The 2014 Pinot Noir Vanguard is deep and implosive, naturally within the Hilt's generally restrained style. Plum, sweet cherry, spice and menthol are all fused together in a pliant, textured Pinot loaded with textural nuance. Even with its forward fruit, the 2014 has quite a bit of underlying structure and tannin. This is one of the unqualified successes of the year in the Sta. Rita Hills. In 2014, the Vanguard is 100% Mt. Eden clone Pinot from Sanford & Benedict, done with fully destemmed fruit and aged in 45% new French oak.

More plush, with gorgeous black raspberry, toasted spice, dried flowers and a touch of licorice, the 2014 Pinot Noir Vanguard hits the palate with gorgeous fruit, a rounded, supple texture and present, yet ripe tannin. It's much more approachable than the Old Guard, but I suspect it will evolve just as nicely. - Jeb Dunnuck

A pale translucent ruby, this Pinot from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills opens with black raspberry, Bing cherry and red plum layered with licorice, spice and a touch of earthiness. On the palate the cherry fruit is lifted and carried through by a beam of acidity, though the concentration of the fruit keeps this supple and smooth. Fine grained tannin adds surprising structure in this medium body Pinot. Delicious now, this should improve in the near term and drink well to 2025.