Transparent gold color. Cinnamon apple sauce on the nose. Medium body, medium acid. Lots of apples on the palate. Initially a bit bitter, but improved with time in the glass. Rich baked apples and nice salinity on the finish, perhaps salted caramel. Well balanced, the acid holds everything together.
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The 2008 Alpine i had a few months ago was a better bottle than this 2009, but there could’ve been some bottle or storage variation as I bought both at auction. That said, this 2009 was still excellent. It poured a light to medium gold and its nose was classic aged lemon. Medium bodied, some initial hazelnut showing the wine’s age, followed by honeysuckle and light lemon.
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Big , beautiful dark Chardonnay - not a ton going on the nose - but on the palate its large scales, on the ripe side with lots of long tropicals, really hard to put on the glass down!
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Better than my last two aged Rhys Chards which were so dark and over the hill that they ended up in the sink, but this one is headed in that direction. Still scored it because unlike the other two it was drinkable and we will finish the bottle. Ultimately, it seems like cutting it a break by calling it flawed so that the number doesn't enter the average score seems inappropriate for a high-priced wine billed as very ageable that was bought at release and stored well. I did rate the other two that were much further gone as flawed. Disappointing.
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Deep gold. Mature notes on the nose of hazelnut, earth, and dried lemon peel. The palate is round and fleshy, and while it lacks the acidic snap of most vintages, it's got enough lift and freshness to keep it from being ponderous. Long finish shows some pear fruit that isn't evident on the nose, along with some of the nuttiness and citrus. Very enjoyable, certainly fully mature.
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A wonderful bottle kicking on all cylinders. Very pretty nose with orchard fruit, butter, toffee, Tonka bean. Beautiful. Medium weight, rich mouthfeel but light on its feet. Palate showing citrus and minerals that cut through the fat. Great balance. Good finish. Day 2 - still great. Will keep, but just so good right now.
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A Great Day for Chardonnay: Poured in jars for transport and consumed 2 hours later. WOW! Not sure if this is bottle variation or if this wine is just this good! WOTN for me and the group, and up against some stiff competition! This was served blind, and I guessed it to be a Marcassin. It was rich, buttery, with exceptional complexity, including notes of Meyers Lemon, apple, honeydew, with some limestone and a hint of salinity, all wrapped in some toasted oak. No problem giving this wine 96 points....a pleasure to drink!
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Single-blind Chardonnay (zoom): Drank a glass single-blind over 1.5 hours. Darker yellow. The palate is creamy with nice acidity and slight minerality. There is some oak, vanilla and a long tangy finish. This strikes me as full-bodied without coming across heavy. It did remind me of a California wine due to its impressive and semi-exotic flavor profile. My #2 wine of the tasting but Wine of the Night for the group.
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Virtual Single Blind Chards (Home): Medium dark gold color. Drank a glass plus single blind over 3 hours. This was awfully darn good. Provocative nose of lemon, pear, oak barrel, orange peel, spice and vanillin. The full bodied palate shines with a great mix of acidity and creaminess on the texture, pear panna cotta, lemon, orange zest, oak; tangy and feathery and very long with vanilla, white pepper and spices on the finish. Turned out to be WOTN in a fairly impressive list of wines. 93= to 94pts.
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Slightly cloudy pale yellow. Buttered popcorn, pineapple, pine nuts. Lots of acid. Delicious at 12 years. Kudos to Badfish for naming graham cracker. That is spot on!
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A golden middle yellow color. Nose is a honeyed vanilla. Touch of Gardenia and Confederate Jasmine Palate is predictably soft with rich oily notes of honeysuckle and more jasmine. Touch of honeydew rind. The finish is the kicker and it is strong and long. So happy with this.
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The Rhys chardonnays have been pretty amazing, this bottle is no different. Loaded with crystalline citrus and mineral laden fruit including notes of lemon oil, honeysuckle, chalk, wet stone, melon, and graham cracker. The wine is ever so slightly hazy in the glass with a beautiful pale golden color and a tinge of green. Amazing balance with crisp acidity, rich yellow and white fruit, great mineral density, and admirable persistence.
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I'm a huge fan of the Rhys Alpine chards and have many vintages still in the cellar, but I think this one is a drink now. Dark gold and the acidity struck me as slightly sour vs just acidic. Creamy citrus nose which was pleasant.
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A gorgeous bottle, and much different from the bottle earlier this year. Beautiful aromas of jasmine and lemon, then some notes of vanilla wafers (yep!). Palate was creamy yet firm and focused. Good acidity, long finish. Terrific!
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This bottle gives me hope for my Rhys Chards. I've bought them for years, but have found the intensity of tropical fruit to be too much for my taste. However, this one had more of the tension and flinty nature of a good burgundy. It's dark, but no taste of oxidation. It still finishes with an odd tropical note, so I'll give the next bottle a few more years.
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OK, this was pretty good. Its darkening just a little, but it is still fresh, steely and a little flinty. It has plenty of acid to carry it through. I rather enjoyed it.
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Really an awesome showing.PnP on day one then consumed the majority on day 2 in a grassl 1855
This could indeed be confused for 2009 white burg 1ere for sure. It has a flinty reduction on opening that really doesn’t fade on day 2. Golden amber color and quite lively on the palate. Ripe orchard fruit and oily Meyer lemon, fairly broad in profile at this point. Tertiary notes of raw almond are peeking through, and while the acidity is certainly present, it doesn’t have quite enough to go 5-10 years more IMO. Sublime now, and at peak for my palate. Drink over the next 2-3.
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What is going on here? I like the wine, really do, because it looks, smells, and taste like a Rhone but if you're expecting a typical Rhy chardonnay you're in for a big surprise. Super dark gold color with medium heavy glycerin mouthfeel. yellow fruited.
Hey, I like it blind so I like it when it's revealed too.
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Blind Tasting via Zoom (Over Zoom): Tasted blind. This shows an advanced color that is bronzy/gold, and the aromatics also give off a nutty, toasted barrel aromatic. The wine is built around apple, some nuttiness, lemon oil and ripe cut mango. The finish oddly shows bright citrus, which juxtaposed with the wood notes, the goldish color and heavier texture, it just seems out of whack to me. For those who know me, I think Alpine Chard is top of the class in California--it's that damn good and is for me what world class Chard can do, what Rhys does so well, much like the 2017 that just arrived this week. But, I don't regret finishing my 2009 Chards back in 2017 when I thought they were ready then. Unless this bottle is an aberration for how it has aged, I'd suggest drinking these up as it's not going in the right direction at all.
No notes, and this is written several days later, but I wasn't too impressed on day one. It seemed a bit clumsy and disjointed. Much nicer on day two! Coalesced into a very nice wine.
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Hot damn was this good. Big and rich with definite aged notes (but not oxidized at all) and zero heat or oak bitterness. Not a ton of acidity but manages not to be flabby at all. Just great.
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Pop and poured. Golden hue. Prominent reductive notes that somewhat mask the nose. On the palate mandarin orange, tropical notes (unripe guava?), honey, more matchstick, hints of sesame, and a salty and lightly buttery finish that gained with time. Fruit elements almost riesling like. Quite acidic but somewhat creamy in mouth feel. Long.
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Fourth of July Weekend (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light gold color. 2 oz pour. Great bottle, pineapple, lemon, tangerine, tropical edge, caramelized sugar, lightly toasted oak. The palate is quite lively, very lemony, Meyer lemon and tangerine, lime, good minerality and acids, clean and fresh with a dusting of toasted French oak on the saline infused finish. Excellent. 93 to 93+pts.
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Mixed Bag at Kevin's (Minneapolis, MN): Now we are talking. Excellent Chardonnay. Oak, apple, wafer, spices and stone fruits. Complex and multilayered wine. Medium to long finish. This is how I like my domestic Chardonnay to taste. 93+ Should have another five plus years of enjoyment.
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High-class wine presenting a lemon and mineral core enhanced by notes of wax, peach, and oak spice. The only flaw for me is that the finish is a bit too heavy and hot.
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Drinking younger than the last bottle I tried, well integrated oak, pure Chardonnay fruit with a twist of tangerine, and refreshing acidity on the finish, very good.
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Showing some really nice aged honey, butterscotch, creamed apple butter, chalky minerality, citrus tingle...BUT...unfortunately this one is CORKED! Last bottle from release...and the dreaded mustiness has muted the freshness of what seems to be something really nice otherwise! Shame!
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Light gold color. Starting to show some aged elements of honey intermixed with maturing apple and peach. Round and lush on the palate with moderate acid freshness.
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Popped and poured tonight, I really wish I enjoyed the acidity. I just don’t. I need a rounder wine. The acid hurts my teeth too much. Wine is super clean, minerally and lingering forever but I’m looking to sell the rest of my Rhys chards. Wish it weren’t so but it is. Simply not my style.
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A bright gold color. On the nose, plenty of carmelized meyer lemon and some pineapple. Similar on the palate, where the oak is quite marked. The whole thing is quite lush and sweet, and as others have noted, it's got plenty of concentration which is compelling. - Ultimately it has barely enough acid to snatch it back over the line into balanced territory. A slight amount of heat on the backend. This was quite enjoyable but I've had CA chardonnays in this style (hey, there sometimes *is* an occasion for an oaky, opulent Cali Chard) that I prefer and considerably less expensive (Peay, Mount Eden). I'd drink up if you have any left as this doesn't have sufficient acid to hold it much longer.
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Wine Flock Intro Retro - Cabs (Jordan's): Served blind in a new world/old world Chard flight. This was my favorite of the group (closely edging out a too young '12 Bouchard Corton Charlie). Full, pretty aromatics of creamy rich apple with floral and mineral notes. Round fruit with good concentration -- pushes tropical in flavor. Again good mineral notes. Plenty of juicy acidity to match the richness. Could've easily passed for a ripe vintage 1er white burg. I believe Rhys Chards of this era are showing a bit variable, this was the best bottle of a few I've had over the past 18 months.
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Chicago Wine Flock..."Bordeaux and Cali Cab from Jordan" (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Double blind in what turned out to be a Chardonnay flight. I thought this was easy to identify as New World Chardonnay, with very good rich peach and ripe apple throughout. Perhaps a trace on new oak still protruding, but otherwise well balanced and certainly showing very good concentration.
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As good as any American Chardonnay available today. Just delicious stuff. Beautiful golden color, bright stone fruits, appropriately oaked, great acid, opulent mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on and on. Served at a dinner party and this wine was a crowd stunner. I heard more than one person remark that this wine re-defined Chardonnay for them.
