The Hilt - Chardonnay Estate 2022 (750ml)
Price: $49.99
| Producer | The Hilt |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 202272 |
| Size | 750ml |
 |
The Hilt Description
The Hilt Estate is made up of three distinct vineyards: Bentrock, Radian, and Puerta del Mar. The two distinct ridges, Bentrock and Radian, define the property and are the primary sources for all our wines. These ridges include an extensive range of altitudes, mesoclimates, hours of sunshine, and soil types. Our wines are produced separately in order to capture the different characters of our ridgeline vineyards.
Each vineyard parcel on The Hilt Estate is unique, all share three highly desirable characteristics. First, our grapevines do not have the easy life of plants grown in fertile soil; poor soils force the vines to send their roots deep in search of nutrients, resulting in better fruit. Second, our plentiful sunlight and maritime climate, with its strong winds and cool days and nights, means that grapes ripen slowly while retaining their acidity. Finally, our vines are carefully selected for low vigor, to produce grapes with concentrated, complex flavors. The estate is planted with a diverse selection of clonal materials, from which Matt Dees chooses the pinot noir and chardonnay grapes to create The Hilt’s wines.Mango, green melon, honeysuckle, chamomile and wet gravel. Ripe and enticing. Showing off all of its fruit today. Precise and full of energy. Sunlight shining out of the glass. Shows tremendous fruit density and makes it obvious that 2022 was an exceptional chardonnay vintage. Agave and lime zest. So much happening in the foreground and background with this wine. Floral, dense, elegant, fruit-driven and ultimately lifted by piercing acidity. The longest finish I can remember with hints of lightly toasted oak, a touch of malolactic roundness and then fruit that seems to be never-ending. A captivating and delicious expression of our estate vineyards and a phenomenal illustration of how well the different sites can work together in a blend. The Radian electricity is a perfect partner for the mouthwatering stone fruit density of Bentrock. One plus one definitely equals more than two in this case. This rendition has a long life ahead!
- Matt Dees, Winemaker
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Alcohol: 13.0%
Vineyards: Bentrock Vineyard (cl. 76, 95), Radian Vineyard (cl. 95, 548, Musque)
Barrel Regime: 35% new French oak, 60% nuetral French oak, 5% stainless steel for 11 months
Vinous: 91 Points
The 2022 Chardonnay Estate is creamy, ample and expressive, with notable breadth and tons of sheer appeal. Lemon confit, marzipan, chamomile and tangerine peel are all beautifully delineated. This is such a classy wine. -- Antonio Galloni
| Quantity: |
