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"...another gorgeous wine in this range... Light tropical notes add exotic flair, but without dominating the balance..."
92 Points - Vinous
"...the wine is bright, full-bodied, zesty and focused, with an excellent core of fruit, lovely soil signature and a long, complex and balanced finish. This may well be my favorite vintage yet!
92 Points - John Gilman
"...this pure, medium-bodied, classy Chardonnay has bright acidity, medium body, plenty of mid-palate richness and depth..."
91 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
"...a lovely, accessible showing from this impressive winemaking team."
91 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Welcome to Friday, Friends!
Today we have on offer a limited stock of a true cult California Chardonnay, although you might be forgiven for mistaking it for French Burgundy! One of the great producers of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the Rhys Vineyards sources from extreme mountain vineyards in Sonoma and the Santa Cruz Mountains. And owner Kevin Harvey is a Burgundy fanatic. He began by planting Pinot Noir in his backyard, which is technically just outside the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, on the site of an old Christmas tree farm. He later added three vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and one in the Anderson Valley, and has continued to expand his holdings (very much in the Burgundian style of cultivating a bit here and a bit there).
From its inception, Rhys has been committed to producing wines characterized by grace, balance, structure, and distinctiveness, qualities that have earned it recognition among the best American wine producers. The estate is often compared to some of the greatest domaines in Europe due to its commitment to terroir expression, grape variety selection, and winemaking philosophy.
Rhys emphasizes genetic diversity by planting a mix of California Heritage cuttings and suitcase clones, enhancing site expression and reducing the varietal signature, allowing the terroir’s voice to shine through. Rhys employs a minimalist winemaking approach, utilizing gentle, gravity-fed processes in its 30,000-square-foot cave facility to preserve the natural characteristics of its vineyards. Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed and allowed to ferment naturally over a year, without racking or stirring the lees, which promotes complexity and texture.
Here's what Wine Advocate reviewer Matthew Luczy had to say about this winery last April:
Twenty years into its existence, Rhys has more than solidified its place at the apex of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production in California. This project's vision, scope and attention to detail are palpable across every aspect of its planning and execution and, most of all, in the finished wines. Through a combination of immaculately planned and farmed high-density vineyards and obsessive exactitude in the cellar, Rhys creates wines of structure, tenacity and length unparalleled in California. These wines will not be out of place on a table next to intimidating lineups from top Burgundian producers, but it is worth pointing out that they are not "Burgundian," nor are they trying to be; Burgundy is not a mountainous, coniferous, oceanic climate, the trifecta that produces this sturdy, dense but lifted style of wine in California.
And here's what Vinous Media's Antonio Galloni had to say:
Proprietor Kevin Harvey and winemaker Jeff Brinkman continue to up their game at Rhys.
We can only agree: this wine is California Chardonnay at its best. We have just 36 bottles to go around, so act fast!
Cheers and all my best,
—James Tran
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