumin and beeswax. Hint of candied caremelized sugar oak vanilla thing. Medium bodied, long finish. Lingering fruit with a nice bitter tinge. Beautifully layered with acid fruit crisp bitter rind, like a millefeuille with vanilla and cream and passionfruit. 13.1% alcohol.
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Showed really well against a number of excellent white Burgundies. Good color for the age. Very nice rich floral aromas and really good orchard fruit flavors with a bright sweet sour Asian edginess. Likely at peak. Provides a lot of enjoyment now.
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Nose: Not much of an aroma, but what is detected is pear, melon, cantaloupe with whisps of new oak.
Taste: Stone fruit, pear, white balsamic, granny smith apples, creamy lemon like lemon meringue pie with new oak on the short finish. Drink now to the end of 2021.
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Light nose of yellow fruit, preserved lemon, and a hint of ash. Full bodied on the palate, a little lacking in acid snap, sweet yellow fruit, long finish.
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Sue really liked this wine. Drank most of this via Coravin and would have benefited from initial decant to blow off residual oak and open the wine. Minimal impact from age and really lovely white burg like qualities with excelelnt acid yet still vibrant fruit and just slightest initial hint of sherry that passed. Sue clearly wishes I had more of this
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First bottle. PnP. Medium gold. Nose dominated by citrus and liquid stone. On the palate this is quite restrained linear and perhaps will develop more complexity with further age. The high acidity augurs well for longevity.
-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 to 3 hours --
NOSE: rich and buttery with a background herbal element.
BODY: medium golden yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: rich, but not heavy; medium-strong fruit flavor with pleasant supporting saline note; high acidity; popcorn; white grapefruit; rich and salty/umami; 13.1% alc. not noticeable. I grabbed this bottle, in part, because it had a slightly pushed cork. The cork was pretty spongy upon removal. My fears of an advanced wine were quickly dashed: this was utterly stunning, and may be the best Rhys Chardonnay I've had (pretty sure I felt the same way when I opened my first bottle back in 2015). No *need* to drink now, but I highly recommend it, anyways, especially for folks with more than one bottle.
Just keeps getting better. Lemon , citrus, and pineapple, and floral aromas. Lots of flavor, showing lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak. Good acidity. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish. Best bottle yet.
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Light gold. Florally fragrant nose, white flowers, some pineapple and a pinch of spice. Initially quite richly on the attack with a sense of gras, before transitioning to quite an elegant wine with good line. Stylish and with a degree of flair. 1er Puligny in a slightly ripe vintage. With air and overnight the elegant side comes to the fore and the tropical elements recede. Line, lengthy and controlled shape. Really very good indeed but lacks a level of mid palate complexity and energy for top flight. ****
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PnP. Super tight on open, it took a good hour to open up and start showing something. The nose is strange as there is a spicy character that hides the underlying subtle fruit, which I think must be from the oak. Pine needles, which I saw in another note, is a good descriptor of the nose. The palate is better, showing nice acidity and subtle white and tropical fruits with a pleasantly long mouth watering finish, although the spicy character from the nose is still present but less bothersome. I wish this was a bit more buttoned down and precise. The acidity is good and although I have little experience with aging chardonnay, could see this going for many years. I will tuck my remaining two bottles away in the hopes that the pieces integrate better.
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Still showing well. Aromas of lemon , citrus, and pineapple, floral,and minerality,. Lots of flavor, showing lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak. Good acidity. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish.
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Scented oil, riverbank, pine needles, lemon-lime sorbet. Everything is focused and balanced with a nice mouthfeel and a gentle but long finish. I feel like this still has a bit of fleshing out to do. Rhys wines tend to be exceptionally long-lived.
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With the first Dungeness crab of the season. American chardonnay doesn't get much better than this. Lively and fresh, not heavy...not tiring. (More than half of what I think makes good chardonnay is what it's not.) Fruit and oak and spice all in balance. I can't imagine this isn't at its peak.
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PnP. Amazing aromas with floral, minerality, lemon , citrus, and pineapple. Loaded with flavors. Lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak. Good acidity balances out the flavors. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish with minerals and some oak showing up.
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Opened 1 hr prior to dinner. Nice, correct wine, much in the mold of most Rhys wines I've tried. Finely made, but lacking real character, tension or detail.
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super nice this time, a perfect mid-way point between super citrus / acidic white burgs (which we like a lot) and high end CA chardonnays... would be enjoyed by both style lovers if you have a party... nicely attractive to both groups
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Great chardonnay. Rich and creamy but with an intense backbone of minerals and lemony acidity. Concentrated flavors of pineapples, cream, apple juice, and toasty oak spices. The finish is remarkably intense. I've underrated this in the past -- 94/95.
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This wine had a medium yellow center and clear rims. It had the look of a wine that had not been filtered much, if at all. The medium- intensity nose showed some apples, vanilla, and minerals.
In the mouth, I found this quite tight and somewhat dominated by it toasty oak component. It had modest acidity and length. It certainly got better with a few hours of air but it never lost that excess of oak.
This was the first Rhys Chard I have tried and it did not hold a candle to their efforts in Pinot. Hopefully, this was just a relatively weak bottle or maybe not the best vintage for this wine.
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give this a 91 or 92... dark in color but luckily no premox / over-aging, great acidity but also a little too much opulence for my tastes, more tropical than citrus... maybe oak treatment giving the richness?... anyway, will be loved by guests for sure... a fine wine
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This is a very good wine indeed but for my tastes just not ready. Drank well but the Oak is a little overbearing. Great fruit, structure and weight. Decent acidity but should get a lot better. Might be 5-10 years but will be interesting to see though this was my last 2012 bottle. I have later vintages but might be some wait. Didn’t want it score as would be touch unfair.
Edit - since this post I’ve found out that later vintages had less ageing in oak and less new oak so had calmed down a little. Drank a 2015 this weekend and was a touch easier on the oak profile and very good.
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I almost always love Rhys Vineyards Chardonnays. I drink a lot of them. Rhys and Alesia labels. Unfortunately, the 2012 Horse Shoe Vineyards is not showing very well right now. I have opened 2 or 3 bottles over the past 3 months and they are all the same. Missing the crispness and interesting nose. Certainly drinkable, but not what I am used to from Rhys or Horse Shoe vineyard in particular. I have a lot more of bottles and hoping that it is just the time. Or maybe this particular shipment got cooked during transit. Now that I smell it again, I think this bottle may be corked. But in that case, maybe the other bottles from this lot were also corked which is a coincidence.
Somewhat muted nose. Palette has hints of citrus with lots of solid mineral notes and just a touch of oak on the finish. Incredibly smooth. Medium mouthfeel. Not too much acid and could tell it had a bit of age on it. A really good wine.
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One of the best Chardonnays I've had in a while. Amazing aromas as soon as it was opened. Floral, minerality, lemon , citrus, and mint. Loaded with flavors. Lemon, citrus, mint, floral, minerality, a touch of oak. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish with minerals and some oak showing up.
3.5 years after the prior: still has drive and verve to spare. Once again, a savory cornucopia of white and yellow fruit. Excellent finish. Super over three nights.
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Popped and poured. This was very tight when we first opened it - suggest a small to medium decant. After around 15 minutes in the glass, the aroma exploded. On the palate, lemon creme, saline, good acidic balance, and still youthful. A very serious wine for the long term. IMO, this is still on the upside - bet it will gain complexity over the next 10 years. Everything in balance and as good of a chardonnay as we've tried.
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From 375ml in a Grassl Mineralité, on the nose it is a dead ringer for 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, with lemon, apple, and a touch of hazelnut. Loaded with acidity, it benefits from air and warming up some on the glass.
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Muted and stony on nose, even after warming in the glass. Palate is delightful. Melange of round, persistent fruit with baked apple and citrus contrasts balanced by really expressive mineral acidity. Oak treatment is subtle.
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Flint on the nose. Rounded, almost classic Burgundian fruit on the palate and it seemed clear that is the target. Perhaps the closest thing to minerality and terrior tension I have had in a CA white but still falls just a touch short in that aspect. To me, this was in the style of a Ramonet Batard - it was delicious and wholly enjoyable.
I opened this 500mL bottle with a salmon, tomato and caper dish. The wine was very underwhelming to me. PnP, it opened with some red apple and citrus cream and had good acidity, but there was a slight metallic note and the nose was muted, possibly faint cork taint or more likely just some cellar funk as it blew off very slowly. By the end of the night and the bottle, it was almost gone, and the wine that remained was a somewhat generic SCM chard. It was clunkier than I expected in other words.
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Better than the first bottle and definitely continuing to improve. Plenty of room to run. Wish I had another few bottles in the cellar. Creamy mouthfeel with beautiful minerality and stone fruit qualities. Touch of citrus and a long finish. Beautifully complex and distinctive. Really enjoyed this one tonight.
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This is still more impressive than pleasurable -- like a young Puligny or high-quality Chablis. I would leave these alone for another two years or so. It is also going to be more open if you decant it, and if you serve it closer to cellar than to refrigerator temperature.
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Beautiful burnished gold color with an almost ethereal nose of toasty yeast, creamy tropical fruit, and flinty minerality. The front of the palate is crisp and rounded, but the underlying acidity flows all the way thru the long finish. Ripe mango and kiwi flavors are well balanced by the background notes of wet stones. A very delicious wine, showing excellent terroir and fruit.
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Vibrant lemon zest and citrus notes on the fragrant nose and lively palate with prominent acidity and mineral notes on the long finish. Approachable but would probably benefit from a couple more years in the cellar.
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Pretty pale gold color in the glass. Nose is waxy green fruit and while it is a "good" wine, it isn't "great" and starts to go flabby after 30 minutes of being opened. Hmmmm
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Green apples, nutmeg, white flowers, and a hint of butter on the nose. Creamy palate with great acidity and tart apples, citrus, and meyer lemon. Great finish.
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Super unctuous with a petrol nose that gives way to honeysuckle and sour lemon. Good but just...diffferent. Not sure if it might be a bit of taint or shutting down. All the pieces are there just not quite together. Last of the 375ml...will let the 750s sit another year and revisit.
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Deep straw color. Thick and unctuous with wet stone and fruit pits. Maybe a bit shut down right now? Still very good but leans more California than Burgundy, contrary to my previous experience with Rhys Chards.
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Terrific California Chardonnay - for my taste. At first, almost indistinguishable from a fine young Burgundy, say Puligny-Montrachet premier cru. Taught, pear and citrus, faint oak, fine acids, layered. Terrific stuff as it warmed, it broadened and betrayed a hint of tropical California fruit, but not much. Very similar to the ‘12 Alpine, maybe a touch fatter. This is my favorite California Chardonnay. Others can drool over their Marcassin or Aubert, I’ll take this any time. The relatively modest price is a bonus.
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First of six bottles purchased several years ago. Decanted and strongly recommend to do this as the wine blossomed after a good hour + out of the bottle. Medium dark yellow, with lemon pledge on the nose. Some silkiness in mouthfeel, but then the acid spine hits. I suspect this has softened since release and will continue to do so, similar to some Ceritas chards I've let sit and enjoyed. The wine is good and has plenty of fruit and acid to continue improving over the next several years. If you just have 1 bottle, I'd wait another few years. If not, worth trying now.
