Not as great as the one I had a few months ago. Less sharply defined and without the acid cut that bottle had. Still upper tier of California Chardonnay, but this bottle wasn't singing. With dungeness crab.
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This is a mid-gold color. Starts with some reduction but after decanting this got fresher. I don’t mind and sometimes like a bit of reduction so I have no issue here. My main challenge on this is that this is a bit richer than I would expect from Rhys Alpine. Fortunately it has the acid to balance it, but I would prefer more acid and less weight. Needs some air, and I enjoyed it, but not sensational. Pretty, interesting and good with food.
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This wine is gold in the glass with a nose of peach, apple, and caramel.
On the palate the wine offers an immediate, rich explosion of tropical fruit flavors -- peach, pineapple, lemon. The flavors expand through the mid-palate where a robust acidity shows itself. Long finish.
Delicious chardonnay that I think reflects a Burgundian character; I wish there were a bit more complexity but very good nonetheless.
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After ten-ish years...I...might like Rhys' chardonnays more than their Pinot Noirs. (And I like both.) This would've been hard to pick out in a Puligny line up.
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Fully ready to drink. This came across as much spicier -- nutmeg, cinnamon -- than previous bottles. Nice weight. Acidity is completely integrated. This seemed a little more understated than the last time we had it, but it is still a very tasty beverage.
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spectacular. maintains mid-weight balance with forward but integrated minerality and round fruit. sometimes I look at the Rhys I've accumulated over years and shake my head - and then I open a bottle like this, and I'm thankful that we gave it time. really great stuff.
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Apple, lime zest, citrus, and quite evident oak notes on the nose. Nice acidity with lemon, green apple, grapefruit, and tart yellow fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Very good overall and a wine that got better and better with air. However, the oak was a bit too obvious and not as well integrated as in other Rhys Chardonnays.
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Popped and poured at cooler than cellar temp. Slightly sticky capsule and deep golden color had me worried this might have been oxidized. Muted nose with hints of lemon oil, honey and baking spices. Somewhat muddled palate - butterscotch, acidity, some lemon, but each flavor kind of sticking out rather than being integrated. I think this cork must have failed.
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The recent notes from Sept '22 capture this nicely. It's drinking very well at the moment, with an expressive nose of apple and pineapple, along with a savory quality I can't quite place. The palate is broad and full, with a mouthfilling texture and a touch of viscosity, buoyed by zingy acidity before culminating in a long and focused finish. In a very good place at the moment, though I do not think there is any rush to drink this.
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Magisterial; further confirmation of my view that the 2014 Rhys chardonnays are more advanced than the 2013s and the 2012s. This one has blossomed and is completely ready to drink, though it has the acid backbone to last quite a bit longer. It has a deep gold color, looking almost oxidized, but it isn't oxidized at all -- it has an incisive mineral, lime quality, great balance, and gives an impression of size without weight. Perfect match for steamed lobsters.
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Effusive wet slate & concrete provide balance to the mature apple, dried pineapple, and lemon curd. Seems to have added a touch of grip and with it more depth and length, but I would drink in the next few years as the acids have began to fade. 93-94, at it's apogee for my tastes I think.
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Rich, buttery, Nose, and that carries-through to the palate, too. Deeply embedded, steely mineral note gives some complexity, but this is mostly about being a rich, buttery, Chardonnay. Drink or Hold.
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My last bottle. PnP. In a really good place now, but should hold. Immediately, a large dose of pineapple, with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, spice and a hint of oak. The palate is filled with pineapple, apple, peach, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity balances the fruit, leading to a long smooth finish.
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Solid effort from Rhys. Beautiful golden color. Pronounced notes of pineapple, candied lemon rind, honeysuckle, and even some band-aid. A grapefruit-driven attack in the mouth followed by some creamy pineapple and cloves for complexity and depth. Racy and full of verve but lacking elegance and sophistication. Curious if another few years will bring out more subtle flavors. Nevertheless, a fine drink and an excellent pairing with steelhead trout with a honey/mustard glaze.
