The Hilt Estate has a gorgeous tasting room and great wines, probably the best of all that we visited. However the service we received was unlike any of the other wineries we stopped at in the area. When we arrived at 3:30pm we were greeted at the door by a young woman who immediately told us that they would be closing at 5pm so we may not have much time for a tasting. An hour and a half isn't enough time for a tasting? After sitting in the large open tasting room, we engaged in conversation with her about the wines and the winery. When asked how she got into the business and started working at Hilt, she said she just wanted something that she didn't hate, and had applied for the job a couple months ago. When we asked about the white wine they had, she mentioned its tannins. Tannins in white wine? Given that we were only interested in trying the whites and the majority on the tasting menu were reds, we decided to try a glass of the white on offer instead of doing the tasting. The pour was about 2 ounces. It's too bad that the service was so impersonal and uneducated because the winery and the wines seemed so impressive. We would have loved to learn more but decided to cut our losses and leave. read more

The Hilt Estate - Tasting room - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Lompoc, California

We had a fantastic experience at The Hilt Estate, very reminiscent of Napa-style tastings. Beautiful interior, glassware, privacy. The furniture and artwork were both stunning as well, definitely recommend sitting by the fireplace. Our host was lovely, knowledgeable, and super accommodating of the timing before our next reservation. She explained the wines perfectly and definitely got us thinking about the different tasting notes. We left with a few bottles of the 2005 Sangiovese, it was an off-menu recommendation from our host and this wine had an amazing aroma, didn't even need to take a sip to know how special it was (but obviously did)! All said, an amazing experience, beautiful wines, knowledgeable staff - definitely recommend! read more

See all

Visited this beautiful winery. Personable staff, beautiful views, and wine that you could enjoy with anything! read more

See all

What a beautiful and cozy winery inside and outside. I saw them on Google search and wanted to check it out. I have been to many wineries nearby over the last twenty years. Too bad it had the worst customer service. We didn't even try the wine. We left. This place works by appointment only so I made one a week ago to check them out. They only serve wine. No crackers or nuts or any type of food to go with it. Not sure why? Would love to know. And when we asked if we can bring our nuts and dried fruits from the car they said no. No exceptions. Not my kind of place. I don't care how good the wine is, sad part is we never got to know. read more

The Hilt Estate - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Lompoc, California

See all

Napa like tasting experience in santa barbara county. Some may not like this (as SB wine scene known for being laid back-walk ins, lower price point, less formality). These are certainly elements of SB that I love and make SB a fantastic and underrated wine destination. With that being said, I appreciate the mixing it up that Hilt provides to be more formal, exclusive. The property is absolutely beautiful. It is the closest vineyard with tasting room to the coast. This leads to a much different growing climate than a 20 min drive inland to santa ynez valley and grapes reflect this. Pinots and chards are name of the game. Quality of these varietals rivals Russian river and Willamette. Tasting experience was special. My wife and I were one of two parties tasting in the tasting room. Menus printed with our last name on it. Very attentive and knowledgeable host. Prices higher than other SB wineries but quality matches that. Highly recommend. Need reservations. Is about 45 to 50 min drive from SB city. read more

Patrick was great, the interior of the private tasting room was impeccable, and the wine phenomenal.

Absolutely stunning. Beautiful. The most lovely tasting room I've ever been to in fact. We were pleasantly greeted and directed to our own tasting room with a patio. We were offered 6 tastings. Chardonnay and Pinot noir paired together each time. A good amount of information presented each time. The tastings were on the smaller side than a typical tasting else where. I learned that they don't "over book" themselves so we were the only people in the entire place at the time and found out there were only 8 parties the whole day- which is normal I guess. I was a little surprised that we couldn't buy or enjoy a glass of wine in addition to the tasting and also that there was no outside food allowed....and they didn't have food. It was quite a bummer honestly because i would have loved to enjoy the space a lot longer if I was able to have a glass of wine. I mean...we had an entire private room and a patio with a fire place?? A bit confusing on the hospitality side of things. The hilt is very expensive. The tasting is Napa prices and I don't have a problem with that. It's quite an experience to just be there. Honestly, the wine club is not affordable at all. Definitely high end. Although I wouldn't come back because there's not much more to enjoy than buying high priced wine at the end, i would recommend for a beautiful experience. read more

See all

I would pivot and go elsewhere. We had a private library tasting and they poured tired Chardonnay and Syrah. The host was not real knowledgeable about wine. Just like Kronke's Screaming Eagle estate this wine is overrated. read more