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Drunk while cooking Thanksgiving 2018. Deep straw yellow as it moves into early middle age. Subdued nose but bracing minerality and acid on the palate. Lemon curd and wet rocks. Great.
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Wine Advocate: Grand Walkabout Tasting (NYC): So very precise on the palate. High acidity and an underlying sweetness from tropical fruits (especially, melon). Give it a lot of air! Excellent underlying material, but I do worry the components will never fully integrate.
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Far better than my previous bottle a few years ago, this is reminiscent of a good Meursault but with a California gloss. Bold and rich and big for sure, but this has subtle fine-grained minerals, deep fruit, and vibrant acidity. Still a touch tropical and oaky, but less so than previous vintages. Nice wine.
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From 375 - this wine is all about salinity and minerality at this point in its life. Sea salt, a hint of caramel and white peaches on the nose. Salty, tangy limestone on the attack with a nice crisp acidic finish. Very atypical of the other horseshoe chards I have had from Rhys.
Imp. Mid straw, cut through with green. Really vibrant. Nose of greengage with a nice leesey depth. Weighty without being heavy. There’s line and length here. Nicely mineral. Excellent. ****
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Lemony mineral aromas with notes of turmeric, citrus oil, and beeswax. Focused core of rich fruit, slightly honeyed with a lovely acid frame, long acid finish. Balanced, more California flamboyance than French elegance, but still delicious. 50 + 17 + 17 + 9 = 93.
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Really drinking well now, lots of lemon, citrus and hints of tropical fruits. Oak influence is definitely there but not offensive making the wine full bodied, good balance though. Maybe better in 3+ years as oak further integrates?
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Man do I love these Rhys Chards. Cali for sure but light on its feet, no fat, no butterscotch, and no buttered popcorn to get in the way of the cream sauce on my chicken. Lithe, near flinty and just damn good!
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A fabulous showing tonight. Served blind. Decanted an hour beforehand, but reached it's peak after 2 hours in the decanter. Sweet pineapple and popcorn notes at first made everyone call CA, but it got purer, more precise, less tropical and a touch lactic over time. A complex and delicious drop that knocked spots off the (admittedly wooden and ponderous) 01 Leflaive Chevalier it was paired with.
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Opened about 6 hours prior to drinking but did not decant. Nose on this shows light toast, lemon oil, flint, nectarine, white flowers. The mouthfeel on this is great, with the citrus and stone fruit interplay creating a really nice balance between sweet and sour, all sitting on top of present, but not prominent oaking. finishes nicely, with the nectarine and oak providing nice textures and length.
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Nose of honeysuckle, melon, crushed rock, and a bit match flint. Savory and sweet on the nose. On night one, the palate is made up of strong lemon and citrus leads, intermingling with underlying tropical fruit. The longer it was open (and I decanted), the more the citrus came to the forefront. Actually the citrus and fruit started more in balance than when it opened up. 92 on night one. Will reasses on day two.
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This is very good. The wine is focused on steely grapefruit and lemon, with a little bit of custard. Although Rhys's website stresses judicious use of oak, I typically find that Rhys's chardonnays have quite a bit of toasty oak on the nose. The oak aromas are high quality and similar to those of premier cru burgundies I've tasted, but they definitely detract from the idea of a terroir-driven wine.
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Very good. Beautiful nose of Lemon, hint of Apple and matchstick, very inviting. Big rich mouth filling flavors of grape, more apple, rich and silky but not obtrusive. Medium+ length. Fine CA expression of Chardonnay.
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Delicious. Thought it improved after breathing for an hour. Drank from 500ml. Good blend of fresh citrus and acid with a touch of vanilla and light note of toasted buttered popcorn.
My wife notes the a cool/menthol like feel to the wine.
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One year later still disjointed and yet showing some age and evolution at the same time. A bit spritzy, maybe some VA. Never really came together for me over an hour. I'm getting a little conflicted on my Rhys chards, some are over the top fantastic, others seem to require decanting and other manipulation that seems cumbersome for such supposedly high end wines. I would expect this 5-year old chard to be in a peak drinking window. After about ten bottles of Rhys chards, I'd say that 4 of them stand with the best chards I've ever had...and the other six have been either adequate or disappointing.
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This went pretty fast. There was some light oak signature on it yet it retained plenty of acidity and citrus. Didn't get a chance to do detailed notes but I remember my reaction to the wine was 'classy' when I did the first glass before the guests had arrived for dinner.
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This has hit a fine, fine spot. Sulfur dominates the nose for the first 10 minutes (wife asked if it was PYCM for this reason), then as it subsides it reveals a beautiful dry, medium+ weight, mineral-driven chardonnay. it's dropped just a touch of its tension, making it a bit easier to drink than at release, yet maintains a sense of mystery and change/evolution in the glass.
might continue to age well - see no reason it won't - but gosh, this is good now.
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Ben's USA @ Brunswick House (Brunswick House): Double decanted 12 hours. Having recently had an imp of this that was tightly coiled and needed a fair amount of air, I double decanted this, but logistical considerations meant that it had to have a full 12 hours of air. Upon opening it seemed more evolved than the imp, and this obviously didn't change with the extended aeration. Ripe and rich nose with more than a whiff of buttered popcorn. Broad but with some focus, and nicely poised and quite a mineral line on the finish. A slightly blowsy front end and a leaner finish. This is good, but a slight disappointment cf previous bottles of Horseshoe or Alpine, extended airing didn't help but there's probably an element of bottle variation given it seemed more evolved from the get-go. ***1/2
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Wow, this was absolutely superb chardonnay. Beautiful, lemon cream and limestone on the nose, with a light touch of oak/vanilla and a whiff of jasmine. More sweet lemon cream on the palate and an almost tactile chalk and limestone feel on the persistent finish. I've never enjoyed a California chardonnay as much as this mineral-packed gem.
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Imperial. Pale. Quite dense. Mineral, quite intense, a freshness but also a density and textural richness. Grand cru weight with a premier cru complexity. Opens up well to show multifaceted mid-palate development. ****
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nose shows orange peel, elderflower, apricot, flint, smoke, and some sweet spice notes. palate shows a great tension between the forward and fresh acids and the deft use of oak. similar profile to nose, but shows some butter on the attack. finishes long with a nice mineral streak and a smoky sweet spice note. really solid and one of the best Rhys Chardonnays I've had
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This was stunning and everyone at the table stopped eating and took note of the wine. Crisp with hints of citrus and perfect acidity. Not one thing out of place.
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Out with friends (Scarecrow, Jonata, 7 Stones, Kutch, Rhys, Baumard) (University Circle): From a 500ml size bottle. More forward than a Magnum of this opened a months or so ago. The nose is big with oranges, peaches and slight vanilla notes. A bit of spice. On the palate, this has a creamy texture. Red apples with a nice streak of minerals. Also some citrus especially on the finish. There is a nice complexity in this and it is quite open and drinking well. No hurry, but certainly no harm drinking now.
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Paired with Ramen at Ramen Shop, Rockridge. Intense Chard with minerality and aromatics on the nose that will last for a long time. Very representative of great burgundian chard making style. Divine!
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Slight match struck nose, citrus zest and peaches. Clean palate with relatively high acidity. Almost lean and Burgundian in style. Will be interesting to see how it develops with time. Clean long finish.
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Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): From Magnum. Showed quite young in this format but opened brilliantly in the glass. Luckily the dinner was slowly/perfectly paced so there was time. Gorgeous nose of oranges, floral notes, peaches and vanilla. The texture is great. This wine is very focused with great acidity. Rebecca commented on the layers and while tight - absolutely. There is a great complexity and depth. On the palate there are crisp peaches with citrus and a nice mineral streak. Nice acidity. Long finish. Great with the food.
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Classy. Nose of lemon, oyster shell, mint, apple, and oak-driven potpourri. A little richer than other Rhys chardonnays I've tasted, but still restrained and refined. I agree with others that this wine could use some time to unfold.
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One of my favorite Cali Chardonnays in recent memory. We took this bottle to Bouchon on the LV strip tonight and it was glorious with the oysters and pretty darn solid with the salmon roulette too. By that point it was drained as it was so beautiful.
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Food (Network, Da Umberto) & Wine (Chelsea Market, Da Umberto): Funny note, but want to capture the whole night of tasting. I didn't try this. The group though really enjoyed it. Toasted sesame seed, buttered popcorn, maybe a hint of citrus (esp on the nose). It was well enjoyed by the chardonnay drinkers in the crowd.
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Weather sucks - Wines don't (GHT): This is coming around but needs more time. Very precise and focused right now. That has some good points but I think a bit more cellaring adds to the complexity and the breadth of the wine. Green gold in color. The nose is mineral driven with vanilla and grapefruit. On the palate, pin point acidity. Some yellow grapefruit. Just a hint of vanilla. Long finish. Very food friendly. Fine to drink now but patience is again rewarded.
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I am a huge fan of Rhys Pinots, but this Chardonnay was the definition of underwhelming, at least to me - too acidic, too thin, barely ripe. Light yellow in color, light in body, nose of saline and orange peel. Biting tastes of lemon, lime, and steel, with a searingly acidic finish. 13.1% alcohol. An hour of air slightly softened matters, but this seemed far closer to a New Zealand SB than a CA Chardonnay (even one in the IPOB tradition, to which I am sympathetic).
My first Rhys white, I will stick to their reds from now on - a conclusion that is a complete shock to me. I hope this was just this bottle (and I know I am in the minority here), but I just didn't like this wine, no matter how much I tried. Within the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Varner brothers blow this out of the water - similar approach, but a more compelling result.
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I tried another one. I just cannot get these down. A lot of trusted tasters really like this wine... I want to, i just can't. Please don't make buying decisions based on my reports, as I love Rhys wines and their other chardonnays. I'm just the odd man out on this particular bottling.
I see that I commented on this wine in May 2015. My notes, this time, are almost identical. Very attractive pale yellow color. Lots of tropical fruit on the nose. Tropical fruit and citrus dominate on the tip of the tongue. As the wine passes mid-palate chalky earthiness pops up. Nicely light on the oak. Good acid freshness.
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I think I'd score a bit lower than others and C did not care for this at all. Some citrus notes to go along with some creamy oak but it just wasn't coming together for me. And C thought it just smelled like cat pee... so there's that. The Rhys Chard's just aren't doing it for us, not sure we'll continue to order.
My favorite Rhys wine tasted so far, and among the best American whites I've been fortunate to drink. Deep, complex, and utterly delicious; a seamless progression of precise fruit and mineral tones, honeyed pear, preserved lemon, hazelnut oil, carroway, ginger, petrichor. The weight and texture of Grand Cru Burgundy, deftly oaked, a touch lactic, varietally correct and terroir-specific, but most all an exquisite expression of pure pleasure.
It took a lot of air for the palate to come close to the level of the nose. Not the best bottle I've had of this but with its high acidity, it was a decent accompaniment to sushi and sashimi, although a certain imbalance remained, and I, therefore, could only drink a small glass.
