Rhys Vineyards, Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains, 2021

Name: Rhys Vineyards, Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains, 2021
Brand: Skurnik [MSK]
SKU: NYC-MSK-`US-RHY-11-21 `-070125-2
Price: 44.99 USD
Availability: InStock

White Wine from California, United States

by Rhys Vineyards

$44.99

Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout.

Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles

Rhys Vineyards crafts Chardonnay from its cooler Santa Cruz Mountains estate, known for steep, granitic soils and elevation-influenced freshness. The 2021 vintage delivers clarity and tension, showcasing the site’s clean minerality.

Hand-picked fruit is fermented with native yeasts in small barrels—about 20% new French oak—and aged on lees for added texture. This mid-tier bottling expresses refined orchard notes and bright acidity, reflecting Rhys’s commitment to site clarity and balanced elegance.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

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Corked wine? Full refund or exchange within 60 days
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Hours

Sunday - Thursday: 12 pm - 8 pm

Friday: 11am - 9pm

Saturday: 10am - 9pm

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (212) 477-1315

Antonio Galloni

92 points

"The 2021 Chardonnay (Santa Cruz Mountains) is a gorgeous appellation level wine, and also a wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring, unlike most of the 2021s. Lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers and chamomile all grace this soft, open-knit Chardonnay from Rhys. Bright saline notes extend the super-expressive finish. Terrific." —Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker

93 points

"The 2021 Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains is a peek at the stellar produce of Rhys's 2021 single-vineyard white wines. The nose opens with fresh, racy aromas of sea spray, lemon curd and Granny Smith apple. The mid-palate displays a level of creamy richness that takes substantial cellaring to unlock in the rest of the lineup. The signature tension and angularity of the Rhys style are present, albeit with a welcomed softness and generosity of texture. Readers holding this admirable array of wines should start here and hold off on the single-site wines for at least a few more years." —Matthew Luczy

Decanter

94 points

"A beautifully elegant Chardonnay comes from the high Santa Cruz Mountains vineyard of Mt Pajaro. The aromatic profile is classic. Pretty stone notes follow a concentration of honeyed floral suggestions. While smoked citrus peel and sea spray all play a part. The well-knit palate offers sappy lemon cream notes, citrus pith, and candied orange peel. Still, its crystalline beauty and elegance lie in the filigreed mineral character, petrichor, crushed chalk and wet limestone. Energetic and lively while also fine and delicate."

Wine Spectator

92 points

"Bright and distinctive, with notes of tangerine, orange blossoms and lemon curd that show a hint of toasted sesame. Offers aromatic details of fennel, nutmeg and dried ginger, with a note of sea spray and a long, expressive finish."

Wine Enthusiast

95 points

"The textural component to this wine, and all of those from Rhys, is worth the price alone. The nose starts with aromas of lemon curd, baked orange and a light nutty tone before the palate's chalky texture engages the entire mouth as citrus flavors abound."

More about Rhys Vineyards

Kevin Harvey, a software entrepreneur with a Burgundy obsession, started Rhys in 2004 to prove California could make world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from mountain vineyards. Seven estate vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Anderson Valley, all gravity-fed, foot-trodden, wild fermented by winemaker Jeff Brinkman. These are soil-driven wines—mineral, complex, serious. The kind of wines that make you forget you're drinking California.

Wine Details

Grape Variety

Chardonnay
Vintage

2021
Size

750ml
Farming Practice

Biodynamic
Sweetness

Dry
Body

Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine:

100% ChardonnaySourced from Mt. Pajaro, Alpine and Horseshoe (all Santa Cruz Mountain AVA)Elevations ranging from 717′-1400′. The clones are Hyde, Old Wente and Mt. EdenVarious soil types such as Pursisima Shale, Decomposed Butano Sandstone and Monterey formation with intermingled limestoneHand-harvestedNative yeast fermentationWhole clusters are pressed in barrel where it is fermentedAged 12 months in 15% new French oak and 6 months in stainless steel12% ABV

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

lobster thermidor, butter-poached halibut, creamy mushroom pasta, roasted chicken with herbs

Tasting Profile

Rich Santa Cruz Chardonnay with ripe pear, citrus, and hazelnut aromas. Full body with creamy texture from oak, balanced acidity, and a complex finish showing brioche and toasted almonds.