Winemaker Notes
Larry Hyde has dedicated his entire life to the viticulture at its highest level. Now his son Chris continuous this tremendous legacy. This very fine wine comes from one of the oldest Chardonnay blocks on the Hyde Estate Vineyard in Carneros. The wine possesses complex aromatics of acacia flowers, lime zest and subtle tropical fruits. Orange blossoms flavors, velvety texture with laser-beam acidity, refreshing, energetic, electrifying. Finishing long with refined tannins. Superb.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The most powerful and decadent of Paul Lato's Chardonnays, the 2022 Chardonnay Goldberg Variations Hyde Vineyard offers aromas of honeyed orchard and tropical fruits with brown sugar and caramel flourishes, all delivered with unabashed confidence. The palate is lush, layered and toasty, finishing with continued richness framed by pleasant, classy refinement. While I preferred the more focused Santa Barbara County offerings, this is rendered impeccably and will appeal to readers seeking a "classic" style of California Chardonnay.
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Vinous
The 2022 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Goldberg Variations is a very pretty wine. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, crushed rocks and tangerine oil all meld together effortlessly. The 2022 is an attractive wine, although I’m seeking more textural density in wines from this iconic vineyard.
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.