2003 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay

Community Tasting Notes (11) Avg Score: 89.1 points

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  6/20/2019 - z_willus_d wrote: 82 Points

  All the getting on in their years, California Chardonnay I've tried have been difficult to enjoy. This bottle is no different. It lacks any freshness of fruit; likewise it does not exhibit the development of a well-balanced, aged Chablis. What this expresses, is a tiresome, nondescript charred oak meets semi-rancid oil meets 2-stroke or some ethanol blitzing approach on the palate. On top of this cloying aspect, it leaves a bitter, ashy finish on the tongue that one wishes to remove at times. The wine is fairly unbalanced for these reasons, though the mouthfeel is refined and some acidity pierces through on the mid-palate. The overripe tangerine and apricot nose isn't half-bad. If I seem tilting against this wine, it's probably because I don't really want to have to drink it all, but having a "waste" complex, I know I am destined to inch through this over the coming nights. I don't think its in any way flawed or atypical for the early aughts and Chard from this region. They were never going to age well. I just wish I knew it back then.

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  2/16/2013 - slywka7 wrote: 91 Points

  Tasted blind. I was a little thrown at first but once I got my bearings this tasted like a fine aged Burgundy. Had a very golden yellow color. Got a lot of beeswax and honeydew on the nose. On the palate got melon, tart citrus fruit and a nice mineral edge. Ended with a nice finish. When the bag came off I was surprised but at the same time I wasn’t. Surprised because the wine actually came from California. Not surprised because it was the joint venture of the Hyde family and de Villaine family from the greatest Burgundy estate of them all, DRC. I gave this 91 points and it finished tied for 2nd on the night.

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  12/27/2010 - pxstone wrote: 93 Points

  Really beautiful medium to full bodied Chard - more old world than new. Lots of stone fruit - apricot, peach. Oak is subtle at this age. Very elegant.

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  3/15/2009 - Forint wrote: 90 Points

  Stunning in the glass, deep golden - still nice balance with pear and apple and mineral in the right amounts

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  12/23/2008 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points

  Made in a pretty style not too overdone. Light green apples and pears on the nose. Crisp. Wispy finish agin dominated by green apples.

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