Winemaker Notes
Characteristic Bentrock notes of dense, dark fruit and cooling, fresh green herbs. Black cherry and blood orange with lifted mint and flowering black sage. Very mouthwatering and bright vintage. Distinguished, refined, and tightly coiled. Seamless red fruit and layers of fine and chalky tannin. Showing off its youth and inner tension. Hints of white pepper and cured meat. Tasting notes from a seven day open bottle, so this wine looks to have a promising evolution in the cellar. Classic Bentrock from an exceptional vintage. Silky and bright fruit with great crunch.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Even better, the 2019 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard boasts a thrilling, richer, medium to full-bodied style that shows winemaker Matt Dees’ vibrant, chiseled style while still bringing ample fruit. White peach, caramelized orchard fruits, toasted almonds and spice emerge on the nose, and it has a Chablis on steroids-like style that will evolve gracefully for a decade.
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Vinous
The 2019 Chardonnay Bentrock opens with super-expressive aromatics. Chalk, white pepper, mint, lemon peel and slate race out of the glass. The 2019 exudes tremendous aromatic complexity and vertical energy. There is a touch of reduction, but not enough to be a distraction. The Bentrock is a Chardonnay of tremendous distinction and personality.
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.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.