2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Goldberg Variations No.6
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Sourced from 40-year-old vines, the 2023 Chardonnay Goldberg Variations Hyde Vineyard is a fabulous, large-scale yet nimble example of winemaking at Paul Lato. As is typical, it is the deepest, most textural and opulent of the Chardonnay offerings, opening with white chocolate, nougat, anise, mint and crushed stone aromas with a caramelized backdrop. The palate mirrors this combination with a satiny, honeyed attack infused with tangy, mineral-infused energy, concluding with a succulent yet spry finish anchored with marine undertones and searing minerality. The intersection of size, sturdiness and dexterity here is impressive, a trifecta that should foreshadow a long life in the cellar.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate
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From the Hyde Vineyard in Carneros and brought up 16 months in 65% new French oak, the 2023 Chardonnay Goldberg Variations No. 6 Hyde Vineyard offers pure tropical fruits, white flowers, minty herbs, and some spicy nuances. Medium to full-bodied, it has a soft, supple, layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, remarkable purity, and a great finish. It's certainly a slightly softer expression compared to the Central Coast releases, but shines for its incredible purity and finesse. Drink 2025-2032. Paul Lato continues to produce one of the most impressive lineups I taste each year, with wines coming from top vineyards across the Central Coast and beyond. The Polish immigrant (this is a great American success story) who started as a cellar hand in Santa Maria has built a program that now includes five Chardonnays and seven Pinot Noirs in this lineup alone. The Chardonnays range from Rincon in Arroyo Grande to Sierra Madre in Santa Maria to Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands and Hyde in Carneros, with the Kokoro being a selection across sites. The Pinot Noir program is equally extensive, pulling from Gold Coast and Solomon Hills in Santa Maria, Zotovich and Drum Canyon in Sta. Rita Hills, Pisoni in Santa Lucia Highlands, and Hyde in Carneros. All wines see extended aging of 16 to 19 months, with new oak ranging from 25% to 70% depending on the cuvée. I thought the Stand By Me from Drum Canyon was the clear standout in the Pinot lineup this year, while the Pisoni Chardonnay shows remarkable power and concentration. Having said that, there are no dogs in the lineup, and these are all brilliant wines. These wines consistently show a balance between California richness and Old World restraint, with the oak perfectly integrated despite the relatively high percentages used. What continues to impress me is the consistency across such a large lineup – there's not a weak wine in the bunch and each shows distinct site character despite the uniform winemaking approach.
The 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Goldberg Variations No. 6 has all the signatures of Hyde, dialed up to the max. Rich, oily orchard fruit, iodine, oyster shell and chalk lend tons of mineral character and intensity to a wine with real honeyed viscosity. The fruit is nearly buried by the weight of the minerality, which I find wildly attractive. Long and intense through the finish, the Hyde is all terroir and all class.