2008 Chardonnay

750ml $60.00

Often described as "very Burgundian", our chardonnays are distinctive among their California counterparts for their unique minerality and balance. Aged in French oak, the minerality and natural acidity of these wines provide a remarkably crisp wine which pairs beautifully with food and ages with elegance. Our chardonnay blends selections which each provide a unique palette of characteristics:
- Calera selection is certainly the heart and soul of the wine. With excellent natural acidity and emanating the Hyde Vineyards' defining mineral qualities, the Calera selection lends the freshness and structure to the wine.
- Coming from vines up to twenty-five years old, our Hyde selection gives this wine enormous breadth and roundness with wonderful concentrations of fruit.
-Robert Young provides a youthful, sensual, almost sexual component with noticeable characteristics of tropical fruit and ripe summer apricot.

VINTAGE NOTES


The 2008 growing season was marked by extremes. We experienced the coldest spring since 1970 with 27 days of frost protection in April. Fortunately, Hyde Vineyard’s proximity to the San Pablo Bay diminished the impact of cold weather on the vineyard fruit. This vintage was also the second year of a drought that led to smaller clusters and berries bringing an intensified concentration.

WINEMAKER NOTES


Our 2008 HdV Chardonnay emanates a floral bouquet in harmony with aromas of stone fruit and gentle spice. On the palate, ripe pear, pineapple, candied lemon and grapefruit notes express the warmth of the vintage. At the end, we find a sophisticated wine of opulence, carried by fresh minerality for a long finish. This wine reminisces of some Chassagne and Meursault climates.

2008 HdV Chardonnay

  • Region: Napa Valley
  • Appellation: Carneros
  • Vineyard: Hyde Vineyard
  • Age of vines: 19 to 29 years
  • Geography: Eastern edge of the Carneros District
  • Exposure: South by southeast
  • Soil: Shallow loam over clay hardpan
  • Subterranean: Ancient terraces and alluvial fans
  • Acreage: 10.81 acres
  • Production: 1,716 cases (9L)
  • Harvest dates: September 1st, 3rd, 4th & 8th
  • Bottling date: December 10th, 2009
  • Retail: $60