2020 Rhys "Bearwallow Vineyard" Anderson Valley Chardonnay

“The 2020 vintage of chardonnay from the Bearwallow Vineyard is an absolute classic in the making. The wine comes in this year at a refined thirteen percent octane and delivers a pure, elegant aromatic constellation of apple, pear, a touch of Anderson Valley’s botanical shadings, a lovely base of soil tones, peonies, incipient beeswax and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and tightly-knit, with a superb core, excellent soil inflection, bouncy acids and a very long, focused and impeccably balanced finish.” (11/2022)

“The 2020 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard opens with fresh, radiant aromas of tangerine rind, lemon curd and white blossom. The palate is medium-bodied and immaculate in its balance, weight and lift, showing off a bright but accessible core of acidity through its long, stony finish. As with the Pinot Noir from this site, this offers readers a way to revel in the delightful precision of Rhys's single-vineyard wines without the cellaring required for the Santa Cruz Mountains bottlings. (ML)” (04/2024)

“The 2020 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard is bright, energetic and nicely focused. Lively acids run through a core of citrus and orchard fruit, with expressive floral notes that develop later, adding lift. Medium in body and nicely delineated, the 2020 is a winner. Saline notes underpin the finish. I especially admire the focus here. (AG)” (05/2022)