The Hilt Old Guard Chardonnay 2015

95 POINTS

Matt Kettmann - Wine Enthusiast

Soft and mellow on the nose, with aromas of lemon cream, Meyer lemon pith, sea shells and a stroke of wood, this is a bottle to lay down and drink over the decades to come. The fresh, citrusy and layered palate focuses on bright acidity and textural tightness, making a perfect pairing for shellfish and white fish. Drink now through 2035.

94 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard is bright, saline and beautifully focused throughout. Lemon peel, white flowers, salt and chalk imbue the 2015 with notable freshness to play off the sheer intensity and depth of the fruit. This is another compelling wine from The Hilt. Points: 93-95

93 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard offers up notes of lemon meringue, honeysuckle and peach blossoms with suggestions of baking bread, marzipan and hay. Medium-bodied with a lovely crisp backbone, the palate yields plenty of citrus and savory layers with a long, chalky finish.

93 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Tasted out of barrel, the 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard is still aging in a combination of stainless steel and neutral barrels, and it will be bottled early in 2017 and released in the spring. Vibrant, fresh, gorgeously pure and focused, with classic notes of lemon peel, white flowers, pineapple and a touch of orchard fruits, it will need a year or two to come together once released.

93 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2015 Chardonnay Old Guard is marked by a very distinctive, Riesling-like note of minerality. There is terrific energy to balance the more overt qualities of the year. Readers should expect an exotic, phenolic Chardonnay endowed with considerable intensity. Fruit sources are Solomon Hills, Bien Nacido, Sanford & Benedict and Bentrock.