A Classic Carneros Red

2003 Hyde de Villaine “HdV” Napa Red, Carneros
$55
Shane’s Notes

Because of the high prices, we rarely drink the famous reds from Napa. This one was a gift from my brother, and we didn’t know anything about it. We were immediately skeptical because of the region – Carneros isn’t exactly famous for its reds. We decanted and tried it after fifteen minutes. It was very tight so we set the decanter aside and waited another 45 minutes. It opened up beautifully. It had a rich, smooth texture and showed dark fruit, mint and a plethora of spices on the finish. This is a magnificently crafted wine, and easily stands up to any of Napa’s epic reds. We were amazed to discover that it is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet. We both would have sworn that it was primarily Cabernet. I did some research on the winery and discovered that it is a joint venture between the Hyde family of Napa and the de Villaine family of Romanee Conti fame. With that pedigree and with the quality of this wine, it is surprising that this winery isn’t more famous.