Winemaker Notes
Shows the refinement of the long, consistent and stable vintage 2021 conditions. A wine of balance, elegance and beautiful proportions . The extra six months on lees in stainless tank adds textural layers and leads to a seamless and silky personality. Perfumed and flinty with apricot, baking spice, honeycomb, lemon custard, hay, Buddhas hand and sweet cream. Expansive with dense and suave fruit reminiscent of loquat and yellow flesh peach. The defining characteristic of the 2021 is that it retains a mouthwatering level of acidity. It remains absolutely framed and focused across the palate and finishes with long and familiar notes of lime zest, sea salt and fresh brioche. Fine and chalky finish. Nothing is out of place with this chardonnay. All the pieces fit together in harmony. The definition of our refrigerated sunshine.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Starting with the Chardonnays, the appellation 2021 Chardonnay Estate has a bright, racy, Chablis-like vibe as well as pretty notes of honeyed lemons, chalky minerality, and white flowers. With medium to light-bodied richness, it has good intensity, bright acidity, and a clean finish. It would be a great introduction to the style of the estate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chardonnay Estate splits the difference between pure, chiseled focus and elegant polish. The palate is rich and creamy yet braced with balancing acidity that carries through the tangy, linear finish.
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.