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I need to pay more attention when pulling a bottle. Thought I grabbed a Horseshoe and had the Alpine instead. Absolutely beautiful bottle of wine. Similar to the one last month. PnP and showing beautifully. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, lots of pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish. My wife's comment, this is really good.
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Showing really well. This vineyard clearly needs time to show well, but it is hitting its stride. PnP and good from the first glass. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish. No hurry to drink the remaining bottles.
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Might be the best bottle yet. Showing some nice complexity for a chardonnay. PnP and good from the first glass. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish
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Cellared since release at 58 degrees. PnP. Medium greenish gold. Intriguing nose of citrus, especially lime, and an herbal quality most similar to sage. On the palate this was initially driven by citrus and orchard fruit flavors and acidity but it morphed beautifully into a rounder more unctuous and fully integrated wine which I thought was superb. Others seem to have a different experience with this wine which seems quite controversial. My tasting seems consistent with other vintages (10,16) of this wine. One of my favorite Rhys.
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About a year ago, I had the Rhys Horseshoe Chardonnay 2012 and decided that it was too young. This one moved ahead in the queue because of some notes on this site suggesting that it is too old. On the basis of last night's bottle, I would say that it is more advanced than the 2012 Horseshoe, but still in the early stages of its prime drinking window. It's delicious now, but still with an elevated acidity that suggests it will be even better in two years or so. (The 2014 Anderson Valley Chardonnays are great for drinking now.)
The wine is very dry, medium-bodied, restrained, with an unexpected mix of flavors -- predominantly herbal with a distinct pineapple flavor. We meant to save half the bottle for today but couldn't resist finishing it off.
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Flabby. Flat all around. Zero brightness. I think I waited too long on this, would have figured it would hold up six years in. Decent finish. Another disappointment at the price point. Drink up.
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Golden color. I feared oxidation, but if so it was slight. Big with tropical/pineapple fruit and peach. There’s a bright acidity that keeps this energetic and balanced.
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has been 2 years, since visiting this wine. It is at least as good, if not better. Great nose as soon as it was opened. Tropical fruit, citrus and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it crisp, leading to a long smooth finish
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Surprisingly dark for a 2014, at least from what I would expect. More slick, glycerin texture with creamy toasted almonds. Oak forward. Not the house style but still enjoyable.
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A number of smart palates have written about this wine in the past few weeks. It got me curious and of the few Rhys Chards I have not tasted, this is one of them. 14 Alpine. I had a single bottle in the cellar, so what the hell, I pulled the cork tonight. This is the value of Wine Berserkers and Cellartracker, to leverage the community and share perspective. I gotta agree with the community here...the oak sticks out, the wine seems a bit dumb, plump and it lacks the energy and cut of true Alpine. Yes, it is Alpine Chard but it's a level below what I expect from this site. Pineapple, toasted oak, some yellow apple, tangerine but overall it's missing a gear. Some will like this as it does have an unctuous, more forward quality powered by some oak but this is not the attraction for how I see Rhys Chardonnay.
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I'm with the people who were unimpressed. It lacked much flavor: weak pear, grapefruit and quince, coupled with a little oak spice. It almost tasted watered down, except the body and mouthfeel was normal, albeit a little short on acid cut. No energy. Like a parody of a AFWE wine, except even the wine elite like some flavor. It wasn't bad per se, it just didn't have much to it.
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Opened, poured a taste, and the enjoyed about 30 minutes later. Light golden color. Nose offers lemon peel and lemon oil. Deep, rich lemon peel/lemon curd on the intro. Shows some white peach and green apple. There is a glycerin element that gives a rich mouthfeel. Thought it could be the alcohol, but the label states 13.5%. Some hint of oak is mixed in. The wine has a richness to it when other Rhys chardonnays I have enjoyed showed more of a racy, tense profile. This leans towards a richer, oak driven style. Enjoyable, but not what I expected from an Alpine Vyd Rhys Chardonnay.
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Visually this was a darker golden color than I expected. Good nose, but on the palate a bit thin and loaded with grapefruit. Not the best Rhys I’ve had.
