2022 TOR Chardonnay Cuvée Susan Hyde Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Fermentation with ambient yeasts in French oak, 20% new. Unfined. Unfiltered. Medium gold. Intensely ripe – old-school style of California Chardonnay done well. A bit of creamed sweetcorn, caramel, popcorn, rich baked apple and quince. Long and creamy with loads of sweet oak spice. It’s not overripe but it’s about as ripe as it could possibly be while still retaining balancing acidity. I’d save this for a grey winter day with a roaring fire, roast chicken and a thick rug to sink your toes into. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Susan is a bigger, richer wine that still stays vibrant, focused, and precise. Stone fruits, toasted bread, almond paste, and spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a layered, deep, rich mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. As with the Torchiana release, it does everything right and should have a decade of prime drinking.
Super rich without being heavy, this full-flavored, butter- and vanilla-scented wine is creamy and ethereal to sip. Peaches, cream, butterscotch and caramel notes over lemon curd and hazelnut flavors and good underlying acidity. Full-bodied. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.
The 2022 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Cuvée Susan is another gorgeous wine from Tor Kenward and Jeff Ames. This is classic Hyde. Creamy, textured contours give the 2022 tons of immediacy. Apricot, butter, baked apple tart and a kiss of French oak amplify the character of Hyde beautifully.