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Cristaldi Scores

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Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

Vintage

Wine

Color

Rating

2023

Aaaaa The Hilt

Estate Chardonnay

A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.

2023

The Hilt

Radian Vineyard Pinot Noir

Fragrant notes of sage, black pepper, nori, and rose petals rise from the glass, leading into a wine of superb density and remarkable fruit clarity. On the palate, it’s perfectly balanced, with the finest tannins—like moon dust laced with cocoa powder—framing a gorgeously textured red wine that sends you off daydreaming. Its ethereal presence and ephemeral textures captivate and draw you in, with bursts of grapefruit zest and blood orange acidity, all sprinkled with pink Himalayan sea salt. The finish goes on for days. I could go on about this wine—it’s perfect. It will resonate differently with each person who encounters it, but it is absolutely riveting, contemplative, and belongs in the pantheon of the world’s great wines.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Syrah

This is a north-facing site—and you simply won’t believe the aromas. This Syrah is truly special, with notes of tar and roses, high-toned candied violet pastilles, and a wild, sauvage edge. On the palate, it’s an anomaly in the best sense: intensely floral with layers of rose petals and stems, violets, and a core of blueberry and blood orange. The tannins are beautifully chalky, long, and multidimensional—mouthcoating yet refined. They resolve into an extraordinary purity of crunchy black raspberry fruit and spice. It’s stunningly complex and hauntingly expressive.

2023

The Hilt

Radian Vineyard Chardonnay

This is a lean, bright, focused, and vivid Chardonnay, its energy driven by an even-keeled growing season without major heat spikes. There’s a subtle tannic quality to the wine—a gentle grip from the toughness of the grape skins, constantly buffeted by ocean breezes. A gorgeous salinity runs through this lemon-lime-bright white, with lifted floral notes and expressive black sage aromatics, accented by subtle hints of elderflower.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Pinot Noir

This is one of the most approachable Estate Pinot Noirs from The Hilt I’ve ever tasted—but make no mistake, it’s layered with incredible structure, electric acid tension, and a saline minerality that will carry it gracefully in the cellar for decades. The purity of red and blackberry fruit is striking—so vivid and clean, with the viscosity of beautifully mineral-rich spring water. Exotic spice notes shine throughout, with gorgeous Indian and Chinese five-spice aromas, while a hint of tangerine oil brings freshness and silkiness. Mouthwatering and wildly expressive, this wine is as seductive as it is age-worthy.

2023

The Hilt

Bentrock Vineyard Chardonnay

Fermentation started with as many lees as possible. Matt Dees explains that they prefer to kick things off with native yeast—but if it doesn’t take, they’re not dogmatic and will inoculate. They don’t add any sulfur until June at the earliest. Around that time, they roll the barrels to mix the lees thoroughly, then rack the wine back to tank for roughly eight months before bottling. This approach allows them to limit sulfur additions later in the aging process. The wine opens with early-season orchard fruit—nectarines, apricots, white peach, pear, and yellow apple and white flowers. It has a medium-bodied, silky richness on the mid-palate and a persistent finish marked by spicy ginger, fresh sage, and a gorgeous pink Himalayan sea salt minerality. It lingers and lingers on the palate, like the perfect Maldon crystal.

2023

The Hilt

Bentrock Vineyard Pinot Noir

This is 75% Calera clone, though the 2024 blend will be 100%. Here, the Calera shines through with dark black cherry and rose petal—super pure, ripe, and crunchy, like a perfectly ripe farmers market cherry. Layers of brown baking spice add personality and warmth. The 2023 is one of the most approachable wines I’ve tasted from Matt Dees and his team in years—they’re truly nailing both the farming and the cellar protocols. It’s medium-bodied with impressive density and chunky tannins, and purity of fruit, bursting with complex notes of blood orange and grapefruit zest. There’s incredible fruit width and concentration, yet it remains light on its feet.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Chardonnay

A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.