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This is special. Lemon zest, grapefruit, slate, med+ acid, med+ finish. Slightly reduced on open but was extremely fragrant after a couple minutes. Like a white burgundy on steroids with some white peach and a faint trace of iodine. If this and the chard the Varner brothers are producing is indicative of the kind of chard this appellation can produce I hope more vines get planted up there.
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Wow, all I can taste is lemon zest. There is a crisp acidity to it drank very similar on day 2. Very different from the chards I usually drink. Diana did not care for it.
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pretty much pnp, like most of the Horseshoe chards this starts off with a definite baking spice/apple butter profile which isn't my preference, with more time open this dissipates and more lemon character comes out. While I prefer the more acidic and crisper Alpine, this was drinking better as it opened though the apple butter element never totally resolves.
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Dinner with Friends featuring '90 Veuve LGD Jeroboam (Anvil Club): Courtesy of thelostverse, this was a stunning bottle of Chardonnay. It has a terrific smoky/toasty overtone with lemon, citrus, almond, apple and basil aromas underneath. It is at the same time rich but bright and focused, with lemon, mineral, wet stone, orchard fruit and chamomile flavors. Citrusy mineral tones linger on the finish, all balanced by a perfect amount of acid. I hope TLV has a lot more of these that he's willing to open when we're around to help him drink.
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Opened at Anvil. Similar notes as previous bottle with lemon oil and white fruits. Whereas the previous bottle was cloudy, this was perfectly clear. Significant improvement in depth and finish. Lovely.
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nose is orange zest, sweet lemon, amaretto palate is meyer lemon, aciditic and slightly sweet with a mineral backbone, some heft and creaminess on the mid palate.
very delicious perfectly balanced wine, there is some California richness in fruit balanced with bright acidity.
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Medium golden. Bright, beautifully balanced. There is pronounced Zingy lemoniness -- and razor-sharp angular precision and focus -- that carried over carried over for four nights, gassed and refrigerated in between. We were a bit skeptical about this wine and at this price -- but must admit we totally loved it, and we are glad to have one more.
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one of the finest Cali Chardonnays I've had this year. At this stage just a tad more open than the Alpine and my preference by a hair.
Orange zest intermingling with lemon cream, hints of toasted hazelnuts with just a breath of sea breeze. A slight bit of initial reductive notes on the nose faded quickly.
A generous and fleshy palate of stone fruits focuses with sharp acidity in the mid palate and finishes with a plethora of stoney goodness.
Great now, but still with room to improve in the coming years.
Much better than the 2010 Alpine Chard I had a while back. While this was rich and concentrated, with loads of pineapple, apricot, cream and tangerine, this was surprisingly focused and well delineated on the palate. Superb length and breadth. Wish I had more.
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Wow! I considered dropping Rhys due to having too much Rhys and cost. Thank goodness I continued buying; mainly due to chard.. So much flavor, but balanced well with acid and a mer salut like finish. Spectacular stuff!
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Empty Nesters for the first time - Open some bottles (Tom & Janet's): This is still young and there is room for a point or more improvement. Light golden in color. The nose has lemons and vanilla. Creamy texture. Nice balance. On the palate, there is more lemon/vanilla cream. There is a nice tight complexity here. Give it a few years for the oak to mellow and integrate and the wine to develop and this will be special. For some though, it is perfect now. It did get some oohs and aahs.
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Nose of (something illegible), mint, crisp cucumber, vegetal - green. Salty on the palate with lemon, green veggies. Long saline and green finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5+/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5+/20 (with 16/20 potential).
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Ooh, this is good, the first Rhys chardonnay that's really done it for me (except for the ones I tasted on a visit). Reductive at first, but that blows off to show creamy lemon and the supporting vanilla/sesame/spice of of high-quality oak. The nose is nice but it's the palate impression that stands out here, this is dense and concentrated but with very high acidity and really excellent rocky mineral character. Much better than a recent bottle of the 2010, less lush and tropical but higher acid and more mineral. This could easily pass for White Burgundy.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: initially, tropical and reductive; a little bit of oak; rich and tropical, with hints of sawdust and mineral; medium expressiveness; a touch grassy; very complex; hints of apple and lime after a while.
BODY: medium-light pale yellow color; medium-light to medium bodied.
TASTE: rich fruit with high acidity; strong mineral aspect – zesty and salinic; light oak; lots of density to the flavors; finish is long and of medium intensity; 13.1% alc. not noticeable; a touch lactic as it warms to a warm room temp.; lots of mineral/fruit/acidity; this is absolutely stunning! Drinks well now, but appears to be well-set for a wonderful ride in the cellar.
50, 5, 13, 18, 9 = 95
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Medium yellow color. Youthful, but still showing wonderful component parts. A whiff of oak leads off, backed up by lemon-tinged green apple fruit. In the mouth, concentrated and balanced, with bursting, tangy fruit flavors, bright acidity, lovely spice, and a long finish. This is just terrific and will continue to gain over the next 3-5 years at least. A-/A
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Really needed to open up, initially a bit closed, but after about ten minutes in the glass the palate rounded out, the nose opened up to flowers and fruit. acidity started to pick up and the flavors started to build on itself.
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Consumed over two days and probably needed a third. Clean, mineral fruit. Lighter and more focused on day 2. Needs a few years to soften a bit. Really impressive. 93-94+
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Hunan and the Gang... (Fresno, Ca.): Open for biz here….clean and fresh, great balance, somewhat soft but with good spine of minerals. White flowers and ginger….wish I had spent more time on this.
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Stellar Night of Bordeaux (NYC): Blind, this would pass for a topnotch white burgundy. Bright and aromatic, with lemon, ginger, lanolin, even a bit saline. A touch of richness, so classy. My first Rhys, I was impressed. 91-92 pts.
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Old Bordeaux with Patrick back in town (Fabio's, NYC): Very fresh and precise, with lots of bright citrus and green apple fruit tinged with faint floral notes, and bright acids underneath. I normally have not been that excited by the Rhys wines, but I liked this a lot, and found it very well balanced and refreshing. Just a tough ask to follow the two Zind Humbrechts.
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Very attractive clear, light yellow color in the glass. Bright fresh nose of tropical fruit and citrus. Although there may also be a hint of yeast. Tart papaya on the tongue. Quite lean. Oak is detectable in hint of vanilla, but is not overwhelming. Very much in the style of a Chablis.
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Just a perfect little (.375) bottle of Chardonnay. Clean and crisp with no rough edges. On our plates is a salad of arugula with sliced egg, Italian tuna, drizzled with salsa verde and toasted Sullivan St. Bread. A ray of sunshine on this dreary evening.
This was offered by Jeff as a replacement for a flawed 375. I am sorry Jeff, this is just not for me. It is certainly better than the now flawed first bottle. It just comes across as a tart, soily, acidic bone dry lemonade. Thanks for the replacement, and I am still a big fan!
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Not much else can be added to the chorus already surrounding this wine. I can't wait to check back in on bottle 2 in 3'ish years. Lemon oil, salinity, and citrus components were supported by medium high acidity.
I decanted half the bottle, poured a few small glasses and let them sit for about 1 hour. I would recommend some decanting regimen for enhanced enjoyment. The oak treatment on this one is a thing of beauty. It is an additive element that plays along well. Bravo team Rhys!
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Wow. So glad I have more of these but wanted to try 1 having just joined the Rhys devotees. Have loved their pinot and hence joining up but new to the Chardonnay. This is just spectacular. Really nice acid, lots of lemon on the nose with a beautiful texture that is very light with a bit of oil. This was really enjoyable just to cocktail while chatting and waiting for dinner to cook with some light cheese. I would have no hesitation drinking this now again but want to let the others go a year out a time to find my preference for their Chardonnay...looking forward to the next one!
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Slow ox'd around 30 min before serving. A little reduction on the nose at first, but it blew off quickly to reveal lemon curd & floral aromatics. Medium bodied with just a kiss of oak/honey. The palate showed excellent concentration and acidity. The acidic structure is in great balance with lemony fruit and pronounced minerality. Big enough to match a briny puttanesca lasagne, but classy and refreshing as well. Rhys, as usual delivers.
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Rich yellow. Lemon rind, chalk, resin on the nose. Bright acidic fruit with a broad profile on the palate, very long finish. An elegant colorful wine. 50 + 18 + 16 + 9.
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Have six, so I thought I check in on one to see what I have. This was actually decanted for about an hour prior to dinner. I've not had this before, but I was surprised how cloudy it was in the glass. Nose is lemon oil and white fruits. Similar palate with some apple and pear as well. Improved as it warmed above cellar temp. This is good now, but I can see improvement with time in cellar. 92+
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amazing wine. needs some breathing time / even a 1-2 hour decant. was definitely better with some air.
first impression was all aspects of preserved lemon, overlaying a beautiful mid-weight mouthfeel... saline, acidic, with meyer lemon tart sweetness at the end.
this evolved into more mineral focus and softened out over the 2-3 hours it took to finish the .375 (savored)
could stand to sit for awhile but I couldn't help myself.
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Darn, this is a disappointment. Onewinehaven has it the closest, 'cept my yadayadayada comes earlier... (For a Rhys) I got tart apple juice, buttery modern chardonnay, and some fairly sweet oak. Not what I was expecting at all. I did/do get some expected chalky white mineral perceptions, but for the most part it is closer to a Rombauer (sp) or a Peter Michael. The color is good and it does not seem to have any "advanced" qualities, it's just not what I expect from the Rhys Team.
*A slight return* 3/19 I thought about my note all day and really want to try another bottle. The apple juice perceptions might tell of slight advancement/oxygen intrusion. Also, I have a nice note in my inbox from Rhys. Jeff has offered me a .750 replacement bottle. I will open it with another .375 next week and compare. If the bottle was advanced and I didn't catch it, I want to correct my mistake.
This vintage of Horseshoe Chardonnay is an intense and racy laser beam. The intoxicating nose offers wet rocks, hazelnuts, jasmine and honeysuckle notes while the palate shows great verve and intensity. This young, tightly wound Chardonnay can be enjoyed now but will be even better with age.
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Horseshoe? Hmm. Speaking of barnyards...Sulphur. Yeah, lemon curd, bitter almonds, finesse of oak, yadayadayada. Bottom line, a well-crafted quaff. Not as intense or scintillating as some other of their chardonnays at the same stage. Muted, not so "come hither" as earlier vintages, a modest drape of sulphuric fog cloaking the coiled intensity within. Only with time, as the cloak drops, will we see what this wine has to offer.
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Pobega'd this one but I did let it breathe for about 2 hours. Sensational. Florals, lemon and minerals on the nose, beguiling, and wonderfully reserved. The palate is a marvel. Lemon, lemon curd, green apple, with beams of acidity quietly taming everything all over while minerals fill in every gap. The texture and the balance complete this wine, it comes across so softly but with a creaminess and not a sniff of alcohol. Amazing pairing with scallops, basil oil, and lemon zest. Long finish of lingering lemon. Maybe a toss up, but I think this is the best chardonnay I've ever tasted.
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From 500 mL. Wow, this is out of this world. The best chardonnay I think I have ever had. Just erupts out of the glass with an array of tropical fruit, citrus, and floral aromas (peach, honeysuckle, green apple come to mind). Amazing cut on this wine, with laser-like focus and a long finish. No discernible oak influence whatsoever, which is how I like it. Glad to try it before the Rhys spring release so I can pick up a few more.
