Dark color, appropriate for its age with plenty of butterscotch and caramel apple character. Still good richness and depth. Probably better a few years back, but certainly still enjoyable.
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Popped and poured, then enjoyed over several hours. Certainly mature, but in a fun nutty, butterscotchy way, and certainly not tired, although fading at the 2-hour mark. Bottle purchased from Rhys at release.
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Rhys in Atlanta (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Showing its age with some nuttiness, but not at all over the hill, with plenty of acid. Clearly California, but in a good way.
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Really intense nose. Big wine. Lots of palate presence. Very focused lemon with great mineral finish. My only complaint is that as the wine sat open and warmed the oak became excessive.
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Double decanted, this had an intoxicating banana cream pie, orange peel, nutmeg, Meyer lemon. Still a lot of powerful, rounded fruit, including pineapple, lemon, peach and a little grapefruit. A pretty rich mouthfeel actually; everything is still in place with fruit, structure and grip, including some oak for sure. Moderate finish.
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Lemon oil on the nose. Extremely intense - a real wakeup jolt at first. We had our other bottle over 3 years ago and it was intense then and I figured it would have "mellowed" some by now. It may have a little but still seems like it has years to go. Still, it was great last night. Tends toward the citrusy side of flavors. August restaurant.
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EWG does LQ @ SK (Starry Kitchen, Los Angeles): Served blind. This one also cleaned up with some air. Banana and wax showing a bit of age. Buttery and minerally with some air. Rich and fat initially and actually falling off on the finish. Clearly a bigger California powerfully fruited Chard. Pretty sweetness later on and a touch of heat. A mixed bag overall for me. I think the fruit would benefit from a few more years but I'm not sure the structure is present for extended aging.
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This was exquisite...a happy medium between California tropical fruit (Aubert) and Burgundian elegence (Batard-Montrachet). Could have smelled this wine all night...a perfect match for butter-poached lobster & summer succotash fettuccini. Skipped the second vintage when my son was born to save some cash so I don't get offered any more...what a mistake!!!
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A nice bottle. Decent/nice nose of powdery earth and slightly overripe tropical fruit; mouth is a bit light, but of nice character. The length is what I'd call "average" for a wine of this price - not bad but not great - it's of decent length and decent (if again, slightly overripe) character. A nice package, especially as a before-dinner wine, but it seems a bit "typical" to me.
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Nice Cali Chard. Nose is kicking tons of stones, grapefruit, lemons, with a touch of oak. Nice mouthfeel- creamy especially after a couple ( of chablis in the flight) tons of lemon and really nice minerals as well. Great finish..
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Sushi and vino (Sai Cafe, Chicago, IL): nose: absolutely no mistaking this for not being a cali chard with rich and layered tones of butter, marmalade, citrus tones, bits of roasted nuts and toast tones. Very well balanced and melded together on the nose
taste: full bodied with excellent depth and a real plush feel with tones of hot butter, marmalade, oranges, roasted nuts, and toast tones. Well layered and balanced on the palate with good medium acidity backing it up
overall: this was great stuff. Well balanced and rich without being overdone. Quintessentially californian but showing off the positive side of cali chard. Full bodied and deep on both the nose and palate, this was showing great
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This one seems to be hitting peak right now and is still and outstanding bottle of California Chardonnay. Tried this one about three years back when it was a bit younger and just loved the steely minerals and apple/pear notes there. Now we have an older white showing notes of butterscotch and nuts along with deeper baked apple. These do seem to push the minerality back though which I miss a bit. Still superbly balanced in the mouth. This was Kevin's first release of the Alpine Chardonnay and I was lucky to get two bottle of the mailing list since I think there was only one barrel made. Not a huge fan of older CA whites but this is very nice. Who knows what will happen to it past age eight though.
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Popped and poured. Soaring nose of rich citrus and spice notes, bordering on too much oak and a touch of butterscotch. Very fine palate showing richness buttressed by a core of minerality and acidity that provided amazing balance and drinkability. Long finish. Great CA chardonnay.
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No TN but a comment - if not the best, certainly in the top 3 chardonnays I've ever had. Brilliant wine - drink at cellar temperature. Fantastic with lemon risotto.
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Wow! I have had uneven results, at best, with the Alesias that I have opened to date, and I have been concerned about all the accolades for wine made from such young vines. Well, this was beautiful. In its drinking window now, but no rush. Yes, there could be more sap in the mid-palate, but I'm really quibbling. No hint at all of the difficult, hot vintage. Oh, and, I don't like Chard, except for Goyard and Thevenet.
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I like my previous bottle better; perhaps I waited a little too long. maybe a little more air would have helped. There were 5 of us drinking the bottle, so it dissapeared quickly. This bottle did not have the verve and cut if the one that I consumed two years ago. The wine was still very good, but the oak seemed a little more obcious and the pallet was a little flabby.
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Pale lemon yellow color. Heady aromas of lime, lemon, flowers, butterscotch, and melon. On the palate, this shows butterscotch, lime, stones, pineapple, fig, and flowers. The finish is medium-long and shows a bit of heat and a strong acidic structure. This appears to be poised for a longer lifetime than most will have the patience or supply to endure. Drink or hold.
