Tasting Notes

Shows the refinement of the long, consistent and stable vintage 2021 conditions. A wine of balance, elegance and beautiful proportions. The extra six months on lees in stainless tank adds textural layers and leads to a seamless and silky personality. Perfumed and flinty with apricot, baking spice, honeycomb, lemon custard, hay, Buddhas hand and sweet cream. Expansive with dense and suave fruit reminiscent of loquat and yellow flesh peach. The defining characteristic of the 2021 is that it retains a mouthwatering level of acidity. It remains absolutely framed and focused across the palate and finishes with long and familiar notes of lime zest, sea salt and fresh brioche. Fine and chalky finish. Nothing is out of place with this chardonnay. All the pieces fit together in harmony. The definition of our refrigerated sunshine.

About The Hilt Estate

The Hilt Estate vineyards are planted near 13 unobstructed miles from the ocean on the west. This unique, large and sprawling property offers a range of altitudes, aspects, soil types, and microclimates, giving winemaker Matt Dees a patchwork of vineyard parcels from which to select grapes and create wines with distinctive styles.

Diverse though it may be, The Hilt Estate possesses some aspects that remain consistent: the land has poor soils that force vines to dig deep; there are powerful, whipping winds and a cold maritime climate that allow grapes on the property to ripen slowly and retain acidity despite the warm daytime sun; and the vines on the property are low in vigor, allowing them to produce low yields of concentrated, complex grapes. It is with these three important components – poor soils, whipping winds, and a cool maritime climate along with low-vigor vines – that The Hilt Estate defines itself in the Sta. Rita Hills.