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Not a great bottle of what is normally a great wine. For some reason this one was rather thin, showing little fruit and a lot of oak. None of my other bottles of 2014 Alpine showed like this, so I’ll just chalk it up to bad luck. Too bad it was my last. I hate ending on a bad note.
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From a Magnum, this was a bit empty in the middle at first, but it added some mineral grip and broader range of fruit expression over time, perhaps due to being served a wee bit cold in the first place. Not as overtly oaked as some Rhys can be but maybe not as concentrated either, which ended up making for a superb dinner wine with some simple super fresh scallops.
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White flowers, orange blossoms, chamomile, chalk, and citrus on the nose. Good balance with nice acidity and full mouthfeel. Flavors of lemon, minerals, and stone fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Great complexity and quite promising, this could definitely need another couple of years.
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Very nice bottle of SC Mts. Chardonnay with a potent nose lemon/lime and pineapple. Firmly acidic in the mouth with good persistence. Lacks some of the minerals found in this excellent site.
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After being underwhelmed with a 2010, thought I should try a younger one. What a difference. Beautiful nose with tropical fruit, citrus and a hint of oak. Similar flavors backed by enough acidity to keep it crisp and not flat. Leads to a long smooth finish. In a really good place now, May improve as most Rhys Chards do with time.
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This is drinking outstanding right now. No sign of age. Beautiful gold in the glass. Nose is immediately inviting. Fair amount of acid...great finish. All around really great stuff.
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This is beautiful Chardonnay that mingles citrus and tropical fruit, with a deft level of oak spice. The acidity keeps it refreshing, and the finish is long, and full of both the fruit and spice. Balance is spot on, so short to mid-term aging should be no issue, but I am happy to drink it now.
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Drank this at my daughters 31st birthday dinner at Nerai in NYC. A beautiful golden color. Wonderful nose. Smooth and elegant. A perfect pairing with branzino. Wish I had another bottle.
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From 375: decanted an hour and served at refridgerator temp. Yellow flesh fruit towards tropical spectrum. Fair amount of oak that for me is well intergrated and in harmony adding soft tannin and spice notes. Overall slightly round mouth feel but finish, while lingering, remains clean.
Delicious, nice stage of development in this format with balance and no rough edges.
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Deep yellow color. Apple, pear, banana and spice on the nose. Very lively palate, lemony and citrusy with a mineral streak and tons of acid. Nice Chardonnay but I’m concerned about the deep yellow color and the apple notes on the nose, as those are signs of potential early aging in a 2014 at three years old. To be clear, this was not premoxed, and in fact was very lively and citrusy on the palate. Very perplexing, need to open another one to see if this was an outlier.
Drank over 3 days. Straw gold. Exuberant and crisp, and excellent ying/yang. Apple, quince and citrus, with floral and slight buttery hints. Really, really good. Be interesting what a few years will do to this.
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Drank the 2014 Kongsgaard next to the 2014 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Chardonnay. Both wines are excellent - but there was a noticeable difference between the two. The kongs had more distinct tropical fruit notes along with more concentration and depth and weight in the midplallet with a longer finish. The Rhys is lighter, more subtle and elegant with a finer grained texture. You can't go wrong if either of these is the choice you have to make.
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Tasted at the winery. 15% new oak. PnP, which did not do it justice... Medium, bright lemon yellow color. On the nose there is citrus, flint, some florals and a touch of green apple. On the palate it is both bright and weighty, plenty of acidity for aging and lots of minerality. I get butter, raw almonds, honeysuckle, limestone, some lemon and apple. There is a very long saline finish. Definitely this will be better in 5 years or more and I would lean to the more personally, but that is my bias. also would be better with a good decant.
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Aroma: cut grass, honey, hazelnut, seaweed Palate: flinty minerals and raw almonds with notes of lime. Moderate to high acidity. Excellent structure with just a touch of richness to round off the edges. Needs 3-5 years. Very good.
