2011 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard
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(15.1% alcohol; 7.15 g/l acidity; 45% new oak): Full, bright yellow. Deeper-pitched aromas of yellow fruits and clove, with suggestions of tropical fruits, nuts and biscuit; the first of these vintages to show real evolution. Creamy in texture, conveying a glyceral impression and captivating sweetness to its yellow fruit flavors. An edge of acidity gives this wine a slightly disjointed finish. I don't find the same chalky minerality I noted when I last tasted this wine a few years ago. Ramey considers 2011 to be a cold vintage but he also believes that this wine will evolve faster than the 2012. "The harvest was a month later so the grapes hung out in the weather and the fruit got a little tired," he explained. In fact, he believes that this wine is at its peak and predicts it will be more like the 2003 than the 2004 in five years.
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Altre recensioni e punteggi
Green-tinged yellow. Orange peel, pear and chalky minerals on the incisive nose, with complicating hints of white flowers and iodine. Sappy and densely packed, with a distinctly mineral cast to its flavors of poached pear, lemon curd and honeysuckle. Finishes with building minerality and outstanding persistence, the stony, iodiney quality repeating.
The 2011 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is a classic. Nectarine, wild flowers, mint, honey and Chamomile meld together beautifully in the glass. The Hyde is rich, oily and intense on the palate, with marvelous textural balance and tons of finesse. Hints of tropical fruit linger on the close. This is a super-classic Chardonnay from David Ramey.
The 2011 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard reveals slightly higher acids along with more concentrated tropical fruit notes such as pineapple and tangerine, medium body, excellent purity, and surprising length and richness for a 2011. It, too, should be drunk over the next 3-4 years. David Ramey has long had one of the most impressive resumes for any California winemaker. He worked at Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and for Christian Moueix at Dominus. He also consulted and worked for a number of high end Napa Valley wineries. Of course, his first love is Ramey Wine Cellars, and he has built an extensive empire of Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons and more recently Syrahs as well as a tiny quantity of Pinot Noir (talk about going to the dark side). I tasted through his 2011 Chardonnays, which are successful in this challenging vintage. The generic Chardonnays spend 12 months in 25% new oak and the single vineyard cuvees spend 20 or more months in 50% new oak. All of the whites are fermented with indigenous yeasts. Ramey has also done a terrific job with Syrah, even though he says it is nearly impossible to sell in today’s marketplace. Ramey has actually reduced the price on his two fabulous 2010 Syrahs, and it is difficult for somebody like me who loves Syrah and knows how great they can be to understand how these wines can be such a challenge in the marketplace. Ramey’s early experience was primarily with Bordeaux varietals, so it’s not surprising that he continues to do a stunning job with his assortment of Bordeaux-based wines. As one might expect, the 2011s are soft, easy-to-drink efforts that many consumers may find more appealing than the 2010s, which are much bigger, richer and more classic. Tel. (707) 473-9167