PO Box 191 Buellton, CA 93427 p.805.564.8581 f.805.456.0292 Visit our sister winery
The Hilt champions pinot noir and chardonnay from the climate margins of California's coastal winegrowing regions—Santa Barbara County's Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley AVA's prominent among them.The philosophy of "growing in the margins" propels winegrowers to employ practices that enable grapes to show full transparency of site—key to The Hilt's philosophy. Within this framework, The Hilt ferments two different camps of wine—Old Guard and Vanguard . The former relies on older vine selection and cellar methods that offer a nod to the Old World, with acid and structure at the fore. The latter expression is a testimony to the full textural elements so common in New World sites.
As hinted at in the name, The Hilt goes "all the way" in its quest for expression and quality; nothing is held back in terms of effort.
There are three things critical to the understanding of transparent varieties such as chardonnay and pinot noir: an understanding of terroir (dirt/climate foremost among them), an attuned sense of stylistic intention and deft touch in the cellar.
Armed with a degree in Soil Science from the University of Vermont, The Hilt's winemaker, Matt Dees' approach is grounded in the vineyard first and foremost. His attention to the subtle differences found between chardonnay and pinot noir due to vine age and site informs the sides of The Hilt's philosophy. And last but not least, Matt's fine hand with the wines in the cellar allows the precise expression of both Old Guard characteristics and Vanguard elements to emerge.
When Matt's not exploring this duality in chardonnay and pinot noir, he can be found making the wines for its sister winery—Jonata.
The Old Guard wines are often anchored by vines that are at least twenty years old, when root structure matures, yields drop as the vine begins to self regulate, and flavors and textural elements take on new complexity—and minerality is often more notable in older vines.
The aromas and flavors of the Old Guard tend to be more savory, and quietly forceful. A rooted sensibility overtakes brash exuberance.
CASES: 310
ALC: 14.2%
CLONES: 667, 777 and 4
BARRELS: 25% new French oak, medium toast, 75% neutral
AVA: Santa Barbara County
On display here are the multi-faceted, complex voices of the old vines, with black plum, black cherry, white smoke, white pepper, cured meat and wild fennel. Dried leaves, pine forest underbrush and roots. Towering nose. Tapenade and raspberry jam. Elegant, regal.
Similar in density to its Vanguard counterpart, but more pronounced red fruit and a velvet-like texture that moves the wine suavely across the palate. Soulful and deep like a saxophone solo. Seamless and refined red fruit and herbs. Intense and nuanced with a soft finish padded by fine-grained tannin.
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The Vanguard focuses on what's new in the world, if you will, which is often anchored by young vines that produce wines with fleshy, fruit-driven qualities—often referred to as baby fat—a style that owns a distinct place in the chardonnay and pinot noir field. Aromas and flavors in the Vanguard are more energetic, more forward—the bristling enthusiasm of youth.
CASES: 167
ALC: 14.1%
CLONES: 667, 777
BARRELS: 35% new French oak, 65% neutral
AVA: Santa Barbara County
Exotic and dramatic nose of dried tobacco, pine needles, forest floor, mushrooms, dark cherries and faint cigar smoke that gives way to the bright red core of fruit that dominates many of the 2008 pinot blends from Santa Barbara County. Seductive layers of lifted cherry, plum and raspberry swirl out of the glass. Dried cherry flavors lead the attack on the palate, expanding to reveal the immense density of this blend. Herbal notes and pepper spice chime in and expand through a finish marked by suave, velvet red fruit and subtle stem tannins that accumulate slowly and keep the fruit lively.
CASES: 762
ALC: 14.5%
CLONES: 667, 777
BARRELS: 35% new French oak, medium toast, 65% neutral
AVA: Santa Barbara County
To the eye a formidable dark shade of purple. Then on the nose: burly, brooding and slow to show its cards. Hints at a long life ahead. Bold black fruit begins to show with time, followed by wild bramble notes and a savory, complex mix of smoke, dried leaves and black licorice. An absolutely massive wine on the attack and mid palate flooded with layers of black fruit—a nod to the extreme density and focus of the 2009 vintage. Balanced by a backbone of gentle acidity that tames the dense and coiled black fruit. Gentle but persistent tannins give a dusty nuance to the blackberry and anise driven finish.
The Old Guard wines are often anchored by vines that are at least twenty years old, when root structure matures, yields drop as the vine begins to self regulate, and flavors and textural elements take on new complexity—and minerality is often more notable in older vines.
The aromas and flavors of the Old Guard tend to be more savory, and quietly forceful. A rooted sensibility overtakes brash exuberance.
CASES: 259
ALC: 14.2%
CLONES: Mt Eden, 95, 96 and 4
BARRELS: 30% new French oak, light toast, 70% neutral
AVA: Santa Barbara County
Complex mineral-driven nose with yeasty notes reminiscent of fresh baked bread; then wet stones, sweet cream and citrus zest. With time in the glass, a faint note of the ocean brings a mouthwatering, briny hint to the aromatic lift. These earthy forces dominate the wine on the palate entry, giving way to green apple, citrus peel and a touch of almond. The mid palate shows immense depth with richness and a buttery texture, balanced by focused acidity. The finish is sprinkled with a fine, chalky grip that binds the earth, citrus and Muscadet-like oyster shell notes together in fine harmony.
CASES: 238
ALC: 14.1%
CLONES: Mt Eden, 95, 96 and 4
BARRELS: 30% new French oak, light toast, 70% neutral
AVA: Santa Barbara County
The aromas open with a baking apple pie alongside chalk-like minerality and sweet mandarin. The 2009 Old Guard is built around an electric core of acidity that moves seamlessly across the palate, with citrus zest that comes across on the attack slowly and then—like the fine balance between tin and tone in a trumpet solo—evolves into an eye-opening combination of bracing acidity and surprisingly decadent fruit richness. Spiraling layers of citrus acid, apple cooked with butter and cinnamon, pie crust and lemon zest bolstered by a light note of buttery richness that pushes the finish to a great length. More fruit driven than its 2008 predecessor, but at its base still a wine of mineral and acid to its core.