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My last bottle and again stunning CA chard. Tons of structure with nice citrus fruit notes and a nice long spicy finish. I'm very excited that allocations for the '09 will be increasing significantly. It just doesn't get much better than this.
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Mineral and citrus notes. Wet slate and Meyer lemon as others have noted. Balanced acididty. Overall comes across as rather lean. No heat from the alcohol level, but noticeable by effect after only 2 glasses. Tasted blind on its own, reminiscent of a young 1er Puligny although if tasted with true burgs, would likely stand out. Will allow the remaining bottles to rest for another year or two.
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Jay Miller saves the world and we celebrate with wines from all over. (Jay's): Apples, vanilla and citrus. Decent concentration and acidity, but more oak than I prefer, though I have to admit it wasn't egregiously oaky. I didn't make my Chardonnay face and that's saying something. A bit of alcohol on the finish. B/B-.
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My first bottle of Rhys chard and if this is a harbinger of things to come then I am as happy as a pig in sh*t and I am not even a big fan of CA chard. This is a stunningly good bottle of chard that is all about complexity with an incredibly unique nose of minerals, wet slate and meyer lemons. The palate is wonderfully balanced with a subtle touch of pear, apple and pineapple, crushed rocks, lemony acidity, that leads to a very long and slightly spicy finish with a kiss of acidity that draws you back again and again for another sip. I had to force myself to save some for the next night when it drank just as well. I'm thrilled to hear the '09 vintage will be the first to produce a relatively significant number of barrels.
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OC Blind Wine Dinner (The Winery - Tustin, CA): This wine seemed large-scaled in comparison to the others in the flight. Bold aromas of grilled pineapples, sugarcane, caramel corn, and creme brulee. Unctuous on the palate with good balancing acidity. Long and rich finish.
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The OC Goes Blind (The Winery, Tustin, CA): Sweet nose showing butterscotch, buttered popcorn and smoke. This seemed to most 'Californian' with a lemony but sweetish palate. Surprised at the result as it was more typical of what I expect from Cali Chard in the wrong direction.
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The OC Blind Crew (The Winery Restaurant In Tustin, CA): Seemed richer to me than I was expecting but I wonder how much the vintage's heat was speaking here? Baked apple pie, buttery with some acidity, though, to carry it. Having tasted this after the Arnaud Ente Mersault, probably wasn't a fair fight for this Rhys. Not bad but but a little rich in the comparative sense.
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Excellent. Nice, pillowy mineralty. Terrific depth and concentration, all supported by a rigid spine of acidity. Very complex and long. My only critic is that the acidity could be better integrated.
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This was glorious. I now see what all the excitement is about. I am glad that I still have another bottle of this vintage. Rich appley fruit with well integrated oak that does not overwhelm the fruit. Lemons and minerals keep the finish lively.
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14.6% alcohol. Now this is a seriously stunning wine. Bright yellow color. Absolutely intoxicating nose on this wine, filled with apple, pear, citrus, and fig notes, along with plenty of minerals, and some oak. In the mouth, a perfect cross between full-bodied roundness and linear verve. Rich apple and pear fruit that gets extra life and brightness from the green apple and lemony notes that come in. Tremendous minerality give it a delicious chalky quality that mingles beautifully with the acidity. Stunningly long finish that brings in a tinge of oak again. It's hard to ask for anything more from a Chardonnay from California. Great stuff. A
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Bright yellow color. Nose of melon, lemon, fig, and apple. On the palate, this is very complex, showing a deep chalkiness behind fig, apple, lemon, melon, pineapple, and a hint of butterscotch. Wears its advertised alcohol well, but that alcohol would be the only reservation I have about this wine. Otherwise, a great effort and shows promise for further development as well as good things to come from Rhys.
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Absolutely delish bottle, creamy and full-bodied, apple and pineapple melding nicely. Perhaps the best chardonnay I have ever had. IMO at its peak drinking window.
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This showed a lot of oak spice on the nose, giving it a very apple-pie quality. With time the oak seemed to integrate some and a mineral note came out. In hindsight, this probably would have benefited from decanting. The palate was rich and creamy but with ample acidity to keep it from becoming fat, though not enough to provide the cut I would have liked to see. The finish is quite long and gives the impression of a very concentrated wine.
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Opened and poured a small taste; then into the decanter. Nose is muted, but Chardonnay aromas are evident with a touch of wet stones. In the mouth it begins focused, but expands quickly to show pineapple, lemon curd, and tropical notes that are followed by minerality and mouth coating toasty oak. The acid is balanced and the finish is medium. The oak is there however not overwhelming. A very expansive wine in the earlier stages that becomes more focused. It is a pleasure to drink. With more airtime the minerality has come more to the forefront, but it is still rich and creamy.
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Nose rather muted but with hints of apple, lemon and a little oak. Not a big wine but very intense. Lemony and with what I know to be minerals all the way into a long finish. Just great texture, not overblown. Better in a couple years. Pop and poured with a crab dinner at Riverside.
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Tasting Group Dinner (Craig's House): A rich and full-bodied Chardonnay displaying thick flavors of lemon curd and smoky new oak. Definitely on the riper side, but with enough acidity and finishing minerality to keep things interesting. Terrific texture.
