Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay shows its classic floral nose with honeysuckle, sea spray, lemon curd and tangerine.
As is typical the Hyde is more of a medium weight wine whose elegance allows it to be paired with any type of sea food that there is but especially Dungeness crab.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a fantastic chardonnay with a full body, yet it’s really tight, polished and linear. Cooked-apple, honey, nougat and lime character. Superb depth and intensity. Some cream at the end with the fruit. Three barrels made. From Wente.
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.