2004 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains (4/28/2006)
Rhys is a new winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains that hasn't released any wines yet, but which has a very impressive program underway to make distinctive and superior examples of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. There are five estate vineyards in various stages of coming on-line and the models for the wines are frankly French. The 2004 Chardonnay is the second vintage to come from the Alpine vineyard, which lies to the west of the Monte Bello ridge. This is an astonishing bottle of wine. It is a powerhouse that is suggestive of what you might get if you crossed a Côte de Beaune Grand Cru with a Chablis Grand Cru and raised it in California. It starts with a big burst of ripe California fruit, which changes to a mineral backbone of liquid chalk, and then finishes with a burst of fresh acidity that tastes like grapefruit and Meyer lemons. The finish lasts for over a minute. The wine-maker says that there is some malic acid left in this wine which partially accounts for some of the acidity. The wine will benefit from bottle age by becoming more elegant, and dare I hope? even more impressive. (93 pts.)

Sounds similar to their 2003 that will never hit release (great wine, only miniscule quantity produced).

-Al