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This wine continues to divide. I enjoyed it, particularly the nutty taste and finish whereas others thought it off b/c not what they want/expect in their chards. I enjoy it.
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Rhys and Alesia Spring '08 release dinner (Tabla): Stands out in the flight for its darker fruit complexion -- this is definitely starting to show some development in the bottle. It retains its crunchy structure and almost oceanic minerality with its long, salty finish. Opens up considerably with time in the glass, but doesn't just open, it actually brightens and approaches the younger vintages in freshness.
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This took some time to come together and still not sure it entirely got there. Initially somewhat disjointed combo of citrus and oak with each strutting its stuff and not really working together. With more air, both settled down and I think it was on its way to pretty good balance. Definitely can taste the mineral/lemon edge which I liked and my wife found less comfortable. Much is left and I expect it will be good tonight
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Lots of oak plus sulphur on the nose and palate. OK balance, maybe a bit hot on the finish. It may just be a phase for this wine. Long finish and matched well with food.
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Dinner Chez Pelz: This was tossed in last second, and did not get decanting treatment. Sulphur on the nose with some heavy amount of minerals, lemon rind, and a little oak. On the palate, this was better. Long and light on its feet. Good finish. I would say that as good as this is, I like Varner Chardonnays better, especially considering the difference in price tag.
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there is a promising nose of flinty lemon-lime, a likable orange on the midpalate, but then too much oak takes over resulting in a wine that is somewhat ponderous, and the antithesis of the nose. nowhere near the performance of my previous bottle.
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The fourth time I've tasted this wine, but this time it was in the company of its three siblings ('03, '05 & '06). Color is clear silvery gold, quite light. Nose shows a bit of funk, interesting, but not as clean and refreshing as the other bottles, I think it is the oak poking though. This is possibly the ripest tasting of the four chards, but it is well balanced by the citrusy acidity; and there is a chalky minerality on the finish.
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Wine Crawl 9: New world Chardonnay & Rhône Grenache blends (San Francisco, CA): Double decanted 24 hrs before serving. OK that sounds crazy but based on past experience with this wine & oak i was curious how this would show with extended airtime. Nose of hazelnut, candied ginger, rather expensive smelling oak, some char/toast. Flavors of spiced baked apple, medium acidity. Rich and full-bodied with some intense, essential-oil aromatics that curiously remind me of Chidaine's riper 05s, e.g. Clos Baudoin. Rich, full mouthfeel and a long, long finish. Excellent, but the fatal flaw here is too much alcohol showing on the finish. I'd be surprised if that doesn't get worse with age. My 1/3. Tasted blind.
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Decanted for 2 hours and served with black cod in parchment. Clear gold hue with a big minerally nose with some citrus notes. Beautiful balance of citrus and nutty flavors and wet stones, with moderate oak tones. Great acidity and length that hit just the right tone. Very beautiful and balanced wine that really highlighted the food.
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Very good bottle of wine. Opened and tasted immediately - wow! acidity. left on the counter in a wine sleeve thing for abotu 1 3/4 hours. crystal clear yellow to pale yellow.
there was a lot of lemon oil, not quite to the curd stage as in some kistler chards. There was a lot of acidity and minerality present that added crispness that cut all the way through to the finish which was substantial. excited to see where the other one i have goes. I will look forward to this bottlling.
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Absolutely amazing chardonnay. Brought this to a mini offline and everyone loved it. Just wish I had more. What I like the most about this chard is that you can't taste the wood which is so troublesome to me with young Kistlers. A wonderful wine.
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14.6% alcohol. decanted. very bold right out of the gate, almost tangy. but, it's setttled down over the last 45 minutes. moderate oak that doesn't offend me, and almost oily fruit expressed by lemon-lime, orange peel, and almonds. fresh and tight acidity. i like this wine. one of the things i differ with is that somehow santa cruz fruit magically morphs into a more burgundian style. this is still a california chard, albeit with a cleaner, sharper profile.
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hard to believe this is from califronia- terrific nose of lemon peel, stones, pepper and grapefruit. I love the palate presence of this- minerals to burn and a stony, stely finish- great balance. reminiscent of mersault
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I don't get it. Restrained aromas, lemon, small note of butterscotch. Tightly wound, same note of butterscotch, mineral. Medium finish. Not much complexity or depth. Not a big fan of this for$35.
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This is a great Chardonnay. I think the best wine by Rhys I have yet tasted. Clear yellow. Restrained nose with mineral and lemon peel. Thick mouthfeel with mineral citrus on the palate. Wonderful wine.
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SFwine double blind night (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Lots of toasty oak on the nose, citric, meyer lemon, white fruits. Bright acid, fine minerality, and good concentration on the palate. Finishes with a big mouthful of creamy oak. Love the lean freshness of the fruit here but wow, a lot of wood that needs to integrate. (Tasted blind)
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Smells like the beach, a gust of ocean wind, the sound of seagulls flapping their wings in the distance. Briny oyster shells on the palate complete the illusion, adding freshness to the rich flavors of buttered popcorn. This is less exuberant than the last time I had it and the alcohol seems a little firmer too.