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Very pale light color. Fabulous nose of honeysuckle, walnuts and cream. Wow palate with pear, honey and some citrusy undernote. Nice finish. Probably comes together even better with another year in bottle but pretty terrific. 94/95
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Amazing wine, drank from 500mL bottle. I love the array of bottle sizes they offer. This needs a bit of time to round everything out, I just had to pop on to see where it's at. You can enjoy now but if you can put it off for later I would do so!
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From 375. Man is this good. Big nose filled with citrus, lemon, hazelnut, and bready spices. Racy richness on the palate, just great texture with vivid flavors and ripping beams of acidity. Finishes long with a powdery mineral note and spices. The great texture and richness reminds me of a recently tasted 2010 Jadot Corton Charlie. Brilliant. 94
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Rhys Vineyards Tasting -- Barrel and Bottle (Rhys Vineyards): Fair bit of sulfur, light CO2, this is somewhat tough sledding at the moment, palate is rich yet at the same time quite taut. Excellent potential, but needs to coalesce. Nice high wire act.
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4/4/2024 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is progressing slowly but nicely. It's all about structure rather than richness -- high acidity, no oxidation, lots of minerality and citrus-fruit flavors. Very classy wine, still young. I recommend decanting, and serve it no colder than cellar temperature (even room temperature is fine).
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3/11/2024 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over approx. 1 hr. --
This is aging quite nicely. Rich, but with good acidity. Not sure this gets better, per se, but no need to rush to drink. The bottom inch of the cork did break, and I've had other cork issues with bottles of Rhys from this general time period --- I'd recommend an Ah-so, if you have one.
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3/9/2024 - cos65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light yellow gold
Bright tart saline fruit with some celery notes
Tireless drinking, worth a visit, especially for those who don’t mind the acid.
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1/13/2024 - Bob23 Likes this wine: 94 Points
A distinct but not overwhelming whiff of gunsmoke. Still good acidity, some yellow and white fruit, some of the reduction remains on the palate as well. Tasty juice - a lovely aged American chard. My favorite quote, from a friend with whom we drank this, was “this has everything I liked about Chardonnay and nothing I don’t.”
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12/29/2023 - Beezc wrote: 90 Points
At the end of the line. The cork was not in great shape. Drink up.
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12/23/2023 - PRVSips Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful Chardonnay in its prime. Full and rich with a little oak. First time drinking a Rhys chard with 10+ years age. I will be keeping more of my Horseshoe and Alpine for a little longer.
No wonder Rhys is winery of the year.
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11/8/2023 - thelostverse wrote: 95 Points
Similar to previous bottles, but on steroids. Oak is still there with a deft touch of oak, white fruits, and butterscotch has made an appearance. I’m thinking the first bottle that was so cloudy was an aberration as this again was clear throughout. 95+
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10/8/2023 - corgo Likes this wine:
graham cracker, lemon candy, slight cream finish, good acid, yummy
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8/2/2023 - UMRich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Now we're talking! Put my Rhys wines on accelerated drink list due to 3-4 bottles of chard and syrah having to be dumped down the sink due to premature oxidation due to flawed corks. With several recent Cellartracker reviews showing oxidation, I was not confident, but this one was finally a winner. Beautiful hue and aroma showed right away that this one would meet a much better fate. Clear and light gold, no hint of browning. Beautiful pear and stone fruit on the palate. Not enough to completely restore my faith, but very happy tonight.
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7/5/2023 - Beezc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Mature, beautiful, Chardonnay.
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2/10/2023 - JoeDwine wrote: flawed
With Sushi….from 500 ml.
Funky/ slightly Oxd upon opening but it mostly blew off.
Nice minerality but not anything like I see in other notes.
This was from the original shipment release.
Will be opening another soon.
This is my 4th bottle but have not taken notes previously .
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2/6/2023 - Sour Grapes Likes this wine: 92 Points
Golden Color, lemon and green apple on the nose and palate. Hint of vanilla on the palate as well. medium body, medium acidity, not a fruit forward wine. This is drinking much better and balanced compared to when when I opened a bottle in 2018. Not sure of QPR as there are a lot of nice Chards for less.
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1/10/2023 - jhbehrens Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the dark side and a little bit oxidised, could be bottle variation.
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7/2/2022 - Mouthpiece wrote:
Drink or Hold per vineyard
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6/24/2022 - fclarity wrote: 92 Points
From a perfect bottle , this had a deep yellow center with clear rims. The medium intensity nose was pretty quiet at first but developed to show citrus, apples, light toasty oak, and some minerals.
At first this was watery, then oaky, then it came into much better balance with a strong citrus tang.
Yes the oak is a little strong here but there is a fair amount to like in this bottle. It seems somewhat less oaky that prior bottles. My view is that this wine will easily last for a decade. The question is if it will get better. I don’t think I have the patience to find out.
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4/14/2022 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Guys night - Anything goes: I lost my notes, but I recall this being great and inline with my expectation for a well-aged Rhys chardonnay.
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4/14/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Guys Night - Anything Goes Blind!: I am impressed with how well these drink with some bottle age. This is in a very good window right now, and I would not hesitate to open one if I had them in my cellar! I think these wines really shine in the 8 -12 year window. This wine is squarely in my wheelhouse with creamy pear, some apple, some Meyers lemon and some toasty oak. The mouthfeel is lush and creamy with enough acidity to keep the fruit lively, but tame enough to allow the creaminess to come through. The oak was still present, but well integrated and the finish was very good with medium to medium long length and a nice creamy pear finish. 94 points and in its peak window, IMO.
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4/14/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Guy's Night: Anything Goes Double Blind (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Light medium plus gold color. Drank a glass over an hour. This was really drinking well tonight. The nose shows distinct Meyer lemon with hints of tangerine cream, toasted, roasted almonds, and subtle cedar sawdust. The palate is medium full bodied with an ultra creamy texture to the Meyer lemon fruit; there's touches of white grapefruit and lemon peel; quite tangy, with subtle salinity and round integrated oak framing, almond, and a medium plus finish. Very good, I probably drink over the next 3 years.
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3/31/2022 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking really well, with lots of life left.
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3/26/2022 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a half bottle. In a good place right now. No rush though.
Keeps getting better.
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3/20/2022 - James Kim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 1 h then back into bottle. Now 4 h after decant. Lovely aromas of apples, Meyer lemon, mineral, a bit of herbs, mild honeysuckle, and a hint of nuts. Palate w apples, lemon, excellent minerals, some herbs. Lovely finish. Medium-full body. Excellent acids. Taking on tertiary characteristics but still very fresh. I think there is more room for evolution. But drinking really well now. 92+
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1/22/2022 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Spectacular.
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12/31/2021 - BHull Likes this wine: 97 Points
Just keeps getting better each year
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12/18/2021 - rhit wrote:
Deep and rich, and in early maturity. Citrus and cooked fruit nose, powerful palate impression, and a mineral and acid-driven finish. Will keep my other bottle for a bit to see where this goes, but it's very satisfying now.
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12/8/2021 - jlm wrote:
Straw to pale yellow, much lighter than a 2011 opened a few days before. The nose is also markedly different from the '11, with no sign of reduction and a much more classic set of aromas: lemon, apple, stone, some floral elements. The palate has depth and fullness without weight, and wonderful acidic lift, leading into a very solid finish. This vintage is still showing quite young, but it has all its elements in fine balance to age gracefully. I expect this to start showing new dimensions with another 3-4 years in the cellar.
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11/5/2021 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Maturing beautifully with citrus notes on the nose and layered palate with refreshing acidity and mineral notes on the long finish. Continues to drink beautifully!
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10/23/2021 - SB5784 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A golden hue, slightly yellow with signs of its age. Initial the nose was a bit closed and musty, but as it opened it brought increasing freshness. After a few hours it blossomed with notes of pear, cooked apple, stewed spices, hazelnut, and brioche. Also some more exotic fruits - maybe quince - and citrus blossoms. Butter later, but also with spice and a nice freshness and hint of match stick that I usually associate with burgundy. Quite complex and drinking beautifully as a more mature Chardonnay. On the palate, this is full bodied, with good density on the mid palate. White fruit driven with a balanced core of acidity that gives the wine vigor and lightness despite the rather ripe fruit and mouth feel. Quite precise and delineated with a slightly reduced finished that brings in some orange citrus notes. Good length on the finish. I haven’t had many of Rhy’s wines, let alone with age, and this is impressive.
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9/17/2021 - MindMuse wrote: 94 Points
Yellow gold. Nose at first quite muted, but completely intense on the palate immediately. With warmth in glass, lemon-washed pear, apple, hazlenut/almond, quince, minerals, oak spice. Powerful palate, rich and long. Meursault/Chassagne-esque. In a good place, or will keep.
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9/14/2021 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
PnP. Medium gold. Nose of citrus. Medium weight with brilliant acidity and wet stones and lemon-line on the palate. Still tastes very linearwithout a lot of complexity. Not sure if will improve going forward.
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9/3/2021 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 95 Points
Medium to deep yellow with an amber hue. Super crisp and delicious, vibrant acids that do not over power. Creamy mineral nose with stone fruit moving into fig with some notes of cumin and beeswax. Hint of candied caremelized sugar oak vanilla thing. Medium bodied, long finish. Lingering fruit with a nice bitter tinge. Beautifully layered with acid fruit crisp bitter rind, like a millefeuille with vanilla and cream and passionfruit. 13.1% alcohol.
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8/19/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showed really well against a number of excellent white Burgundies. Good color for the age. Very nice rich floral aromas and really good orchard fruit flavors with a bright sweet sour Asian edginess. Likely at peak. Provides a lot of enjoyment now.
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7/16/2021 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
Drinking really well, no need to hold further
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7/10/2021 - Wine Gombie wrote: 85 Points
Color: Fresh Golden Straw
Nose: Not much of an aroma, but what is detected is pear, melon, cantaloupe with whisps of new oak.
Taste: Stone fruit, pear, white balsamic, granny smith apples, creamy lemon like lemon meringue pie with new oak on the short finish. Drink now to the end of 2021.
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6/20/2021 - wgmccallum wrote: 91 Points
Light nose of yellow fruit, preserved lemon, and a hint of ash. Full bodied on the palate, a little lacking in acid snap, sweet yellow fruit, long finish.
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5/3/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Sue really liked this wine. Drank most of this via Coravin and would have benefited from initial decant to blow off residual oak and open the wine. Minimal impact from age and really lovely white burg like qualities with excelelnt acid yet still vibrant fruit and just slightest initial hint of sherry that passed. Sue clearly wishes I had more of this
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4/26/2021 - rosenst1 wrote: 90 Points
First bottle. PnP. Medium gold. Nose dominated by citrus and liquid stone. On the palate this is quite restrained linear and perhaps will develop more complexity with further age. The high acidity augurs well for longevity.
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4/21/2021 - theRealPepe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstandingly crafted wine that is at the same time almost unidimensional in it's beauty. Excellent, but ultimately not quite outstanding.
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4/11/2021 - grafstrb wrote: 96 Points
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 to 3 hours --
NOSE: rich and buttery with a background herbal element.
