The 2015 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard is more aromatically shy than its Alpine counterpart, unfurling with aeration to reveal a complex nose of crisp green orchard fruit, white flowers, subtle beeswax and oyster shell. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, intense and tightly coiled, with a bright line of acidity and an unmistakable stony, saline quality that defies the taster not to invoke the much-abused term "minerality." (WK)

The 2015 Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard is precise, tense and brilliant, but with plenty of the phenolic intensity that is typical of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Lemon confit, white flowers, white pepper and mint are some of the signatures. With time in the glass a slightly tropical note starts to develop, but there is an attractive brininess that adds freshness. (AG)

The 2015 Horseshoe Vineyard chardonnay from Rhys Vineyards comes in at a lovely 12.9 percent octane in this vintage. The wine is now nicely into its apogee of peak drinkability at seven years of age, offering up a mature and still very vibrant nose of pear, lemon, hazelnut, stony soil tones, orange peel, a fine framing of vanillin oak and a touch of Meursault-like geranium in the upper register. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, complex and soil-driven, with a lovely core of fruit, still fine acids, impeccable balance and a long, classy finish. This is now nicely into its plateau of maturity, but still has plenty of life ahead.