Winemaker Notes
The Le Début Chardonnay is sourced from the young vine block of Calera Chardonnay. The 2016 is bright and energetic with a distinctly mineral nose of crushed stone entwined with apple blossom, citrus zest and fresh almond. The palate is focused with flavors of ripe Bartlett pear, peach, lemon curd and the hallmark minerality of Hyde Vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A neatly cut chardonnay with an attractive sense of purity. Featuring bright peaches and nectarines and little in the way of oak or interference. The palate has clarity, focus and persistence, as well as fresh, restrained peaches from front to back. Acidity clasps the finish. Drink now.
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.