Rhys may be my favorite Chardonnay producer (that I still choose to afford) and Santa Cruz may be my favorite region for Chardonnay. But, still, this is their basic offering and I had low expectations. They were far exceeded. What an excellent wine. I ended up drinking two bottles over three days and that is unusual. Light golden in color with slight silvery/green hues. Clear and bright. The nose is great. Very mineral driven but also some lemon creme, vanilla and a touch of grapefruits. Medium to full bodied. Lots of energy. Light tannins. Great acidity and balance. On the palate, this has crisp minerality. Lemon creme and vanilla round it out, just a bit. Long finish. Delicious. Drinking great now and it should go another ten to fifteen years. Even better with some food. Shellfish of course, but it went great with a variety of cheeses.