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Showed a bit of an oily texture, with fine fruit and good freshness. It's not a broad or an expansive Chardonnay, though not too lean either. Thought it showed at or near peak, though plenty of time for further development in not sure how much it improves from here. Paired brilliantly with pasta al dente.
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Lemon, flint and spice on the nose with minimal oak and maybe a touch of oxidation. Rich and juicy palate, good lemony acidity moderated by an oily palate. Fresh and lively this is in a good place and probably needs to be consumed soon.
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Drinking great at the moment, will go at least 5 more years. Nose could take me to Burgundy, but palate is definitely new world. Nice minerality, flinty, bit of gunpowder, orchard fruit profile, but a bit of pineapple sneaks in as well. Oak is there but well integrated. Still very fresh unlike most of the older Rhys chards I have had, which have come off as highly oxidized.
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Rhys 08/09/10 (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago, IL): Medium gold. Medium nose has some reduction/matchstick that is distracting and not complementary to the dense white fruit. Ripe, dense white fruit on the palate with mineral notes. Some honey notes. Medium acids. Similar to the '08 tasted side-by-side, this feels a bit tired and maturing. On the back nine.
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The Rotating Dinners, II.1: Rhys, 2008-10 (Chicago, IL): I liked this a lot more a few years ago. In the intervening time, this seems to have gotten fleshier and fuller, and seems to show even more botrytis than the 2008. There's a slight bit of reduction here. On the finish, there is a very persistent amount of bitterness that really detracts from the experience. The acidity here also seems to be overwhelmed a bit from the flabbier butter notes.
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Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Riper than the 2007 and 2008, with more tangerine fruit than the lemon that the earlier vintages showed, and not as much minerality, taut acidity, or depth. It's still a very nice wine, but was overshadowed by its older siblings tonight and I don't think it will have as long a life as they will.
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Some oak showing, but there's a lot of material to buffer it. Solidly structured, serious chardonnay, with a fresh lemon component to accompany the creamy palate. While there's a lot going on with this wine, at this time the oak seems to get in the way a bit, and I'll try to wait another couple of years before opening the next bottle. Excellent.
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My last bottle. Dark golden yellow, was worried that it may be oxidized. Very aromatic with pineapple, lemon, spice. Has a viscous, oily quality. Similar flavors with a touch of oak in the finish. Great balance with just enough acidity. In a really good place now. Not sure if this wil improve with more time, but I don't think it will lose anythin gin the next few years.
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Served blind. This wine went through quite a bit of evolution in the glass. In order of my notes, here is what I scribbled. Initially, a petrol aroma, like something from Alsace, along with orchard fruit and a light oxidative note. The palate mixed in notes of pineapple, orchard fruit and coconut. With about 30 mins more air, there is a ripe baked apple quality, green apple and lemon curd, with some complexity emerging in the finish. In sum, this reminded me of the older Rhys chards in a riper year like 2009, where the wine seems IMO to be ready to drink now, exhibiting some latent oak and development, along with some sustaining energy from the fruit. I've drank through all my 2009s and while I liked this wine last night, it didn't have the precision of the best Rhys chards and if I owned this vintage of Rhys whites still, I'd be enjoying these now and not aging them any longer.
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Book Club (Seiber Cellars): Blind - guessed California chardonnay with 10+ years on it. FMIII called out Rhys and the vintage. Stud.
Looks aged based on the color, adding a brass hue. Viscous/oily quality to the mouthfeel. Fruit is primarily pineapple and the finish is dominated by turpin. Sweet yellow apple fruit. I'd say this won't be improving with age.
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Drinking really well now. Seems to have shed some of the roundness that was evident on release. Still has some well integrated acidity. A bit of a pineapple note.
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Wineberserkers dinner with Herwig (Heirloom cafe): The nose is excellently balanced with surprising minerality, brioche, almost like an excellent champagne, plenty of white fruit; palate is full bodied, elegant but also ripe tropical fruit, medium to medium-plus acidity; medium finish. Very nice, balanced, elegant Californian style. I love it. 92-93
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This bottle really speaks to some of the signature Alpine terroir although acidity is less than successive vintages. Lemon, pear, and a leesy nose get support from a nice albeit subtle mineral frame. It is very reminiscent of what I have found in Ceritas' PMR. This is good to go but in no danger of declining. The 2020 drinking window seems appropriate.
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Golden yellow color. Full nose has rich apple and pear pie filling, some pineapple, and flinty minerals. Palate has good richness and concentration, yet the acidity provides cut and tension. I found this mature and fully ready to go.
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Quite a smoky nose. SHows lots of expensive French oak.
Fairly full palate. Ripe peach fruit and honeysuckle. Quite soft with lovey gentleness over the length. Mineral (rocky) streak on the end palate. Maybe a touch fat for me, but shows a lot of class.
With more air this starts to show a lemon/lime character and a touch more balance. I suspect this would get better with more air - I would give a decant.
90+
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Medium gold color. Brine, apple, pear, and some floral notes on the nose. Palate has sappy/minerally core with lemon, pear, and some yellow plum notes that carry into a long finish. Compelling showing and in a great place for my tastes right now. Drink or hold.
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Smokey pear/apple fruit with a strong mineral background, dense fruit flavors, some vanilla, chalky minerals, very long finish. Probably at the beginning of its drinking window. Very tasty with pan roasted halibut.
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Really good but thought acidity was a touch below best vintages of this wine. Also at 7 years this seemed young.. this should get more complicated on flavor palate as it ages
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PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs -translucent med gold with green tinge -some reduction funk and touch of wood -med acidity, med/med+ weight creamy almost lush texture, fresh but ripe faded white fruits a mineral streak and caramel oak -primary fruit has faded and oak is integrating, starting to get more interesting and has the stuffing to last many more years during which it's likely to pick up more complexity and nuances of maturity, very good now and potentially something really special in another 3-5 years
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In a really good place now. benefits from an hour decant. Beautiful nose of apple, pear,vapricot spices. Similar flavors with a touch of oak. beautiful mouthfeel with a long smooth finish. Good now, but should hold for at least a few years. For those who held onto these, your patience has been rewarded.
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Bottle #1 of 5. Superb. Bright, lifted, deep tropical fruit nose, yellow orchard fruits (an especially distinct apricot/tangerine oil note), baking spice, mineral dustings, and very mild barely noticeable oak. Saline on the attack, similar yellow orchard flavor profile, deep minerality, cloves/cardamom/nutmeg, something waxy deep and intriguing, a bitter apricot pit aspect lends detail and bracing definition, and a quite long finish. Not a hint of heat. A cross between Chassagne and Chablis. Tight and svelte, open and luxurious - all at the same time. No fade after two hours in glass, this has a little more room to develop. I'd guess it's just starting it peak, where it may linger for 6-8 years. 91+pts pure quality, 93pts personal preference.
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opened and drunk over 3 hrs, this was the best and unfortunately last of my bottles, while these started out as acid/lemon monsters this has evoloved into a wine very much softer with apple/pear notes and honeyed texture with time open. The time in glass greatly improved the mouthfeel and integration of flavors/textures. I've noticed a marked difference in new bottling of this vineyard and don't know if the evolution will be the same, sad if not.
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With tarragon chicken, wild rice, and carrots. Beautiful yellow gold, clear, nice legs. Lovely nose, honeyed fruit, pear, peach, grape - enticing. Well balanced palate: the honey remains, very smooth (but there is a lovely touch of acid to keep the flab away), long finish. Excellent wine.
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Annual CDP tasting (Edina Country Club): Consumed a glass over 45 minutes. This was much bigger and less resolved than the 2010 we had a month ago. It was more in the Kistler vein today, but with some nice complexity. I will take the advice on Rhy's website and hold off opening my bottles for a while.
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Annual Holiday CDP Tasting (Edina, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes plus. A fun wine that seemed focused from the start, but got even better with air and as it warmed. I love the orange character here, oranges, orange peel, and orange blossom on the nose, with lightly toasted oak. the palate is medium full bodied, orange, modest toasted oak, good acid, round, lemon, and a long pure finish. Love it.
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2015 CDP Annual Dinner (Edina Country Club): Pale golden. Oaky, fully new world aromas of lemon brioche. Charming, oaky, high alcohol but really works. Vanilla creme. The oak is really tasty and nicely compliments the stony minerality. Big. I would not guess Rhys with its high oak and broad shoulders. It works, but in much more of an Aubert way.
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In a great place. Popped and completely poured out in one swelt foop at a party. Nice fruit, plenty of mature oarchard fruits, some oak, but not buttery at all (must be that classy french oak), nice round finish with great mouthfeel. I am sure if we had had the chance to follow this, it would have improved.
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My first encounter with this vintage. The CT notes have indicated that this would be a good time to approach and I would have to agree. This has very fresh, bright fruit flavors (citrus, white and some tropical fruits), lots of floral notes and zippy mineral acidity, but there is a nice fleshiness that I think the age confers. Good complexity and length. Great with food. Still with plenty of life ahead.
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Rhys dinner: Lovely white fruits, ripe pear, yellow apple, yellow cherry; slight reductive quality and a saline/rocky minerality to this that reminds me of a Corton-Charlemagne. Nicely balanced, medium to medium plus body, good concentration of flavors, with just a kiss of French oak. Stunning chard.
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Second half of a coravin bottle. Showing a bit more cut with stron lemon curd elements. Oak still seemed to stand apart from the fruit, but less obtrusive than the sample several months ago. Drinkable, but likely best to hold.
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This needed an hour or so to integrate the oak/leeds? elements. Expressive nose of golden fruit and some restrained tropical fruits. Rather round palate with repeating fruit notes. Really coats the palate with a slightly slick viscous quality. Long finish. Quite nice though I was hoping for a little more cut and mineral on the palate. Maybe the warm vintage?
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Billigan's note from September is pretty spot on with the impressions I got on this one. Hadn't had one of these since last January, and I do think the oak influence seems more pronounced than prior renditions, though it does subside in time, and I do think it shows less now than it did a year ago and should continue to integrate. The other components are all well proportioned and the sum total is a very nice chardonnay that, I believe, will continue to get better in the next 2-3 years.
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Oaky aromas at first quickly took a backseat to some lovely lemon cream pie and toasted marshmallow with a little whiff of ocean air and a bit of jasmine. The same complexity carried over onto the palate, which managed to combine both an unctuous fruit and salty mineral profile at the same time. Delicious chard, but I should have left this sideways for a couple more years to let the oak finish dialing down.
