Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
His 2014 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is produced from the Robert Young clone of Chardonnay that is more common in Sonoma than Napa. Aged completely in stainless steel and neutral oak, this is a steely Chardonnay that has gone through full malolactic, but has good acidity, delicious baked apple, caramelized citrus, a lemon-blossom nose, medium body, excellent acidity and a persistent finish. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
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Wine Spectator
Presents a tropical touch of pineapple and mango to the pithy green apple and citrus notes, keeping the flavors juicy and lively. Ends with a touch of smoky, cedary oak. 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.