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Nose shows marked minerality built on a background of ripe fruit. Palate is ever so slightly ripe and sweet, but with strong minerality, stones, and steel. Quite complex Very long finish. Best showing yet.
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Served with pan-seared scallops and lemon. This is a beautifully crafted chardonnay. Very un-California. Nice pale yellow with a mineral, citrus and apple nose. The palate is acontinuation of the nose with a good balance of acidity, minerality, and fruit. This wine a great future and I look forward to allowing my other bottle develop over the next several years.
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No detailed note but excellent chardonnay. Judicious use of oak is greatly appreciated. Lean and muscular underlying structure allows some high toned notes to dance around the palate. My first Rhys and I am impressed.
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Showing some oak on the nose, but very well dileneated, though very big, on the palate. There is plenty of acidity to keep this fresh, but not at the level of say, Chablis. FWIW, both bottles of the '04 were opened approximately 20 hours before the dinner, tested for TCA, recorked, and stored in the fridge. At that time my bottle was almost painfully intense on the palate; it tasted like a barrel sample. It had integrated and rounded out with the air time and I think this bodes very well for the wine's future. I will not open my other bottle for several years.
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The 2003 and 2004 were completely different. I am not a big chardonnay drinker (Cali, Burgundy or otherwise) and, although I enjoyed both vintages, the 2003 seemed less ripe and more austere with a bit more acidity. It was also cloudy and maybe a bit darker IIRC. I found th citrus in the 2004 very interesting. I did not detect much difference between the various decanting methods with the exception of a touch more oak on the nose in one over the other (sorry don't remember which) though my wife was hoarding her pour and was reluctant to share with me.
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"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Aromatically, the 2004 is far more expressive and voluminous than the 2003, but it is also a good deal less pure with more overt wood suggested by the buttery nose and popcorn flavors. The texture is more luxurious and mouthcoating, with a rich, chicken-brothy fullness, but I preferred the 2003 for its freshness and transparency. But wait. As this wine warmed up—and I think it hit its peak just a few degrees below room temperature—it underwent a total change of personality, eventually rivaling the 2003 in freshness and crispness and taking on leaner proportions.
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Aromas of fresh ripe chardonnay fruit, pale straw color. Medium-full body, lush and mouthfilling with minerality and citrus on the finish. Slightly sweeter (or riper) than one would expect from a French wine, but very impressive in its balance despite its size. Really good acid backbone, long finish. (Tasted blind)
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Rhys is a new winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains that hasn't released any wines yet, but which has a very impressive program underway to make distinctive and superior examples of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. There are five estate vineyards in various stages of coming on-line and the models for the wines are frankly French. The 2004 Chardonnay is the second vintage to come from the Alpine vineyard, which lies to the west of the Monte Bello ridge. This is an astonishing bottle of wine. It is a powerhouse that is suggestive of what you might get if you crossed a Côte de Beaune Grand Cru with a Chablis Grand Cru and raised it in California. It starts with a big burst of ripe California fruit, which changes to a mineral backbone of liquid chalk, and then finishes with a burst of fresh acidity that tastes like grapefruit and Meyer lemons. The finish lasts for over a minute. The wine will benefit from bottle age by becoming more elegant, and dare I hope? even more impressive.
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7/5/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
Dark color, appropriate for its age with plenty of butterscotch and caramel apple character. Still good richness and depth. Probably better a few years back, but certainly still enjoyable.
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1/6/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Popped and poured, then enjoyed over several hours. Certainly mature, but in a fun nutty, butterscotchy way, and certainly not tired, although fading at the 2-hour mark. Bottle purchased from Rhys at release.
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6/4/2014 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 89 Points
Rhys in Atlanta (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Showing its age with some nuttiness, but not at all over the hill, with plenty of acid. Clearly California, but in a good way.
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1/25/2013 - Carl Thoma wrote: 90 Points
Honey color; surprise as aging it was showing; rich; reminded me of a 20 year burgundy. Enjoyed but probably slightly passed it's peak.
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12/1/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: flawed
Corked! :(
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4/30/2012 - PortFanatic wrote: 92 Points
Really intense nose. Big wine. Lots of palate presence. Very focused lemon with great mineral finish. My only complaint is that as the wine sat open and warmed the oak became excessive.
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3/17/2012 - Erik R. wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted, this had an intoxicating banana cream pie, orange peel, nutmeg, Meyer lemon. Still a lot of powerful, rounded fruit, including pineapple, lemon, peach and a little grapefruit. A pretty rich mouthfeel actually; everything is still in place with fruit, structure and grip, including some oak for sure. Moderate finish.
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12/21/2011 - pismo45 wrote: 95 Points
Lemon oil on the nose. Extremely intense - a real wakeup jolt at first. We had our other bottle over 3 years ago and it was intense then and I figured it would have "mellowed" some by now. It may have a little but still seems like it has years to go. Still, it was great last night. Tends toward the citrusy side of flavors. August restaurant.
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9/25/2011 - WetRock wrote:
EWG does LQ @ SK (Starry Kitchen, Los Angeles): Served blind. This one also cleaned up with some air. Banana and wax showing a bit of age. Buttery and minerally with some air. Rich and fat initially and actually falling off on the finish. Clearly a bigger California powerfully fruited Chard. Pretty sweetness later on and a touch of heat. A mixed bag overall for me. I think the fruit would benefit from a few more years but I'm not sure the structure is present for extended aging.