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Young but not too tight. This is a serious, concentrated, broad-shouldered wine with looming depth that is just starting to show itself. This shows fine-grained minerality and bright acids but the concentrated fruit is the star here. I dislike the burg-CA comparisons but this really could sub in for a GC white burg. It's that kind of wine. Wonderful CA Chard that has years to go before its peak. Delicious
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Dinner at Ripple (Ripple - Cleveland Park - Washington, DC): What a beauty. Aromatically kicking, with complex pear and apple, sea salt, white flowers, lemon custard. Tart and fresh on the palate, superb acid but nice weight as well. So precise, clean and elegant. Complex pear, orange and lemon custard notes mixed in with rocky minerals, honeycomb and subtle nutty notes. Gorgeous and elegant with a long life ahead.
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Generous nose with toasty white fruit and mineral. Palate is round and fleshy with apple, pear and crushed stones. Good acidic edge to tame the fruit. Oak is present but well integrated. Young with a good aging curve ahead.
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An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is deep, precise, and balanced with white fruits, pears, peaches, red apples, rocky minerals, and white florals. The nose really draws you in and this is more aromatic and high-toned than the 08.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity. The structure is very youthful and the acidity is prominent. The feel is on the more nuanced side with white fruits, pears, red apples, navel oranges, rocky minerals, and white florals.
Overall: While this is very much on the young side, it is also a tremendous Chardonnay. This doesn't have the power of the 08, but instead there is a beautiful precision and nuanced side to this.
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Opened at Sun Wah for Rhys dinner. This was nice bit still a bit too tart and acidic without showing too much of a creaminess like the '08 showed next to it. I think this will get better and have upside, but have to judge it as it is now.
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Yellow fruit and just a hint of oak. I wished this had just a hint more acid but it is even now a complete wine assuming you are not looking for buttered toast. Air might help. Good chard.
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My second, and last bottle of this wine, and a showing that suited my taste much more than my other bottle. In 2012 I found the wine a bit heavy, whereas tonight it was (and still is) much fresher. There is a good core of acidity, and the tropical fruit tones are complemented, rather than overwhelmed by a touch of spicy oak. I do get a bit of alcohol on the finish, but not so much as to be unpleasant. My favorite part is the lingering finish. Very nicely done.
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Wine with Steak and Morels (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Tasted blind. Another Chardonnay that was challenging to identify as Old vs New World. Lots of of apple and peach aromas and flavors that come across as ripe, but nicely balanced. Moderate acidity but without really any sense of minerality while well textured, which overall made me think this New World also made from a good producer trying to produce Chardonnay modeled on Burgundy. Overall good, probably best now and for the next few years. Definitely good.
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Liquid Farm / Chard Double Blind- Dallas (Classic Wine Storage- Dallas): First wine in a lineup of 15 blind chards. Very nice but subtle nose of tropical fruits and caramel. The palate has peaches, citrus and a good amount of spice. Rich, almost oily texture. Extremely dry with some evidence of oak influence. Long length finish that is consistent. Medium plus acidity. Hold for a few years.
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Dinner with Salil (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is deep and balanced with navel oranges, red apples, lemon curds, citrus tones, minerals, white fruits, and some pears. There is excellent layering to the nose already with a real classiness.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity. The structure is youthful, but there is polish to the feel with navel oranges, lemon curds, citrus tones, white fruits, and a very attractive mineral base.
Overall: This could've used some more air, but it was still a really good young chardonnay. There is a lot to like and it will be interesting to see where this goes with age.
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Liquid Farm 4/4 Chardonnay Shootout (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): Tasted blind. Great nose of meyer lemon, flowers, pineapple. On the palate lemon curd, apple, unripe pear. Nice long finish. Hard to place, could be Cali or French. Definitely on the young side, probably needs a little more time. Step up from the previous wines. #7
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Chicago Chardonnay Shootout (Chicago, IL): Very aromatic with notes of white peach and grapefruit peel. Vibrant acidity is a dominant theme here, but somehow this avoids becoming a razor blade thanks to a very rich texture. Plenty of structure.
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Medium-bodied citrus fruit with honeysuckle flavors, wine seems to lack depth and complexity, well made, enjoyable, surprised by IWC comments and rating,
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Sharon's Birthday (Kapcsandy, Rhys, Huet, Pape Clement, +++) (GHT): My favorite producer of Chardonnay, anywhere. Really light gold with some green glimmers. The nose is deep with lemon custard, slight vanilla, minerals. Full bodied. Rich texture. On the palate, the lemon custard carries thru only there is a great bite of acidity to balance it out. Young, it unwinds in the glass. Long finish. Great with food.
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Pop and pour and served with food, including roast potatoes, grilled portobello mushrooms, and couscous with apricots, capers and vegetables, and mango-chutney chicken (in case you wanted to know what we had for dinner). Lovely light floral nose with hint of honeysuckle. Lively wine with good acidity, crisp lemon flavors and a steely backbone. Balanced and engaging. Well done.
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Slow ox for about an hour than drank over the course of another hour. Nose of lemon zest and some floral elements. Medium-weight. Oak was noticeable but something short of vanilla. lemon and some weightier tropical flavors. Really nicely done but definitely more fruit and less mineral than I would have expected (my 1st Rhys Chard). Probably better in 3 years when the oak has receded a bit further.
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Have not enjoyed this wine since I was at the winery in 2011. Opened last night over dinner without a decant. Had a decent chill on it so got to see the wine at a spectum of temperature as we dined outside. I'd call this medium bodied, bouyed by moderate acidity of lemon peel. The fruit is a mix of pear, leaner pineapple and yellow apple. Where the wine still shows some youth is in the coconut from the oak, that is in the aromatic and palate. All taken together, this drinks pretty well now, save the oak, and with time and that last bit of oak fading into the wine, I'd say the best time to hit this would be 2015-2016. I don't see the wine fading as the balance is here.
Pop and pour and served with food (orecchiette with broccoli rabe; it was delicious; thanks for asking). Nose at first shows some oak. In the mouth, creamy and rich, showing lemon curd (lemon meringue pie), almonds and Granny Smith apple. Some unripe white peach as well. Corked and chilled and checked on the following day and this wine continued to shine with richness and complexity without being overbearing. This was a little heavier than expected but still had some acidity and verve to keep the richness of the wine in check.
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Vibrant nose of citrus and yellow fruits. The palate is sharply delineated by acidity but it shows great lemon peel, a notion of lemon meringue pie and a bit of caramelly oak. crisp finish. Not the most intense Rhys chard Ive had but I like it a lot.
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Beautiful nose of white orchard fruit and some pineapple infused with a deft touch of oak. Tart medium weight palate with a silky texture and more fruit dominated rather than mineral. Tart juicy finish. Probably needs a few years to settle down the fruit dominated texture.
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Ok, wow. Wow. A cali Chard that blows you away. Burgundian is an over-statement and not really accurate. Though it leans that way in that this is clearly not a buttery oak bomb, but it still has luscious zingy and tasty fruit, but with an amazing amount of other notes that I rarely find in the boring U.S. chard market. Must get more.
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Terrific balance of fruit and minerality. Would like to try this again in 3 years as it is too young (as I join the chorus). Would love to see Rhys do a wine in a Chablis style.
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Chardonnay doesn't get much better than this! Incredible concentration with perfect balance of oak and fruit. The minerality and luscious fruit create a wine that pairs well with most dishes though is equally enjoyable solo.
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crisp, tropical fruits and minerals on the nose. the palate follows suit but with the richness from the oak with energetic acidity. look forward to seeing how this evolves in a few years.
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Crispier and crunchier after the Ceritas, definitely a more chiseled showing than I remember from when it first shipped. Really nice and tingly but at the same time the material feels plush and tender. Pretty stuff for sure.
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Decent acidity but tropical in its fruit notes and more oak/weight than I would like. Classic Cali Chard but not my cup of tea. Worth holding to see what it becomes with age.
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Spicy and tropical on the nose. The oak is quite apparent, especially as the wine warms a bit in the glass. The aromas suggest a heavier wine than what it is, and in fact the palate impression is quite bright. The fruit is still tropical, with lots of pineapple, but there's good acidity. Just more aggressive on the oak than I would prefer.
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I've always been appreciative of the efforts Kevin Harvey has been doing at Rhys, even though the wines haven't always wowed me all that much. I didn't have high expectations for this wine when I took a taste, especially when I was greeted by strong butterscotch and pineapple aromas, but on the palate, the oak was much more toned down than it was on the nose. There was ripe citrus and pineapple flavors with some real minerality that grew with air. As the wine stayed in my glass, the oak became even more integrated, so much so that this oakaphobe could actually pay it no mind and the acidity started to grow on the finish. Honestly, one of the better California Chardonnays I've had in a long time. A-/B+.
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13.5 % ABV. Light to moderate gold in the glass. Somewhat reticent aromatically with notes of ripe apple, oak, cream, and lanolin. Medium bodied with a lemony acidity and bright citrus apple fruit on the palate. Finishes with a stony resoluteness. This is decent, but I was not as impressed as other tasters. A weak qpr, too.
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5 hour slow ox in bottle, cellar temp, at wine lunch. What a wine. To my taste very very similar profile to the 2008, but tons more stone you can almost feel the cobble in your mouth. Lots of lemon and lemon oil with a distinct layer of nut and spice, very cool presence. Much more complex than easily described. Long finish. WOTD. Seriously, give this some air.
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Darryl’s birthday gathering at Art and Soul. (Art and Soul Restaurant - Washington DC): I recognize that there are a lot of fans of Kevin H’s wine. I have been lucky enough to enjoy his wines as some of my friends are big fans. I read a number of TNs on CT and this wine is a great example of the power of persuasion. This is a very well made classic Californian chardonnay with ripe fruits. A hint of sesame, ie noticeable oak presence, intense yellow fruits, fat and a hint of underlying mineral components. Oily palate, fat and lacking acidity. Quite enjoyable but suggesting Burgundian?
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Impressed. White Burg characteristics done Cali-style. A perky nose of almond, lime, seashells, chalk, and light tropicals. Gentle palate of citrus, orange, vanilla custard, saline, pineapple, and baking spice. Nice acidity. Matched well with multiple cheeses. At this price, not gonna wish for a bunch but would like to get one or two a year. Easy on the palate with no noticeable heat. Would like to see what this does in 5 years but killed my only one.
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A serious Chardonnay, with tart lemons, pear, grapefruit pith and the lightest hint of oak spice. Slightly resembles a Meursault. Rich in the mouth , but this leaves one with a weightless, svelte and refreshing finish. Lovely cling on the palate with juicy, lip-smacking acids.
