History
Larry Hyde began planting in Carneros in 1979 and spent the next four decades propagating heritage selections rather than buying nursery stock. He does not sell land; he leases customised micro-blocks, and the roster of names that have made their reputations on this fruit is close to a directory of California Chardonnay. Dave Ramey launched Ramey Wine Cellars in 1996 on an allocation from here. In 2000 Hyde formed Hyde de Villaine with his cousin by marriage Aubert de Villaine, co-director of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti.
The Site
A multi-parcel holding on the low, rolling sedimentary terraces of Los Carneros, near the Carneros Highway. San Pablo Bay lies open to the south with nothing in between, so cold marine wind and deep fog banks run straight into the vineyard every afternoon. Soils are shallow Haire clay loam laced with old dried streambeds; the clay holds just enough winter water for controlled stress, and the shallow profile brings roots to bedrock quickly.
Vines and Blocks
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate, in a large number of separately farmed blocks. The Hyde de Villaine rows sit on the most mineral sedimentary terraces and use six custom heritage selections. Mark Aubert's blocks are planted to the Hyde-Wente clone, sometimes called the Hyde selection, which sets unevenly and gives small berries and loose clusters.
The Wines
Hyde Chardonnay is textural and long-lived, running from the weightless HdV style to the richer Aubert register, with oyster shell and matchstick common to both. Hyde de Villaine's Ygnacia Pinot Noir comes from the same ground.