Winemaker Notes
A pinot that exists more in the dark spectrum with blackberry, black cherry and cinnamon notes. Baking spices and black licorice. Very young at this stage. On the palate it is rich, dense and delicately resinous. With more time and air, the palate expands
further and reveals subtle notes of toasty oak. Considering how tightly wound it remains, it is remarkably powerful both in structure and texture. A wine to decant now or leave to evolve in the cellar. Muscular and densely packed with fruit. A wine with incredible youthful exuberance and a very bright future.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Pinot Noir Vanguard comes mostly from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, yet has 15% of the blend coming from Bien Nacido. Aged in 45% new French oak, it’s a rich, muscular effort that has lots of underbrush and herbs to go with toast, spice, black raspberry and currant-styled fruit. This concentrated, yet layered and seamless beauty will drink well for over a decade. One of the top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers in Santa Barbara County, The Hilt is managed by the team at Jonata, with up-and-coming superstar winemaker Matt Dees making the wines. They two Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in each vintage, a younger vine cuvee, the Vanguard, and an old vine cuvee, the Old Guard. Both are superb and if you have any interest in Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, you need to check out these wines!
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.