Ramey 'Hyde Vineyard' Chardonnay 2006

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Wine Spectator 94
"A lovely integration of seductive smoky vanilla oak with vibrant peach- and pear-laced fruit enlivened by zingy acidity. A full-blown yet elegant and delicious Chardonnay. Drink now through 2011. 2,550 cases made. ~J.L.

Located in gently rolling terrain north of Carneros Highway, the soils are quite heavy clay.
Vine selection is Old Wente and Long Vineyards, and the vines range from five to twenty-two
years old. The Wente is marked by very small grape clusters, with small berries, and the
so-called "hen-and-chick"--large and small berries within the same cluster. The Wente
produces a classic, Burgundian-style wine, without strong tropical fruit tones of some California
Chardonnays, along with some minerality and spice. The Long Vineyards selection adds a
floral note, and the Hyde Vineyard wines often seem charming and feminine.
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Located in gently rolling terrain north of Carneros Highway, the soils are quite heavy clay.
Vine selection is Old Wente and Long Vineyards, and the vines range from five to twenty-two
years old. The Wente is marked by very small grape clusters, with small berries, and the
so-called "hen-and-chick"--large and small berries within the same cluster. The Wente
produces a classic, Burgundian-style wine, without strong tropical fruit tones of some California
Chardonnays, along with some minerality and spice. The Long Vineyards selection adds a
floral note, and the Hyde Vineyard wines often seem charming and feminine