2021 Chardonnay, Hyde Vineyard Napa Carneros
A wine that deftly balances vitality and restraint, our 2021 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay opens with juicy honeysuckle, sweet melon and ripe pineapple notes that gain tension on the bright palate where zesty hints of white nectarine and lemongrass emerge. Subtle sweet vanilla and citrus notes highlight the long, elegant finish.
Vineyard: Planted by trailblazing grape grower Larry Hyde, this site is considered by many to be the gold standard of Carneros Chardonnay. The vineyard is defined by its uniquely deep – up to 36 inches - and well-drained soils comprised of red clay loam and rocks atop impenetrable clay. This soill profile, combined with the cooling effects of the dense fog and gentle breezes that sweep in daily from nearby San Pablo Bay makes Hyde Vineyard an ideal Chardonnay growing site. This Saxon Brown bottling hails from the vineyard’s coveted Musque Block which produces the most elegant, Puligny-Montrachet style of all our Chardonnays. This was especially true in 2021, a near perfect growing season that, due to continuing drought stress, saw smaller yields of superbly structured fruit
Winemaking: In keeping with our site-specific focus, we employ similar winemaking techniques for each of our Chardonnays so that the individual character of the vineyard is what truly distinguishes each bottling. Grapes for our Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay were picked under lights in the early morning and transferred immediately to the winery where they were whole fruit pressed. The juice cold settled for two days at 40F before being racked to 2/3 new French oak barrels and inoculated with a low rate of select Burgundian yeast. After 90 days of cold fermentation, the wine continued in barrel sur lie for an additional nine months with a delayed, secondary malolactic fermentation taking place in the spring. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tech Info:
Suggested Price: $75/bottle Aging: 17 months in 50% New French Oak
Case Production: 73 cases Bottled Date: March 9, 2023
Harvest Date: September 7, 2021 Alc: 13.7
Brix at Harvest: 22.7 TA: 6.8
Clone: Hyde pH: 3.25
- WinemakerJeff Gaffner
- CountryUSA
- AppellationNapa Carneros
- VineyardHyde Vineyard