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A visit to Rhys (Rhys Vineyards): This was a tank sample taken just before bottling. Green gold in color. The nose is a bit woody with some lemon cream. Kevin described the scent as popcorn and he thinks that comes from the vineyard and not oak. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Tighter on the palate. A bit of lemon on the finish. Great acidity. Normally I prefer Alpine over Horseshoe but it will be fun to watch these develop. They seem like they will not peak for about 5 to 10 years. 92-95
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1/19/2024 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not as great as the one I had a few months ago. Less sharply defined and without the acid cut that bottle had. Still upper tier of California Chardonnay, but this bottle wasn't singing. With dungeness crab.
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10/27/2023 - acidqueen wrote: 89 Points
This is a mid-gold color. Starts with some reduction but after decanting this got fresher. I don’t mind and sometimes like a bit of reduction so I have no issue here. My main challenge on this is that this is a bit richer than I would expect from Rhys Alpine. Fortunately it has the acid to balance it, but I would prefer more acid and less weight. Needs some air, and I enjoyed it, but not sensational. Pretty, interesting and good with food.
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9/26/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is gold in the glass with a nose of peach, apple, and caramel.
On the palate the wine offers an immediate, rich explosion of tropical fruit flavors -- peach, pineapple, lemon. The flavors expand through the mid-palate where a robust acidity shows itself. Long finish.
Delicious chardonnay that I think reflects a Burgundian character; I wish there were a bit more complexity but very good nonetheless.
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7/14/2023 - ducster72 Likes this wine: 95 Points
After ten-ish years...I...might like Rhys' chardonnays more than their Pinot Noirs. (And I like both.) This would've been hard to pick out in a Puligny line up.
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5/27/2023 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fully ready to drink. This came across as much spicier -- nutmeg, cinnamon -- than previous bottles. Nice weight. Acidity is completely integrated. This seemed a little more understated than the last time we had it, but it is still a very tasty beverage.
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5/4/2023 - Jahull03 wrote:
spectacular. maintains mid-weight balance with forward but integrated minerality and round fruit. sometimes I look at the Rhys I've accumulated over years and shake my head - and then I open a bottle like this, and I'm thankful that we gave it time. really great stuff.
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1/21/2023 - Icon12 wrote: 85 Points
미국 화이트 중 숙성력이 긴편이고, 아직도 산도가 높아 먹기 힘들었다. 07년 호스슈를 먹고 감명깊어 구매했는데, 빈야드, 빈티지 차이가 크다. 아쉽다.
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12/27/2022 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Apple, lime zest, citrus, and quite evident oak notes on the nose. Nice acidity with lemon, green apple, grapefruit, and tart yellow fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Very good overall and a wine that got better and better with air. However, the oak was a bit too obvious and not as well integrated as in other Rhys Chardonnays.
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12/12/2022 - jreis Does not like this wine:
Popped and poured at cooler than cellar temp. Slightly sticky capsule and deep golden color had me worried this might have been oxidized. Muted nose with hints of lemon oil, honey and baking spices. Somewhat muddled palate - butterscotch, acidity, some lemon, but each flavor kind of sticking out rather than being integrated. I think this cork must have failed.
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10/23/2022 - jlm wrote:
The recent notes from Sept '22 capture this nicely. It's drinking very well at the moment, with an expressive nose of apple and pineapple, along with a savory quality I can't quite place. The palate is broad and full, with a mouthfilling texture and a touch of viscosity, buoyed by zingy acidity before culminating in a long and focused finish. In a very good place at the moment, though I do not think there is any rush to drink this.
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9/28/2022 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Magisterial; further confirmation of my view that the 2014 Rhys chardonnays are more advanced than the 2013s and the 2012s. This one has blossomed and is completely ready to drink, though it has the acid backbone to last quite a bit longer. It has a deep gold color, looking almost oxidized, but it isn't oxidized at all -- it has an incisive mineral, lime quality, great balance, and gives an impression of size without weight. Perfect match for steamed lobsters.
