Vineyard
download vineyard specsHyde de Villaine wines are produced exclusively from Hyde Vineyard in Carneros. Originally purchased by the Hyde family over 40 years ago, Hyde Vineyard is the source of some of the best single-vineyard wines in the country (e.g., Patz & Hall, Paul Hobbs, Ramey, Staglin, Joseph Phelps, DuMol, Schramsberg, Robert Mondavi). Larry Hyde has gained national recognition for his viticultural talents as Hyde de Villaine was poured multiple times at various White House dinners.
Spread over sedimentary terraces, Hyde Vineyard is blessed with shallow loamy soil and ancient streambeds that work in conjunction with the cool Carneros climate and gentle winds to create moderate hydric stress within the vines. It is this condition of moderate stress that encourages the vines to maximize their potential.
The temperature-moderating winds and fog of the Carneros region result in a prolonged growing season. This extended growing season is vital to the completion of phenolic maturation that brings both intensity and balance to the wines.
Winemaking
download Winemaking specsAll grapes are hand-picked and meticulously sorted so that only the finest clusters arrive in the cool morning hours at the Hyde de Villaine winery in Napa. The winery was specially designed to respect every aspect of the harvest, insuring the gentlest handling of the grapes and minimal intervention in the wines. Custom-designed equipment maximizes the use of gravity and minimizes the exposure to mechanical pumping. From the press, the fruit is taken to an assortment of tanks that allow co-fermentation of specific lots in order to marry together the distinctive characteristics of each one. Once the wines are in barrel, the winemaker carefully follows each barrel personally until it is time to bring them back together to make the ultimate blend. In each vintage, only the finest barrels will make it into the Hyde de Villaine wines.