The Hilt by Jonata Estate Chardonnay 2023
(Santa Rita Hills, California) - [JS 94] [VM 93] [WA 93]

About the Winery:
From 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.

Winemaker 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. 

About this Wine:
The Hilt Estate Chardonnay is made up of fruit from the three maritime influenced vineyards in the southwest corner of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation: Radian and Bentrock. The vines range in age between 8 and 44 years old and grow on diatomatious earth and loamy sandy. They are pressed and fermented a combination of roughly 40% new French Oak barrels, nearly half used French oak, and the remaining in stainless steel. The wine undergoes 30% malolactic fermentation with no stirring. 

Tasting Notes:
Truly brimming with fruit: crunchy nectarine to dried mango. Peach nectar with lovely toasty notes. Expansive and wonderfully generous for a young Hilt Estate Chardonnay. Classic notes of Bentrock with apricot, brioche, and subtle chamomile alongside the fresh and electric Radian notes of lime zest and sea salt. The best of both worlds. Elegant touch of reduction keeps the wine graceful and poised. Impressive in its breadth, length, and ample fruit. Mineral-laden and silky. Starfruit and vanilla bean; sweet cream and biscuits. Highlights the pure refrigerated sunshine that shone upon our vineyards in 2023. - Matt Dees, Winemaker 

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - James Suckling:
"Sweet vanilla and woodsy spices on the nose before a generous, open-knit palate with a seam of acidity cutting through complex phenolics. Flavors of papaya, lemon curd, apple fritters and white flowers. Very textural on the palate and in the finish. Drink or hold." (Aug 2025)

93 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Chardonnay Estate is a blend of Bentrock, Radian and Sanford & Benedict, three of the very finest sites in the region. The 2023 impresses with its perfectly integrated acidity right out of the gate. Taut, mineral-drenched citrus fruit and chalk run through a focused, driven, linear Chardonnay with great salty character and a supremely crisp. This is an excellent introduction to the range and the house style." – Billy Norris (Aug 2025)

93 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2023 Chardonnay Estate is a crystal-clear representation of the new Chardonnay approach at The Hilt, bursting from the glass with a quintessential bouquet of dried kelp, iodine, citrus rinds and green orchard fruits, supported by a pleasant, woody backdrop. Seamless and lively on the palate, it concludes with a lifted, subtly complex finish that lingers with pleasant phenolic grip and weightless density. It's primarily composed of fruit from Radian, followed by Bentrock and Sanford & Benedict." - Matthew Luczy (Nov 2025)

91 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Orchard fruits, minty herbs, crushed stone, and hints of salty sea breeze define the 2023 Chardonnay Hilt Estate, and it's medium-bodied, juicy, fresh, and focused, with nicely integrated acidity and a clean, classy finish. This is a beautiful base Chardonnay for readers looking to see what these wines are all about. Drink bottles over the coming 5-7 years. Drink 2025-2032." (Sep 2025)