The Hilt

After establishing Jonata in Santa Ynez Valley (acquired 2003) and acquiring Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley (2006), the Kroenke family identified the western Sta. Rita Hills as the next target for serious cool-climate investment. The AVA had emerged through the 2000s as one of California's most prestigious Pinot Noir and Chardonnay destinations, with Sea Smoke, Brewer-Clifton, Sanford, and others establishing the regional identity. The Hilt brand made its first wines in 2008 from purchased Sta. Rita Hills fruit, with winemaker Matt Dees (who had been at Jonata since 2004) directing the project. In 2014 the Kroenke group acquired Rancho Salsipuedes, a roughly 3,600-acre property at the western edge of the AVA near Lompoc that had been developed by Premier Pacific Vineyards starting around 2008, with approximately 190 acres planted at the Bentrock and Radian blocks plus a smaller Puerta del Mar site. The 2014 acquisition transformed The Hilt from a brand sourcing fruit into a true estate. The on-property winery was completed in 2019.

• First wines made in 2008 from purchased Sta. Rita Hills fruit, with Matt Dees leading winemaking
• Kroenke acquired Rancho Salsipuedes (approximately 3,600 acres) at the western Sta. Rita Hills edge in 2014 for roughly 25 million dollars
• Property had been planted around 2008 by CalPERS-affiliated Premier Pacific Vineyards: approximately 190 acres at Bentrock and Radian, plus the smaller Puerta del Mar block
• On-property winery at Rancho Salsipuedes completed in 2019

The Hilt validated the Sta. Rita Hills investment thesis at the highest tier of capital and ambition. The Kroenke family's combination of Screaming Eagle (Napa), Jonata (Santa Ynez Valley), and The Hilt (Sta. Rita Hills) represents a multi-AVA California portfolio that few investors have assembled at similar scale. Matt Dees's Burgundian-influenced approach at The Hilt, distinct from his broader Bordeaux and Rhône work at Jonata, demonstrates regional terroir distinctness across the Kroenke California holdings. The 2014 acquisition of Rancho Salsipuedes brought roughly 3,600 acres of the western Sta. Rita Hills under estate-level ownership, securing the Bentrock and Radian sites within a single portfolio; completion of the on-property winery in 2019 marked the transition from a fruit-sourcing brand into a fully integrated estate. The single-vineyard bottlings have consistently earned strong scores across Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, and Wine Enthusiast, with Bentrock and Radian Pinot Noir particularly noted for site distinctness.

• Validated Sta. Rita Hills at the highest tier of investment and ambition
• Kroenke multi-AVA California portfolio: Screaming Eagle (Napa), Jonata (SYV), The Hilt (SRH); rare multi-AVA scale among California investors
• Matt Dees recognized for operating at top tier in both Bordeaux and Rhône (Jonata) and Burgundian (The Hilt) traditions
• 2014 Rancho Salsipuedes acquisition and 2019 on-property winery completion transformed The Hilt into a fully integrated estate
• Single-vineyard Bentrock and Radian Pinot Noir bottlings noted for site distinctness; consistent high scores across major publications

Matt Dees's winemaking philosophy at The Hilt emphasizes Burgundian-influenced restraint, native yeast fermentation, modest new oak, and substantial whole-cluster Pinot Noir inclusion. Pinot Noir is fermented in small open-top tanks with native yeasts; whole-cluster percentages typically run 30 to 70 percent depending on site and vintage. Aging is in French oak (typically 20 to 35 percent new) for 14 to 18 months. Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed, fermented in French oak with native yeasts, undergoes malolactic fermentation, and is aged on lees for 12 to 14 months. The wines are typically bottled unfined and unfiltered. Alcohols typically run 13 to 13.5 percent, restrained for the region. Dees's approach at The Hilt is distinct from his work at Jonata: where Jonata emphasizes structural extraction and substantial barrel time across Bordeaux varieties, The Hilt emphasizes site clarity and Burgundian transparency.

• Burgundian-influenced restraint, distinct from Matt Dees's Bordeaux and Rhône work at Jonata
• Native yeast fermentation; whole-cluster Pinot 30 to 70 percent by site and vintage; 14 to 18 months barrel aging
• 20 to 35 percent new French oak for Pinot Noir; malolactic Chardonnay with 12 to 14 months on lees
• Alcohols 13 to 13.5 percent; typically unfined and unfiltered; site clarity emphasis

The Hilt is owned by Ann and Stan Kroenke, alongside sister projects Jonata and Screaming Eagle. Matt Dees is principal winemaker, having joined Jonata in 2004 on Andy Erickson's recommendation and led winemaking at The Hilt since the brand's first vintages in 2008. The estate operates from the Rancho Salsipuedes winery completed in 2019, on the same property that holds the Bentrock, Radian, and Puerta del Mar vineyards. Annual production runs roughly 3,000 to 5,000 cases across the single-vineyard bottlings, multi-vineyard Sta. Rita Hills cuvées, and limited estate releases. Sales are conducted primarily through mailing-list allocation, with limited restaurant and retail distribution.

• Ann and Stan Kroenke ownership, alongside Jonata and Screaming Eagle
• Matt Dees: at Jonata since 2004 (recommended by Andy Erickson); leads The Hilt since its 2008 launch
• Rancho Salsipuedes winery completed 2019; estate operations on-property since
• Annual production approximately 3,000 to 5,000 cases; mailing-list-focused allocation

The Hilt's estate vineyards all sit on the roughly 3,600-acre Rancho Salsipuedes property acquired by Kroenke in 2014, at the western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA near Lompoc. Bentrock and Radian, the two principal blocks, were planted around 2008 by Premier Pacific Vineyards (a CalPERS-affiliated developer) and together total approximately 190 acres; both have become recognized among the AVA's most distinctive sites. Puerta del Mar is a smaller cool block at the property's southwestern edge near the Pacific marine corridor, set for continued expansion under The Hilt's stewardship. The vineyards sit among the AVA's coolest, with strong marine influence shaping ripening curves. Farming follows sustainable practices. Some Bentrock and Radian fruit continues to flow to other Sta. Rita Hills producers including Domaine de la Côte and Sandhi, both projects associated with Sashi Moorman and Rajat Parr.

• All estate vineyards on the approximately 3,600-acre Rancho Salsipuedes property (acquired 2014) at the western Sta. Rita Hills edge
• Bentrock and Radian: planted around 2008 by Premier Pacific Vineyards (CalPERS-affiliated); together approximately 190 acres
• Puerta del Mar: smaller cool block at the southwestern edge near the Pacific marine corridor
• Bentrock and Radian fruit also sold to other Sta. Rita Hills producers including Domaine de la Côte and Sandhi