2020

The Hilt

Estate Sparkling

Matt Dees says they get great fruit richness with low sugars, so there’s no need to add dosage—this is a zero-dosage wine. It’s incredibly bright, with oyster shell minerality. They’re using low sulfur and fine-tuning both their barrel timing and how they handle press wines, increasingly putting them through malolactic fermentation to add density, richness, and flesh. The mousse is beautifully balanced—not too assertive—with a lovely baking spice richness and an unbelievable saline-acid tension. It’s long and savory, with layers of white flowers, almonds, lime blossoms, and cherry pit. 60% Pinot Noir from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), 25% Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), and 15% Chardonnay from Bentrock Vineyard (cl. 76 and 95). Fermented in used French oak and aged for 7 months, followed by tirage for 38 months.

2023

JONATA

El Desafio de JONATA

This is a gorgeous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Ballard Canyon but distinctly Jonata in its elegance, structure, and complexity, layered with savory tobacco leaf, sage powder, a touch of white pepper, and cassis—alongside the fresh, wild currant character of New England. On the palate, the wine is extraordinary, with firm, sinewy, chocolatey tannins that are muscular and broad-shouldered. These resolve into dark berry-driven tones, with more cassis and currant fruit layered over a deep, saline mineral tension. Expressive notes of dried rose petals unfurl through a finish that is long, long, long.

2023

JONATA

Fenix

This is an incredibly dramatic wine, with pristine ripeness and beautifully delineated fruit—perfect plums, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. On the palate, these flavors unfold with gorgeous, plump, and supple tannins that carry a cocoa powder freshness and a streak of blood orange acidity. Crushed black sage adds lift and complexity. There’s a refreshing, focused quality throughout, like a beam of acid tension that frames and defines the entire wine.

2023

JONATA

La Sangre de JONATA

This is the first release of this wine made entirely from own-rooted Syrah grown in pure beach sand. The complexity here is almost beyond comprehension—but you don’t need to understand it. You just need to drink it. The nose is bright and effusive, with black cherry and blackberry fruit, violet, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Bold, glorious tannins build across the full-bodied palate, delivering incredible density. It’s long, layered, and deeply expressive.

2023

JONATA

El Alma de JONATA

This wine is intensely expressive, with notes of new leather, white pepper, black cherry, and espresso bean. On the palate, crushed cocoa nib tannins frame a full-bodied richness, while espresso bean oil lingers through the long, layered finish. Nuances of black sage and black sea salt add complexity and depth to a finish that goes on and on.

2023

JONATA

Flor

This is the bright Flower of Ballard Canyon, with expressive notes of honeycomb, white flowers, crushed almonds, sea salt, and sea grass, all framed by bracing, chalky minerality and scintillating acid tension. The mid-palate shows exceptional weight and density, and the finish is everlasting with lingering citrus oil and zest.

2023

JONATA

Todos

This is a super expressive, hedonistic wine—full of joyful, buoyant black and red berry fruit. Lovely violet and candied pastille nuances float alongside ultra-fine, powdery tannins and a wet slate minerality. The finish is everlasting, floral, and utterly captivating.

2023

JONATA

Tierra

This is 100% Sangiovese—just five barrels, all aged in older oak. It carries a brightness and purity of fruit that firmly situates it in Santa Ynez, where high, golden sunlight and Pacific-scented breezes infuse the wine with clarity and lift. There’s no rusticity here—just vibrant raspberry preserves and sage, anchored by firm, taut, mineral-rich tannins. Subtle hints of tobacco thread through the wine’s coiled energy and textural tension. It’s crunchy and precise now, but that structure will soften and deepen with time. These wines evolve into something profoundly savory—layered with loamy earth, liquid leather, and an undeniable sense of soul. Drink it now for its youthful exuberance, or hold it to experience the full savory fireworks still to come.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Aaaaa The Hilt

Estate Chardonnay

A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.