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-- popped and poured -- -- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
Oaky on the Nose, with bright fruit aromas. Bright fruit on the palate; surprisingly rich and creamy; some minerality lurking behind, but, imo, comparisons to Burgundy are way off base. Nice focus; alc. not noticeable. Seems like it would be a good mid-term ager. Low end of excellent. Poor QPR.
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Rhys, Flam, Sineann, Saxum, SQN: A absolutely fantastic bottle of Chardonnay. One of the best in the world IMO. Silvery green/gold in color. The nose is lemons and lemon chiffon. Creamy texture. On the palate, this is juicy with lemons and lemon curd. Nice bite of acidity. Long finish. Still very young, it is worth opening one now to enjoy at this stage. A unanimous crowd pleaser.
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Very underwhelmed by this wine...the oak was a bit too much for me, the wine was out of balance, and too young. The only good thing about the wine blind was that it didn't see like CA.
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Faint yellow; Light floral notes, not to revealing on PNP; slight lemon, no oak influence, mineral, grassy but not overly so, acid to last, quite balanced for its youth, not to complex or a contemplative wine - it gets right down to business. You won't regret opening this at this stage. One hour decant suggested. Excellent with seafood like mussels, calamari or he richer crab. It'll cut right into that seafood in a very complimentary way. I could see this improving over the next three years with a life beyond it for quite a few years more. Quite good. Next one for me should be late 2014.
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Seriously good chardonnay. As always with Rhys, extremely well-balanced. This has excellent minerality and a very long finish. This seems built to last.
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A lovely, restrained, edgy Chardonnay that offers up lemons, citrus pith and tart apple flavors. Good, bracing acidity, but not really picking up any minerality. Nice tangy finish.
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Drank over 2 days. This golden yellow chard offered notes of lemon, lemon oil and oak on the nose. Those notes were met on the palate by citrus and oak spice. The acidity was fairly lively, and the mouthfeel was creamy and full. On day 2, the lemon and oak subsided to let hints of tropical fruit come through. Very balanced wine with good acidity, though would have liked the oak a bit more integrated.
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Popped and poured with grilled tilapia. First glass or so seemed quite citrus and nectarine. The rest of this developed into more of the CA style chardonnay that I am not a fan of. Oak aroma and taste, as well as some vanilla in the taste. A slight bit of mineral also. I'll see how the other bottle of this develops over the years, but this seems to not be my style.
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Light golden, slightly cloudy color. Enticing nose of honeysuckle, raw corn, shrimp shells and hay. Very pure. Full and gripping palate that is remarkably deep with no added flourish. Simply delicious Chardonnay. These guys know what the are doing. Very nice. (93)
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Expressive nose of citrus, stone fruits, and spice. Great balance on the palate, plenty of acidity with ripe tropical fruits, citrus and mineral notes. Long clean finish.
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Slightly perfumed start with very ripe orchard and stone fruit aromas, with big spice and almost a candied character. Very powerful and intense fruit also on palate. Good acidity and energy, just a trace more ripeness and oak spice than I would prefer.
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Tasting descriptors really don't do this wine justice. Crisp, fresh, tangy pear and pineapple, a nose full of white flowers, and the gentlest touch of oak completely intertwined. The balance and precision is like an Olympic figure skater gliding across a wide expanse of ice with seemingly effortless perfection. The finest Rhys Chardonnay yet.
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Awesome. Great fruit and minerality, all with excellent balance. Delicious. Consumed over two nights, but this really showed well from the start and throughout. I'd say you'd be happy drinking now or holding. 94+
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I hesitate to assign points because I don't recall having a CA Chardonnay of this caliber. Ever. Despite, constant changes in the glass over the 2 hours we enjoyed it, it remained harmonious throughout. Pear, pineapple, fennel, warm spices, lemons, apple. Long finish. Wow!
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Really good chardonnay. This is showing very young but with a tautness and coiled palate presence that is compelling. Initially reticent on the nose and palate, showing what seemed like some wood notes. Those dissipated into a smoky topnote that allowed focused lemon and mineral flavors through. Great finish and lingering aromas in the empty glass. Based on my experience with the Santa Cruz Mountains bottling, which was fatter and less focused, I would say that the Rhys team selected the right barrels for the Alpine bottling at least to my palate. My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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WOW. STUNNING. The best Chardonnay I’ve ever had (from anywhere in the world). If I had to compare it just think of the best White Burg you’ve ever had. Incredible nose, great depth, structure, feel and finish. Just an amazing wine. (Tasted in the caves at Rhys, opened 4 hours before we arrived)
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Rhys Visit--All The 2009s From Bottle! (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): 13.5%, 25% new oak. As opposed to the Horseshoe chard, this Alpine is more pear-like and also shows more of the oak on the aromatic, although I could argue it is a background player--I merely make the comment to contrast against the Horseshoe, since both have the same oak regime. More generous in texture than the Horseshoe, spicier too with a baked apple flavor, fennel and more limey than the Horseshoe's lemon. The spicy character on this, the racier edge that carries through the finish is excellent. Just a long finishing wine and my favorite of the two chards.
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1/20/2024 - timothynbond Likes this wine: 90 Points
Transparent gold color. Cinnamon apple sauce on the nose. Medium body, medium acid. Lots of apples on the palate. Initially a bit bitter, but improved with time in the glass. Rich baked apples and nice salinity on the finish, perhaps salted caramel. Well balanced, the acid holds everything together.
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11/18/2023 - kabert Likes this wine: 91 Points
The 2008 Alpine i had a few months ago was a better bottle than this 2009, but there could’ve been some bottle or storage variation as I bought both at auction. That said, this 2009 was still excellent. It poured a light to medium gold and its nose was classic aged lemon. Medium bodied, some initial hazelnut showing the wine’s age, followed by honeysuckle and light lemon.
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8/25/2023 - E Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Overly acidic....fruit is gone
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1/23/2023 - gzim wrote: 91 Points
Big , beautiful dark Chardonnay - not a ton going on the nose - but on the palate its large scales, on the ripe side with lots of long tropicals, really hard to put on the glass down!
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10/5/2022 - UMRich wrote: 85 Points
Better than my last two aged Rhys Chards which were so dark and over the hill that they ended up in the sink, but this one is headed in that direction. Still scored it because unlike the other two it was drinkable and we will finish the bottle. Ultimately, it seems like cutting it a break by calling it flawed so that the number doesn't enter the average score seems inappropriate for a high-priced wine billed as very ageable that was bought at release and stored well. I did rate the other two that were much further gone as flawed. Disappointing.
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2/19/2022 - ljl203 wrote: 92 Points
Cloudy pale gold color. Nice forest, brioche nose. Clarified butter, popcorn earthy-ness, sharp acid finish. Going strong at 13 years.
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2/7/2022 - jlm wrote:
Deep gold. Mature notes on the nose of hazelnut, earth, and dried lemon peel. The palate is round and fleshy, and while it lacks the acidic snap of most vintages, it's got enough lift and freshness to keep it from being ponderous. Long finish shows some pear fruit that isn't evident on the nose, along with some of the nuttiness and citrus. Very enjoyable, certainly fully mature.
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5/22/2021 - ron m wrote:
A wonderful bottle kicking on all cylinders. Very pretty nose with orchard fruit, butter, toffee, Tonka bean. Beautiful. Medium weight, rich mouthfeel but light on its feet. Palate showing citrus and minerals that cut through the fat. Great balance. Good finish. Day 2 - still great. Will keep, but just so good right now.
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5/9/2021 - Charlie Carnes wrote:
Meh, showing signs of age, maybe too much.
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4/24/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
A Great Day for Chardonnay: Poured in jars for transport and consumed 2 hours later. WOW! Not sure if this is bottle variation or if this wine is just this good! WOTN for me and the group, and up against some stiff competition! This was served blind, and I guessed it to be a Marcassin. It was rich, buttery, with exceptional complexity, including notes of Meyers Lemon, apple, honeydew, with some limestone and a hint of salinity, all wrapped in some toasted oak. No problem giving this wine 96 points....a pleasure to drink!
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4/22/2021 - galewskj wrote: 94 Points
Single-blind Chardonnay (zoom): Drank a glass single-blind over 1.5 hours. Darker yellow. The palate is creamy with nice acidity and slight minerality. There is some oak, vanilla and a long tangy finish. This strikes me as full-bodied without coming across heavy. It did remind me of a California wine due to its impressive and semi-exotic flavor profile. My #2 wine of the tasting but Wine of the Night for the group.
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4/22/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Virtual Single Blind Chards (Home): Medium dark gold color. Drank a glass plus single blind over 3 hours. This was awfully darn good. Provocative nose of lemon, pear, oak barrel, orange peel, spice and vanillin. The full bodied palate shines with a great mix of acidity and creaminess on the texture, pear panna cotta, lemon, orange zest, oak; tangy and feathery and very long with vanilla, white pepper and spices on the finish. Turned out to be WOTN in a fairly impressive list of wines. 93= to 94pts.
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3/26/2021 - ljl203 wrote: 92 Points
Slightly cloudy pale yellow. Buttered popcorn, pineapple, pine nuts. Lots of acid. Delicious at 12 years. Kudos to Badfish for naming graham cracker. That is spot on!
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3/26/2021 - Rayburn wrote: 95 Points
A golden middle yellow color.
Nose is a honeyed vanilla. Touch of Gardenia and Confederate Jasmine
Palate is predictably soft with rich oily notes of honeysuckle and more jasmine. Touch of honeydew rind.
The finish is the kicker and it is strong and long.
So happy with this.
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1/13/2021 - Badfish Likes this wine:
The Rhys chardonnays have been pretty amazing, this bottle is no different. Loaded with crystalline citrus and mineral laden fruit including notes of lemon oil, honeysuckle, chalk, wet stone, melon, and graham cracker. The wine is ever so slightly hazy in the glass with a beautiful pale golden color and a tinge of green. Amazing balance with crisp acidity, rich yellow and white fruit, great mineral density, and admirable persistence.
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1/5/2021 - fisk15 wrote: 90 Points
I'm a huge fan of the Rhys Alpine chards and have many vintages still in the cellar, but I think this one is a drink now. Dark gold and the acidity struck me as slightly sour vs just acidic. Creamy citrus nose which was pleasant.
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12/1/2020 - xwine wrote:
A gorgeous bottle, and much different from the bottle earlier this year. Beautiful aromas of jasmine and lemon, then some notes of vanilla wafers (yep!). Palate was creamy yet firm and focused. Good acidity, long finish. Terrific!
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11/29/2020 - MObiker wrote:
This bottle gives me hope for my Rhys Chards. I've bought them for years, but have found the intensity of tropical fruit to be too much for my taste. However, this one had more of the tension and flinty nature of a good burgundy. It's dark, but no taste of oxidation. It still finishes with an odd tropical note, so I'll give the next bottle a few more years.
