The Hilt is based in the cool, wind-swept Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County and focuses on top notch Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. It's also worth mentioning that the property is owned by Stan Kroenke, who also owns Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley. While these two properties share the same owner and the same dedication to world-class wines, they are completely separate entities, with their own winemakers, vineyard managers and winemaking facilities.
Their Radian vineyard is rugged and extreme. The upper portions of the vineyard are exposed to near-constant high winds, resulting in structured tannins. But outcrops of diatomaceous earth and rocky soils offer heat retention, which allows for ripe fruit to bring balance to the finished wines.
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - "Within a remarkable set of wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard gets my nod as the most multidimensional wine in The Hilt's portfolio. While several wines in the lineup display oceanic, kelp and nori-like aromas, none render them with the exceptional purity and vivid nature displayed here. The palate continues this purity, combining outrageous density with a spry, silken texture, seamlessly slingshotting into a vibrant, staining and succulent finish that lingers endlessly, thanks to extraordinarily refined tannins and the site's ubiquitous soaring salinity. This is a reference point for the region and one that I am tremendously excited to follow in the cellar."
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 96+ POINTS - "The 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard is explosive, expressive and deeply serious. It builds all the way from the first sip until long after it leaves the palate. Sneaky, integrated acids keep the train moving, but this is an inward, mineral-drenched wine with a brooding, youthful edge. Inky red fruit, spice, crushed rocks and lavender flesh out in a complex expression that will need considerable time to fill in completely. That said, it will certainly be worth the wait."
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Similar ruby/purple-hued, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard displays a slightly darker fruit profile, with black cherries, red plums, and framboise intermixed with chalky minerality, pepper, and graphite. Picking up a floral edge with time in the glass, it's rich and medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a beautifully layered mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. It's another smoking good effort from this team that will shine over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035."
Their Radian vineyard is rugged and extreme. The upper portions of the vineyard are exposed to near-constant high winds, resulting in structured tannins. But outcrops of diatomaceous earth and rocky soils offer heat retention, which allows for ripe fruit to bring balance to the finished wines.
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - "Within a remarkable set of wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard gets my nod as the most multidimensional wine in The Hilt's portfolio. While several wines in the lineup display oceanic, kelp and nori-like aromas, none render them with the exceptional purity and vivid nature displayed here. The palate continues this purity, combining outrageous density with a spry, silken texture, seamlessly slingshotting into a vibrant, staining and succulent finish that lingers endlessly, thanks to extraordinarily refined tannins and the site's ubiquitous soaring salinity. This is a reference point for the region and one that I am tremendously excited to follow in the cellar."
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 96+ POINTS - "The 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard is explosive, expressive and deeply serious. It builds all the way from the first sip until long after it leaves the palate. Sneaky, integrated acids keep the train moving, but this is an inward, mineral-drenched wine with a brooding, youthful edge. Inky red fruit, spice, crushed rocks and lavender flesh out in a complex expression that will need considerable time to fill in completely. That said, it will certainly be worth the wait."
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Similar ruby/purple-hued, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard displays a slightly darker fruit profile, with black cherries, red plums, and framboise intermixed with chalky minerality, pepper, and graphite. Picking up a floral edge with time in the glass, it's rich and medium to full-bodied on the palate, has a beautifully layered mouthfeel, and ripe tannins. It's another smoking good effort from this team that will shine over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035."