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7/25/2011 - jheathw wrote: 94 Points
This was exquisite...a happy medium between California tropical fruit (Aubert) and Burgundian elegence (Batard-Montrachet). Could have smelled this wine all night...a perfect match for butter-poached lobster & summer succotash fettuccini. Skipped the second vintage when my son was born to save some cash so I don't get offered any more...what a mistake!!!
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6/14/2011 - 14frimaire wrote:
Christophe comes to town; 6/12/2011-6/14/2011 (NYC): Did not disappoint. No hint of the hot vintage. Beautiful texture with floral overtones and deft use of wood.
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4/29/2011 - jbaron wrote: 90 Points
A nice bottle. Decent/nice nose of powdery earth and slightly overripe tropical fruit; mouth is a bit light, but of nice character. The length is what I'd call "average" for a wine of this price - not bad but not great - it's of decent length and decent (if again, slightly overripe) character. A nice package, especially as a before-dinner wine, but it seems a bit "typical" to me.
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4/21/2011 - Erik R. wrote: 93 Points
No detailed note, but rich pear, lemon and spice, really great.
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4/15/2011 - LeatherPalate wrote: 92 Points
Nice Cali Chard. Nose is kicking tons of stones, grapefruit, lemons, with a touch of oak.
Nice mouthfeel- creamy especially after a couple ( of chablis in the flight) tons of lemon and
really nice minerals as well. Great finish..
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4/8/2011 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
Sushi and vino (Sai Cafe, Chicago, IL): nose: absolutely no mistaking this for not being a cali chard with rich and layered tones of butter, marmalade, citrus tones, bits of roasted nuts and toast tones. Very well balanced and melded together on the nose
taste: full bodied with excellent depth and a real plush feel with tones of hot butter, marmalade, oranges, roasted nuts, and toast tones. Well layered and balanced on the palate with good medium acidity backing it up
overall: this was great stuff. Well balanced and rich without being overdone. Quintessentially californian but showing off the positive side of cali chard. Full bodied and deep on both the nose and palate, this was showing great
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3/13/2011 - locovino wrote: 93 Points
This one seems to be hitting peak right now and is still and outstanding bottle of California Chardonnay. Tried this one about three years back when it was a bit younger and just loved the steely minerals and apple/pear notes there. Now we have an older white showing notes of butterscotch and nuts along with deeper baked apple. These do seem to push the minerality back though which I miss a bit. Still superbly balanced in the mouth. This was Kevin's first release of the Alpine Chardonnay and I was lucky to get two bottle of the mailing list since I think there was only one barrel made. Not a huge fan of older CA whites but this is very nice. Who knows what will happen to it past age eight though.
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2/23/2011 - llink wrote:
Popped and poured. Soaring nose of rich citrus and spice notes, bordering on too much oak and a touch of butterscotch. Very fine palate showing richness buttressed by a core of minerality and acidity that provided amazing balance and drinkability. Long finish. Great CA chardonnay.
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2/5/2011 - JFish wrote:
No TN but a comment - if not the best, certainly in the top 3 chardonnays I've ever had. Brilliant wine - drink at cellar temperature. Fantastic with lemon risotto.
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2/3/2011 - 14frimaire wrote:
Wow! I have had uneven results, at best, with the Alesias that I have opened to date, and I have been concerned about all the accolades for wine made from such young vines. Well, this was beautiful. In its drinking window now, but no rush. Yes, there could be more sap in the mid-palate, but I'm really quibbling. No hint at all of the difficult, hot vintage. Oh, and, I don't like Chard, except for Goyard and Thevenet.
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12/20/2010 - wineack wrote: 90 Points
I like my previous bottle better; perhaps I waited a little too long. maybe a little more air would have helped. There were 5 of us drinking the bottle, so it dissapeared quickly. This bottle did not have the verve and cut if the one that I consumed two years ago. The wine was still very good, but the oak seemed a little more obcious and the pallet was a little flabby.
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8/20/2010 - Knicksfan wrote: 92 Points
Stunning complex and delicious. Need more of these types of Cali Chards
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6/18/2010 - fredb Likes this wine:
Pale lemon yellow color. Heady aromas of lime, lemon, flowers, butterscotch, and melon. On the palate, this shows butterscotch, lime, stones, pineapple, fig, and flowers. The finish is medium-long and shows a bit of heat and a strong acidic structure. This appears to be poised for a longer lifetime than most will have the patience or supply to endure. Drink or hold.
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5/30/2010 - RussW wrote: 93 Points
My last bottle and again stunning CA chard. Tons of structure with nice citrus fruit notes and a nice long spicy finish. I'm very excited that allocations for the '09 will be increasing significantly. It just doesn't get much better than this.
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3/29/2010 - JBVino wrote:
solid burgundian style...great acid balance, mouthfeel and citrus, mineral flavor profile
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1/26/2010 - teekayfl wrote:
Mineral and citrus notes. Wet slate and Meyer lemon as others have noted. Balanced acididty. Overall comes across as rather lean. No heat from the alcohol level, but noticeable by effect after only 2 glasses. Tasted blind on its own, reminiscent of a young 1er Puligny although if tasted with true burgs, would likely stand out. Will allow the remaining bottles to rest for another year or two.
