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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 180 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 4/18/2024 & rated 95 points: wow... this was fantastic!!... poured it and was darker than any chard from Rhys I've ever seen -- had me worried, and my wife frightened (she hates smoke and age and roundness)... anyway, none of the above came out on the palate after about three hours of decant... this was - yes - rich on the palate but with great acidity and lift... just the right balance... fantastic, reminded me of the days when we were still drinking 20-year-old white burgs (from the '80's) and loving this experience (237 views) | | | Tasted by jjct on 10/18/2023: Powerful, ripe, good acid, with a hint of reduction to add interest. Drinking very nicely. (613 views) | | | Tasted by Acohen on 1/24/2023 & rated 91 points: Lemon, pear, green apple and crisp finesse (1060 views) | | | Tasted by MusignyBlanc on 10/22/2022: This was quite excellent. Against a 14 PYCM Chassagne 1er and no one would think this (Rhys) was Burgundy. But that’s ok! It was delicious with some tropical flavors (e.g., pineapple) and excellent tension between the acid, vibrant fruit, and now 12 years of age. Great stuff. (977 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 4/14/2022 & rated 93 points: Orange / yellow gold color. Strong nose of yellow fruit, oak and melted butter. Toasted brioche. Good richness, fullish yet dry. Extract. For a cream sauce or smoked oily fish. Never seems heavy. Holding strong but I would drink these up. Everything in the right place. No whimpy wine here. (93) (1447 views) | | | Tasted by fisk15 on 11/29/2021 & rated 85 points: Deep golden color, toasty oak and advanced fruit notes. Cellared since release with good cork, I just prefer these with a little less age on them. (1488 views) | | | Tasted by jkscully on 11/13/2021: Green apples, Hawthorne fruit, fresh figs, and peaches with honey, butterscotch, and brown butter. I’m getting some tropical flavors too and lots of minerals. Orange acidity on the long finish. This has the honeyed texture of aged Chardonnay, but it still has power and feels youthful and vibrant in the mouth. Feels like a Chablis Grand Cru but with California fruit.
I think that I might have preferred it a little younger, but this wine was still very good. I’ve been impressed with every bottle of Santa Cruz chardonnay that I’ve tried. This needed about 25 minutes of air to hit its stride and best in Chablis glass.
This was a fantastic match with Sweet Potato Galette with Egg on top. The runny egg yolk, creamy sweet potato, and crust with buckwheat and buttermilk were just the right thing with this. It was a good match with Mackerel with Beet and Orange salsa too. Also nice to drink on its own. (1213 views) | | | Tasted by I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine on 9/25/2021 & rated 94 points: Open THAT Bottle - at Dan's!: This was drinking surprisingly well! The color was a deep golden yellow, which initially gave me pause that the wine might be over the hill, but it was actually drinking extremely well! Lots of pear, some Meyers Lemon, with a touch of toasted oak and red apple. Also showed some minerality and butter notes, and some smoked gouda notes. There were also some slight reductive notes, but I thought these complimented the wine more than detracted from it. I cannot see this wine improving, but it is certainly drinking well now! I would drink within the next year or so. 93-94 and a very enjoyable CA Chardonnay! (1887 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 9/22/2021 & rated 94 points: Open that bottle - Jason chooses 2004 Ridge Monte Bello (Dan's): Pop and pour. The color is golden yellow, darker but not concerning for the age. The palate has butterscotch, a touch of sherry/oxidation, golden fruit, and plenty of acid. The oak is well-integrated. There's no way someone would think this is Burgundy, it's a California profile that is not over the top and has aged very well. I'll drink my last bottle by the end of next year. (1370 views) | | | Tasted by UMRich on 5/6/2021 & rated 85 points: Noted that last bottle was fully mature and really liked it (93); this one seems over the hill. Even darker, none of the tropical fruit notes as it veers into oxidized range. Scoring it rather than indicating it's flawed but that's a judgment call. Since the prior bottle in September was also getting a deep golden color but still had enough fruit and vibrancy, I'm assuming this is the extra 8 months plus normal range of bottle variation instead of a flawed bottle that is completely unrrepresentative. Still gave it 85 because some richness was still there and wasn't at the pour out level. Interestingly, I've noticed that many of my older Rhys Chards have protruding capsules and corks soaked through (have not seen that on ANY other bottle in my cellar), but this one actually looked pristine. (1243 views) | | | Tasted by ducster72 on 2/26/2021 & rated 95 points: Flat out fantastic. Probably the best chardonnay from Rhys I've ever had. Dead ringer for a white burgundy. Certainly among the best new world chardonnays I've ever had. (1341 views) | | | Tasted by dbermanmd on 2/4/2021 & rated 95 points: All I can saw is WOW.
Golden color, amazing taste profile. Lasts forever on the palate.
Agree it needs about 30-60 minutes to wake up.
Worth the wait. (1385 views) | | | Tasted by lolo66 on 1/12/2021 & rated 94 points: Electric. Needs air to shake off buttery overtones. Then it remains but in harmony with a concentrated citrus peel, slate and smoke concoction. Interesting and full and salivating. (1339 views) | | | Tasted by blanquito on 1/9/2021 & rated 93 points: This is really good. The bouquet is on the richer end of the spectrum, with loads of vanilla bean, grilled pineapple, clarified butter, honey and beeswax, but this is well balanced by fresh notes of lemon zest, white ginger, and herbal hints of tarragon and lemon verbena. A sexy, engaging bouquet, but not OTT. The palate is leaner and brighter, with lots of energy and zippy lemon acids, a layered mouthfeel and a nice slightly bitter finish. Overall, delicious and satisfying, and clearly in the so-good-now-so-don’t-wait zone. Drink now. 93-94 pts.
