2018 Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay
The 2018 vintage is elegant, yet powerful and displays classic Hyde Vineyard traits of delicate white flowers, tangerine zest, and lemon cream. On the palate the wine is citrus-driven with orange and lemon flavors along with hints of toasted almond and vanilla. The wine has great acidity that leaves a white chalk/mineral note on the very long finish.
The weather in 2018 was spectacular, making this another exceptionally-fine vintage for Sonoma County. A near record long growing season, with plenty of cool days, punctuated with sunny and warm patches allowed flavors and textures to mature fully. Crop levels were above average, with many sites producing the best crops in years. The acidity levels are higher than normal, with perfectly ripened fruit. Though the year was cool, the fruit was very clean and high quality. A vintage to remember!
Purchased by Larry Hyde in 1979, and planted two years later, this renowned property is cultivated as 44 distinct blocks. The Hyde-Wente selection used for this Chardonnay is planted on the best soils at Hyde: very low vigor and extremely well-drained sandy, clay loam, which lower the yields even more than usual for this small-berried clone. 2018 was another classic year for this iconic site.
100% Whole-cluster pressed
100% Burgundian French oak barrels (36% new; 64% 1-2-year old)
Bottled without filtration to preserve the wine’s aromas and flavors and enhance aging potential
- Type:
- White
- Varietal:
- Chardonnay
- Region:
- California
- Appellation:
- Carneros
- Vintage:
- 2018
- Blend:
- 100% Chardonnay fruit
- Aging:
- Sur lie aged with weekly stirring
- Alcohol:
- 13.5
- Fermentation:
- 100% indigenous yeast fermentations; 100% malo-lactic fermentation in barrel