Massican, Hyde Chardonnay, Napa Valley

Drinking really well right now, you get some of the nuttiness of age appearing but it's still really fresh. Great wine!

There is a thru-line for Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay. Massican and Ramey are made in very different ways, yet they share a common thread. The crunchy pear fruit and clean minerality come through in each. The Massican shows more acidity, and the Ramey more richness, but they are both clearly related. This bottle of the 2015, from a small library sale not long ago, is in perfect condition, showing the Hyde profile, touched with subtle spice, and brimming with sunshiny acidity. …

Still drinking very well (and I'm sure can go many more years) but I think I prefer the tension and energy of these when they are younger.

Impressive minerality, verve, and breadth. Should be peaking 2021-2024.

Fantastic! This has been in my cellar for three years now and it could definitely have stayed there for many more but we decided to try it. I’ve never had a Massican Chardonnay but drink the Cal Ital and Sauvignon Blanc all the time. This Chardonnay was terrific and one of my favorites out of California. Went great with prosciutto melon apps and by itself. Great vineyard, great winemaker.

Charity dinner (Washington, DC) : This is still so youthful but showing a lot. Leaner in frame, but lovely depth of flavor. Texturally fascinating, zesty acidity, tons of minerals and chalk. Bright lemon and apple fruit with floral and almond complexities. I'd love to revisit in five years.

This fresh and bright Chardonnay has softened, a bit, in the eight months since I tasted it last (5/18 - 92 points). It's still on the lean side - with almost no hint of oak - but it's a bit rounder and calmer now. Similarly light yellow in color and light in body, the wine offers somewhat softer aromas of orange marmalade, green apple, and ocean air. Tastes of grapefruit, lime peel, gooseberry, and lemon zest, with a bright and …

This lean and refreshing Chardonnay is drinking well right now, though it should be better in another six months. Light yellow, almost silver in color; light in body; nose of orange peel, salt water, and crushed rocks. Tastes of green apple, lime, grapefruit, and quince, with a tight and acidic finish (almost like orange juice). 13.3% alcohol. I drank this next to a 2015 Hyde & DeVillaine Chardonnay, which was more similar than different from the Massican. Both wines had …

I have a context for Hyde vineyard Chardonnay, and this wine shatters that context. There is a mix of saline, ripe tangerine and finishing tart citrus acidic zing that bridges multiple countries and even grapes. One moment I get a clear California sunshine element with the tangerine, then the zip and saline aspects have me heading to Melon & Muscadet. The clear expression of Chardonnay without makeup brings an element of Chablis. All together it is complex and fascinating. It …

More lemony, medium ripeness on the nose. Good acidity, with some lemon upfront and peach on the finish. Enjoyed the wine more and more as it opened up. Preferred it closer to room temp than right out of the cellar.