The Hilt sits where California wine country runs out of land. Its estate vineyards lie at the cold, wind-hammered western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills, close enough to the Pacific that the ocean writes every vintage. These are, in the winery’s own words, vibrant coastal wines defined by the sea.

The far, cold edge

The Hilt farms two of the most talked-about vineyards in the appellation, Radian and Bentrock, planted on ancient, sandy, fossil-rich soils at the extreme western end of the Sta. Rita Hills, where the fog and wind are at their fiercest and ripening is a yearly act of nerve. Under winemaker Matt Dees, the estate makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of real tension and energy, and it shares a pedigree with its sister estate Jonata, in warm Ballard Canyon, as part of the same prestigious family of Santa Barbara properties. The Hilt is one of the most ambitious cold-climate projects in California.

The wines

The Hilt is a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay house, and its wines are built on the cold edge they come from: structured, mineral, savory, and built to age. The Chardonnays are taut and saline, the Pinots perfumed and detailed, all carrying the salt-and-stone signature of that coastal ground. This is serious, collectible cool-climate wine.

What to drink it with

The mineral, high-acid Chardonnay is a dream with oysters, Dungeness crab, or a piece of grilled halibut, where its acidity does the work of a squeeze of lemon. The Pinot Noir loves seared duck, grilled salmon, or a mushroom dish, meeting the earth of the plate on the same savory note. These are gastronomic wines, made to sharpen food rather than overwhelm it.

Plan your visit

The Hilt Estate offers tastings at its house on Santa Rosa Road in the Sta. Rita Hills, surrounded by the dramatic coastal landscape that shapes the wines. Reservations are recommended.

Frequently asked questions