2017 The Hilt Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Leading off the Pinot Noirs, the 2017 Pinot Noir Estate reveals a deeper ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a ripe, sexy bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, scorched earth, violets, and background oak. Rounded, medium to full-bodied, textured, and just loaded with dark fruit on the palate, it's beautifully balanced and will drink fabulously well for at least 7-8 years. The big news with these The Hilt releases is the addition of two new single vineyard Pinot Noirs, Radian and Bentrock. As usual, winemaker Matt Dees has turned out a brilliant lineup of wines in both 2017 and 2018.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Estate Pinot Noir is super-impressive, especially as the estate's entry-level Pinot. A rush of sweet red and purplish berry fruit, lavender, blood orange, exotic spice and licorice all race out of the glass in an expansive, beautifully resonant Pinot that dazzles from start to finish. Quite simply, the 2017 offers unreal quality at this level and price. Vineyard sources are 45% Radian, 30% Bentrock and 25% Sanford & Benedict. Don't miss it!
The 2017 Estate Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, aged for 12 months in 15% new French oak and with 5% stem inclusion, is pale to medium ruby-purple with tricolored fruits: blackberries, red berries and sliced blueberries with loamy earth, dust, peppered meat and dried florals. It's medium-bodied with a restrained fruit core and earthy accents, grainy tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long. 3,285 cases produced.
Dark and powerful in the glass, the 2017 Pinot Noir is endowed with serious depth and plenty of muscle to back it up. Dark blue and purplish berry fruit, along with scents of lavender, gravel, spice and menthol, all run through this incredibly expressive Pinot Noir. Saline notes literally drench the fruit. There is a sense of weight and gravitas in the 2017 that I find absolutely compelling. This is an appellation level Pinot? No way. I can only hope the bottled wine is just as memorable as this barrel sample.
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.