Chardonnay

This is a 75/25 blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  It is quite lively and enjoyable. Light golden in color with some silvery/green swirls.  On the nose, this has some peach and some citrus with a slight minerality and herbal note.  On the palate, this is slightly crisp with good fruit.  It seems like it probably needs to be consumed quickly.  Right now it has nice peaches but they dissipate in the glass.  Good finish.  This worked well with an Israeli Chapped Salad and also with Matzoh Ball Soup (Veg broth).  Get the most current vintage you can.  

This is much better than the 2009 (tried two years ago).  The 2010 should, however, be consumed now.  It is not really showing oxidation, but the fruit is fading.  That said, this is a solid wine that made for a fun start to our Passover Seder.  We consumed it before actually sitting down to the Seder.  It went well with dried fruits and nuts and "mock" liver.  Light golden in color with a fair amount of medium-ish bubbles.  The nose has some green apples and minerals with slight ginger and slighter oxidation.  On the palate, the apples carry thru along with some minerality.  Not a lot of a

Opened by a friend to celebrate another friends birthday.  70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay.  Light golden in color.  A nice head with lots of smallish bubbles.  The nose is nice with burnt hay and slight citrus.  On the palate, there is some citrus and minerals.  Long finish.  Good acidity.  This is very food friendly and will work with a wide variety of foods.  

Whether you like this wine comes down to style.  It is well made in the "classic" new world style with rich, opulent tropical fruit, butter and oak.  It does seem to be a bit past its prime so drinking sooner than later is called for.  Golden in color.  The nose has butterscotch, spice, mango and butter.  On the palate, this has a voluptuous texture.  Decent acidity certainly helps it work with food.  The buttery and spice notes are predominant on the palate but there is some tropical fruit quality.  This is not my preferred style of Chardonnay but it is certainly better than many in the ca

Sadly Ulises Valdez has passed away too young.  This bottle was opened for a time when tasted (I believe for 24 hours), so take that into account.  It is drinking very well though.  Golden in color with a bit of straw.  On the nose, this is nice with slight green apples, some hay and some butterscotch.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  There is some depth here.  Drinking very well with some lemon/citrus and a nice minerality.  Good finish.  Worked well with some appetizers as we stood around talking.  

This is a nice value in 1er Cru Champagne.  It drinks very well right now.  Light golden in color with a nice head of small bubbles.  The nose is nice with a green apple note along with some faint toast qualities.  In general, this is more on the austere side of Champagne which is not a bad thing.  Plenty of acidity.  Long finish.  This was served to friends at the start of the evening along side some roasted chick peas and that proved a fine pairing a great start to the evening.  I don't think this will improve and these bottles, purchased in the last year, should be drunk in the next year

Opened to celebrate my son's 23rd birthday.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The mousse is thick with lots of tiny bubbles.  On the nose, this is mostly mineral driven but there are some green apples and slight toast.  On the palate, this veers toward the leaner side but not all the way.  Green apple fruit with a nice minerality.  Good acid.  Long finish.  Went great with a shaved mushroom with lemon juice salad.  

Another spectacular Chardonnay from Rhys.  This is probably my favorite bottling.  Opened to celebrate a friend's 40th and finished the rest on the following night.  It was great both nights but a bit better on night 2.  Light golden in color.  The nose is sensational.  Yes, there is some oak showing but the nose is so pretty and enticing with lemon cream and vanilla.  On the palate, this has a slightly soft texture, with great lemon fruit.  Some vanilla as well.  Great acidity.  Plenty of depth.  Long finish.  This is not a fruit bomb but it does have a big personality.  It will go with al

Rhys Chardonnay's are some of the best anywhere.  Some say they have a Burgundian quality to them, and that may be true, but they are also clearly from California.  Sunshine and ripeness.  This one was gorgeous.  Light golden in color.  The nose has a great minerality with nice minerals and lemon cream.  On the palate, it is delicious but lean.  Great acidity.  Nice lemony notes.  Long finish.  Sometimes these wines can shut down after a few years, so this should be drunk soon, or put it away for another five years or more.  

Excellent wine that really needs some time.  Lots of upside potential here.  Light golden in color.  The nose is fat (for Chablis) with red fugi apples over a nice chalky base.  On the palate, this has a soft texture with good if not great acidity.  It is delicious.  Lots going on with tight layers of complexity.  Long finish.  Perhaps not a classic sort of Chablis, yet, it is an outstanding chardonnay.