2013 The Hilt Chardonnay Old Guard
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Tasting notes
A wine of precision and translucent purity, the 2013 Chardonnay Old Guard is superb. Here, the greater reliance on Santa Maria fruit over Sta. Rita Hills, aging in neutral oak and mostly blocked-malo style come together to yield a vibrant, pulsating Chardonnay built on energy. Lemon peel, white flowers, green orchard fruit and chalk are all given an extra kick of brightness of acidity on the finish, where a slight element of Burgundian-inflected reduction adds further nuance. This is a stunning Chardonnay from The Hilt and Winemaker Matt Dees.
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Slightly more chiseled and energetic than the Vanguard (I actually prefer the aromatics on the Vanguard), the 2013 Chardonnay Old Guard offers lots of salty minerality in its citrus blossom, crushed rock and stone fruit-driven bouquet. Medium-bodied, tight, taut and focused on the palate, with bright acidity that stays nicely integrated, it's another classy and impeccably made Chardonnay from this team to drink over the coming decade. This comes from the oldest vines of the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and the Solomon Hills Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley and spent 11 months in all neutral oak barrels.
Lemon oil, white flowers and crushed rocks jump from the glass in the 2013 Chardonnay The Old Guard. This bright, focused Chardonnay is built on beams of acidity and minerality that give the wine its sense of energy. The 2013 Old Guard is shaping up to be a beauty. The 2013 is a typical Old Guard done entirely in neutral oak, with the introduction of 500 liter barrels. As always, the malolactic fermentation is mostly blocked. Most of the fruit emerges from Solomon Hills, while Sanford & Benedict makes up 25% of the blend.
About the producer
The Hilt is the Santa Rita Hills project owned by sports and property mogul billionaire Stan Kroenke, who also owns Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley and the Jonata estate in the California’s Ballard Canyon AVA.