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10/4/2009 - BradKNYC wrote:
Jay Miller saves the world and we celebrate with wines from all over. (Jay's): Apples, vanilla and citrus. Decent concentration and acidity, but more oak than I prefer, though I have to admit it wasn't egregiously oaky. I didn't make my Chardonnay face and that's saying something. A bit of alcohol on the finish. B/B-.
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8/6/2009 - jwebtx wrote:
Stellar.
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7/26/2009 - RussW wrote:
My first bottle of Rhys chard and if this is a harbinger of things to come then I am as happy as a pig in sh*t and I am not even a big fan of CA chard. This is a stunningly good bottle of chard that is all about complexity with an incredibly unique nose of minerals, wet slate and meyer lemons. The palate is wonderfully balanced with a subtle touch of pear, apple and pineapple, crushed rocks, lemony acidity, that leads to a very long and slightly spicy finish with a kiss of acidity that draws you back again and again for another sip. I had to force myself to save some for the next night when it drank just as well. I'm thrilled to hear the '09 vintage will be the first to produce a relatively significant number of barrels.
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6/20/2009 - Paul Lin wrote: 88 Points
OC Blind Wine Dinner (The Winery - Tustin, CA): This wine seemed large-scaled in comparison to the others in the flight. Bold aromas of grilled pineapples, sugarcane, caramel corn, and creme brulee. Unctuous on the palate with good balancing acidity. Long and rich finish.
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6/20/2009 - WetRock wrote:
The OC Goes Blind (The Winery, Tustin, CA): Sweet nose showing butterscotch, buttered popcorn and smoke. This seemed to most 'Californian' with a lemony but sweetish palate. Surprised at the result as it was more typical of what I expect from Cali Chard in the wrong direction.
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6/20/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
The OC Blind Crew (The Winery Restaurant In Tustin, CA): Seemed richer to me than I was expecting but I wonder how much the vintage's heat was speaking here? Baked apple pie, buttery with some acidity, though, to carry it. Having tasted this after the Arnaud Ente Mersault, probably wasn't a fair fight for this Rhys. Not bad but but a little rich in the comparative sense.
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4/19/2009 - dougie wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. But, not a blockbuster either. A bit bigger and woodier than I thought it would be.
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1/30/2009 - jwwinec wrote:
Excellent. Nice, pillowy mineralty. Terrific depth and concentration, all supported by a rigid spine of acidity. Very complex and long. My only critic is that the acidity could be better integrated.
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12/24/2008 - wineack wrote: 93 Points
This was glorious. I now see what all the excitement is about. I am glad that I still have another bottle of this vintage. Rich appley fruit with well integrated oak that does not overwhelm the fruit. Lemons and minerals keep the finish lively.
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12/5/2008 - gutt22 wrote:
14.6% alcohol. Now this is a seriously stunning wine. Bright yellow color. Absolutely intoxicating nose on this wine, filled with apple, pear, citrus, and fig notes, along with plenty of minerals, and some oak. In the mouth, a perfect cross between full-bodied roundness and linear verve. Rich apple and pear fruit that gets extra life and brightness from the green apple and lemony notes that come in. Tremendous minerality give it a delicious chalky quality that mingles beautifully with the acidity. Stunningly long finish that brings in a tinge of oak again. It's hard to ask for anything more from a Chardonnay from California. Great stuff. A
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11/15/2008 - fredb wrote:
Bright yellow color. Nose of melon, lemon, fig, and apple. On the palate, this is very complex, showing a deep chalkiness behind fig, apple, lemon, melon, pineapple, and a hint of butterscotch. Wears its advertised alcohol well, but that alcohol would be the only reservation I have about this wine. Otherwise, a great effort and shows promise for further development as well as good things to come from Rhys.
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8/6/2008 - BonnieM wrote:
Absolutely delish bottle, creamy and full-bodied, apple and pineapple melding nicely. Perhaps the best chardonnay I have ever had. IMO at its peak drinking window.
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8/2/2008 - jlm wrote:
This showed a lot of oak spice on the nose, giving it a very apple-pie quality. With time the oak seemed to integrate some and a mineral note came out. In hindsight, this probably would have benefited from decanting. The palate was rich and creamy but with ample acidity to keep it from becoming fat, though not enough to provide the cut I would have liked to see. The finish is quite long and gives the impression of a very concentrated wine.
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6/25/2008 - Bushwood wrote: 91 Points
Opened and poured a small taste; then into the decanter. Nose is muted, but Chardonnay aromas are evident with a touch of wet stones. In the mouth it begins focused, but expands quickly to show pineapple, lemon curd, and tropical notes that are followed by minerality and mouth coating toasty oak. The acid is balanced and the finish is medium. The oak is there however not overwhelming. A very expansive wine in the earlier stages that becomes more focused. It is a pleasure to drink. With more airtime the minerality has come more to the forefront, but it is still rich and creamy.
