Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Larry Hyde & Sons bursts from the glass with a spectacular bouquet of chamomile tea, lime blossom, fresh ginger, lemon marmalade, and lavender honey. The entry is silky and smooth with layers of citrus oils and nuances of chalky gravels and oyster shell. This is a sophisticated wine braced with the energy and drive to deliver a decade or more of drinking pleasure. The wine is slightly hazy showing our commitment to minimal intervention winemaking.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A cool, late-harvest site relative to Aubert's other sources, the 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons also sees a bit less new French oak (50%). Readers will note that the oak made virtually no impression on me, as the wine bursts with aromas of ripe, honeyed melon, balanced by bright lime notes. Full-bodied, creamy and lush on the palate, this is just a pleasure to drink, finishing long and zesty. Best After 2022.
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Wine Spectator
Stunning, this opens with a rich impression, showing candied ginger, marmalade and honeyed overtones to the core of fresh fruit, including pear, apple, melon and citrus notes. Offers hints of orange blossoms and minerality that mingle with fresh acidity, while a nutmeg-dominant wave of spices gain momentum on the long finish.
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.