Winemaker Matt Dees takes the unique vineyard sites within The Hilt Estate and brings their personalities to life in the winery.
ESTATE WINES
The Estate wines are defined by the fruit and flavors of our little southwestern corner of the Sta. Rita Hills. The Estate wines blend flavors from both Bentrock and Radian vineyards. They speak of the nuances and complexities of our properties as a whole. The Estate Pinot Noir, Estate Chardonnay, Estate Syrah, and Estate Reisling represent the optimal blend of flavors from the entirety of The Hilt Estate and its many aspects, clones, soil types and elevations each year and represent the most complete wines in our portfolio.
The Estate pinot noir and chardonnay wines represent the optimal blend of flavors from the entirety of The Hilt Estate in a given year. The Pinot Noir is usually 5-10% whole cluster and spends approximately 11 months in a combination of neutral oak and new French oak. The resulting wines are a balanced and true expression of the southwestern corner of Sta. Rita Hills.
SPARKLING
For the winemaking team, making sparkling wine was initially a means to make a delicious wine from the very cold and wet 2011 vintage. The alcohol levels barely reached 12.5% that year, but it was a lightbulb moment. “We realized the potential for making laser beam sparkling wines, and decided to make them inhouse,” says Dees. After experimenting over many years to “get it right,” in 2017, The Hilt began bottling a non-vintage sparkling for commercial sale, and since 2020, has vintage-dated each release.
SINGLE VINEYARDS
While many producers had been sourcing fruit from Radian and Bentrock for single vineyard expressions, Dees waited until the 2018 vintage to do so. He wanted to be sure that he and his team understood what each vineyard and parcel tasted like. “It’s like recognizing and remembering someone’s face. I come from a philosophy that blended wines and the variety of components an estate can offer are usually best, and that single vineyard bottlings should only be made if that vineyard offers something completely unique,” says Dees.
The vineyard designated bottlings are singular, incredibly specific, focused expressions of each parcel of land. Soon, "lieu-dits" bottlings from specific, outstanding and distinct vineyard parcels withing each vineyard will be offered.
In the winery, Dees’ focus is entirely on the fruit. Still, the greater excitement for a winemaker who admittedly loves dirt is outdoors. “Walking the vineyards and spending time with the vines—that’s the best part of my day,” says Matt. “The winery work and the opportunity to guide wines are very satisfying, but the excitement is in the vineyards. The conditions are constantly changing. And when I talk about the vineyards, I’m talking about the place, which includes the winery team and vineyard team. The people are an incredibly important part of the place.”
THE GUARDS
The complex, energetic The Old Guard sees more whole cluster (up to 35%) fermentation, giving the wines structure and spice. The Old Guard is matured only in neutral oak, which contributes to its leaner, less sweet-fruited palate. The sultry, seductive Vanguard is slightly richer style. Grapes for The Vanguard are completely destemmed, and the final wine is matured 30% new French oak. The flirtatious Hilt finds its pleasurable, soft and fruit-driven style through 5-10% whole cluster fermentation and maturation in roughly 25% new French oak.
The Hilt’s chardonnay bottlings are also treated differently in the cellar, but both are marked by high, racy, taut acidity and a tension that wine-drinkers typically have to go to Burgundy to find. The Old Guard Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures to retain freshness and subtle fresh fruit aromas, while The Vanguard Chardonnay is fermented in primarily new French oak, giving it a rich, opulent mouthfeel and ample mid-palate fruit. Neither complete malolactic fermentation, leaving the wines with their natural, nervy acidity.
LIMITED BOTTLINGS
The Hilt also releases limited quantities of various more experimental styles of wine such as a pétillant naturel, a botrytis Chardonnay and an aromatic vermouth each year. These “winemaker’s choice” wines are offered exclusively in the tasting room.