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6/18/2008 - pismo45 wrote: 94 Points
Nose rather muted but with hints of apple, lemon and a little oak. Not a big wine but very intense. Lemony and with what I know to be minerals all the way into a long finish. Just great texture, not overblown. Better in a couple years. Pop and poured with a crab dinner at Riverside.
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6/10/2008 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Tasting Group Dinner (Craig's House): A rich and full-bodied Chardonnay displaying thick flavors of lemon curd and smoky new oak. Definitely on the riper side, but with enough acidity and finishing minerality to keep things interesting. Terrific texture.
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5/27/2008 - Mr T wrote:
This wine continues to divide. I enjoyed it, particularly the nutty taste and finish whereas others thought it off b/c not what they want/expect in their chards. I enjoy it.
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5/19/2008 - djs wrote: 90 Points
Better than most Cali chardonnay.
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4/9/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 91 Points
Rhys and Alesia Spring '08 release dinner (Tabla): Stands out in the flight for its darker fruit complexion -- this is definitely starting to show some development in the bottle. It retains its crunchy structure and almost oceanic minerality with its long, salty finish. Opens up considerably with time in the glass, but doesn't just open, it actually brightens and approaches the younger vintages in freshness.
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3/15/2008 - Mr T wrote:
This took some time to come together and still not sure it entirely got there. Initially somewhat disjointed combo of citrus and oak with each strutting its stuff and not really working together. With more air, both settled down and I think it was on its way to pretty good balance. Definitely can taste the mineral/lemon edge which I liked and my wife found less comfortable. Much is left and I expect it will be good tonight
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3/1/2008 - Winetex wrote: 88 Points
Lots of oak plus sulphur on the nose and palate. OK balance, maybe a bit hot on the finish. It may just be a phase for this wine. Long finish and matched well with food.
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3/1/2008 - steffenpelz wrote:
Dinner Chez Pelz: This was tossed in last second, and did not get decanting treatment. Sulphur on the nose with some heavy amount of minerals, lemon rind, and a little oak. On the palate, this was better. Long and light on its feet. Good finish. I would say that as good as this is, I like Varner Chardonnays better, especially considering the difference in price tag.
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2/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
there is a promising nose of flinty lemon-lime, a likable orange on the midpalate, but then too much oak takes over resulting in a wine that is somewhat ponderous, and the antithesis of the nose. nowhere near the performance of my previous bottle.
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2/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote:
Oak on the nose. Pineapples and pears. Quite acidic. Rich mouth feel and finish. 14.6% alcohol.
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2/6/2008 - PaulH wrote: 92 Points
The fourth time I've tasted this wine, but this time it was in the company of its three siblings ('03, '05 & '06). Color is clear silvery gold, quite light. Nose shows a bit of funk, interesting, but not as clean and refreshing as the other bottles, I think it is the oak poking though. This is possibly the ripest tasting of the four chards, but it is well balanced by the citrusy acidity; and there is a chalky minerality on the finish.
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11/17/2007 - 5laton wrote:
Wine Crawl 9: New world Chardonnay & Rhône Grenache blends (San Francisco, CA): Double decanted 24 hrs before serving. OK that sounds crazy but based on past experience with this wine & oak i was curious how this would show with extended airtime. Nose of hazelnut, candied ginger, rather expensive smelling oak, some char/toast. Flavors of spiced baked apple, medium acidity. Rich and full-bodied with some intense, essential-oil aromatics that curiously remind me of Chidaine's riper 05s, e.g. Clos Baudoin. Rich, full mouthfeel and a long, long finish. Excellent, but the fatal flaw here is too much alcohol showing on the finish. I'd be surprised if that doesn't get worse with age. My 1/3. Tasted blind.
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10/31/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and served with black cod in parchment. Clear gold hue with a big minerally nose with some citrus notes. Beautiful balance of citrus and nutty flavors and wet stones, with moderate oak tones. Great acidity and length that hit just the right tone. Very beautiful and balanced wine that really highlighted the food.
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10/14/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 92 Points
Very good bottle of wine.
Opened and tasted immediately - wow! acidity. left on the counter in a wine sleeve thing for abotu 1 3/4 hours.
crystal clear yellow to pale yellow.
there was a lot of lemon oil, not quite to the curd stage as in some kistler chards. There was a lot of acidity and minerality present that added crispness that cut all the way through to the finish which was substantial.
excited to see where the other one i have goes. I will look forward to this bottlling.
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9/9/2007 - Screameagle wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely amazing chardonnay. Brought this to a mini offline and everyone loved it. Just wish I had more. What I like the most about this chard is that you can't taste the wood which is so troublesome to me with young Kistlers. A wonderful wine.
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8/24/2007 - chefee1 wrote: 94 Points
Stunning!!!
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8/20/2007 - BonnieM wrote:
Son-in-law loved this. I have the remainder vacuvinned and hopefully will get to it tomorrow.
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8/11/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
14.6% alcohol. decanted. very bold right out of the gate, almost tangy. but, it's setttled down over the last 45 minutes. moderate oak that doesn't offend me, and almost oily fruit expressed by lemon-lime, orange peel, and almonds. fresh and tight acidity. i like this wine. one of the things i differ with is that somehow santa cruz fruit magically morphs into a more burgundian style. this is still a california chard, albeit with a cleaner, sharper profile.