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9/25/2022 - silton Likes this wine: 94 Points
Effusive wet slate & concrete provide balance to the mature apple, dried pineapple, and lemon curd. Seems to have added a touch of grip and with it more depth and length, but I would drink in the next few years as the acids have began to fade. 93-94, at it's apogee for my tastes I think.
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5/26/2022 - grafstrb wrote:
-- popped and poured --
Rich, buttery, Nose, and that carries-through to the palate, too. Deeply embedded, steely mineral note gives some complexity, but this is mostly about being a rich, buttery, Chardonnay. Drink or Hold.
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3/29/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
My last bottle. PnP. In a really good place now, but should hold. Immediately, a large dose of pineapple, with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, spice and a hint of oak. The palate is filled with pineapple, apple, peach, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity balances the fruit, leading to a long smooth finish.
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1/22/2022 - drmarclevine wrote: 92 Points
Solid effort from Rhys. Beautiful golden color. Pronounced notes of pineapple, candied lemon rind, honeysuckle, and even some band-aid. A grapefruit-driven attack in the mouth followed by some creamy pineapple and cloves for complexity and depth. Racy and full of verve but lacking elegance and sophistication. Curious if another few years will bring out more subtle flavors. Nevertheless, a fine drink and an excellent pairing with steelhead trout with a honey/mustard glaze.
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9/16/2021 - Nanda wrote: 89 Points
Starting to crack up and shows a bit heavy / sweet without the same zesty freshness of its youth.
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8/17/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
I need to pay more attention when pulling a bottle. Thought I grabbed a Horseshoe and had the Alpine instead. Absolutely beautiful bottle of wine. Similar to the one last month. PnP and showing beautifully. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, lots of pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish. My wife's comment, this is really good.
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7/27/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Showing really well. This vineyard clearly needs time to show well, but it is hitting its stride. PnP and good from the first glass. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish. No hurry to drink the remaining bottles.
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7/9/2021 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
Drinking really well, not overly toasty and in a great spot right now.
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6/3/2021 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
Might be the best bottle yet. Showing some nice complexity for a chardonnay. PnP and good from the first glass. Very aromatic with tropical fruit, apple, citrus, pineapple, spice and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, pineapple, spice, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it lively, leading to a long smooth finish
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5/20/2021 - rosenst1 wrote: 94 Points
Cellared since release at 58 degrees. PnP. Medium greenish gold. Intriguing nose of citrus, especially lime, and an herbal quality most similar to sage. On the palate this was initially driven by citrus and orchard fruit flavors and acidity but it morphed beautifully into a rounder more unctuous and fully integrated wine which I thought was superb. Others seem to have a different experience with this wine which seems quite controversial. My tasting seems consistent with other vintages (10,16) of this wine. One of my favorite Rhys.
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4/29/2021 - TomTom wrote:
Better version than the one I had a year ago, which did not impress. This one is a bit more mellow and has a better nose.
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3/28/2021 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 90 Points
About a year ago, I had the Rhys Horseshoe Chardonnay 2012 and decided that it was too young. This one moved ahead in the queue because of some notes on this site suggesting that it is too old. On the basis of last night's bottle, I would say that it is more advanced than the 2012 Horseshoe, but still in the early stages of its prime drinking window. It's delicious now, but still with an elevated acidity that suggests it will be even better in two years or so. (The 2014 Anderson Valley Chardonnays are great for drinking now.)
The wine is very dry, medium-bodied, restrained, with an unexpected mix of flavors -- predominantly herbal with a distinct pineapple flavor. We meant to save half the bottle for today but couldn't resist finishing it off.
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1/10/2021 - llink wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured. Baked Granny Smith apples with some spice and pineapple. Rich and ripe palate, not much energy, nor acid. Just ok.
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12/12/2020 - blaine wrote: 87 Points
Flabby. Flat all around. Zero brightness. I think I waited too long on this, would have figured it would hold up six years in. Decent finish. Another disappointment at the price point. Drink up.
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12/4/2020 - gmbdds wrote: 92 Points
Golden color. I feared oxidation, but if so it was slight. Big with tropical/pineapple fruit and peach. There’s a bright acidity that keeps this energetic and balanced.
