Growing Conditions
Hyde Vineyard sits atop gently rolling, southeast-facing hills on the Napa side of the premier Carneros appellation. The site is defined by its uniquely deep – up to 36 inches - and well-drained soils comprised of red clay loam and rocks atop impenetrable clay. The cooling effects of the dense fog and gentle breezes that sweep in daily from nearby San Pablo Bay makes it an ideal Chardonnay growing site. Our section of Hyde Vineyard is planted to the Musque clone.
Bottling
The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Bottled: July 29, 2015.
Winemaking
We picked our Hyde Vineyard chardonnay under the lights in the early morning and transferred the grapes 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 9 months with a delayed, secondary malolactic fermentation taking place in the spring.
Aging
12 months in 2/3 French oak.
