TN: 2016 Rhys Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard

I’m not a regular with Rhys, but was on the list at one point and have had a bunch over the years as I know people with lots of Rhys. So, I’m not a total noob, but no real context on this one of which I have a couple bottles.

• 2016 Rhys Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (9/26/2021)
  It’s not often that CT notes mostly lineup, but they do for me on this one and the recent notes immediately prior. There’s no THERE there for this wine. Very light bodied, which is ok, but lacks concentration. It never really developed in the glass and after a good bit of air. Stays very lean with an acidity that borders on feeling unbalanced as it’s not really buffered. I didn’t get the sense it was wound up and needed time. Maybe its 2016?

Posted from CellarTracker

Bearwallow Chard generally leaves me cold. Come to think of it, so does Bearwallow Pinot Noir.

Much prefer the Rhys offerings from SCM.

Thanks for the data point, Dennis. I tried this a bit more than a year ago – I think I liked it more than you, but – nonetheless – I was unhappy about the QPR proposition on this $70 bottle. I’ve given-up on both the Bearwallow Pinot and Chard.; I would probably resume Bearwallow Pinot purchases if the price dropped back down to $50.

Thanks for checking in, Brian. I saw your note in CT and I think we agreed for the most part. My note reads perhaps too negative and is probably more of a reflection on the cost to value ratio you reference. Cheers.

Not the 2016, but I had the 2015 last month. It sounds like a somewhat similar experience, but I put a more positive spin on it (I called the flavors “delicate and filigreed,” which someone might call “nothing”). Rhys chardonnay often have a quite strong lemony flavor and the Bearwallow was more green apple and lime. On the 2015 Bearwallow, I opined that it wouldn’t stand up to strongly-flavored food, so depending on what you had to eat with it, your 2016, if similar, might have gotten lost.

Thanks, Chris. Was consumed mostly after a simple chicken meal. Really no difference with food or without. It definitely read more lime and tart apple. Which is usually cool with me, I like 'em lean. This was just a bit one dimensional.

We opened a 2015 Rhys chardonnay bearwallow the other day. It was sadly corked…

FWIW, 2017 Horseshoe Chard is all there!

Just had a 2015 Bearwallow served blind last week and I thought it was SCM. Very nice.

Have not visited the '16 recently.

Nice to hear, particularly because I just pulled a bottle to the front of the line for near-term consumption.

Excellent opportunity for a direct comparison.

I’m pretty sure the 2015 Rhys blanc sparkling wine is from Bearwallow. That didn’t turn out well.

I’ve considered Bearwallow to be right up there in quality with the scm vineyards, it just has its own character (thankfully, they are very different sites lol). Some vintages grab me more than others, that’s always true.

Different chardonnay clones planted in Bearwallow specifically for the sparkler in their own block

Yes, the 2015 showed really well. It wasn’t mind blowing, but a very tasty, correct expression of SCM chardonnay. With very diverse palates around the table, everyone liked it.