2019 The Hilt Chardonnay Old Guard
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Chardonnay Old Guard is a super-classic Hilt Chardonnay built on tension and drive. Lemon confit, white flowers, crushed rocks and white pepper sizzle with tremendous energy. Deeply pitched aromatics and driving persistence add to its considerable charm. I loved it.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
More citrus, lemon curd, and salty minerality emerge from the 2019 Chardonnay Old Guard, and as usual, it’s a more chiseled, focused, racy Chardonnay compared to the Vanguard release. Concentrated and balanced, with a fabulous finish, it’s a serious Chardonnay that will benefit from a year in bottle and keep for a decade if stored properly.
About the producer
The Hilt is the Santa Rita Hills project owned by sports and property mogul billionaire Stan Kroenke, who also owns Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley and the Jonata estate in the California’s Ballard Canyon AVA.