Morning at Hyde Vineyards
HYDE VINEYARD
From one of the most renowned vineyards in California, the Hyde Vineyards Estate is located at the gateway to Napa Valley, in Carneros. Summer temperatures are cool by its proximity to San Pablo Bay, with foggy mornings and cool afternoon breezes. Under the soils, ancient creek beds provide excellent drainage to the red clay loam. Like most of our vineyards, we are sourcing from the Hyde’s on an acreage contract, allowing us to farm our blocks as we desire. It has been a pleasure developing a relationship with Larry Hyde, as he cares deeply about how his vineyards and fruit are treated. Our fruit was heavily thinned and leafing was kept to minimum to provide shade, protecting the fruit’s acid, perfumes and mineral characteristics. Fore more information on the Hyde Vineyards, visit www.hydevineyards.com. |
 |
THE WINEMAKING
A glorious vintage for pinot and chardonnay in Californina. It was a year when a winemaker could pick when the fruit was prime, with no serious heat spikes to force early picks, just moderate pristine temperatures. We were one of the first to pick at Hyde to retain the fruit’s natural acidity. The clusters were delivered to the press crisp and cold. Pressing slowly and gentle, to extract only the purest of juice from the berries, the juice was put to rest in tight grain, lightly toasted, French oak barrels. The barrels were kept cold, enduring a natural slow fermentation, lasting close to a month. In preferring our non-Malolactic barrels the prior vintage, we inhibited all of the barrels. The Chardonnay was aged sur lies with little batonnage. The finished wine was racked just prior to bottling.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES
The near perfect Hyde Chardonnay shows a remarkably crisp, refined, almost aristocratic side of California chardonnay. While reticent on the nose at first, hinting at tropical and citrus fruit, after few minutes in the glass, fruit comes gushing forth with white peach, lychee, pineapple and lemon. As these fade, the haunting aroma of hazelnut becomes apparent and is joined by an earthiness seldom found in California chardonnay. On the palate the cascade of fruit continues, constantly changing but finally coming to rest on exotic starfruit. The finish lingers with baked lemon and spice. While all the ripe fruit gives an impression of roundness, ample acidity keeps this wine fresh and coiled, suggesting not only long aging potential, but also making it a perfect refreshing spring wine in its youth.
TECHNICAL DATA
Released March 2009
Native Yeast Fermentation
Aged "sur lies"
25% New French Cooperage
14.1% Alc by Vol
120 Cases Produced |
|