This is probably my 10th Rhys Chardonnay, and while all have been at least very good, this is the first that is truly thrilling. (1378 views) | | | Tasted by etc on 12/23/2020: Just dig everything about this wine. Borderline tropical and the green apple note provides me with a full spectrum of character to this wine. Nice lift, balance and finish. What's not to enjoy other than it being my last bottle. (1126 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 12/21/2020 & rated 93 points: Very mature and succulent Chardonnay. Deep golden and a touch cloudy. Very strong yellow fruit nose that is balanced with a nice lifting element. Some butter and tropical fruit. Luscious palate that is full and long. No wimpy wine here. Like a cross between old (acid) and new (big fruit) world styles. It’s pretty terrific but note the style. (93) (1170 views) | | | Tasted by pjhr on 12/2/2020 & rated 94 points: Beautiful mature chard! Lemon peel, caramel, and citrus notes on the fragrant nose and lively palate with refreshing acidity, luscious fruit and a long finish. (1059 views) | | | Tasted by yaCellar on 10/11/2020 & rated 95 points: “Piss” yellow color. Faint bubbles of effervescence. Burnt salted caramel nose. Candied lemon/lime. Distinctly front- and mid-palette loaded. Lemon curd. Very long finish. Excellent freshness for a 10 year old. Quite good, though Aubert is comparable with half the age. (1240 views) | | | Tasted by UMRich on 9/5/2020 & rated 93 points: Deep gold color, tropical fruit aromas, good acidity. Fully mature. (1140 views) | | | Tasted by grafstrb on 6/27/2020: -- decanted 15 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours --
NOSE: expressive; very ripe pineapple, with a bit of lychee; hint of reduction, initially; lemon oil; butterscotch; hint of canned pears.
BODY: rich, golden yellow color; medium bodied.
TASTE: I like this; medium+ acidity; relaxed; richly flavored; I don't get the impression this is premoxed, but it is noticeably aged, and is probably best consumed Now. (1400 views) | | | Tasted by MindMuse on 6/7/2020 & rated 97 points: A profound bottle of wine, which was suggested as soon as I pulled the cork. Exuberant and exotic melange of heady aromas, with an unexpected contrast of tropical fruits and minerals. Lush guava, pineapple, mango, ripe apples overlay something like a Corton Charlemagne backbone of minerality and suave texture. Some type of chamomile floral tones as well. The wine was very integrated yet still with intensity of flavor. So much so, that as much as we loved it we only consumed about half the bottle the first night because of its concentration and length. The second and third night it was equally profound. 97+ (1431 views) | | | Tasted by drrobvino on 5/13/2020 & rated 92 points: Last of 2 bottles, drank the first one 6 yrs ago. Scored it 90 pts.
This bottle was singing, showing nice tropical fruit notes, not too rich, with pleasantly evident minerality, nuttiness, tart baked green apple pie, some lemon zest...
Really tasty, we drained the bottle over a meal. Bright acidity that really cleanses the palate. Long and complex finish.
Really nice, although tough to repurchase at $73 USD. Drink now through 2024+. (1436 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 1/12/2020 & rated 94 points: Another tasting of this wine. The last bottle was bum. This one delivers. Fully mature with light to medium gold color. Nice striking nose of orchard fruit and minerals. The palate is well balanced with a strong acid backbone. Lemon rind, orchard fruit, minerals. Overall this delivers more focus and structure than most aged Cali chards at this stage of maturity. (1490 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 1/4/2020 flawed bottle: Moderate oxidation (1442 views) | | | Tasted by Nanda on 12/23/2019 & rated 89 points: Golden color and smells fully mature, bordering on overly so. Rich and tropical white fruit aromas with just a tinge of high tone-ness. Rich and concentrated on the palate. Oily and fresh at tone. Lots of candied tangerine. Good but better earlier in its life. (1580 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Santa Cruz Mountains: California’s Best Kept Secret (Jul 2013)
(Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, California's Central Coast: Better than Ever (Aug 2012)
(Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, May/June 2012, IWC Issue #162
(Rhys Vineyards Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Rhys Producer websiteChardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeHorseshoe Vineyard
Acreage: 3.51 acres
Clones: Wente, Hyde & Mt. Eden (spaced 6'x4' & 6'x5')
Elevation: 1450' to 1500'
Aspect: Primarily South
Slope: 5% to 20%
Geology/Spoil: 18"-24" of rocky topsoil over Monterey shale
(Source Rhys Vineyards)USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia
Once referred to by wine writers as the Chaine d'Or -- or "golden chain" -- the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA sits above Silicon Valley, running along the craggy range next to the Pacific on some of the prettiest parts of Northern California. The area supports more than 75 wineries, despite being limited by geography and high land prices.
In 1981 the Santa Cruz Mountains Viticultural Appellation became federally recognized, one of the first American viticultural areas to be defined by geophysical and climatic factors. The appellation encompasses the Santa Cruz Mountain range, from Half Moon Bay in the north, to Mount Madonna in the south. The east and west boundaries are defined by elevation, extending down to 800 feet in the east and 400 feet in the west. |
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