The Hilt The Old Guard Pinot Noir 2015
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
That wine is exotic, gamy and spicy out of the gates, with mint and menthol. Black pepper, anise, dried sweet tobacco and prosciutto. It has red cherries and incense. It is aromatically stunning. Red raspberry leads the attack on the palate followed by herbal notes and a steady building of stem tannin. The freshness, fruit concentration and vinous tannin form a magic trio that builds and builds. It is a hint of sweet cream and berries on finish. It is a special wine from some very special blocks. One can taste the diatomaceous earth in the wine. One to lay down and forget about for a few years.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The Old Guard cuvée always shows an earthier character, and the 2015 Pinot Noir Old Guard is no exception. Underbrush, herbs, forest floor and black tea notes are all supported by plenty of black cherry and currant fruit. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and structured, with lots of ripe tannin, it needs hidden in the back of the cellar for 7-8 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2015 Pinot Noir Old Guard has pronounced black cherries, black raspberries and anise on the nose, with a stems-inspired, herbal undercurrent, lending plenty of spice box and savory notions. Medium-bodied and led by a structure of chewy tannins and lively acidity, it has a great core of earthy/savory layers and finishes on a peppery note.
Other Vintages
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Jeb
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
Wines defined by place, style and time. In the southwest corner of Sta. Rita Hills AVA lies a rugged, windswept, coastal vineyard, called The Hilt Estate; estate grower producer of stunning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reflective of this dynamic corner of California.
Pushing the limits; in the farthest southwest reach of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is home to Radian & Bentrock Vineyards, these vineyards dictate The Hilt style.
The numerous microclimates and unique soils provide a multilayered backdrop to create 3 unique expressions: Estate, The Guards, and Single Vineyards.
In 2014, Matt Dees, Ruben Solorzano & team took on operation and farming of Radian and Bentrock Vineyards and shifted to precise sustainable & organic farming to transform and revitalize the soil.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.