Winemaker Notes
Hyde Vineyard has justifiably become one of the superstar vineyards in Carneros. Through many years of dedicated research, planting and winemaking, Larry Hyde has developed two of the most important grape selections in California: Hyde-Wente Chardonnay and Hyde- Calera Pinot Noir. Both are noted for extremely low yields, primarily due to the very small berry size within each cluster. The Chardonnay from Hyde is perhaps the most sought-after fruit in the pantheon of great California vineyards. The Hyde-Wente selection used for our wine is planted on the best soils at Hyde: sandy, clay loam, very low vigor and extremely well drained, lowering the yields even further than typical for this small-berried clone.
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.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.