BODY: medium golden yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: rich, but not heavy; medium-strong fruit flavor with pleasant supporting saline note; high acidity; popcorn; white grapefruit; rich and salty/umami; 13.1% alc. not noticeable. I grabbed this bottle, in part, because it had a slightly pushed cork. The cork was pretty spongy upon removal. My fears of an advanced wine were quickly dashed: this was utterly stunning, and may be the best Rhys Chardonnay I've had (pretty sure I felt the same way when I opened my first bottle back in 2015). No *need* to drink now, but I highly recommend it, anyways, especially for folks with more than one bottle.
50, 5, 12, 19, 10 = 96
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4/5/2021 - fisk15 wrote: 89 Points
Linear and missing depth in the middle. Tasted over two days.
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3/31/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just keeps getting better. Lemon , citrus, and pineapple, and floral aromas. Lots of flavor, showing lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak.
Good acidity. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish. Best bottle yet.
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3/3/2021 - ducster72 wrote: flawed
Corked
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2/28/2021 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Light gold. Florally fragrant nose, white flowers, some pineapple and a pinch of spice. Initially quite richly on the attack with a sense of gras, before transitioning to quite an elegant wine with good line. Stylish and with a degree of flair. 1er Puligny in a slightly ripe vintage. With air and overnight the elegant side comes to the fore and the tropical elements recede. Line, lengthy and controlled shape. Really very good indeed but lacks a level of mid palate complexity and energy for top flight. ****
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2/27/2021 - devillighter wrote:
PnP. Super tight on open, it took a good hour to open up and start showing something. The nose is strange as there is a spicy character that hides the underlying subtle fruit, which I think must be from the oak. Pine needles, which I saw in another note, is a good descriptor of the nose. The palate is better, showing nice acidity and subtle white and tropical fruits with a pleasantly long mouth watering finish, although the spicy character from the nose is still present but less bothersome. I wish this was a bit more buttoned down and precise. The acidity is good and although I have little experience with aging chardonnay, could see this going for many years. I will tuck my remaining two bottles away in the hopes that the pieces integrate better.
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2/26/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still showing well.
Aromas of lemon , citrus, and pineapple, floral,and minerality,. Lots of flavor, showing lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak.
Good acidity. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish.
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2/6/2021 - magyarsvensk Likes this wine: 96 Points
Scented oil, riverbank, pine needles, lemon-lime sorbet. Everything is focused and balanced with a nice mouthfeel and a gentle but long finish. I feel like this still has a bit of fleshing out to do. Rhys wines tend to be exceptionally long-lived.
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1/24/2021 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 94 Points
With the first Dungeness crab of the season. American chardonnay doesn't get much better than this. Lively and fresh, not heavy...not tiring. (More than half of what I think makes good chardonnay is what it's not.) Fruit and oak and spice all in balance. I can't imagine this isn't at its peak.
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12/3/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP. Amazing aromas with floral, minerality, lemon , citrus, and pineapple. Loaded with flavors. Lemon, citrus, floral, minerality, a touch of oak.
Good acidity balances out the flavors. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish with minerals and some oak showing up.
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11/8/2020 - Ben F wrote: 88 Points
Dinner at home, Mill Valley, CA. From 750ml.
Opened 1 hr prior to dinner. Nice, correct wine, much in the mold of most Rhys wines I've tried. Finely made, but lacking real character, tension or detail.
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10/18/2020 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
super nice this time, a perfect mid-way point between super citrus / acidic white burgs (which we like a lot) and high end CA chardonnays... would be enjoyed by both style lovers if you have a party... nicely attractive to both groups
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9/21/2020 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great chardonnay. Rich and creamy but with an intense backbone of minerals and lemony acidity. Concentrated flavors of pineapples, cream, apple juice, and toasty oak spices. The finish is remarkably intense. I've underrated this in the past -- 94/95.
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9/19/2020 - fclarity wrote: 89 Points
This wine had a medium yellow center and clear rims. It had the look of a wine that had not been filtered much, if at all. The medium- intensity nose showed some apples, vanilla, and minerals.
In the mouth, I found this quite tight and somewhat dominated by it toasty oak component. It had modest acidity and length. It certainly got better with a few hours of air but it never lost that excess of oak.
This was the first Rhys Chard I have tried and it did not hold a candle to their efforts in Pinot. Hopefully, this was just a relatively weak bottle or maybe not the best vintage for this wine.
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9/3/2020 - WoodieBayArea wrote: 92 Points
give this a 91 or 92... dark in color but luckily no premox / over-aging, great acidity but also a little too much opulence for my tastes, more tropical than citrus... maybe oak treatment giving the richness?... anyway, will be loved by guests for sure... a fine wine
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7/29/2020 - Erik R. wrote:
Some nice creamy lemon curd and citrus, but to my taste, the oak is outlasting the minerals here.
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7/22/2020 - daviswineguy wrote: flawed
Corked
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7/18/2020 - Mbad77 wrote:
This is a very good wine indeed but for my tastes just not ready. Drank well but the Oak is a little overbearing. Great fruit, structure and weight. Decent acidity but should get a lot better. Might be 5-10 years but will be interesting to see though this was my last 2012 bottle. I have later vintages but might be some wait.
Didn’t want it score as would be touch unfair.
Edit - since this post I’ve found out that later vintages had less ageing in oak and less new oak so had calmed down a little. Drank a 2015 this weekend and was a touch easier on the oak profile and very good.
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7/12/2020 - Jnp2 wrote: flawed
I almost always love Rhys Vineyards Chardonnays. I drink a lot of them. Rhys and Alesia labels. Unfortunately, the 2012 Horse Shoe Vineyards is not showing very well right now. I have opened 2 or 3 bottles over the past 3 months and they are all the same. Missing the crispness and interesting nose. Certainly drinkable, but not what I am used to from Rhys or Horse Shoe vineyard in particular. I have a lot more of bottles and hoping that it is just the time. Or maybe this particular shipment got cooked during transit. Now that I smell it again, I think this bottle may be corked. But in that case, maybe the other bottles from this lot were also corked which is a coincidence.
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6/22/2020 - Jahull03 wrote:
So good right now. Wide open and super-mineral. Wonderful mouthfeel. Will continue to evolve but ready to go now
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5/25/2020 - Grapetimescomin Likes this wine: 92 Points
Somewhat muted nose. Palette has hints of citrus with lots of solid mineral notes and just a touch of oak on the finish. Incredibly smooth. Medium mouthfeel. Not too much acid and could tell it had a bit of age on it. A really good wine.
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5/25/2020 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
Delish great nose. Floral with lemon curd and grapefruit. Amazing acidity for the age. Could go even longer
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5/22/2020 - norsktorsk Likes this wine: 93 Points
very nice
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5/18/2020 - cos65 Likes this wine:
From 375
Brassy green gold
Light residual oak
Some creamy toasty lemony flavors with a rather prickly mouth feel that lingers. NFS
At an odd phase?
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5/16/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best Chardonnays I've had in a while. Amazing aromas as soon as it was opened. Floral, minerality, lemon , citrus, and mint. Loaded with flavors. Lemon, citrus, mint, floral, minerality, a touch of oak. Medium bodied with a long smooth finish with minerals and some oak showing up.
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5/14/2020 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
3.5 years after the prior: still has drive and verve to spare. Once again, a savory cornucopia of white and yellow fruit. Excellent finish. Super over three nights.
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5/8/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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4/16/2020 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped and poured. This was very tight when we first opened it - suggest a small to medium decant. After around 15 minutes in the glass, the aroma exploded. On the palate, lemon creme, saline, good acidic balance, and still youthful. A very serious wine for the long term. IMO, this is still on the upside - bet it will gain complexity over the next 10 years. Everything in balance and as good of a chardonnay as we've tried.
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4/16/2020 - Bakerbd Likes this wine: 94 Points
Grilled lemon, flint, slightly reductive, mineral, long
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4/6/2020 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375ml in a Grassl Mineralité, on the nose it is a dead ringer for 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, with lemon, apple, and a touch of hazelnut. Loaded with acidity, it benefits from air and warming up some on the glass.
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3/29/2020 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
Muted and stony on nose, even after warming in the glass. Palate is delightful. Melange of round, persistent fruit with baked apple and citrus contrasts balanced by really expressive mineral acidity. Oak treatment is subtle.
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3/22/2020 - ledwards wrote: 92 Points
Flint on the nose. Rounded, almost classic Burgundian fruit on the palate and it seemed clear that is the target. Perhaps the closest thing to minerality and terrior tension I have had in a CA white but still falls just a touch short in that aspect. To me, this was in the style of a Ramonet Batard - it was delicious and wholly enjoyable.
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3/18/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar tasting notes to previous bottle, but the savory minerals and succulent acidity won me over tonight. Really enjoyed this bottle!
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3/15/2020 - jviz wrote:
I opened this 500mL bottle with a salmon, tomato and caper dish. The wine was very underwhelming to me. PnP, it opened with some red apple and citrus cream and had good acidity, but there was a slight metallic note and the nose was muted, possibly faint cork taint or more likely just some cellar funk as it blew off very slowly. By the end of the night and the bottle, it was almost gone, and the wine that remained was a somewhat generic SCM chard. It was clunkier than I expected in other words.
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3/8/2020 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Floral and citrus aromas. Elegant with hazelnut and citrus and a beautiful creamy long finish.
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2/23/2020 - Ryan3719 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than the first bottle and definitely continuing to improve. Plenty of room to run. Wish I had another few bottles in the cellar. Creamy mouthfeel with beautiful minerality and stone fruit qualities. Touch of citrus and a long finish. Beautifully complex and distinctive. Really enjoyed this one tonight.
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1/5/2020 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is still more impressive than pleasurable -- like a young Puligny or high-quality Chablis. I would leave these alone for another two years or so. It is also going to be more open if you decant it, and if you serve it closer to cellar than to refrigerator temperature.
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12/25/2019 - dougie Likes this wine: 94 Points
Aging well!
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10/4/2019 - DickMull Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful burnished gold color with an almost ethereal nose of toasty yeast, creamy tropical fruit, and flinty minerality. The front of the palate is crisp and rounded, but the underlying acidity flows all the way thru the long finish. Ripe mango and kiwi flavors are well balanced by the background notes of wet stones. A very delicious wine, showing excellent terroir and fruit.
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8/16/2019 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vibrant lemon zest and citrus notes on the fragrant nose and lively palate with prominent acidity and mineral notes on the long finish. Approachable but would probably benefit from a couple more years in the cellar.
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8/14/2019 - Jbird73 wrote:
Pretty pale gold color in the glass. Nose is waxy green fruit and while it is a "good" wine, it isn't "great" and starts to go flabby after 30 minutes of being opened. Hmmmm
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8/8/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 95 Points
Green apples, nutmeg, white flowers, and a hint of butter on the nose. Creamy palate with great acidity and tart apples, citrus, and meyer lemon. Great finish.
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5/26/2019 - Richard P Howden wrote:
California fruit, Horseshoe minerality.
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3/1/2019 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Super unctuous with a petrol nose that gives way to honeysuckle and sour lemon. Good but just...diffferent. Not sure if it might be a bit of taint or shutting down. All the pieces are there just not quite together. Last of the 375ml...will let the 750s sit another year and revisit.
