Winemaker Notes
Mango, green melon, honeysuckle, chamomile and wet gravel. Ripe and enticing.Showing off all of its fruit today. Precise and full of energy. Sunlight shining out ofthe glass. Shows tremendous fruit density and makes it obvious that 2022 was anexceptional chardonnay vintage. Agave and lime zest. So much happening in theforeground and background with this wine. Floral, dense, elegant, fruit-driven andultimately lifted by piercing acidity. The longest finish I can remember with hintsof lightly toasted oak, a touch of malolactic roundness and then fruit that seems tobe never-ending. A captivating and delicious expression of our estate vineyards anda phenomenal illustration of how well the different sites can work together in ablend. The Radian electricity is a perfect partner for the mouthwatering stone fruitdensity of Bentrock. One plus one definitely equals more than two in this case.This rendition has a long life ahead!
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A mineral- and citrus-infused wine that's silky, medium-bodied and fresh. So smooth and subtle at first, then it opens to lime curd, green apples, flowers and chalk. Light- to medium-bodied, linear and electric.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Chardonnay Estate is an open-knit, creamy expression of the vintage energized by delicate accents of crushed stone and citrus blossoms. The palate is svelte, polished and amply concentrated before transitioning into a mouthwatering, even-keeled finish that offers more lift and clarity than the broad, weighty palate suggests. Bentrock provides the core of the blend in this vintage, supplemented by smaller portions of Radian and Sanford & Benedict.
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.