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8/4/2020 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:
OK, this was pretty good. Its darkening just a little, but it is still fresh, steely and a little flinty. It has plenty of acid to carry it through. I rather enjoyed it.
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6/15/2020 - dougie Does not like this wine:
Darker than it should be. Got flabby and heavy more and more.
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6/13/2020 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
Really an awesome showing.PnP on day one then consumed the majority on day 2 in a grassl 1855
This could indeed be confused for 2009 white burg 1ere for sure. It has a flinty reduction on opening that really doesn’t fade on day 2. Golden amber color and quite lively on the palate. Ripe orchard fruit and oily Meyer lemon, fairly broad in profile at this point. Tertiary notes of raw almond are peeking through, and while the acidity is certainly present, it doesn’t have quite enough to go 5-10 years more IMO. Sublime now, and at peak for my palate. Drink over the next 2-3.
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5/15/2020 - brigcampbell wrote:
Come on and Zoom, Zoom, Zooma Zoom: Blind: I got this, easy, Northern Rhone white blend of roussanne and marsanne. Oops.
What is going on here? I like the wine, really do, because it looks, smells, and taste like a Rhone but if you're expecting a typical Rhy chardonnay you're in for a big surprise. Super dark gold color with medium heavy glycerin mouthfeel. yellow fruited.
Hey, I like it blind so I like it when it's revealed too.
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5/14/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Blind Tasting via Zoom (Over Zoom): Tasted blind. This shows an advanced color that is bronzy/gold, and the aromatics also give off a nutty, toasted barrel aromatic. The wine is built around apple, some nuttiness, lemon oil and ripe cut mango. The finish oddly shows bright citrus, which juxtaposed with the wood notes, the goldish color and heavier texture, it just seems out of whack to me. For those who know me, I think Alpine Chard is top of the class in California--it's that damn good and is for me what world class Chard can do, what Rhys does so well, much like the 2017 that just arrived this week. But, I don't regret finishing my 2009 Chards back in 2017 when I thought they were ready then. Unless this bottle is an aberration for how it has aged, I'd suggest drinking these up as it's not going in the right direction at all.
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3/31/2020 - zheem wrote:
Very unimpressed. Overwhelming flavor of toasted OAK. Nice vanillin/cinnamon, not unpleasant, but could be a $20 chard from Napa.
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2/16/2020 - xwine wrote:
No notes, and this is written several days later, but I wasn't too impressed on day one. It seemed a bit clumsy and disjointed. Much nicer on day two! Coalesced into a very nice wine.
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2/14/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fragrant nose and smooth layered palate with citrus, mineral, and a hint of vanilla which carries to a long finish. Drinking beautifully!
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11/11/2019 - Tubulus wrote: 94 Points
Hot damn was this good. Big and rich with definite aged notes (but not oxidized at all) and zero heat or oak bitterness. Not a ton of acidity but manages not to be flabby at all. Just great.
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7/28/2019 - sschen Likes this wine:
Pop and poured. Golden hue. Prominent reductive notes that somewhat mask the nose. On the palate mandarin orange, tropical notes (unripe guava?), honey, more matchstick, hints of sesame, and a salty and lightly buttery finish that gained with time. Fruit elements almost riesling like. Quite acidic but somewhat creamy in mouth feel. Long.
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7/9/2019 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Same bottle as 3DAYWINEREVIEW and ROCKNROLLER, and similar experience. Rhys chardonnay really shines with some age.
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7/6/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Fourth of July Weekend (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light gold color. 2 oz pour. Great bottle, pineapple, lemon, tangerine, tropical edge, caramelized sugar, lightly toasted oak. The palate is quite lively, very lemony, Meyer lemon and tangerine, lime, good minerality and acids, clean and fresh with a dusting of toasted French oak on the saline infused finish. Excellent. 93 to 93+pts.
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7/6/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Mixed Bag at Kevin's (Minneapolis, MN): Now we are talking. Excellent Chardonnay. Oak, apple, wafer, spices and stone fruits. Complex and multilayered wine. Medium to long finish. This is how I like my domestic Chardonnay to taste. 93+ Should have another five plus years of enjoyment.
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5/24/2019 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 92 Points
High-class wine presenting a lemon and mineral core enhanced by notes of wax, peach, and oak spice. The only flaw for me is that the finish is a bit too heavy and hot.
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4/28/2019 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful, vibrant, sublet oak and bright acidity.
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11/14/2018 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking younger than the last bottle I tried, well integrated oak, pure Chardonnay fruit with a twist of tangerine, and refreshing acidity on the finish, very good.
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6/9/2018 - Lateva wrote: 94 Points
Really loved this. Just the right blend of orchard and stone fruits with some lemon notes. Great balance and acidity. Drinking great pop and pour.
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6/8/2018 - Mrbuzz wrote: flawed
Showing some really nice aged honey, butterscotch, creamed apple butter, chalky minerality, citrus tingle...BUT...unfortunately this one is CORKED! Last bottle from release...and the dreaded mustiness has muted the freshness of what seems to be something really nice otherwise! Shame!
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5/24/2018 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Light gold color. Starting to show some aged elements of honey intermixed with maturing apple and peach. Round and lush on the palate with moderate acid freshness.
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5/14/2018 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
As delicious as the last bottle.
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4/27/2018 - theharve wrote: flawed
oxidized. bought at release from winery, stored at 55. I don't get it. Have found most Rhys chards disappointing.
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2/25/2018 - texaswinelover wrote:
Popped and poured tonight, I really wish I enjoyed the acidity. I just don’t. I need a rounder wine. The acid hurts my teeth too much. Wine is super clean, minerally and lingering forever but I’m looking to sell the rest of my Rhys chards. Wish it weren’t so but it is. Simply not my style.
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1/16/2018 - theronware wrote: 90 Points
A bright gold color. On the nose, plenty of carmelized meyer lemon and some pineapple. Similar on the palate, where the oak is quite marked. The whole thing is quite lush and sweet, and as others have noted, it's got plenty of concentration which is compelling. - Ultimately it has barely enough acid to snatch it back over the line into balanced territory. A slight amount of heat on the backend. This was quite enjoyable but I've had CA chardonnays in this style (hey, there sometimes *is* an occasion for an oaky, opulent Cali Chard) that I prefer and considerably less expensive (Peay, Mount Eden). I'd drink up if you have any left as this doesn't have sufficient acid to hold it much longer.
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12/10/2017 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Wine Flock Intro Retro - Cabs (Jordan's): Served blind in a new world/old world Chard flight. This was my favorite of the group (closely edging out a too young '12 Bouchard Corton Charlie). Full, pretty aromatics of creamy rich apple with floral and mineral notes. Round fruit with good concentration -- pushes tropical in flavor. Again good mineral notes. Plenty of juicy acidity to match the richness. Could've easily passed for a ripe vintage 1er white burg. I believe Rhys Chards of this era are showing a bit variable, this was the best bottle of a few I've had over the past 18 months.
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12/10/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Chicago Wine Flock..."Bordeaux and Cali Cab from Jordan" (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Double blind in what turned out to be a Chardonnay flight. I thought this was easy to identify as New World Chardonnay, with very good rich peach and ripe apple throughout. Perhaps a trace on new oak still protruding, but otherwise well balanced and certainly showing very good concentration.
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12/4/2017 - BHP1994 wrote: 95 Points
As good as any American Chardonnay available today. Just delicious stuff. Beautiful golden color, bright stone fruits, appropriately oaked, great acid, opulent mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on and on. Served at a dinner party and this wine was a crowd stunner. I heard more than one person remark that this wine re-defined Chardonnay for them.
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9/30/2017 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind --
NOSE: smells "zippy"; a bit reduced; rich with an intense mineral aspect.
BODY: medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: rich fruit and strong mineral is reflected on the palate; medium acidity; not very oaky; gut impression score: 92.
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9/30/2017 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:
Showed a bit of an oily texture, with fine fruit and good freshness. It's not a broad or an expansive Chardonnay, though not too lean either. Thought it showed at or near peak, though plenty of time for further development in not sure how much it improves from here. Paired brilliantly with pasta al dente.
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9/2/2017 - Brian Love wrote:
Pretty ripe but seems a bit empty on mid and finish although oddly still had long finish.
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8/30/2017 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful light yellow color. Ripe yellow fruits, super saline, great acidity, long finish. Delicious, and 3-7 more years ahead.
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8/21/2017 - jc11 wrote:
Last bottle. Showing a bit more advanced than expected. May be time to drink these up.
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8/7/2017 - gzim Likes this wine: 89 Points
big round mature with a pretty hefty dose of oak. definitely a food wine, but showed more new world than I would have liked.
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7/12/2017 - llink wrote: 89 Points
Lemon, flint and spice on the nose with minimal oak and maybe a touch of oxidation. Rich and juicy palate, good lemony acidity moderated by an oily palate. Fresh and lively this is in a good place and probably needs to be consumed soon.
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5/27/2017 - fine137 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking great at the moment, will go at least 5 more years. Nose could take me to Burgundy, but palate is definitely new world. Nice minerality, flinty, bit of gunpowder, orchard fruit profile, but a bit of pineapple sneaks in as well. Oak is there but well integrated. Still very fresh unlike most of the older Rhys chards I have had, which have come off as highly oxidized.
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5/24/2017 - Nanda wrote: 88 Points
Rhys 08/09/10 (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago, IL): Medium gold. Medium nose has some reduction/matchstick that is distracting and not complementary to the dense white fruit. Ripe, dense white fruit on the palate with mineral notes. Some honey notes. Medium acids. Similar to the '08 tasted side-by-side, this feels a bit tired and maturing. On the back nine.
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5/24/2017 - acyso wrote: 85 Points
The Rotating Dinners, II.1: Rhys, 2008-10 (Chicago, IL): I liked this a lot more a few years ago. In the intervening time, this seems to have gotten fleshier and fuller, and seems to show even more botrytis than the 2008. There's a slight bit of reduction here. On the finish, there is a very persistent amount of bitterness that really detracts from the experience. The acidity here also seems to be overwhelmed a bit from the flabbier butter notes.
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5/2/2017 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 91 Points
Atlanta Does Rhys (Aria, Atlanta, GA): Riper than the 2007 and 2008, with more tangerine fruit than the lemon that the earlier vintages showed, and not as much minerality, taut acidity, or depth. It's still a very nice wine, but was overshadowed by its older siblings tonight and I don't think it will have as long a life as they will.