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2/25/2019 - Jbird73 wrote: 93 Points
Still great. Not much change so hopefully hands off for another couple of years.
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2/25/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Intense, unique. Green mango and lemon are coupled with spicy oak. Just a touch of creaminess prevents it from being too austere.
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1/29/2019 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep straw color. Thick and unctuous with wet stone and fruit pits. Maybe a bit shut down right now? Still very good but leans more California than Burgundy, contrary to my previous experience with Rhys Chards.
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12/31/2018 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another chard winner from Rhys. Better than the last bottle I had. Crisp and citrusy. Long finish.
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12/29/2018 - sdr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific California Chardonnay - for my taste. At first, almost indistinguishable from a fine young Burgundy, say Puligny-Montrachet premier cru. Taught, pear and citrus, faint oak, fine acids, layered. Terrific stuff as it warmed, it broadened and betrayed a hint of tropical California fruit, but not much. Very similar to the ‘12 Alpine, maybe a touch fatter. This is my favorite California Chardonnay. Others can drool over their Marcassin or Aubert, I’ll take this any time. The relatively modest price is a bonus.
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12/9/2018 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
First of six bottles purchased several years ago. Decanted and strongly recommend to do this as the wine blossomed after a good hour + out of the bottle. Medium dark yellow, with lemon pledge on the nose. Some silkiness in mouthfeel, but then the acid spine hits. I suspect this has softened since release and will continue to do so, similar to some Ceritas chards I've let sit and enjoyed. The wine is good and has plenty of fruit and acid to continue improving over the next several years. If you just have 1 bottle, I'd wait another few years. If not, worth trying now.
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11/30/2018 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Opened at Anvil. Consistent note as prior bottle from three years ago. Lemon oil and white fruit. Holding nicely - no hurry.
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11/25/2018 - scorrea Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pale golden color. Hint of tropical fruit with long zesty finish.
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11/22/2018 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drunk while cooking Thanksgiving 2018. Deep straw yellow as it moves into early middle age. Subdued nose but bracing minerality and acid on the palate. Lemon curd and wet rocks. Great.
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11/13/2018 - DaninClearwater wrote: 95 Points
great wine--wish we had more
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11/11/2018 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Delicious right now. Rich, opulent fruit with excellent minerality and cut/tension.
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11/10/2018 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit too high energy for me, highly reductive, with sweet pear and honey, orange oil and sweet mint.
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11/10/2018 - jgreco Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Wine Advocate: Grand Walkabout Tasting (NYC): So very precise on the palate. High acidity and an underlying sweetness from tropical fruits (especially, melon). Give it a lot of air! Excellent underlying material, but I do worry the components will never fully integrate.
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10/16/2018 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
Far better than my previous bottle a few years ago, this is reminiscent of a good Meursault but with a California gloss. Bold and rich and big for sure, but this has subtle fine-grained minerals, deep fruit, and vibrant acidity. Still a touch tropical and oaky, but less so than previous vintages. Nice wine.
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9/18/2018 - jreis Likes this wine:
From 375 - this wine is all about salinity and minerality at this point in its life. Sea salt, a hint of caramel and white peaches on the nose. Salty, tangy limestone on the attack with a nice crisp acidic finish. Very atypical of the other horseshoe chards I have had from Rhys.
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7/15/2018 - SimonG wrote: 92 Points
Imp. Mid straw, cut through with green. Really vibrant. Nose of greengage with a nice leesey depth. Weighty without being heavy. There’s line and length here. Nicely mineral. Excellent. ****
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6/15/2018 - SimonG wrote:
Paul & Keith’s Old World v New World Chardonnay Challenge (La Trompette, London): Blind. Guessed OW. Mid straw. Richer with a touch of oat. A little flabbier when warm but pulls together to show quite classily. ****
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6/11/2018 - LikeABC Likes this wine:
This bottle is absolutely singing right now! Best chard i've had so far this year
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5/17/2018 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lemony mineral aromas with notes of turmeric, citrus oil, and beeswax. Focused core of rich fruit, slightly honeyed with a lovely acid frame, long acid finish. Balanced, more California flamboyance than French elegance, but still delicious. 50 + 17 + 17 + 9 = 93.
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4/21/2018 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Drinking great right now -- so rich yet fresh and lively.
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4/17/2018 - kcp Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely, crystal clear-tasting chardonnay, beautifully balanced, refreshing style (low oak, citrus notes, good lift).
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3/21/2018 - angryphoton wrote: 91 Points
Really drinking well now, lots of lemon, citrus and hints of tropical fruits. Oak influence is definitely there but not offensive making the wine full bodied, good balance though. Maybe better in 3+ years as oak further integrates?
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3/20/2018 - Stumpy wrote: 94 Points
Man do I love these Rhys Chards. Cali for sure but light on its feet, no fat, no butterscotch, and no buttered popcorn to get in the way of the cream sauce on my chicken. Lithe, near flinty and just damn good!
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2/11/2018 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 92 Points
I enjoyed this wine, but, after tasting the 2009, I think this might have had more to offer with a little more bottle age. I drank from a 750.
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2/5/2018 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of gunshot, hint of apple. Very rich palate of tart apple, lemon, with lovely balance and length. Not as potent as last bottle but very nice.
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12/31/2017 - dougie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just magnificent! Flavors becoming more integrated.
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12/17/2017 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Really late lunch – blind esoteric and not so esoteric wines at Q by Peter Chang (Q by Peter Chang - Bethesda, Maryland): Beautiful ripe yellow fruit and mineral driven nose, pineapple, citrus, vanilla, light caramel, sesame and wet stone. Beautiful balance and harmony, most guesses as a ripe year Meursault and Puligny. I know Greg’s cellar so I correctly guess but thinking 2008 or 9.
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12/3/2017 - PSide wrote: 94 Points
A fabulous showing tonight. Served blind. Decanted an hour beforehand, but reached it's peak after 2 hours in the decanter. Sweet pineapple and popcorn notes at first made everyone call CA, but it got purer, more precise, less tropical and a touch lactic over time. A complex and delicious drop that knocked spots off the (admittedly wooden and ponderous) 01 Leflaive Chevalier it was paired with.
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10/24/2017 - Stumpy wrote: 88 Points
This bottle lacked the normal vibrancy of Rhys chards in exchange for a bit more fullness and oak- hopefully a wayward son.
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9/30/2017 - ews3 wrote: 93 Points
Opened about 6 hours prior to drinking but did not decant. Nose on this shows light toast, lemon oil, flint, nectarine, white flowers. The mouthfeel on this is great, with the citrus and stone fruit interplay creating a really nice balance between sweet and sour, all sitting on top of present, but not prominent oaking. finishes nicely, with the nectarine and oak providing nice textures and length.
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8/21/2017 - WineGold Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of honeysuckle, melon, crushed rock, and a bit match flint. Savory and sweet on the nose. On night one, the palate is made up of strong lemon and citrus leads, intermingling with underlying tropical fruit. The longer it was open (and I decanted), the more the citrus came to the forefront. Actually the citrus and fruit started more in balance than when it opened up. 92 on night one. Will reasses on day two.
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7/10/2017 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is very good. The wine is focused on steely grapefruit and lemon, with a little bit of custard. Although Rhys's website stresses judicious use of oak, I typically find that Rhys's chardonnays have quite a bit of toasty oak on the nose. The oak aromas are high quality and similar to those of premier cru burgundies I've tasted, but they definitely detract from the idea of a terroir-driven wine.
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7/5/2017 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good. Beautiful nose of Lemon, hint of Apple and matchstick, very inviting. Big rich mouth filling flavors of grape, more apple, rich and silky but not obtrusive. Medium+ length. Fine CA expression of Chardonnay.
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6/30/2017 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious. Thought it improved after breathing for an hour. Drank from 500ml. Good blend of fresh citrus and acid with a touch of vanilla and light note of toasted buttered popcorn.
My wife notes the a cool/menthol like feel to the wine.
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6/25/2017 - blaine wrote:
One year later still disjointed and yet showing some age and evolution at the same time. A bit spritzy, maybe some VA. Never really came together for me over an hour. I'm getting a little conflicted on my Rhys chards, some are over the top fantastic, others seem to require decanting and other manipulation that seems cumbersome for such supposedly high end wines. I would expect this 5-year old chard to be in a peak drinking window. After about ten bottles of Rhys chards, I'd say that 4 of them stand with the best chards I've ever had...and the other six have been either adequate or disappointing.
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6/23/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This went pretty fast. There was some light oak signature on it yet it retained plenty of acidity and citrus. Didn't get a chance to do detailed notes but I remember my reaction to the wine was 'classy' when I did the first glass before the guests had arrived for dinner.
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6/15/2017 - bconly Likes this wine: 92 Points
With food one of my favorite CA chardonnays I've had. After food started to come off a little tropical but not a big knock.
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6/2/2017 - Jahull03 wrote:
The last of my 375's and sad to see it go.
This has hit a fine, fine spot. Sulfur dominates the nose for the first 10 minutes (wife asked if it was PYCM for this reason), then as it subsides it reveals a beautiful dry, medium+ weight, mineral-driven chardonnay. it's dropped just a touch of its tension, making it a bit easier to drink than at release, yet maintains a sense of mystery and change/evolution in the glass.
might continue to age well - see no reason it won't - but gosh, this is good now.
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5/23/2017 - SimonG wrote: 90 Points
Ben's USA @ Brunswick House (Brunswick House): Double decanted 12 hours. Having recently had an imp of this that was tightly coiled and needed a fair amount of air, I double decanted this, but logistical considerations meant that it had to have a full 12 hours of air. Upon opening it seemed more evolved than the imp, and this obviously didn't change with the extended aeration. Ripe and rich nose with more than a whiff of buttered popcorn. Broad but with some focus, and nicely poised and quite a mineral line on the finish. A slightly blowsy front end and a leaner finish. This is good, but a slight disappointment cf previous bottles of Horseshoe or Alpine, extended airing didn't help but there's probably an element of bottle variation given it seemed more evolved from the get-go. ***1/2
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5/2/2017 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Lemon and stone, with refreshing acidity. Still very young.
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4/16/2017 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow, this was absolutely superb chardonnay. Beautiful, lemon cream and limestone on the nose, with a light touch of oak/vanilla and a whiff of jasmine. More sweet lemon cream on the palate and an almost tactile chalk and limestone feel on the persistent finish. I've never enjoyed a California chardonnay as much as this mineral-packed gem.
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4/14/2017 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Imperial. Pale. Quite dense. Mineral, quite intense, a freshness but also a density and textural richness. Grand cru weight with a premier cru complexity. Opens up well to show multifaceted mid-palate development. ****
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3/23/2017 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
nose shows orange peel, elderflower, apricot, flint, smoke, and some sweet spice notes. palate shows a great tension between the forward and fresh acids and the deft use of oak. similar profile to nose, but shows some butter on the attack. finishes long with a nice mineral streak and a smoky sweet spice note. really solid and one of the best Rhys Chardonnays I've had
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2/9/2017 - John O' Likes this wine:
first pour from corvine
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2/8/2017 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Racy minerality with meyer lemon and a lingering finish.