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6/30/2007 - winenutnyc wrote:
hard to believe this is from califronia- terrific nose of lemon peel, stones, pepper and grapefruit. I love the palate presence of this- minerals to burn and a stony, stely finish- great balance. reminiscent of mersault
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4/29/2007 - antiwood wrote:
I don't get it. Restrained aromas, lemon, small note of butterscotch. Tightly wound, same note of butterscotch, mineral. Medium finish. Not much complexity or depth. Not a big fan of this for$35.
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4/1/2007 - Mike V wrote: 94 Points
This is a great Chardonnay. I think the best wine by Rhys I have yet tasted. Clear yellow. Restrained nose with mineral and lemon peel. Thick mouthfeel with mineral citrus on the palate. Wonderful wine.
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3/28/2007 - 5laton wrote:
SFwine double blind night (Dave's pad, San Francisco): Lots of toasty oak on the nose, citric, meyer lemon, white fruits. Bright acid, fine minerality, and good concentration on the palate. Finishes with a big mouthful of creamy oak. Love the lean freshness of the fruit here but wow, a lot of wood that needs to integrate. (Tasted blind)
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2/25/2007 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
Smells like the beach, a gust of ocean wind, the sound of seagulls flapping their wings in the distance. Briny oyster shells on the palate complete the illusion, adding freshness to the rich flavors of buttered popcorn. This is less exuberant than the last time I had it and the alcohol seems a little firmer too.
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2/16/2007 - PaulH wrote: 93 Points
Nose shows marked minerality built on a background of ripe fruit. Palate is ever so slightly ripe and sweet, but with strong minerality, stones, and steel. Quite complex Very long finish. Best showing yet.
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2/11/2007 - Afrazer wrote: 94 Points
Served with pan-seared scallops and lemon. This is a beautifully crafted chardonnay. Very un-California. Nice pale yellow with a mineral, citrus and apple nose. The palate is acontinuation of the nose with a good balance of acidity, minerality, and fruit. This wine a great future and I look forward to allowing my other bottle develop over the next several years.
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2/9/2007 - winotoo wrote: 93 Points
No detailed note but excellent chardonnay. Judicious use of oak is greatly appreciated. Lean and muscular underlying structure allows some high toned notes to dance around the palate. My first Rhys and I am impressed.
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1/30/2007 - jlm wrote:
Showing some oak on the nose, but very well dileneated, though very big, on the palate. There is plenty of acidity to keep this fresh, but not at the level of say, Chablis. FWIW, both bottles of the '04 were opened approximately 20 hours before the dinner, tested for TCA, recorked, and stored in the fridge. At that time my bottle was almost painfully intense on the palate; it tasted like a barrel sample. It had integrated and rounded out with the air time and I think this bodes very well for the wine's future. I will not open my other bottle for several years.
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1/20/2007 - JFish wrote:
The 2003 and 2004 were completely different. I am not a big chardonnay drinker (Cali, Burgundy or otherwise) and, although I enjoyed both vintages, the 2003 seemed less ripe and more austere with a bit more acidity. It was also cloudy and maybe a bit darker IIRC. I found th citrus in the 2004 very interesting. I did not detect much difference between the various decanting methods with the exception of a touch more oak on the nose in one over the other (sorry don't remember which) though my wife was hoarding her pour and was reluctant to share with me.
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12/21/2006 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 88 Points
"I Dreamed I Moved Among the Alesian Fields" (Eleven Madison Park): Aromatically, the 2004 is far more expressive and voluminous than the 2003, but it is also a good deal less pure with more overt wood suggested by the buttery nose and popcorn flavors. The texture is more luxurious and mouthcoating, with a rich, chicken-brothy fullness, but I preferred the 2003 for its freshness and transparency. But wait. As this wine warmed up—and I think it hit its peak just a few degrees below room temperature—it underwent a total change of personality, eventually rivaling the 2003 in freshness and crispness and taking on leaner proportions.
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8/16/2006 - PaulH wrote: 92 Points
Aromas of fresh ripe chardonnay fruit, pale straw color. Medium-full body, lush and mouthfilling with minerality and citrus on the finish. Slightly sweeter (or riper) than one would expect from a French wine, but very impressive in its balance despite its size. Really good acid backbone, long finish. (Tasted blind)
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4/28/2006 - PaulH wrote: 93 Points
Rhys is a new winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains that hasn't released any wines yet, but which has a very impressive program underway to make distinctive and superior examples of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. There are five estate vineyards in various stages of coming on-line and the models for the wines are frankly French. The 2004 Chardonnay is the second vintage to come from the Alpine vineyard, which lies to the west of the Monte Bello ridge. This is an astonishing bottle of wine. It is a powerhouse that is suggestive of what you might get if you crossed a Côte de Beaune Grand Cru with a Chablis Grand Cru and raised it in California. It starts with a big burst of ripe California fruit, which changes to a mineral backbone of liquid chalk, and then finishes with a burst of fresh acidity that tastes like grapefruit and Meyer lemons. The finish lasts for over a minute. The wine will benefit from bottle age by becoming more elegant, and dare I hope? even more impressive.
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