The tension of lightning energy and supple texture in this wine is at once confounding, sensual, and sumptuous. We can’t describe the tasting notes much better than the winemaker, so we will borrow them here—‘Sweet cream, apricot, butter biscuits, lemon verbena, mint, and mango.’ The rolling hills of Bentrock are situated over 500 feet above sea level, allowing for a long, cool season and plenty of time for the grapes to develop complexity. The soil is rife with fossilized ocean skeletons and silica, lending plenty of mineral backbone. If this isn’t enough to make you curious about the resulting wine, the folks at The Hilt were kind enough to offer us a bottle to take with us for the evening, and this was the one we couldn’t get enough of.

The Hilt
This estate is, hands down, one of the most beautiful properties, not just in California, but period. With vineyards planted near 13 unobstructed miles from the Pacific, the site can be downright intrepid. Vines dig deep into the high-elevation, rocky, windy parcels, leading to wines with loads of freshness and minerality. Under the same ownership as Napa’s Screaming Eagle, The Hilt is empowered to seek the highest possible level of quality, and it is guided by the passionate vision of winemaker Matt Dees. Matt is one of the only people you may ever meet with both a wicked sense of humor and a degree in soil science. He made his way to Santa Rita Hills after experience at Napa’s Staglin Family Vineyard and New Zealand’s Craggy Range.