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1/30/2017 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
A strong Rhys Chardonnay. Drinking well now. No rush, though I don't see this being super long-lived.
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1/29/2017 - DaninClearwater wrote: 95 Points
wow! great Chard
oranges, peaches, vanilla, with a creamy finish
one of the top 3 or 4 chards I have ever had
wish we had more
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1/22/2017 - Diane (LI) wrote:
This was stunning and everyone at the table stopped eating and took note of the wine. Crisp with hints of citrus and perfect acidity. Not one thing out of place.
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1/19/2017 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Lightly spicy, orange peel and blossom
Mid weight and a cool 13.1%
Certainly drinking nicely now, but no rush at all.
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12/19/2016 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
Very similar to our impression in August 2015. A lovely, distinctive, and exquisitely vibrant bottle -- gaining complexity on the second night.
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11/19/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Out with friends (Scarecrow, Jonata, 7 Stones, Kutch, Rhys, Baumard) (University Circle): From a 500ml size bottle. More forward than a Magnum of this opened a months or so ago. The nose is big with oranges, peaches and slight vanilla notes. A bit of spice. On the palate, this has a creamy texture. Red apples with a nice streak of minerals. Also some citrus especially on the finish. There is a nice complexity in this and it is quite open and drinking well. No hurry, but certainly no harm drinking now.
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11/4/2016 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
2016 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly, Alan and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/3/2016-11/12/2016 (Villa D’este, Lake Como, Piedmont, Milan and Frankfurt): Medium expressive sweet yellow fruit driven nose, citrus, clementine, mineral and sesame/oak. Excellent concentration, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium to long finish. Really well made Californian chardonnay.
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11/2/2016 - Jahull03 wrote:
Still awesome, just starting to unwind after an hour decant. Beautiful
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10/25/2016 - ravikalaga Likes this wine: 92 Points
Paired with Ramen at Ramen Shop, Rockridge. Intense Chard with minerality and aromatics on the nose that will last for a long time. Very representative of great burgundian chard making style. Divine!
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10/7/2016 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slight match struck nose, citrus zest and peaches. Clean palate with relatively high acidity. Almost lean and Burgundian in style. Will be interesting to see how it develops with time. Clean long finish.
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10/5/2016 - B Paul wrote: flawed
Off bottle that seemed oxidized. Really dark gold color.
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9/25/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): From Magnum. Showed quite young in this format but opened brilliantly in the glass. Luckily the dinner was slowly/perfectly paced so there was time. Gorgeous nose of oranges, floral notes, peaches and vanilla. The texture is great. This wine is very focused with great acidity. Rebecca commented on the layers and while tight - absolutely. There is a great complexity and depth. On the palate there are crisp peaches with citrus and a nice mineral streak. Nice acidity. Long finish. Great with the food.
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9/20/2016 - kthornton78 wrote:
this one goes to 11. great stuff with a long life ahead - vibrant acid, prominent fruit, and richness from oak that is kept in check.
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7/29/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classy. Nose of lemon, oyster shell, mint, apple, and oak-driven potpourri. A little richer than other Rhys chardonnays I've tasted, but still restrained and refined. I agree with others that this wine could use some time to unfold.
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6/16/2016 - rhit Likes this wine:
Saline and concentrated, though slightly awkward perhaps because of oak. Excellent regardless, and looking forward to seeing where this goes.
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6/15/2016 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of my favorite Cali Chardonnays in recent memory. We took this bottle to Bouchon on the LV strip tonight and it was glorious with the oysters and pretty darn solid with the salmon roulette too. By that point it was drained as it was so beautiful.
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6/10/2016 - blaine wrote:
I think this needs more time, seemed disjointed to me
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5/16/2016 - tjib13 Likes this wine:
Reduction that blew off about half way through the bottle (pop and pour) yellow fruit, spice, rock, super long finish. Killer.
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4/15/2016 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Food (Network, Da Umberto) & Wine (Chelsea Market, Da Umberto): Funny note, but want to capture the whole night of tasting. I didn't try this. The group though really enjoyed it. Toasted sesame seed, buttered popcorn, maybe a hint of citrus (esp on the nose). It was well enjoyed by the chardonnay drinkers in the crowd.
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4/8/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Weather sucks - Wines don't (GHT): This is coming around but needs more time. Very precise and focused right now. That has some good points but I think a bit more cellaring adds to the complexity and the breadth of the wine. Green gold in color. The nose is mineral driven with vanilla and grapefruit. On the palate, pin point acidity. Some yellow grapefruit. Just a hint of vanilla. Long finish. Very food friendly. Fine to drink now but patience is again rewarded.
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4/4/2016 - d_chism wrote:
Similar to before. The lemon is still there, but may be a little less bitter
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3/31/2016 - scorrea Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lemon curd with tons of salinity. I could not notice any oak. Steely, mersault like. Outstanding.
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3/11/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Crisp with zesty lemon, citrus notes, minerality and great finish
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3/5/2016 - msuwine wrote: 88 Points
I am a huge fan of Rhys Pinots, but this Chardonnay was the definition of underwhelming, at least to me - too acidic, too thin, barely ripe. Light yellow in color, light in body, nose of saline and orange peel. Biting tastes of lemon, lime, and steel, with a searingly acidic finish. 13.1% alcohol. An hour of air slightly softened matters, but this seemed far closer to a New Zealand SB than a CA Chardonnay (even one in the IPOB tradition, to which I am sympathetic).
My first Rhys white, I will stick to their reds from now on - a conclusion that is a complete shock to me. I hope this was just this bottle (and I know I am in the minority here), but I just didn't like this wine, no matter how much I tried. Within the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Varner brothers blow this out of the water - similar approach, but a more compelling result.
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2/25/2016 - Charlie Carnes Does not like this wine:
I tried another one. I just cannot get these down. A lot of trusted tasters really like this wine... I want to, i just can't. Please don't make buying decisions based on my reports, as I love Rhys wines and their other chardonnays. I'm just the odd man out on this particular bottling.
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1/16/2016 - John O' Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. I see what all the fuss is about.
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1/1/2016 - EMark Likes this wine:
I see that I commented on this wine in May 2015. My notes, this time, are almost identical. Very attractive pale yellow color. Lots of tropical fruit on the nose. Tropical fruit and citrus dominate on the tip of the tongue. As the wine passes mid-palate chalky earthiness pops up. Nicely light on the oak. Good acid freshness.
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12/21/2015 - domco wrote:
I think I'd score a bit lower than others and C did not care for this at all. Some citrus notes to go along with some creamy oak but it just wasn't coming together for me. And C thought it just smelled like cat pee... so there's that. The Rhys Chard's just aren't doing it for us, not sure we'll continue to order.
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11/26/2015 - Riccardo Malocchio wrote: 95 Points
My favorite Rhys wine tasted so far, and among the best American whites I've been fortunate to drink. Deep, complex, and utterly delicious; a seamless progression of precise fruit and mineral tones, honeyed pear, preserved lemon, hazelnut oil, carroway, ginger, petrichor. The weight and texture of Grand Cru Burgundy, deftly oaked, a touch lactic, varietally correct and terroir-specific, but most all an exquisite expression of pure pleasure.
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11/14/2015 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Damn. Lemon, minerals, great acidity, it needs time for some SO2 to resolve, but is a great CA chard.
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11/13/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
It took a lot of air for the palate to come close to the level of the nose. Not the best bottle I've had of this but with its high acidity, it was a decent accompaniment to sushi and sashimi, although a certain imbalance remained, and I, therefore, could only drink a small glass.
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10/21/2015 - hayato wrote: 95 Points
This is special. Lemon zest, grapefruit, slate, med+ acid, med+ finish. Slightly reduced on open but was extremely fragrant after a couple minutes. Like a white burgundy on steroids with some white peach and a faint trace of iodine. If this and the chard the Varner brothers are producing is indicative of the kind of chard this appellation can produce I hope more vines get planted up there.
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10/21/2015 - d_chism wrote:
Wow, all I can taste is lemon zest. There is a crisp acidity to it drank very similar on day 2. Very different from the chards I usually drink. Diana did not care for it.
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10/18/2015 - Louvin wrote: 91 Points
pretty much pnp, like most of the Horseshoe chards this starts off with a definite baking spice/apple butter profile which isn't my preference, with more time open this dissipates and more lemon character comes out. While I prefer the more acidic and crisper Alpine, this was drinking better as it opened though the apple butter element never totally resolves.
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10/2/2015 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Friends featuring '90 Veuve LGD Jeroboam (Anvil Club): Courtesy of thelostverse, this was a stunning bottle of Chardonnay. It has a terrific smoky/toasty overtone with lemon, citrus, almond, apple and basil aromas underneath. It is at the same time rich but bright and focused, with lemon, mineral, wet stone, orchard fruit and chamomile flavors. Citrusy mineral tones linger on the finish, all balanced by a perfect amount of acid. I hope TLV has a lot more of these that he's willing to open when we're around to help him drink.
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10/2/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 94 Points
Opened at Anvil. Similar notes as previous bottle with lemon oil and white fruits. Whereas the previous bottle was cloudy, this was perfectly clear. Significant improvement in depth and finish. Lovely.
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9/8/2015 - Silveradoup wrote: 96 Points
Keeps getting better . . .
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8/29/2015 - bottles.and.bites Likes this wine: 97 Points
nose is orange zest, sweet lemon, amaretto
palate is meyer lemon, aciditic and slightly sweet with a mineral backbone, some heft and creaminess on the mid palate.
very delicious perfectly balanced wine, there is some California richness in fruit balanced with bright acidity.
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8/28/2015 - Deux Chevaux Likes this wine:
Medium golden. Bright, beautifully balanced. There is pronounced Zingy lemoniness -- and razor-sharp angular precision and focus -- that carried over carried over for four nights, gassed and refrigerated in between. We were a bit skeptical about this wine and at this price -- but must admit we totally loved it, and we are glad to have one more.
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8/28/2015 - Chris NYC Likes this wine: 95 Points
one of the finest Cali Chardonnays I've had this year. At this stage just a tad more open than the Alpine and my preference by a hair.
Orange zest intermingling with lemon cream, hints of toasted hazelnuts with just a breath of sea breeze. A slight bit of initial reductive notes on the nose faded quickly.
A generous and fleshy palate of stone fruits focuses with sharp acidity in the mid palate and finishes with a plethora of stoney goodness.
Great now, but still with room to improve in the coming years.
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8/26/2015 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Much better than the 2010 Alpine Chard I had a while back. While this was rich and concentrated, with loads of pineapple, apricot, cream and tangerine, this was surprisingly focused and well delineated on the palate. Superb length and breadth. Wish I had more.
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8/26/2015 - dougie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! I considered dropping Rhys due to having too much Rhys and cost. Thank goodness I continued buying; mainly due to chard.. So much flavor, but balanced well with acid and a mer salut like finish. Spectacular stuff!
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8/23/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Empty Nesters for the first time - Open some bottles (Tom & Janet's): This is still young and there is room for a point or more improvement. Light golden in color. The nose has lemons and vanilla. Creamy texture. Nice balance. On the palate, there is more lemon/vanilla cream. There is a nice tight complexity here. Give it a few years for the oak to mellow and integrate and the wine to develop and this will be special. For some though, it is perfect now. It did get some oohs and aahs.