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10/15/2020 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Peach and hibiscus. Round and fruity with acid at the end. Lingers on the palate.
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9/29/2020 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
has been 2 years, since visiting this wine. It is at least as good, if not better. Great nose as soon as it was opened. Tropical fruit, citrus and a hint of oak. Apple, peach, minerals, citrus, a touch of oak. Good acidity to keep it crisp, leading to a long smooth finish
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8/9/2020 - brigcampbell wrote:
Surprisingly dark for a 2014, at least from what I would expect. More slick, glycerin texture with creamy toasted almonds. Oak forward. Not the house style but still enjoyable.
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8/6/2020 - Frank Murray III wrote:
A number of smart palates have written about this wine in the past few weeks. It got me curious and of the few Rhys Chards I have not tasted, this is one of them. 14 Alpine. I had a single bottle in the cellar, so what the hell, I pulled the cork tonight. This is the value of Wine Berserkers and Cellartracker, to leverage the community and share perspective. I gotta agree with the community here...the oak sticks out, the wine seems a bit dumb, plump and it lacks the energy and cut of true Alpine. Yes, it is Alpine Chard but it's a level below what I expect from this site. Pineapple, toasted oak, some yellow apple, tangerine but overall it's missing a gear. Some will like this as it does have an unctuous, more forward quality powered by some oak but this is not the attraction for how I see Rhys Chardonnay.
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8/6/2020 - ChrisR wrote:
I'm with the people who were unimpressed. It lacked much flavor: weak pear, grapefruit and quince, coupled with a little oak spice. It almost tasted watered down, except the body and mouthfeel was normal, albeit a little short on acid cut. No energy. Like a parody of a AFWE wine, except even the wine elite like some flavor. It wasn't bad per se, it just didn't have much to it.
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7/31/2020 - t_moderne wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured a taste, and the enjoyed about 30 minutes later.
Light golden color.
Nose offers lemon peel and lemon oil.
Deep, rich lemon peel/lemon curd on the intro. Shows some white peach and green apple.
There is a glycerin element that gives a rich mouthfeel. Thought it could be the alcohol, but the label states 13.5%.
Some hint of oak is mixed in. The wine has a richness to it when other Rhys chardonnays I have enjoyed showed more of a racy, tense profile. This leans towards a richer, oak driven style.
Enjoyable, but not what I expected from an Alpine Vyd Rhys Chardonnay.
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7/30/2020 - TomTom wrote:
Visually this was a darker golden color than I expected. Good nose, but on the palate a bit thin and loaded with grapefruit. Not the best Rhys I’ve had.
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6/6/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Not a great bottle of what is normally a great wine. For some reason this one was rather thin, showing little fruit and a lot of oak. None of my other bottles of 2014 Alpine showed like this, so I’ll just chalk it up to bad luck. Too bad it was my last. I hate ending on a bad note.
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12/28/2019 - silton Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a Magnum, this was a bit empty in the middle at first, but it added some mineral grip and broader range of fruit expression over time, perhaps due to being served a wee bit cold in the first place. Not as overtly oaked as some Rhys can be but maybe not as concentrated either, which ended up making for a superb dinner wine with some simple super fresh scallops.
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11/29/2019 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
White flowers, orange blossoms, chamomile, chalk, and citrus on the nose. Good balance with nice acidity and full mouthfeel. Flavors of lemon, minerals, and stone fruit on the palate. Nice finish. Great complexity and quite promising, this could definitely need another couple of years.
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11/20/2019 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stunning, great intensity and length. Meursault in California.
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11/15/2019 - Deux Chevaux wrote:
Savory, vibrant, complex. Excellent acidity. Very enjoyable over three nights, and developing nicely during that time.
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7/20/2019 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really lovely. Honeysuckle and lychee. Enough acid to give it some structure but doesn’t overwhelm the palate.
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5/9/2019 - 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 with lovely acidity. Drinking well!
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2/9/2019 - locovino wrote: 91 Points
Very nice bottle of SC Mts. Chardonnay with a potent nose lemon/lime and pineapple. Firmly acidic in the mouth with good persistence. Lacks some of the minerals found in this excellent site.
