Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Larry Hyde and Sons Chardonnay bursts from the glass with aromas of powdered ginger, lime zest, white peach, and lemon oil. This wine is textured with lavish layers of fresh pear, green tea, lemongrass, and honeycomb that combine for a long and seamless finish. Balanced and well-proportioned, drink this wine over the next 10-15 years. The greenish hue on the edge of the glass is indicative of the health of the wine. The wine is slightly hazy showing our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows lots of flesh and richness, yet it remains very fresh and energetic. Lots of ginger and baked apples with hints of cream, lemon and lime. Rating: 96-97
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons explodes from the glass with bombastic lime cordial, pink grapefruit and rhubarb pie scents with suggestions of fresh ginger, green mango and acacia honey plus a touch of praline. Full-bodied, the palate has a wonderfully savory undercurrent with brioche nuances complementing the powerful tropical fruit, framed by great freshness, finishing with epic length.
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Wine Spectator
Voluptuous and unctuous, featuring intensely pure flavors of baked pear, apple pastry and melon confit that are powerfully structured. Sage cream and butter accents show midpalate, with a long, rich finish that offers lemon curd notes. Drink now through 2025.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.