2023

The Hilt

Radian Vineyard Pinot Noir

Fragrant notes of sage, black pepper, nori, and rose petals rise from the glass, leading into a wine of superb density and remarkable fruit clarity. On the palate, it’s perfectly balanced, with the finest tannins—like moon dust laced with cocoa powder—framing a gorgeously textured red wine that sends you off daydreaming. Its ethereal presence and ephemeral textures captivate and draw you in, with bursts of grapefruit zest and blood orange acidity, all sprinkled with pink Himalayan sea salt. The finish goes on for days. I could go on about this wine—it’s perfect. It will resonate differently with each person who encounters it, but it is absolutely riveting, contemplative, and belongs in the pantheon of the world’s great wines.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Syrah

This is a north-facing site—and you simply won’t believe the aromas. This Syrah is truly special, with notes of tar and roses, high-toned candied violet pastilles, and a wild, sauvage edge. On the palate, it’s an anomaly in the best sense: intensely floral with layers of rose petals and stems, violets, and a core of blueberry and blood orange. The tannins are beautifully chalky, long, and multidimensional—mouthcoating yet refined. They resolve into an extraordinary purity of crunchy black raspberry fruit and spice. It’s stunningly complex and hauntingly expressive.

2023

The Hilt

Radian Vineyard Chardonnay

This is a lean, bright, focused, and vivid Chardonnay, its energy driven by an even-keeled growing season without major heat spikes. There’s a subtle tannic quality to the wine—a gentle grip from the toughness of the grape skins, constantly buffeted by ocean breezes. A gorgeous salinity runs through this lemon-lime-bright white, with lifted floral notes and expressive black sage aromatics, accented by subtle hints of elderflower.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Pinot Noir

This is one of the most approachable Estate Pinot Noirs from The Hilt I’ve ever tasted—but make no mistake, it’s layered with incredible structure, electric acid tension, and a saline minerality that will carry it gracefully in the cellar for decades. The purity of red and blackberry fruit is striking—so vivid and clean, with the viscosity of beautifully mineral-rich spring water. Exotic spice notes shine throughout, with gorgeous Indian and Chinese five-spice aromas, while a hint of tangerine oil brings freshness and silkiness. Mouthwatering and wildly expressive, this wine is as seductive as it is age-worthy.

2023

The Hilt

Bentrock Vineyard Chardonnay

Fermentation started with as many lees as possible. Matt Dees explains that they prefer to kick things off with native yeast—but if it doesn’t take, they’re not dogmatic and will inoculate. They don’t add any sulfur until June at the earliest. Around that time, they roll the barrels to mix the lees thoroughly, then rack the wine back to tank for roughly eight months before bottling. This approach allows them to limit sulfur additions later in the aging process. The wine opens with early-season orchard fruit—nectarines, apricots, white peach, pear, and yellow apple and white flowers. It has a medium-bodied, silky richness on the mid-palate and a persistent finish marked by spicy ginger, fresh sage, and a gorgeous pink Himalayan sea salt minerality. It lingers and lingers on the palate, like the perfect Maldon crystal.

2023

The Hilt

Bentrock Vineyard Pinot Noir

This is 75% Calera clone, though the 2024 blend will be 100%. Here, the Calera shines through with dark black cherry and rose petal—super pure, ripe, and crunchy, like a perfectly ripe farmers market cherry. Layers of brown baking spice add personality and warmth. The 2023 is one of the most approachable wines I’ve tasted from Matt Dees and his team in years—they’re truly nailing both the farming and the cellar protocols. It’s medium-bodied with impressive density and chunky tannins, and purity of fruit, bursting with complex notes of blood orange and grapefruit zest. There’s incredible fruit width and concentration, yet it remains light on its feet.

2023

The Hilt

Estate Chardonnay

A blend of Radian and Bentrock fruit. We select the most extreme expressions from both vineyards—those with the most intensity and edge—which ultimately make their way into the Estate bottling. The result is a wine of harmony and precision, with a mix of white flowers, citrus, and orchard fruit. There’s a real purity to the fruit character, with finely delineated notes of apple, pear, nectarine, and white peach. An incredible thread of saline-acid tension runs through it all, accenting a perfectly spicy element that lifts the richness of the fruit. The wine shows marvelous mid-palate density yet finishes with an ephemeral lightness of being—melting away with grace.

