2016 The Hilt Old Guard Chardonnay

The 2016 Chardonnay Old Guard comes from the oldest vines of the estate and is brought up all in older oak. It offers an almost Alsatian Riesling-like minerality and green citrus streak, with more orchard fruits, white flowers, and classic salinity coming through with time in the glass. Deep, rich, and beautifully textured on the palate, it has vibrant acidity, plenty of density and mid-palate oomph, and a great finish. It too will keep for a decade or more, and I suspect it will be even better with a year or two in bottle.

the 2016 Chardonnay Old Guard is just as exceptional from bottle as it was from barrel. Tense and brilliant, with tons of pure class, the 2016 oozes with intensity in all of its dimensions. Crushed rocks, slate, lemon peel, mint and white pepper are all crisply delineated in a vivid, nuanced Chardonnay that hits all the right notes. In 2016, the Old Guard Chardonnay is a wine of translucent energy and vibrancy.

The 2016 Chardonnay Old Guard is totally seamless in the glass, with all of its elements in the right place. Bright floral notes, slate, mint, white orchard fruit and lemon confit are some of the signatures, but, here, too, it is the wine's poise and overall balance that stand out most. The 2016 has terrific staying power and persistence. Fruit sources are Solomon Hills, Bentrock, Bien Nacido, Radian and Sanford & Benedict.