2012 Patz & Hall Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard

Bright yellow. Captivating, fruit-driven aromas of yellow plum and lemon candy lifted by a floral topnote. Densely packed but not fat or oily, with penetrating acidity intensifying the wine's citrus, floral and chalky flavors. Wonderfully bright, refreshing, long chardonnay with terrific cut to its slightly tart lemony aftertaste. This is harmonious from day one but I'd give it a year or two to absorb some of its acidity and harmonize in bottle.

Of equal quality but more flowery and minerally is the 2012 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard. This is from a warmer site than the Hudson, but it behaves like a cold-climate Chardonnay, with crisp, zesty acidity, white currants, quince and floral notes intermixed with citrus oil and lemon butter. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. Patz and Hall has a long and enviable track record, making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from some of the very finest single vineyards in Northern California. They rarely miss a beat, and the wines are “sure bets” regardless of vintage conditions. The current group of 2011s and early-released 2012s once again prove the consistency of these wines, which cut a very attractive synthesis in style between the more austere Burgundian model and the riper, more fruit-laden California style. As one can see, these are consistently well-made wines from Patz and Hall that merit significant attention from all serious wine consumers. The Pinot Noirs from Patz and Hall tend to be cold-soaked prior to fermentation for 3-4 days, and depending on the vintage, the grapes are usually uncrushed whole clusters with normally around 10-20% stems utilized. Tel. (877) 265-6700