2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

Rhys makes some of the best Pinot Noir's in California.  This is bigger in fruit but with a Burgundy styling.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight black cherries, spice and just a hint of pine.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cherries and some black cherries with an underlying char and forest floor.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is still drinking youthfully.  It should continue to so do for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this works well with poultry or  meats, but would be nice with Salmon as well.  

2017 Ceritas Cabernet Sauvignon Peter Martin Ray, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

This producer is more known for their Pinots and Chards but now also produces an excellent Cab.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, bell pepper and slight tobacco.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries and bell pepper.  Some depth.  Nice texture.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with Szechuan beef.

2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

This is in a great place.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight sour cherries and spice.  Medium bodied with light spice.  On the palate, this is starting to show a nice complexity.  On the young size, this is getting close to maturity but has plenty of time left.  Cherries, char, sour cherries, and spice.  Nice finish.  This should drink well over the next ten to fifteen years.  A nice match to roasted chicken.

2016 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Domaine Eden, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Chardonnay

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$32.00USD

This is a "second" wine from Mount Eden, one of California's premier wine producers.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has apples, apple juice, and a slight lemony note.  Medium to full bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, there is a sweet tart note with a slight oxidized lemony note.  Moderate acidity.  This is very mature,  not likely to be a pristine bottle, this showed much older than six years.  

2010 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

This wine has aged brilliantly.  Golden in color, slightly deeper, clear and bright.  The nose is great with vanilla, lemon crème, and a slight butterscotch note.  Full bodied.  Deep and complex.  Good balance.  On the palate, the vanilla and lemon are joined with some grapefruits.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

2019 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

Always one of the best chardonnay's made anywhere!  This vintage is no exception.  Light golden in color with slight green hues.  The nose is classic Rhys:  Vanilla, lemon cream, and slight bakers spices.  Full bodied.  This was drinking well from the beginning.  The palate has lemon cream and vanilla with a touch of spice/oak.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This drinks great on its own and perfect with a Caprese salad.  In my experience, these drink well for a few years and then shut down a bit before re-emerging at age eight or so.  They drink well for another ten after that.  

2018 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Petite Sirah Pierce Ranch, USA, California, San Antonio Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

This is an excellent value in wine that comes from south of  San Francisco.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, char, and black pepper.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, the black raspberry fruit comes thru.  Some complexity.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and works well with meat, pork or fowl dishes.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  

2018 Rhys Chardonnay Mt. Pajaro Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

This is a newer wine from Rhys.  It has some similarities to the Rhys style, but it should take a few vintages for Kevin Harvey to zero in on what he is looking for.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons and vanilla along with spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is young, but drinking well.  Lemons and vanilla comes thru.  At this stage, it will be a difficult food match but as it ages it should go nice with salmon or other "steak" fish.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2015 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Golden, maybe a bit deeper in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons, lemon drop candies, spice and slight vanilla note.  Full bodied with a slightly oily texture.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, lemons, lemon curd, with vanilla.  Long finish.  This has more depth and complexity than the 2012 consumed at alongside.  It will continue to mature for the next seven to ten years and drink well for another seven to ten after that if well stored.  Great on its own, this will work well with pork chops or roasted chicken.  

2012 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Nice to revisit this with some age on it. Yellow-gold in color with slight green hues, clear and bright.  The nose is the same; vanilla, lemon crème, and minerals.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, lemons, lemon curd and slight vanilla.  Long finish.  This tastes mature but very similar to how it tasted on release.  More depth, less energy.  Not sure where it goes from here but another five years and probably ten.  Great on its own, this will work well with salmon or tuna steaks.   

Pages