{"product_id":"the-hilt-jonata-bentrock-vineyard-pinot-noir-2023-santa-rita-hills-california-wa-96-jd-96-js-96-vm-94","title":"The Hilt by Jonata \"Bentrock Vineyard\" Pinot Noir 2023 (Santa Rita Hills, California) - [WA 96] [JD 96] [JS 96] [VM 94+]","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Winery:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eFrom the same proprietors as Jonata, The Hilt was founded in 2008 as a separate winery focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley. In 2014, the Rancho Salsipuedes estate was purchased and a new, permanent home for The Hilt was found. Outside of Salsipuedes, The Hilt also sources old-vine fruit from the marled soils of Sanford and Benedict and the loamy sandy soils of Solomon Hills in the Santa Maria Valley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinemaker Matt Dees is very much in charge of the entire process, from vine to bottle. He's passionate about the rugged terrains and an enthusiast of the art of blending. As of 2014, he abolished the use of herbicides and pesticides in Rancho Salsipuedes and established his own farming parameters for the vineyards. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003eAbout this Wine:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Bentrock Vineyard is located in the Sta. Rita Hills, and the Pinot Noir vines are roughly 14 years old, coming mainly from the hilltop and southeastern facing blocks. The wine ages 75% neutral French oak barrels and 25% new French oak barrels for 12 months.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A brooding and fruit forward version of Bentrock with blackberry and black cherry and creme de cassis. Leads with an attack of luxardo cherry with cedar, menthol and a hint of black plum skin. Explosive burst of pure mulberry followed by classic notes of blood orange. Expansive and surprisingly elegant. Long note of English Breakfast tea. A very powerful example from this site. Showcasing the warmth from early October with its powerful yet polished depth of dark fruit. Characteristic Bentrock finish with fine grained tannins that will gracefully reward time in the cellar. Perfect ratio of fruit to freshness to structural integrity. Nothing is out of place here\" - Matt Dees, Winemaker\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eRatings \u0026amp; Reviews\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 Points - Wine Advocate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Featuring a majority of destemmed Calera plant material, the 2023 Pinot Noir Bentrock Vineyard showcases how particularly well-suited this clone is to this portion of the Sta. Rita Hills. It emerges from the glass with a dark, brooding bouquet of dark fruit compote, nori and warming spice tones, accompanied by a savory backdrop that slowly gains traction with aeration. The palate is densely concentrated yet remains impressively vibrant and lifted, culminating in a flashy yet controlled finish that swells with refined tannins and quenching acidity threaded with additional savory notes. The seamless integration of structure, salinity and minerality here is enviable and should propel it well into its second decade.\" - Matthew Luczy (Nov 2025)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Slightly deep ruby\/purple-hued and nearly opaque, the 2023 Pinot Noir Bentrock Vineyard shows gorgeous purity, with black raspberries, hints of cassis, graphite, smoky oak, and subtle floral notes. Medium-bodied and layered on the palate, it’s flawlessly balanced, with ripe tannins and a great finish. Simply brilliant, it should drink well over the coming decade or more. Drink 2025-2035.\" (Sep 2025)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e96 Points - James Suckling:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Concentrated and silky with a fine-grained, persistent tannic structure nestled against purple fruit, Amarena cherries, bittersweet herbal liqueur and crushed rocks, finishing salty on the impressively long finish. Drink or hold.\" (Aug 2025)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e94+ Points - Vinous Media:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2023 Pinot Noir Bentrock Vineyard is powerful and intense, yet closed and inward today. Broad and mouth-coating, it's packed with savory notes of cedar, tobacco leaf, gravel, crushed rocks and chalk that frame the reticent dark cherry and cocoa-tinged fruit. The 2023 was done with fully destemmed fruit, which was the right choice, because it's a ball of minerality as is. The 30% new French oak integrates seamlessly into the wine's fabric. I'm optimistic for the future, but the 2023 needs to blow off some steam.\u003c\/span\u003e\" - Billy Norris (Aug 2025)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"CHAMBERS \u0026 CHAMBERS","offers":[{"title":"750 ml","offer_id":53425057202541,"sku":null,"price":99.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0481\/8940\/7391\/files\/bentpinot.png?v=1781017191","url":"https:\/\/artisan.wine\/products\/the-hilt-jonata-bentrock-vineyard-pinot-noir-2023-santa-rita-hills-california-wa-96-jd-96-js-96-vm-94","provider":"Artisan W\u0026S","version":"1.0","type":"link"}