Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros 2024 Aubert

Tasting Note Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros 2024

Initially, notes of yellow peach and lemon emerge, followed by roasted hazelnuts and a faint, smoky aroma from new oak barrels. The palate is rich and creamy, but citrus nuances run through the mid-palate, providing a well-balanced counterpoint to its richness. The finish is long, with a subtle hint of saltiness. While it can be enjoyed young, judging by the acidity of this 2024 vintage, the oak flavors are expected to open up even further in a few years.

Grape Varieties

Aubert Chardonnay Larry Hyde and Sons Vineyard Carneros is 100% Chardonnay.

No blending varieties are used whatsoever. The Chardonnay variety is known for its neutral character, which is precisely why it pairs so well with Carneros: cool nights bring citrus aromas and acidity, while barrel aging adds nutty and oily nuances. Every element you taste originates from the terroir and the winery.

Cellaring Potential

This wine is best enjoyed by 2044. The acidity accumulated during those cold nights of Carneros forms the backbone of this wine, and the oak flavors need time to harmonize with the fruity bouquet. Serve at a temperature of 10-13 °C. If chilled any further, the wine will lose its texture. Decanting is not necessary.

About Aubert

In a valley where Cabernet Sauvignon rules, Mark Aubert went the other way. Chardonnay is the reason the winery exists, and most of the fruit comes from Sonoma County rather than Napa, because that is where California's best Chardonnay sites sit. Lauren, planted in 2000 and named after his daughter, covers roughly 3.2 hectares, small enough to walk in an afternoon. Sugar Shack sits in Napa, Larry Hyde and Sons in Carneros, and the Sonoma Coast feeds several bottlings including CIX. Pinot Noir gets the same care, though it stays a small share of production. Style is not shy: clear oak, rich texture, alcohol that can reach 15%. But every vineyard is kept separate and bottled on its own, Burgundy logic applied to California ripeness. Aubert built all this without corporate backing, and demand outruns the tiny volumes.

Terroir & Climate

Carneros occupies the low rolling hills at the southern end of both the Sonoma and Napa valleys, opening onto San Pablo Bay. Cold air and fog penetrate deep inland unimpeded by the surrounding mountains, delaying ripening and preserving acidity. The vineyards of Larry Hyde and Sons are located in this corridor. For Chardonnay, this translates not to tropical richness but to citrus aromas and crispness, which is precisely why Aubert bottles the wines from this plot separately.

Winemaking

Using up to 75 percent new oak for French is a bold decision for any Chardonnay wine, but Aubert has intentionally adopted this approach. Nuances of toasted oak and nuts are not accidental; they are part of this winery's signature style. However, after just 10 months of aging in barrels, the wine continues to mature in stainless steel tanks. By shortening the aging period in this way, the winery prevents the oak aromas from overpowering the Carneros's fruity bouquet. Viticulture is conducted according to the principles of sustainable development, and yields are kept low.

Food Pairing

Its richness and smooth oak notes pair well with hearty dishes:

• Chicken with perfectly crispy skin Roast
• Crab served with melted butter, without any additional seasoning Dungeness
• Risotto with a creamy texture that harmonizes exquisitely with the wine Lobster
• Aged Comté

The subtle citrus notes in the background tighten up these flavors, ensuring the dishes don't become too heavy.