There is a greenish hue to the light gold color of the 2004 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard. Always my favorite, this wine has extraordinary intensity, with wonderful tropical fruit interwoven with orange blossom, white peach, and some mixed tropical fruits, even a hint of litchi. The undeniable minerality and floral notes add to the complexity of this stunningly full-bodied, opulent, but well-delineated wine. It should drink well for 5-8 years, possibly longer. Tel. (707) 433-0870; fax (707) 433-0871

Tasted alongside Ramey’s Hudson bottling, this one’s distinctly different, a softer, creamier, fleshier wine, but no less compelling. From the Napa side of the appellation, the wine is fat and oily in peach custard, butter-and-Cognac-sauteed pineapple and vanilla bean flavors, and while the charred oak is notable, it’s fully in keeping with the wine’s power.——S.H.(5/1/2007)—— 93