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4/18/2017 - xwine wrote:
Some oak showing, but there's a lot of material to buffer it. Solidly structured, serious chardonnay, with a fresh lemon component to accompany the creamy palate. While there's a lot going on with this wine, at this time the oak seems to get in the way a bit, and I'll try to wait another couple of years before opening the next bottle. Excellent.
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4/4/2017 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle. Dark golden yellow, was worried that it may be oxidized. Very aromatic with pineapple, lemon, spice. Has a viscous, oily quality. Similar flavors with a touch of oak in the finish. Great balance with just enough acidity. In a really good place now. Not sure if this wil improve with more time, but I don't think it will lose anythin gin the next few years.
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3/31/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Golden yellow. Rich, buttery, ripe apple, butterscotch , creamy, and a big finish
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3/17/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Served blind. This wine went through quite a bit of evolution in the glass. In order of my notes, here is what I scribbled. Initially, a petrol aroma, like something from Alsace, along with orchard fruit and a light oxidative note. The palate mixed in notes of pineapple, orchard fruit and coconut. With about 30 mins more air, there is a ripe baked apple quality, green apple and lemon curd, with some complexity emerging in the finish. In sum, this reminded me of the older Rhys chards in a riper year like 2009, where the wine seems IMO to be ready to drink now, exhibiting some latent oak and development, along with some sustaining energy from the fruit. I've drank through all my 2009s and while I liked this wine last night, it didn't have the precision of the best Rhys chards and if I owned this vintage of Rhys whites still, I'd be enjoying these now and not aging them any longer.
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3/16/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club (Seiber Cellars): Blind - guessed California chardonnay with 10+ years on it. FMIII called out Rhys and the vintage. Stud.
Looks aged based on the color, adding a brass hue. Viscous/oily quality to the mouthfeel. Fruit is primarily pineapple and the finish is dominated by turpin. Sweet yellow apple fruit. I'd say this won't be improving with age.
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2/5/2017 - jc11 wrote:
Drinking really well now. Seems to have shed some of the roundness that was evident on release. Still has some well integrated acidity. A bit of a pineapple note.
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1/22/2017 - sfwineguy wrote:
1/21/17 with Matt, Jen, Emma and T. Still young.
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1/10/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Wineberserkers dinner with Herwig (Heirloom cafe): The nose is excellently balanced with surprising minerality, brioche, almost like an excellent champagne, plenty of white fruit; palate is full bodied, elegant but also ripe tropical fruit, medium to medium-plus acidity; medium finish. Very nice, balanced, elegant Californian style. I love it. 92-93
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12/29/2016 - WG Johns@n Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle really speaks to some of the signature Alpine terroir although acidity is less than successive vintages. Lemon, pear, and a leesy nose get support from a nice albeit subtle mineral frame. It is very reminiscent of what I have found in Ceritas' PMR. This is good to go but in no danger of declining. The 2020 drinking window seems appropriate.
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10/30/2016 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Golden yellow color. Full nose has rich apple and pear pie filling, some pineapple, and flinty minerals. Palate has good richness and concentration, yet the acidity provides cut and tension. I found this mature and fully ready to go.
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10/22/2016 - bobdobilina wrote: 90 Points
Wines that don't suck at Steak and Vine (Rhys, Insignia, Pape Clement, Figeac, Lynch Bages, Les Pavots, Rieussec and others) (Steak and Vine): Beautiful and bright mid-gold color.
Quite a smoky nose. SHows lots of expensive French oak.
Fairly full palate. Ripe peach fruit and honeysuckle. Quite soft with lovey gentleness over the length. Mineral (rocky) streak on the end palate. Maybe a touch fat for me, but shows a lot of class.
With more air this starts to show a lemon/lime character and a touch more balance. I suspect this would get better with more air - I would give a decant.
90+
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9/8/2016 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium gold color. Brine, apple, pear, and some floral notes on the nose. Palate has sappy/minerally core with lemon, pear, and some yellow plum notes that carry into a long finish. Compelling showing and in a great place for my tastes right now. Drink or hold.
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8/29/2016 - Schwarzer Hund Likes this wine:
Smokey pear/apple fruit with a strong mineral background, dense fruit flavors, some vanilla, chalky minerals, very long finish. Probably at the beginning of its drinking window. Very tasty with pan roasted halibut.
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8/27/2016 - JBVino wrote:
Really good but thought acidity was a touch below best vintages of this wine. Also at 7 years this seemed young.. this should get more complicated on flavor palate as it ages
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8/23/2016 - Cote d'Or wrote:
PopnPour, tasted over 2 hrs
-translucent med gold with green tinge
-some reduction funk and touch of wood
-med acidity, med/med+ weight creamy almost lush texture, fresh but ripe faded white fruits a mineral streak and caramel oak
-primary fruit has faded and oak is integrating, starting to get more interesting and has the stuffing to last many more years during which it's likely to pick up more complexity and nuances of maturity, very good now and potentially something really special in another 3-5 years
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7/25/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious with great balance, richness with apple, pear and some citrus overtones
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6/5/2016 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Progress. Chris brought in.
Stunning wine. In your face and complex. Fresh apples. Long finish. So good.
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6/5/2016 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a really good place now. benefits from an hour decant. Beautiful nose of apple, pear,vapricot spices. Similar flavors with a touch of oak. beautiful mouthfeel with a long smooth finish. Good now, but should hold for at least a few years. For those who held onto these, your patience has been rewarded.
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5/17/2016 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Bottle #1 of 5. Superb. Bright, lifted, deep tropical fruit nose, yellow orchard fruits (an especially distinct apricot/tangerine oil note), baking spice, mineral dustings, and very mild barely noticeable oak. Saline on the attack, similar yellow orchard flavor profile, deep minerality, cloves/cardamom/nutmeg, something waxy deep and intriguing, a bitter apricot pit aspect lends detail and bracing definition, and a quite long finish. Not a hint of heat. A cross between Chassagne and Chablis. Tight and svelte, open and luxurious - all at the same time. No fade after two hours in glass, this has a little more room to develop. I'd guess it's just starting it peak, where it may linger for 6-8 years. 91+pts pure quality, 93pts personal preference.
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3/27/2016 - B Paul Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really great and in a good spot for my tastes. I'd say ready to drink but no rush.
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2/28/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich honeyed color with apple, pear and much less citrus than in earlier bottles but still very enjoyable
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2/13/2016 - Louvin Likes this wine: 93 Points
opened and drunk over 3 hrs, this was the best and unfortunately last of my bottles, while these started out as acid/lemon monsters this has evoloved into a wine very much softer with apple/pear notes and honeyed texture with time open. The time in glass greatly improved the mouthfeel and integration of flavors/textures. I've noticed a marked difference in new bottling of this vineyard and don't know if the evolution will be the same, sad if not.
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1/23/2016 - bjschmitt Likes this wine: 93 Points
With tarragon chicken, wild rice, and carrots.
Beautiful yellow gold, clear, nice legs.
Lovely nose, honeyed fruit, pear, peach, grape - enticing.
Well balanced palate: the honey remains, very smooth (but there is a lovely touch of acid to keep the flab away), long finish. Excellent wine.
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12/29/2015 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Annual CDP tasting (Edina Country Club): Consumed a glass over 45 minutes. This was much bigger and less resolved than the 2010 we had a month ago. It was more in the Kistler vein today, but with some nice complexity. I will take the advice on Rhy's website and hold off opening my bottles for a while.
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12/27/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Annual Holiday CDP Tasting (Edina, MN): Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes plus. A fun wine that seemed focused from the start, but got even better with air and as it warmed. I love the orange character here, oranges, orange peel, and orange blossom on the nose, with lightly toasted oak. the palate is medium full bodied, orange, modest toasted oak, good acid, round, lemon, and a long pure finish. Love it.
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12/27/2015 - mzimberg Likes this wine: 93 Points
2015 CDP Annual Dinner (Edina Country Club): Pale golden. Oaky, fully new world aromas of lemon brioche. Charming, oaky, high alcohol but really works. Vanilla creme. The oak is really tasty and nicely compliments the stony minerality. Big. I would not guess Rhys with its high oak and broad shoulders. It works, but in much more of an Aubert way.
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12/6/2015 - gzim Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a great place. Popped and completely poured out in one swelt foop at a party. Nice fruit, plenty of mature oarchard fruits, some oak, but not buttery at all (must be that classy french oak), nice round finish with great mouthfeel.
I am sure if we had had the chance to follow this, it would have improved.
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11/9/2015 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fragrant nose and lively palate with citrus, mineral, and a hint of vanilla which carries to a moderate finish. Drinking beautifully now!
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11/2/2015 - B Paul wrote: 94 Points
Really great and drinking well.
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11/2/2015 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
My first encounter with this vintage. The CT notes have indicated that this would be a good time to approach and I would have to agree. This has very fresh, bright fruit flavors (citrus, white and some tropical fruits), lots of floral notes and zippy mineral acidity, but there is a nice fleshiness that I think the age confers. Good complexity and length. Great with food. Still with plenty of life ahead.
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8/16/2015 - mlawren1 wrote: 93 Points
green apples and citrus with a minerality
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8/13/2015 - rralls wrote: 92 Points
Really nice.
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7/28/2015 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Rhys dinner: Lovely white fruits, ripe pear, yellow apple, yellow cherry; slight reductive quality and a saline/rocky minerality to this that reminds me of a Corton-Charlemagne. Nicely balanced, medium to medium plus body, good concentration of flavors, with just a kiss of French oak. Stunning chard.
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4/4/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Second half of a coravin bottle. Showing a bit more cut with stron lemon curd elements. Oak still seemed to stand apart from the fruit, but less obtrusive than the sample several months ago. Drinkable, but likely best to hold.
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3/11/2015 - Colima74 wrote: flawed
Corked. But for a brief moment, it showed what it could have been.
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1/27/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This needed an hour or so to integrate the oak/leeds? elements. Expressive nose of golden fruit and some restrained tropical fruits. Rather round palate with repeating fruit notes. Really coats the palate with a slightly slick viscous quality. Long finish. Quite nice though I was hoping for a little more cut and mineral on the palate. Maybe the warm vintage?
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1/17/2015 - rjoyer wrote:
Billigan's note from September is pretty spot on with the impressions I got on this one. Hadn't had one of these since last January, and I do think the oak influence seems more pronounced than prior renditions, though it does subside in time, and I do think it shows less now than it did a year ago and should continue to integrate. The other components are all well proportioned and the sum total is a very nice chardonnay that, I believe, will continue to get better in the next 2-3 years.
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1/9/2015 - rralls wrote: 93 Points
Superb.
