Wine Advisor
Rhys, Horseshoe Vineyard Chardonnay 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Matthew Luczy
The 2019 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard radiates from the glass with classy but eager aromas of green apple, persimmon, nectarine and wet slate. The palate is textural, polished and lifted with diamond-cut precision and framed with incisive, invigorating acidity. The finish balances sun-kissed richness with crisp, zesty structure, endlessly bringing you back to the glass. While the Pinot Noir from this site may have the edge, the Chardonnay is on nearly equal footing in recalibrating what is possible in California.
About the Producer
Rhys Vineyards is a well-regarded wine producer based in the Santa Cruz Mountains and sourcing fruit from mountain vineyards both in the Santa Cruz Mountain AVA and the Anderson Valley AVA, some 150 miles (240km) north. The Californian estate, which established its first vineyards in the mid-1990s, focuses on three grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Six of the estate's vineyards are based in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south of San Francisco. These vineyards all differ slightly in terms of terroir, particularly when it comes to soil and aspect. The soil types range from clay loam to shallow, rocky soils – all giving distinct characters in the final wines. The individual vineyards' mesoclimates are largely dependent on their aspects and degrees of slope, as each has a different exposure to sunlight and breezes from the nearby Pacific. One of the vineyards, Skyline, is one of California's highest vineyards, at an altitude of 2360ft (720m) above sea level. Rhys Vineyards make a range of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, as well as several Chardonnay and Syrah wines. The company also has a 14-hectare (35-acre) site in Anderson Valley planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In the winery, grapes are vinified by block in small, one-ton fermentation tanks. The grapes are treaded by foot, instead of using mechanical punchdowns or pumpovers. Rhys Vineyards uses natural yeasts for fermentation, and the wines are aged in French oak.
