The 2023 Nid Tissé Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay is a single-vineyard bottling from Hyde Vineyard in the Carneros-Napa AVA, made by Nid Tissé, the small label founded by French-born winemaker Marie-Laure Ammons. The wine is a field blend of Robert Young and Wente selections, hand-harvested and natively fermented with full malolactic fermentation. It’s aged for 12 months with a measured use of oak—16% new French oak—alongside 14% clay amphora and the balance in neutral oak, then finished with an additional three months in stainless steel. Alcohol is 13.5%. Production is small at 305 cases, according to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
Critical reception has been notably strong, led by an excellent 99-point review from James Suckling, who calls it “difficult to imagine a better California chardonnay,” praising the way it “combines great balance and freshness with creaminess, breadth and length in the finish.” Suckling highlights “sliced pears, cream and hints of mangoes, green apples, butter and lemon curd,” and suggests it can be enjoyed now or held.
Multiple reviewers also land in top territory at 96–97 points. Joe Czerwinski (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) awards 97 points and emphasizes both the winemaking and texture: “refined notes of pear, melon and peach” lead to a “silky and fine” palate, finishing with “lime on the long, gently textural and briny finish.” Jeb Dunnuck (96 points) underscores the tension and mineral drive, describing “Chablis-like vibrancy” with “oyster shell… and obvious minerality,” plus a “fresh, focused, racy mouthfeel” and “outstanding length,” recommending a 2025–2035 window.
The Wine Palate’s 97-point note leans more overtly aromatic—“fresh pineapple, orange blossoms, and yuzu”—while Vinous (93 points) finds a more savory edge in “lemon confit, marzipan, chamomile and white flowers,” adding that “a hint of reduction adds character.” Taken together, the profile reads as a Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay that aims for richness without heaviness, prioritizing clarity, energy, and a long, saline-leaning finish.
