Santa Cruz

This is drinking great right now.  Everything one could want in a Santa Cruz Pinot Noir.  Deep ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has cherries, candied cherries and slight cherry cough drops with just a hint of clean earthiness.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has layers of cherry fruits with underlying earthiness.  Lovely, slightly lush texture with a slickness that makes it so drinkable.  Nice finish.  This seems to be closing in on peak but may still develop more.  Either way, it should easily do ten to twelve more years.  

This is from one of the top producers of Pinot Noir in California.  Stylistically, it is more feminine in style but still packs plenty of sunshine and fruit.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries and candied cherries with slight spice and earthiness.  On the palate, this is medium to full bodied.  Nice acidity.  There is some depth as it unwinds in the glass.  Still drinking quite young and this will continue to improve for the next five to seven years.  It should drink well over the next ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, it will work well with roasted fowl or veggies.  More ce

One of my favorite Chardonnays from one of my favorite regions for producing Chardonnay.  This is fantastic.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with a stony minerality, vanilla cream, chalk and sea air.  On the palate, this is medium body but concentrated and powerful.  A nice streak of acidity balances the lemon-vanilla cream notes with an underlying minerality.  Long finish.  This is still very young of course and should continue to gain complexity.  It needs five more years until peak and should be great drinking for ten to fifteen after that.  This seems like i

The Alesia wines from Rhys are made with purchased fruit.  It is similar to the Rhys Chards but for my tastes, not quite at that level.  Light gold/green in color.  The nose is nice with lemons, vanilla cream and spice.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Nice acidic cut.  The lemon and vanilla carry thru.  Good clean finish.  This drinks well on its own but will work well with sea food or lighter dishes.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This winery is fast becoming one of my favorites for Chardonnay and Santa Crus is definitely my favorite region in the world for Chardonnay.  That is a pretty bold statement but there it is.  Light golden in color.  The nose has lemons, lemon candy, minerals and slight vanilla.  On the palate, this is ever so slightly sweet/ripe with lemons and great minerality.  It has such great energy and cut.  It glides down the palate, and lasts forever.  Delicious.  Complex.  This is obviously young but seems like it should be a twenty year wine.  It drinks great on its own but will work well with sea

Pop and pour, this is still youthful and needs a bit of air.  Deep ruby with some ruby swirls.  The nose has cherries, strawberries, spice and a slight char to it.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Nice cherry fruit with just a hint of candied cherries over a mineral/earthiness.  Light tannins.  This is young and will continue to mature.  It drinks grat on its own now but another few years and it might still improve.  Either way, it has at least ten to fifteen more years at the top.  This will work well with roasted fowl, pasta or casseroles.  

Consumed with friends at their home in Napa.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is classic Rhys.  Vanilla, lemon cream and this time a slight herbal note (in a good way).  Nice acidity.  Complex and deep.  This wine has entered into a very early maturity and is showing some development.  It is also delicious.  Long finish.  This should continue to develop for the  next five years and be good for at least ten more after that.  Further upside is likely.  It goes well with seafood, fowl and grain based dishes.  

Holy smokes.  I love this wine, but this was the best showing for it yet.  Light golden/green in color.  Lemon cream, vanilla and slight smoke on the nose.  On the palate, this has a slightly oily texture which is great.  Crisp acidity.  The lemon and vanilla come thru over a slight charred wood quality.  Deep and complex, this is the most developed bottle I have had although certainly not old.  Layers of fruit, wood and char.  Long finish.  Went great with roasted Shihitto peppers.  If this is a glimpse where this is heading then patience will be rewarded but no harm in opening now.  

One of the great wines of the world.  This was tasted right after a huge Aussie Shiraz and it took a sip or two to re-calibrate, but once that was accomplished, this wines class shown thru.  Still a young wine, this has a long future ahead.  A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, cedar, an herbal note (in a good way), spice and slight forest floor.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Full bodied but by no means brawny or a fruit bomb.  Nice purity of cassis fruit over some roas

This, while still young, has entered an adolescence that is very enjoyable.  Light gold/green in color.  The nose has the typical Rhys Lemon Cream and vanilla.  On the palate, this is starting to delineate layers and show nice complexity.  The lemon cream and vanilla carry thru along with underlying minerality.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This took a few hours on opening to really open up so it is probably worth decanting at this point.  It should easily go another decade probably until 2034.  Great on it own.  It will work with richer dishes with fish, veggies and some fowl.