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11/27/2014 - Tom Warden Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely delicious and balanced!
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9/22/2014 - Billigan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Oaky aromas at first quickly took a backseat to some lovely lemon cream pie and toasted marshmallow with a little whiff of ocean air and a bit of jasmine. The same complexity carried over onto the palate, which managed to combine both an unctuous fruit and salty mineral profile at the same time. Delicious chard, but I should have left this sideways for a couple more years to let the oak finish dialing down.
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8/10/2014 - rc@ughey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young but not too tight. This is a serious, concentrated, broad-shouldered wine with looming depth that is just starting to show itself. This shows fine-grained minerality and bright acids but the concentrated fruit is the star here. I dislike the burg-CA comparisons but this really could sub in for a GC white burg. It's that kind of wine. Wonderful CA Chard that has years to go before its peak. Delicious
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8/4/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Ripple (Ripple - Cleveland Park - Washington, DC): What a beauty. Aromatically kicking, with complex pear and apple, sea salt, white flowers, lemon custard. Tart and fresh on the palate, superb acid but nice weight as well. So precise, clean and elegant. Complex pear, orange and lemon custard notes mixed in with rocky minerals, honeycomb and subtle nutty notes. Gorgeous and elegant with a long life ahead.
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7/18/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine:
Generous nose with toasty white fruit and mineral. Palate is round and fleshy with apple, pear and crushed stones. Good acidic edge to tame the fruit. Oak is present but well integrated. Young with a good aging curve ahead.
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7/18/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
An Epic Night of Rhys (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is deep, precise, and balanced with white fruits, pears, peaches, red apples, rocky minerals, and white florals. The nose really draws you in and this is more aromatic and high-toned than the 08.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity. The structure is very youthful and the acidity is prominent. The feel is on the more nuanced side with white fruits, pears, red apples, navel oranges, rocky minerals, and white florals.
Overall: While this is very much on the young side, it is also a tremendous Chardonnay. This doesn't have the power of the 08, but instead there is a beautiful precision and nuanced side to this.
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7/18/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 90 Points
Opened at Sun Wah for Rhys dinner. This was nice bit still a bit too tart and acidic without showing too much of a creaminess like the '08 showed next to it. I think this will get better and have upside, but have to judge it as it is now.
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7/12/2014 - Uglypinga wrote:
Yellow fruit and just a hint of oak. I wished this had just a hint more acid but it is even now a complete wine assuming you are not looking for buttered toast. Air might help. Good chard.
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7/2/2014 - Pstice Likes this wine: 91 Points
ripest and richest Rhys Chard I've had. Could be in a baby fat stage but it was really tropical and viscous
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5/28/2014 - Rieslingfan Likes this wine: 91 Points
My second, and last bottle of this wine, and a showing that suited my taste much more than my other bottle. In 2012 I found the wine a bit heavy, whereas tonight it was (and still is) much fresher. There is a good core of acidity, and the tropical fruit tones are complemented, rather than overwhelmed by a touch of spicy oak. I do get a bit of alcohol on the finish, but not so much as to be unpleasant. My favorite part is the lingering finish. Very nicely done.
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5/17/2014 - davidn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lots of citrus. Great with mushroom pasta.
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5/3/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wine with Steak and Morels (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Tasted blind. Another Chardonnay that was challenging to identify as Old vs New World. Lots of of apple and peach aromas and flavors that come across as ripe, but nicely balanced. Moderate acidity but without really any sense of minerality while well textured, which overall made me think this New World also made from a good producer trying to produce Chardonnay modeled on Burgundy. Overall good, probably best now and for the next few years. Definitely good.
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4/5/2014 - floydtp wrote: 92 Points
Liquid Farm / Chard Double Blind- Dallas (Classic Wine Storage- Dallas): First wine in a lineup of 15 blind chards. Very nice but subtle nose of tropical fruits and caramel. The palate has peaches, citrus and a good amount of spice. Rich, almost oily texture. Extremely dry with some evidence of oak influence. Long length finish that is consistent. Medium plus acidity. Hold for a few years.
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4/4/2014 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with Salil (Sun Wah BBQ, Chicago IL): Nose: The nose is deep and balanced with navel oranges, red apples, lemon curds, citrus tones, minerals, white fruits, and some pears. There is excellent layering to the nose already with a real classiness.
Taste: Medium/full bodied with medium/high acidity. The structure is youthful, but there is polish to the feel with navel oranges, lemon curds, citrus tones, white fruits, and a very attractive mineral base.
Overall: This could've used some more air, but it was still a really good young chardonnay. There is a lot to like and it will be interesting to see where this goes with age.
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4/4/2014 - GalvezGuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Liquid Farm 4/4 Chardonnay Shootout (Lucio's BYOB, Houston): Tasted blind. Great nose of meyer lemon, flowers, pineapple. On the palate lemon curd, apple, unripe pear. Nice long finish. Hard to place, could be Cali or French. Definitely on the young side, probably needs a little more time. Step up from the previous wines. #7
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4/4/2014 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Chicago Chardonnay Shootout (Chicago, IL): Very aromatic with notes of white peach and grapefruit peel. Vibrant acidity is a dominant theme here, but somehow this avoids becoming a razor blade thanks to a very rich texture. Plenty of structure.
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3/27/2014 - Baggio wrote: 92 Points
94 from Tanzer, eh? Makes me think I am a philistine. I just thought it was a little of everything and not enough of anything. Very well made, though.
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3/22/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Hint of butter, pineapple, flint on the nose. The palate alsohas the butter hint but with citrus, herbs and grapefruit pit. Long delicious finish.
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12/24/2013 - jwsmith wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly good, medium oak suits this wine well, Really good.
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12/2/2013 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
Better on the second day. Rich and oily.
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11/29/2013 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Medium-bodied citrus fruit with honeysuckle flavors, wine seems to lack depth and complexity, well made, enjoyable, surprised by IWC comments and rating,
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11/13/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Sharon's Birthday (Kapcsandy, Rhys, Huet, Pape Clement, +++) (GHT): My favorite producer of Chardonnay, anywhere. Really light gold with some green glimmers. The nose is deep with lemon custard, slight vanilla, minerals. Full bodied. Rich texture. On the palate, the lemon custard carries thru only there is a great bite of acidity to balance it out. Young, it unwinds in the glass. Long finish. Great with food.
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9/27/2013 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour and served with food, including roast potatoes, grilled portobello mushrooms, and couscous with apricots, capers and vegetables, and mango-chutney chicken (in case you wanted to know what we had for dinner).
Lovely light floral nose with hint of honeysuckle.
Lively wine with good acidity, crisp lemon flavors and a steely backbone. Balanced and engaging. Well done.
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9/19/2013 - Zonk wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox for about an hour than drank over the course of another hour. Nose of lemon zest and some floral elements. Medium-weight. Oak was noticeable but something short of vanilla. lemon and some weightier tropical flavors. Really nicely done but definitely more fruit and less mineral than I would have expected (my 1st Rhys Chard). Probably better in 3 years when the oak has receded a bit further.
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9/2/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Have not enjoyed this wine since I was at the winery in 2011. Opened last night over dinner without a decant. Had a decent chill on it so got to see the wine at a spectum of temperature as we dined outside. I'd call this medium bodied, bouyed by moderate acidity of lemon peel. The fruit is a mix of pear, leaner pineapple and yellow apple. Where the wine still shows some youth is in the coconut from the oak, that is in the aromatic and palate. All taken together, this drinks pretty well now, save the oak, and with time and that last bit of oak fading into the wine, I'd say the best time to hit this would be 2015-2016. I don't see the wine fading as the balance is here.
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8/15/2013 - CTuttle wrote:
Tropical fruit nose. Full and round with a sweet, caramel finish. Not my wheelhouse.
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8/8/2013 - t_moderne wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour and served with food (orecchiette with broccoli rabe; it was delicious; thanks for asking).
Nose at first shows some oak. In the mouth, creamy and rich, showing lemon curd (lemon meringue pie), almonds and Granny Smith apple. Some unripe white peach as well. Corked and chilled and checked on the following day and this wine continued to shine with richness and complexity without being overbearing. This was a little heavier than expected but still had some acidity and verve to keep the richness of the wine in check.
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8/3/2013 - clayfu wrote:
fat and round ripe apples. Needs more acidity and it's a bit too sweet.
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7/6/2013 - B Paul wrote:
Notes similar to previous bottle, though it has evolved a bit over the last 15 months into a slightly richer version. Really enjoyable.
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6/27/2013 - Uglypinga wrote:
Vibrant nose of citrus and yellow fruits. The palate is sharply delineated by acidity but it shows great lemon peel, a notion of lemon meringue pie and a bit of caramelly oak. crisp finish. Not the most intense Rhys chard Ive had but I like it a lot.
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6/15/2013 - winopops3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pre Fathers Day Get Together With Friends (Winopops3 Residence): Mineral driven but with a certain richness which is appealing. Not buttery, but a little more heft that adds interest.
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6/13/2013 - llink wrote:
Beautiful nose of white orchard fruit and some pineapple infused with a deft touch of oak. Tart medium weight palate with a silky texture and more fruit dominated rather than mineral. Tart juicy finish. Probably needs a few years to settle down the fruit dominated texture.
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4/30/2013 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Exceptional chardonnay. Touch of oak and nice crisp finish. Light on its feet and everything in balance. Just a lovely example.
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4/2/2013 - twelch wrote: 95 Points
About as good a domestic chard as I've ever had. Beautiful fruit with a nice mineral edge to it. I only wish there was more of these to be had.
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3/24/2013 - cadamson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ok, wow. Wow. A cali Chard that blows you away. Burgundian is an over-statement and not really accurate. Though it leans that way in that this is clearly not a buttery oak bomb, but it still has luscious zingy and tasty fruit, but with an amazing amount of other notes that I rarely find in the boring U.S. chard market. Must get more.
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3/10/2013 - MusignyBlanc wrote:
Terrific balance of fruit and minerality. Would like to try this again in 3 years as it is too young (as I join the chorus). Would love to see Rhys do a wine in a Chablis style.
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3/2/2013 - Melli Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really showing well. Reminds me of the '07 Kongsgaard. I will need to find more!!!!
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1/27/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 89 Points
SF Wineberserkers Offline (BerserkerDay) (San Francisco, CA): Fresh lifted nose with white fruits, floral, creamy; full bodied, balanced, slightly tangy; med finish. 89
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1/26/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote: 95 Points
Chardonnay doesn't get much better than this! Incredible concentration with perfect balance of oak and fruit. The minerality and luscious fruit create a wine that pairs well with most dishes though is equally enjoyable solo.
