Hyde de Villaine
Belle Cousine Hyde Vineyard Napa Valley
The name Belle Cousine is a reference to Pamela Fairbanks de Villaine, Larry Hyde’s lovely cousin who is the wife of Aubert de Villaine of Burgundy. It is Pamela who brings these visionary viticultural families from Burgundy and the Carneros region of Napa Valley together to make wines that express the character of place, with that rare minerality so dear to the Burgundian palate.
The vineyard is cultivated using sustainable practices,and is powered by solar energy. The vines, ranging in age from 20 to 36 years, are rooted in Haire clay loam soils, which provide excellent drainage and support the development of complex flavors. With a south-by-southwest exposure, the vineyard benefits from optimal sun exposure, ensuring the fruit ripens evenly and reaches its full potential. This combination of age, soil, and thoughtful cultivation results in high-quality, environmentally conscious wine production.
- Region
- California: Napa Valley
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Sub-Appellation
- Carneros
- Varietal Composition
- Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot
- Aging
- After harvest and fermentation, this wine is aged French oak barrels, with 25% of the oak being new. It is then bottled unfined and unfiltered.
- Alcohol
- 14.2%
Notes of black cherry and rich currant lead into aromas of dried rose petal and graphite. Hints of holiday spices and sweet basil round out the smooth, elegant finish in the palate. Sophisticated and rich, the weight of the wines is full, yet extremely approachable in its youth.
Vinous
90 Points
2020
"The 2020 Belle Cousin is an attractive wine for the year, but it is also a bit simple. Sweet red berry fruit, cedar, mint and spice are pushed forward. There are no hard edges, but this shows the limited phenolic ripeness of the year, with vibrant acids that linger."
— Antonio Galloni, 2023
