Lively white flower aromas of honeysuckle and gardenia meet with lemon verbena and guava on the fresh nose of this bottling. The palate is quite floral and tropical, offering coconut and guava cream flavors. — Matt Kettmann

The 2018 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee is bright, airy and wonderfully perfumed. Ethereal and gracious, the 2018 lifts out of the glass with striking aromatic presence to match its chiseled, mid-weight personality...

This is a lesson in white Rhône blends, utilizing the Roussanne and Grenache Blanc base with accents from Picpoul, Clairette, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Aromas of baked orange and almond dust make for a warm nose before...

The 2022 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict comes from the original own-rooted vines planted in 1971, and the wine was matured for 10 months in used French oak. The nose features tones of yellow peach, honey and spice, and as...

The 2024 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is very fine. Creamy yet vibrant, with lovely textural depth, the S&B Chardonnay has a lot to offer. Orchard fruit, white flowers, slate, chalk, mint and sage gain intensity...

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc Ascona Vineyard is a potent, tightly wound wine. Lemon peel, chalk, mint, slate, dried herbs and sage are all finely cut in this chiseled, nervy Sauvignon Blanc. Brisk saline top notes frame the...

The 2024 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is a terrific wine off this Santa Cruz Mountains site planted at 600 feet in elevation. Lemon peel, chalk, slate, mint and dried herbs race across the palate. The 2024 is nervy and...

Mouthwatering, intense and generous, with a core of citrus flavors including Sumo orange, lime zest and salted, preserved lemon, plus fresh ginger. Pretty, aromatic notes of orange blossoms and sweetgrass linger on the...

Rounded aromas of tangerine, cantaloupe and wet rocks are very engaging on the nose of this bottling. The palate is much more lively with citrus, melon and green apple Jolly Rancher flavors, yet it remains very dry and...

Toasted almond, citrus pith and light dairy aromas show on the nose of this appellation cuvée. The palate picks up an earthier line, as chaparral rock and herb flavors meet with brighter lemon and dried pear elements. —...

( 96+ points) My favorite of these recent releases from The Hilt is the 2023 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard, which perfectly encapsulates the maritime nature of the western Sta. Rita Hills. Dominated by crystalline aromas...

The 2022 Chardonnay Estate is an open-knit, creamy expression of the vintage energized by delicate accents of crushed stone and citrus blossoms. The palate is svelte, polished and amply concentrated before transitioning...

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...

The 2022 Chardonnay White Hill spent eight months in neutral wood and two months in stainless steel before bottling. A snappy, flinty nose of crushed stones and citrus curd introduces a silky, bright palate that straddles...

The 2020 Loner Chardonnay The Thirty-Five Sweet Goodbyes comes from the John Sebastiano vineyard and was matured for 26 months in used French oak and stainless steel. It opens with chalk and saline before revealing scents...

The nose on this bottling starts in very delicate ways and then grows more warm with lemon cake, honeysuckle and macadamia nut aromas. The palate is similar, starting softly then growing more tense and brisk with lemon...

Earthy aromas of riverbed and crushed stone open up into lemon blossom and citrus peel on the nose of this estate bottling. There's a lime pith grip to the palate, where ample citrus edges cut into the dried apple...

A generous white, with notes of mango, pineapple and ripe, salted melon. Offers accents of butterscotch, candied ginger and orange blossoms, along with accents of crunchy sea salt and apricot pastry, plus a fresh thread...