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11/18/2018 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
After being underwhelmed with a 2010, thought I should try a younger one. What a difference. Beautiful nose with tropical fruit, citrus and a hint of oak. Similar flavors backed by enough acidity to keep it crisp and not flat. Leads to a long smooth finish. In a really good place now, May improve as most Rhys Chards do with time.
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10/19/2018 - Jbird73 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is drinking outstanding right now. No sign of age. Beautiful gold in the glass. Nose is immediately inviting. Fair amount of acid...great finish. All around really great stuff.
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8/15/2018 - Rieslingfan wrote:
This is beautiful Chardonnay that mingles citrus and tropical fruit, with a deft level of oak spice. The acidity keeps it refreshing, and the finish is long, and full of both the fruit and spice. Balance is spot on, so short to mid-term aging should be no issue, but I am happy to drink it now.
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5/12/2018 - dhammer53 wrote: 93 Points
Drank this at my daughters 31st birthday dinner at Nerai in NYC. A beautiful golden color. Wonderful nose. Smooth and elegant. A perfect pairing with branzino. Wish I had another bottle.
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4/23/2018 - Empirate wrote: 93 Points
From 375: decanted an hour and served at refridgerator temp. Yellow flesh fruit towards tropical spectrum. Fair amount of oak that for me is well intergrated and in harmony adding soft tannin and spice notes. Overall slightly round mouth feel but finish, while lingering, remains clean.
Delicious, nice stage of development in this format with balance and no rough edges.
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3/30/2018 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great balance with pear, lemon and slight citrus
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11/6/2017 - llink wrote: 90 Points
Deep yellow color. Apple, pear, banana and spice on the nose. Very lively palate, lemony and citrusy with a mineral streak and tons of acid. Nice Chardonnay but I’m concerned about the deep yellow color and the apple notes on the nose, as those are signs of potential early aging in a 2014 at three years old. To be clear, this was not premoxed, and in fact was very lively and citrusy on the palate. Very perplexing, need to open another one to see if this was an outlier.
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11/1/2017 - cadamson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over 3 days. Straw gold. Exuberant and crisp, and excellent ying/yang. Apple, quince and citrus, with floral and slight buttery hints. Really, really good. Be interesting what a few years will do to this.
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6/25/2017 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
crisp with great mouthfeel, pear, apple and some lemon on the long finish
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3/28/2017 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Drank the 2014 Kongsgaard next to the 2014 Rhys Alpine Vineyard Chardonnay. Both wines are excellent - but there was a noticeable difference between the two. The kongs had more distinct tropical fruit notes along with more concentration and depth and weight in the midplallet with a longer finish. The Rhys is lighter, more subtle and elegant with a finer grained texture. You can't go wrong if either of these is the choice you have to make.
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12/12/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery. 15% new oak. PnP, which did not do it justice... Medium, bright lemon yellow color. On the nose there is citrus, flint, some florals and a touch of green apple. On the palate it is both bright and weighty, plenty of acidity for aging and lots of minerality. I get butter, raw almonds, honeysuckle, limestone, some lemon and apple. There is a very long saline finish. Definitely this will be better in 5 years or more and I would lean to the more personally, but that is my bias. also would be better with a good decant.
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10/30/2016 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: cut grass, honey, hazelnut, seaweed
Palate: flinty minerals and raw almonds with notes of lime. Moderate to high acidity. Excellent structure with just a touch of richness to round off the edges. Needs 3-5 years. Very good.
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4/15/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote:
A visit to Rhys (Rhys Vineyards): This was a tank sample taken just before bottling. Green gold in color. The nose is a bit woody with some lemon cream. Kevin described the scent as popcorn and he thinks that comes from the vineyard and not oak. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Tighter on the palate. A bit of lemon on the finish. Great acidity. Normally I prefer Alpine over Horseshoe but it will be fun to watch these develop. They seem like they will not peak for about 5 to 10 years. 92-95
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