Hyde de Villaine Belle CousineV

Wine Notes

The winery was formed in 2000 and was the result of an inspired venture between the de Villaine family from Burgundy and the Hyde family of Carneros, California. This partnership has brought together a unique, exciting combination of very varied skills and experience, transcending continents.

The hallmark of all of the Hyde de Villaine’s wines is their inimitable minerality and a very obvious freshness – thanks both to natural terroir and fastidious vineyard management. They combine a degree of the finesse, elegance and refinement, which most of us would associate with European wines, with a balance of richness and vitality afforded by the relatively cool, windy climate of the Carneros region.

This vintage of the Hyde de Villaine Belle Cousine is a Merlot dominated Bordeaux blend, approachable in youth and richly textured. Black and red currants emerge in the nose as hints of sweet, dry basil and black pepper cavort their way upwards. Herbal hues of cassis bud and thyme frame the flavors of dark chocolate, rich cherry, and sweet earth. In the background, complex strokes of fresh violet and graphite unfold as it develops in the glass. Supply structured tannins pirouette with the acidity, leading towards an extended and robust finish. There is a power and a concentration to the wine inviting the drinker to take another sip.