2015 The Hilt Chardonnay Old Guard
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Tasting notes
Soft and mellow on the nose, with aromas of lemon cream, Meyer lemon pith, sea shells and a stroke of wood, this is a bottle to lay down and drink over the decades to come. The fresh, citrusy and layered palate focuses on bright acidity and textural tightness, making a perfect pairing for shellfish and white fish. Drink now through 2035.
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Wine Enthusiast
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard is marked by a very distinctive, Riesling-like note of minerality. There is terrific energy to balance the more overt qualities of the year. Readers should expect an exotic, phenolic Chardonnay endowed with considerable intensity. Fruit sources are Solomon Hills, Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict and Bentrock.
The 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard offers up notes of lemon meringue, honeysuckle and peach blossoms with suggestions of baking bread, marzipan and hay. Medium-bodied with a lovely crisp backbone, the palate yields plenty of citrus and savory layers with a long, chalky finish.
Similarly colored to the Vanguard (maybe a touch lighter), the 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard is the old vine cuvée of the estate. It has slightly more acidity, yet terrific density and depth, with notes of white grapefruit, citrus blossom, crushed rocks and white flowers. It needs forgotten for 5-6 years. Farmed to “The Hilt,” these killer Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are made by superstar winemaker Matt Dees. All these latest releases are going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age.
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.