Winemaker Notes
Seductive and inviting nose that is simultaneously alluring and elusive. Truffle honey, white raspberry, brioche and grilled peach. Sophisticated and mysterious. Perfumed white flower, but solid yellow and gold on the palate. Still tight and young at this stage, but already blooming in the glass. Fascinating dances between density and tension and then fruit and freshness
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard has even more minerality, with a vivid oyster shell-like marine quality as well as orchard fruits, musky melon and pear, medium body, gorgeous mid-palate depth, and a long, seamless finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This is pure Sta. Rita Hills magic and can be enjoyed any time over the coming 10-15 years if properly stored.
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Vinous
The 2020 Chardonnay Bentrock has a bit more breadth than the Radian tasted alongside it. Pear, baked apple, spice, white flowers and a touch of oak lend volume as well as textural resonance. There's real depth and creaminess, along with a good bit of energy.
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.