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1/12/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Terrific balance. Awesome crisp fruits against zingy acidity. Consumed way too early.
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12/23/2012 - kthornton78 Likes this wine: 92 Points
crisp, tropical fruits and minerals on the nose. the palate follows suit but with the richness from the oak with energetic acidity. look forward to seeing how this evolves in a few years.
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12/21/2012 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Crispier and crunchier after the Ceritas, definitely a more chiseled showing than I remember from when it first shipped. Really nice and tingly but at the same time the material feels plush and tender. Pretty stuff for sure.
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12/10/2012 - keithgg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rhys may be making California's best Chardonnays.
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12/9/2012 - Tree512 wrote: 88 Points
Decent acidity but tropical in its fruit notes and more oak/weight than I would like. Classic Cali Chard but not my cup of tea. Worth holding to see what it becomes with age.
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11/23/2012 - Rieslingfan wrote: 89 Points
Spicy and tropical on the nose. The oak is quite apparent, especially as the wine warms a bit in the glass. The aromas suggest a heavier wine than what it is, and in fact the palate impression is quite bright. The fruit is still tropical, with lots of pineapple, but there's good acidity. Just more aggressive on the oak than I would prefer.
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10/22/2012 - winelovr2001 wrote: 95 Points
Amazing young chardonnay. Will be even better in a few years
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10/18/2012 - randomly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Hold at least until 2015
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10/7/2012 - BradKNYC wrote:
I've always been appreciative of the efforts Kevin Harvey has been doing at Rhys, even though the wines haven't always wowed me all that much. I didn't have high expectations for this wine when I took a taste, especially when I was greeted by strong butterscotch and pineapple aromas, but on the palate, the oak was much more toned down than it was on the nose. There was ripe citrus and pineapple flavors with some real minerality that grew with air. As the wine stayed in my glass, the oak became even more integrated, so much so that this oakaphobe could actually pay it no mind and the acidity started to grow on the finish. Honestly, one of the better California Chardonnays I've had in a long time. A-/B+.
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9/16/2012 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 92 Points
13.5 % ABV. Light to moderate gold in the glass. Somewhat reticent aromatically with notes of ripe apple, oak, cream, and lanolin. Medium bodied with a lemony acidity and bright citrus apple fruit on the palate. Finishes with a stony resoluteness. This is decent, but I was not as impressed as other tasters. A weak qpr, too.
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9/2/2012 - silton wrote: flawed
Corked.
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8/31/2012 - Melli wrote: 93 Points
Very nice!
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8/30/2012 - kenhoeve wrote: 94 Points
5 hour slow ox in bottle, cellar temp, at wine lunch. What a wine. To my taste very very similar profile to the 2008, but tons more stone you can almost feel the cobble in your mouth. Lots of lemon and lemon oil with a distinct layer of nut and spice, very cool presence. Much more complex than easily described. Long finish. WOTD. Seriously, give this some air.
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8/5/2012 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Darryl’s birthday gathering at Art and Soul. (Art and Soul Restaurant - Washington DC): I recognize that there are a lot of fans of Kevin H’s wine. I have been lucky enough to enjoy his wines as some of my friends are big fans. I read a number of TNs on CT and this wine is a great example of the power of persuasion. This is a very well made classic Californian chardonnay with ripe fruits. A hint of sesame, ie noticeable oak presence, intense yellow fruits, fat and a hint of underlying mineral components. Oily palate, fat and lacking acidity. Quite enjoyable but suggesting Burgundian?
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8/4/2012 - Vinsant wrote:
Impressed. White Burg characteristics done Cali-style. A perky nose of almond, lime, seashells, chalk, and light tropicals. Gentle palate of citrus, orange, vanilla custard, saline, pineapple, and baking spice. Nice acidity. Matched well with multiple cheeses. At this price, not gonna wish for a bunch but would like to get one or two a year. Easy on the palate with no noticeable heat. Would like to see what this does in 5 years but killed my only one.
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7/31/2012 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
A serious Chardonnay, with tart lemons, pear, grapefruit pith and the lightest hint of oak spice. Slightly resembles a Meursault. Rich in the mouth , but this leaves one with a weightless, svelte and refreshing finish. Lovely cling on the palate with juicy, lip-smacking acids.
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7/27/2012 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 1 hour --
Oaky on the Nose, with bright fruit aromas. Bright fruit on the palate; surprisingly rich and creamy; some minerality lurking behind, but, imo, comparisons to Burgundy are way off base. Nice focus; alc. not noticeable. Seems like it would be a good mid-term ager. Low end of excellent. Poor QPR.
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7/19/2012 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Rhys, Flam, Sineann, Saxum, SQN: A absolutely fantastic bottle of Chardonnay. One of the best in the world IMO. Silvery green/gold in color. The nose is lemons and lemon chiffon. Creamy texture. On the palate, this is juicy with lemons and lemon curd. Nice bite of acidity. Long finish. Still very young, it is worth opening one now to enjoy at this stage. A unanimous crowd pleaser.
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7/8/2012 - Moorese wrote: 93 Points
Brilliant drink.
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7/7/2012 - mdavis wrote:
Very underwhelmed by this wine...the oak was a bit too much for me, the wine was out of balance, and too young. The only good thing about the wine blind was that it didn't see like CA.
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7/7/2012 - Steve Brickley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Faint yellow; Light floral notes, not to revealing on PNP; slight lemon, no oak influence, mineral, grassy but not overly so, acid to last, quite balanced for its youth, not to complex or a contemplative wine - it gets right down to business. You won't regret opening this at this stage. One hour decant suggested. Excellent with seafood like mussels, calamari or he richer crab. It'll cut right into that seafood in a very complimentary way. I could see this improving over the next three years with a life beyond it for quite a few years more. Quite good. Next one for me should be late 2014.
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6/30/2012 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
Seriously good chardonnay. As always with Rhys, extremely well-balanced. This has excellent minerality and a very long finish. This seems built to last.
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6/8/2012 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
A lovely, restrained, edgy Chardonnay that offers up lemons, citrus pith and tart apple flavors. Good, bracing acidity, but not really picking up any minerality. Nice tangy finish.
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5/27/2012 - wineaux2 wrote: 92 Points
Drank over 2 days. This golden yellow chard offered notes of lemon, lemon oil and oak on the nose. Those notes were met on the palate by citrus and oak spice. The acidity was fairly lively, and the mouthfeel was creamy and full. On day 2, the lemon and oak subsided to let hints of tropical fruit come through. Very balanced wine with good acidity, though would have liked the oak a bit more integrated.
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5/15/2012 - Brian Love wrote: 95 Points
Tremendous Chardonnay - not a buttery rich CA chard. Lemon and minerals with power usually not found in this style. Wine of the year so far....
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4/29/2012 - Wine Sparty wrote: 87 Points
Popped and poured with grilled tilapia. First glass or so seemed quite citrus and nectarine. The rest of this developed into more of the CA style chardonnay that I am not a fan of. Oak aroma and taste, as well as some vanilla in the taste. A slight bit of mineral also. I'll see how the other bottle of this develops over the years, but this seems to not be my style.
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4/13/2012 - AccaDacca wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully crisp, clean, well balanced Chardonnay. Mineralogy and fruit blended nicely.
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4/9/2012 - dbkitc wrote: 93 Points
Light golden, slightly cloudy color. Enticing nose of honeysuckle, raw corn, shrimp shells and hay. Very pure. Full and gripping palate that is remarkably deep with no added flourish. Simply delicious Chardonnay. These guys know what the are doing. Very nice. (93)
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4/9/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 92 Points
Expressive nose of citrus, stone fruits, and spice. Great balance on the palate, plenty of acidity with ripe tropical fruits, citrus and mineral notes. Long clean finish.
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4/8/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Slightly perfumed start with very ripe orchard and stone fruit aromas, with big spice and almost a candied character. Very powerful and intense fruit also on palate. Good acidity and energy, just a trace more ripeness and oak spice than I would prefer.
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3/31/2012 - T-Mac wrote:
Tasting descriptors really don't do this wine justice. Crisp, fresh, tangy pear and pineapple, a nose full of white flowers, and the gentlest touch of oak completely intertwined. The balance and precision is like an Olympic figure skater gliding across a wide expanse of ice with seemingly effortless perfection. The finest Rhys Chardonnay yet.
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3/29/2012 - B Paul wrote: 94 Points
Awesome. Great fruit and minerality, all with excellent balance. Delicious. Consumed over two nights, but this really showed well from the start and throughout. I'd say you'd be happy drinking now or holding. 94+
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3/24/2012 - vinosean wrote: 94 Points
I hesitate to assign points because I don't recall having a CA Chardonnay of this caliber. Ever. Despite, constant changes in the glass over the 2 hours we enjoyed it, it remained harmonious throughout. Pear, pineapple, fennel, warm spices, lemons, apple. Long finish. Wow!
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3/10/2012 - joe d wrote: 90 Points
Really good chardonnay. This is showing very young but with a tautness and coiled palate presence that is compelling. Initially reticent on the nose and palate, showing what seemed like some wood notes. Those dissipated into a smoky topnote that allowed focused lemon and mineral flavors through. Great finish and lingering aromas in the empty glass. Based on my experience with the Santa Cruz Mountains bottling, which was fatter and less focused, I would say that the Rhys team selected the right barrels for the Alpine bottling at least to my palate.
My discrete CT scale: 95-extraordinary; 90-very good; 85-good; 80-fair; 75-poor
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7/20/2011 - ChillyWino wrote:
WOW. STUNNING. The best Chardonnay I’ve ever had (from anywhere in the world). If I had to compare it just think of the best White Burg you’ve ever had. Incredible nose, great depth, structure, feel and finish. Just an amazing wine. (Tasted in the caves at Rhys, opened 4 hours before we arrived)
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3/17/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Rhys Visit--All The 2009s From Bottle! (Rhys Estate (At The Winery)): 13.5%, 25% new oak. As opposed to the Horseshoe chard, this Alpine is more pear-like and also shows more of the oak on the aromatic, although I could argue it is a background player--I merely make the comment to contrast against the Horseshoe, since both have the same oak regime. More generous in texture than the Horseshoe, spicier too with a baked apple flavor, fennel and more limey than the Horseshoe's lemon. The spicy character on this, the racier edge that carries through the finish is excellent. Just a long finishing wine and my favorite of the two chards.
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3/15/2011 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
Light yellow, beautiful nose with effervescence. There is minerality on the nose and on the mid palate. The finish is long. Beautiful.
Tasted at the vineyard 3/13/11.
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