2017 Hyde Vineyard Pinot Noir
This iconic site consistently delivers some of the most elegant and refined Pinots in our portfolio. The 2017 vintage provides bright red fruits, freshness, elegant tannins and vibrant acidity. The nose is filled with the signature dried rose petal and cinnamon character of Hyde Vineyard. Well-integrated and refined tannins are knit together with strawberry, raspberry and spice flavors. The mid-palate is rich but delicate, showing the elegance that is classic Hyde.
The 2017 growing season began in March with cool temperatures and sustained rainfall,
a welcome development after five years of drought. As the rains cleared, sunny and warm conditions prevailed. Flowering began as usual in May, but foggy and windy days caused incomplete pollination, creating small berries with fewer seeds and reduced crop yields. The upside is that small berries provide great flavor concentration and color. A very warm, beautiful summer advanced the growing season by almost two weeks, accelerating our picking to get the grapes into the winery at ideal ripeness. We started harvest August 18th for our sparkling wine and concluded on September 27th, making 2017 the fastest harvest since 2008. Fortunately, our strong farming relationships allowed for perfectly ripe fruit with excellent chemistry. When the fires broke out in Napa and Sonoma on October 8th, we had (along with 90% of Sonoma vineyards) picked all our grapes. 2017 is proving to be a fine year, producing wines of depth, finesse, focused vineyard character and delicious flavors and aromas.
Purchased by Larry Hyde in 1979, and planted two years later, this renowned property is cultivated as 44 distinct blocks, and includes a veritable who’s who of the finest Pinot Noir clones. Our Hyde Vineyard Pinot comes from three small blocks within the larger Hyde Vineyard. These blocks spotlight new and older plantings of the famous Hyde-Calera selection, and include coveted grapes from the “old field,” which was planted in 1999.
100% Burgundian French oak barrels (50% new; 50% 1-2-year old)
Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential
- Type:
- Red
- Varietal:
- Pinot Noir
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Carneros
- Vintage:
- 2017
- Blend:
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Alcohol:
- 14.2
- Fermentation:
- Multi-yeast fermentations (native yeast, followed by cultured yeast); 100% Malo-lactic fermentation in barrel