The Hilt Wines - Santa Rita Hills AVA - Estate Chardonnay - Blanc - 2021

Wine:

A perfect expression of the vintage, the 2021 Santa Rita Hills Estate Chardonnay is a wine of balance and elegance, beautifully proportioned. Six months on lees in stainless steel tanks—following barrel aging—contribute to its smooth, silky texture, releasing notes of apricot, spice, pastry, and lemon cream. It’s a dense and rich wine, with vibrant freshness, concentrated on the palate and finishing with zesty, saline, and chalky notes that linger on a long, refined finish.

Vinification:

Hand harvested. Blend of selected grapes from the estate's Bentrock and Radian vineyards. Aged 11 months 60% in neutral French oak barrels, 35% in new French oak barrels and 5% in stainless steel tanks.

Temperature:

Serve between 10 and 12°C in a large glass.

Food and wine pairing:

Salmon terrine with herb jelly, snacked scallops with a light cream sauce, grilled langoustine, roasted free-range poultry.

Cellar aging:

From now until 2029, and even longer for enthusiasts.

The Hilt Wines is a Californian icon. Owned by Stan Kroenke, who also heads Screaming Eagle and Bonneau du Martray, this estate is unmatched in both its location and its reputation.

The Hilt Estate enjoys a truly exceptional setting, perched on California’s Central Coast in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills Valley. This breathtaking site, surrounded by hills, offers a complex terroir with a remarkable variety of soils, microclimates, and elevations. Benefiting from a cool oceanic climate, it allows the grapes to mature slowly while maintaining their natural acidity.

Winemaker Matt Dees is committed to showcasing this extraordinary geological and climatic diversity through a series of stunning cuvées, each one crafted in an elegant, Burgundian-inspired style.