Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A striking wine in its aromatics alone, the 2010 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is another of the highlights in the range. Totally live in the glass, the 2010 is beautifully nuanced throughout. Apricots, orange blossoms and honey suckle are some of the many nuances that emerge in a Chardonnay that impresses for its oily, expansive feel. This is another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Kistler.
Rating: 95+ -
Wine Spectator
Smoky toasty oak notes are present from the first scent, joined by white peach, nectarine, honeydew melon and tangerine accents, gaining depth and persistence. A sure bet to improve with cellaring.
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.