2020

The Hilt

Estate Sparkling

Matt Dees says they get great fruit richness with low sugars, so there’s no need to add dosage—this is a zero-dosage wine. It’s incredibly bright, with oyster shell minerality. They’re using low sulfur and fine-tuning both their barrel timing and how they handle press wines, increasingly putting them through malolactic fermentation to add density, richness, and flesh. The mousse is beautifully balanced—not too assertive—with a lovely baking spice richness and an unbelievable saline-acid tension. It’s long and savory, with layers of white flowers, almonds, lime blossoms, and cherry pit. 60% Pinot Noir from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), 25% Chardonnay from Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (cl. Mt Eden), and 15% Chardonnay from Bentrock Vineyard (cl. 76 and 95). Fermented in used French oak and aged for 7 months, followed by tirage for 38 months.

2023

JONATA

El Desafio de JONATA

This is a gorgeous expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Ballard Canyon but distinctly Jonata in its elegance, structure, and complexity, layered with savory tobacco leaf, sage powder, a touch of white pepper, and cassis—alongside the fresh, wild currant character of New England. On the palate, the wine is extraordinary, with firm, sinewy, chocolatey tannins that are muscular and broad-shouldered. These resolve into dark berry-driven tones, with more cassis and currant fruit layered over a deep, saline mineral tension. Expressive notes of dried rose petals unfurl through a finish that is long, long, long.

2023

JONATA

Fenix

This is an incredibly dramatic wine, with pristine ripeness and beautifully delineated fruit—perfect plums, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. On the palate, these flavors unfold with gorgeous, plump, and supple tannins that carry a cocoa powder freshness and a streak of blood orange acidity. Crushed black sage adds lift and complexity. There’s a refreshing, focused quality throughout, like a beam of acid tension that frames and defines the entire wine.

2023

JONATA

La Sangre de JONATA

This is the first release of this wine made entirely from own-rooted Syrah grown in pure beach sand. The complexity here is almost beyond comprehension—but you don’t need to understand it. You just need to drink it. The nose is bright and effusive, with black cherry and blackberry fruit, violet, honeysuckle, and jasmine. Bold, glorious tannins build across the full-bodied palate, delivering incredible density. It’s long, layered, and deeply expressive.

2023

JONATA

El Alma de JONATA

This wine is intensely expressive, with notes of new leather, white pepper, black cherry, and espresso bean. On the palate, crushed cocoa nib tannins frame a full-bodied richness, while espresso bean oil lingers through the long, layered finish. Nuances of black sage and black sea salt add complexity and depth to a finish that goes on and on.

2023

JONATA

Flor

This is the bright Flower of Ballard Canyon, with expressive notes of honeycomb, white flowers, crushed almonds, sea salt, and sea grass, all framed by bracing, chalky minerality and scintillating acid tension. The mid-palate shows exceptional weight and density, and the finish is everlasting with lingering citrus oil and zest.

2023

JONATA

Todos

This is a super expressive, hedonistic wine—full of joyful, buoyant black and red berry fruit. Lovely violet and candied pastille nuances float alongside ultra-fine, powdery tannins and a wet slate minerality. The finish is everlasting, floral, and utterly captivating.

2023

JONATA

Tierra

This is 100% Sangiovese—just five barrels, all aged in older oak. It carries a brightness and purity of fruit that firmly situates it in Santa Ynez, where high, golden sunlight and Pacific-scented breezes infuse the wine with clarity and lift. There’s no rusticity here—just vibrant raspberry preserves and sage, anchored by firm, taut, mineral-rich tannins. Subtle hints of tobacco thread through the wine’s coiled energy and textural tension. It’s crunchy and precise now, but that structure will soften and deepen with time. These wines evolve into something profoundly savory—layered with loamy earth, liquid leather, and an undeniable sense of soul. Drink it now for its youthful exuberance, or hold it to experience the full savory fireworks still to come.

Vintage

Wine

Type

Rating

$

2023

2023 Aaaaa The Hilt Estate Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Radian Vineyard Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Estate Syrah

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Radian Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Bentrock Vineyard Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Bentrock Vineyard Pinot Noir

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 The Hilt Estate Chardonnay

Still Wine

$$

2020

2020 The Hilt Estate Sparkling

Sparkling Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA El Desafio de JONATA

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Fenix

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA La Sangre de JONATA

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA El Alma de JONATA

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Flor

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Todos

Still Wine

$$

2023

2023 JONATA Tierra

Still Wine

$$

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