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8/20/2015 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 91 Points
Nose of (something illegible), mint, crisp cucumber, vegetal - green. Salty on the palate with lemon, green veggies. Long saline and green finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5+/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5+/20 (with 16/20 potential).
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8/19/2015 - coremill wrote: 91 Points
Ooh, this is good, the first Rhys chardonnay that's really done it for me (except for the ones I tasted on a visit). Reductive at first, but that blows off to show creamy lemon and the supporting vanilla/sesame/spice of of high-quality oak. The nose is nice but it's the palate impression that stands out here, this is dense and concentrated but with very high acidity and really excellent rocky mineral character. Much better than a recent bottle of the 2010, less lush and tropical but higher acid and more mineral. This could easily pass for White Burgundy.
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8/15/2015 - grafstrb wrote: 95 Points
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --
NOSE: initially, tropical and reductive; a little bit of oak; rich and tropical, with hints of sawdust and mineral; medium expressiveness; a touch grassy; very complex; hints of apple and lime after a while.
BODY: medium-light pale yellow color; medium-light to medium bodied.
TASTE: rich fruit with high acidity; strong mineral aspect – zesty and salinic; light oak; lots of density to the flavors; finish is long and of medium intensity; 13.1% alc. not noticeable; a touch lactic as it warms to a warm room temp.; lots of mineral/fruit/acidity; this is absolutely stunning! Drinks well now, but appears to be well-set for a wonderful ride in the cellar.
50, 5, 13, 18, 9 = 95
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8/10/2015 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
Excellent, and drinking well now
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8/2/2015 - gutt22 Likes this wine:
Medium yellow color. Youthful, but still showing wonderful component parts. A whiff of oak leads off, backed up by lemon-tinged green apple fruit. In the mouth, concentrated and balanced, with bursting, tangy fruit flavors, bright acidity, lovely spice, and a long finish. This is just terrific and will continue to gain over the next 3-5 years at least. A-/A
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8/1/2015 - clayfu wrote:
Really needed to open up, initially a bit closed, but after about ten minutes in the glass the palate rounded out, the nose opened up to flowers and fruit. acidity started to pick up and the flavors started to build on itself.
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7/21/2015 - Mrp2008 wrote: 93 Points
Consumed over two days and probably needed a third. Clean, mineral fruit. Lighter and more focused on day 2. Needs a few years to soften a bit. Really impressive. 93-94+
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6/16/2015 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hunan and the Gang... (Fresno, Ca.): Open for biz here….clean and fresh, great balance, somewhat soft but with good spine of minerals. White flowers and ginger….wish I had spent more time on this.
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6/5/2015 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Quite lovely, lightly spicy, bright, hint of citrus. Fine now, but I'd hold off.
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6/5/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
I love these half bottles when I am dining solo. I also love what is in these bottles. Zesty, well rounded, and delicious.
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5/16/2015 - blanquito wrote: 91 Points
Stellar Night of Bordeaux (NYC): Blind, this would pass for a topnotch white burgundy. Bright and aromatic, with lemon, ginger, lanolin, even a bit saline. A touch of richness, so classy. My first Rhys, I was impressed. 91-92 pts.
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5/16/2015 - salil wrote: 89 Points
Old Bordeaux with Patrick back in town (Fabio's, NYC): Very fresh and precise, with lots of bright citrus and green apple fruit tinged with faint floral notes, and bright acids underneath. I normally have not been that excited by the Rhys wines, but I liked this a lot, and found it very well balanced and refreshing. Just a tough ask to follow the two Zind Humbrechts.
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5/7/2015 - EMark Likes this wine:
Very attractive clear, light yellow color in the glass. Bright fresh nose of tropical fruit and citrus. Although there may also be a hint of yeast. Tart papaya on the tongue. Quite lean. Oak is detectable in hint of vanilla, but is not overwhelming. Very much in the style of a Chablis.
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4/20/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Just a perfect little (.375) bottle of Chardonnay. Clean and crisp with no rough edges. On our plates is a salad of arugula with sliced egg, Italian tuna, drizzled with salsa verde and toasted Sullivan St. Bread. A ray of sunshine on this dreary evening.
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4/6/2015 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
This was offered by Jeff as a replacement for a flawed 375. I am sorry Jeff, this is just not for me. It is certainly better than the now flawed first bottle. It just comes across as a tart, soily, acidic bone dry lemonade. Thanks for the replacement, and I am still a big fan!
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4/6/2015 - WG Johns@n Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not much else can be added to the chorus already surrounding this wine. I can't wait to check back in on bottle 2 in 3'ish years. Lemon oil, salinity, and citrus components were supported by medium high acidity.
I decanted half the bottle, poured a few small glasses and let them sit for about 1 hour. I would recommend some decanting regimen for enhanced enjoyment. The oak treatment on this one is a thing of beauty. It is an additive element that plays along well. Bravo team Rhys!
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4/5/2015 - Jbird73 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. So glad I have more of these but wanted to try 1 having just joined the Rhys devotees. Have loved their pinot and hence joining up but new to the Chardonnay. This is just spectacular. Really nice acid, lots of lemon on the nose with a beautiful texture that is very light with a bit of oil. This was really enjoyable just to cocktail while chatting and waiting for dinner to cook with some light cheese. I would have no hesitation drinking this now again but want to let the others go a year out a time to find my preference for their Chardonnay...looking forward to the next one!
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4/3/2015 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slow ox'd around 30 min before serving. A little reduction on the nose at first, but it blew off quickly to reveal lemon curd & floral aromatics. Medium bodied with just a kiss of oak/honey. The palate showed excellent concentration and acidity. The acidic structure is in great balance with lemony fruit and pronounced minerality. Big enough to match a briny puttanesca lasagne, but classy and refreshing as well. Rhys, as usual delivers.
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3/31/2015 - wgmccallum Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich yellow. Lemon rind, chalk, resin on the nose. Bright acidic fruit with a broad profile on the palate, very long finish. An elegant colorful wine. 50 + 18 + 16 + 9.
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3/27/2015 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Have six, so I thought I check in on one to see what I have. This was actually decanted for about an hour prior to dinner. I've not had this before, but I was surprised how cloudy it was in the glass. Nose is lemon oil and white fruits. Similar palate with some apple and pear as well. Improved as it warmed above cellar temp. This is good now, but I can see improvement with time in cellar. 92+
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3/25/2015 - Jahull03 wrote:
amazing wine. needs some breathing time / even a 1-2 hour decant. was definitely better with some air.
first impression was all aspects of preserved lemon, overlaying a beautiful mid-weight mouthfeel... saline, acidic, with meyer lemon tart sweetness at the end.
this evolved into more mineral focus and softened out over the 2-3 hours it took to finish the .375 (savored)
could stand to sit for awhile but I couldn't help myself.
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3/18/2015 - Charlie Carnes wrote: flawed
Darn, this is a disappointment. Onewinehaven has it the closest, 'cept my yadayadayada comes earlier... (For a Rhys) I got tart apple juice, buttery modern chardonnay, and some fairly sweet oak. Not what I was expecting at all. I did/do get some expected chalky white mineral perceptions, but for the most part it is closer to a Rombauer (sp) or a Peter Michael. The color is good and it does not seem to have any "advanced" qualities, it's just not what I expect from the Rhys Team.
*A slight return* 3/19 I thought about my note all day and really want to try another bottle. The apple juice perceptions might tell of slight advancement/oxygen intrusion. Also, I have a nice note in my inbox from Rhys. Jeff has offered me a .750 replacement bottle. I will open it with another .375 next week and compare. If the bottle was advanced and I didn't catch it, I want to correct my mistake.
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3/15/2015 - charleshetzel Likes this wine: 94 Points
This vintage of Horseshoe Chardonnay is an intense and racy laser beam. The intoxicating nose offers wet rocks, hazelnuts, jasmine and honeysuckle notes while the palate shows great verve and intensity. This young, tightly wound Chardonnay can be enjoyed now but will be even better with age.
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3/14/2015 - onewineheaven wrote: 90 Points
Horseshoe? Hmm. Speaking of barnyards...Sulphur. Yeah, lemon curd, bitter almonds, finesse of oak, yadayadayada. Bottom line, a well-crafted quaff. Not as intense or scintillating as some other of their chardonnays at the same stage. Muted, not so "come hither" as earlier vintages, a modest drape of sulphuric fog cloaking the coiled intensity within. Only with time, as the cloak drops, will we see what this wine has to offer.
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3/13/2015 - kenhoeve Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pobega'd this one but I did let it breathe for about 2 hours. Sensational. Florals, lemon and minerals on the nose, beguiling, and wonderfully reserved. The palate is a marvel. Lemon, lemon curd, green apple, with beams of acidity quietly taming everything all over while minerals fill in every gap. The texture and the balance complete this wine, it comes across so softly but with a creaminess and not a sniff of alcohol. Amazing pairing with scallops, basil oil, and lemon zest. Long finish of lingering lemon. Maybe a toss up, but I think this is the best chardonnay I've ever tasted.
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1/26/2015 - GrapeScott wrote: 95 Points
From 500 mL. Wow, this is out of this world. The best chardonnay I think I have ever had. Just erupts out of the glass with an array of tropical fruit, citrus, and floral aromas (peach, honeysuckle, green apple come to mind). Amazing cut on this wine, with laser-like focus and a long finish. No discernible oak influence whatsoever, which is how I like it. Glad to try it before the Rhys spring release so I can pick up a few more.
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12/27/2014 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very pale light color. Fabulous nose of honeysuckle, walnuts and cream. Wow palate with pear, honey and some citrusy undernote. Nice finish. Probably comes together even better with another year in bottle but pretty terrific. 94/95
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12/14/2014 - Silveradoup wrote: 95 Points
Amazing wine, drank from 500mL bottle. I love the array of bottle sizes they offer. This needs a bit of time to round everything out, I just had to pop on to see where it's at. You can enjoy now but if you can put it off for later I would do so!
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11/30/2014 - 1981er wrote: 94 Points
From 375. Man is this good. Big nose filled with citrus, lemon, hazelnut, and bready spices. Racy richness on the palate, just great texture with vivid flavors and ripping beams of acidity. Finishes long with a powdery mineral note and spices. The great texture and richness reminds me of a recently tasted 2010 Jadot Corton Charlie. Brilliant. 94
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11/26/2014 - Jahull03 wrote:
Very, very good with the season's first dungeness. Big body, white pepper, better after a couple hours' air
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10/26/2014 - xwine wrote:
Rhys Pickup Event (Rhys Vineyards): Well delineated tropical fruit on the nose; mouth coating palate with a chalky and mineral laden finish. Lovely.
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10/26/2014 - jakuda wrote:
Tasted on a pickup day. Heavy saline, heavy rock, flinty aromas. Lemon-piercing acidity with a rich, enveloping finish. Another impressive chard.
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2/1/2014 - xwine wrote:
Rhys Vineyards Tasting -- Barrel and Bottle (Rhys Vineyards): Fair bit of sulfur, light CO2, this is somewhat tough sledding at the moment, palate is rich yet at the same time quite taut. Excellent potential, but needs to coalesce. Nice high wire act.
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