Winemaker Notes
The just ripe pomaceous fruit mingles seamlessly with the vanilla spice from careful new French oak ageing. Evidence of lees contact show by richness of palate and a nuance of toast and flint. This wine has wonderfully fresh acidity that is contrasted by startling deep, rich textures, a seeming contradiction, found in only the greatest Chardonnays.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Saline, white-flower and crushed-hazelnut aromas lead to layers of citrus, orchard fruit and creme brulee. Full-bodied and rich with lemon-pith and lemon-juice flavors and a long, flavorful finish. A complex, multidimensional wine.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is a deeper shade of yellow hue comes from Carneros. It boasts a savory and ripe feel with notes of honeycomb, hazelnut, orange pith, baking spice, and baked golden apples. It’s full-bodied and saturates the palate, lifted with refreshing acidity to balance it nicely.
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Wine Spectator
A firm, juicy frame unfurls to expose vibrant elements of wildflower honey, tangerine, grilled pineapple and lemon blossoms, with toasted brioche and marmalade, plus touches of fleshy mango and candied ginger. Notes of dried lemon basil gain momentum on the long finish. Drink now through 2037. 402 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Matured for 18 months in 32% new French oak, the 2022 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard has slowly unfurling scents of matchstick, oystershell, red pear, bread dough and holiday spices. The medium-bodied palate is more open at this stage, segueing to ripe stone fruit flavors. It’s structured by bright, mouthwatering acidity and has a long, saline-laced finish. Rating: 92+
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.