10/10 in views, service and wines. Beautiful ambiance, good conversation and education about the wines. I do not understand the low reviews whatsoever. They are professional and truly hospitable. Will recommend to others. Considering joining their club. read more

The Hilt is gorgeous. After turning onto the private road you're greeted with stunning views of the surrounding countryside and a modern tasting room that exudes elegance and sophistication. The staff is knowledgeable and passionate about the wines they produce, and they take great care to make each guest feel welcome and informed. In addition to the stunning views, the other standout feature of The Hilt Winery is the quality of its wines. The winery uses traditional, low-intervention techniques to produce wines that are reflective of the unique terroir of the Santa Rita Hills region. The Chardonnays are notable for their crisp acidity and bright, fruity flavors, while the Pinot Noirs are complex and layered, with rich fruit flavors and a silky texture. Overall, The Hilt Winery is a must-visit destination for wine lovers visiting Santa Ynez. Its exceptional wines, beautiful location, and warm hospitality make it an unforgettable experience for anyone seeking a taste of the area's finest wines. read more

See all

Psst...I know of an amazing new tasting room. I will let you fellow yelpers in on my secret. This new tasting room just opened last month. They are so new that there is no signage, luckily they have mailboxes with their address on the road. The only way to visit is if you make a reservation. When we arrived the main paved driveway was closed so we had to use the dirt road next to it. This did not deter us! We parked and wandered around to the tasting room. It was the the only open door. The inside of this tasting room was amazing. The barnyard chic decor was beautiful. So many private tasting areas, this would be an amazing place to bring a large group or have an event. We were greeted by a friendly server and she had set us up with a great view of the winery. She was very knowledgeable and informed us that although the estate tasting room is new they have been making wines for about 15 years. They own the Radian vineyard so that is what brought us here. The tasting fee was $50 per person but there was no time restraints and she was open to us revisiting wines we were interested in. Such a lovely experience with great wines. Just try to keep this place to yourself ok, I want to visit again and don't want it too busy that I can't get a reservation. read more

See all

We had a wonderful time with Megan! She was so knowledgeable and even asked us what type of water we prefer, sparkling of course! My friends were visiting from Napa and were instantly blown away by the building and the wines. This place is a must; make sure you ask for Megan! read more

Beautiful wines, presented in a spectacular setting. Came to sample library wines and wanted to bring all of it home. read more

The Hilt Estate - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Lompoc, California

Clearly a lot of money went into this tasting room. It's beautifully designed both architecturally and in its interior design. Friendly staff. Not an amazing view, but an amazing space. My issue with this is it seems sometimes wineries get it backwards; fancy tasting room = high-priced, amazing wine. Having a fancy tasting room with pretentious rules (no discounts, expensive wines, subscription not a club, "we've never discounted our wine in 20 years", "we never waive tastings with bottle purchase", everyone in your party must order the exact same tasting, won't sell wine by the glass, high tasting fee/small pour, etc.) doesn't mean the wine is worth the price & stuffiness. It feels like all of this is very well placed marketing to make you think / feel this wine is so untouchable and worth the high prices. It seems there's an attempt to have people think they're in Napa when in fact they're just in Lompoc. From Santa Barbara, wine tasting is something we are passionate about with memberships from Oregon all the way down the coast including some in France. And upscale wineries to more casual, low to no frills ones. This place gives off the vibes of putting the cart before the horse. The wine just isn't quite there for me and doesn't justify any of the cost or pretentious rules (no perks for membership other than access). Also being a member at Brave and Maiden, which has a similar 'membership' structure which I stated, I don't love. But the wine is excellent. Along with the beautiful sweeping vineyard / valley views, it's worth the membership to be able to enjoy whenever we call. The tasting room staff always gives us the (unstuffy) experience and excellent service we desire in the beautifully designed space. I also think of another winery in Paso Robles, McPrice Meyers with the most amazing full bodied flavorful and rich wines ever in the most modest of settings. Casual setting with just fantastic wine. I think it's easy to be fooled in a way when a winery presents themselves as upscale to thinking you're getting an upscale product, but the $30 Sancerre I had at dinner the night before was far superior then the wine I had here unfortunately. Probably won't return. It was good, just not worth what they were trying to sell it at. You're paying for the vibe, which wasn't mine and there are so many other fantastic options in our wonderful Santa Barbara wine country! read more

The Hilt Estate - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Lompoc, California

See all

Been to many tastings in Santa Ynez valley / Santa Maria... by far the most curated, enjoyable experience for the price point. Will be back.

We went for a tasting. Once we arrived there was no tasting. You had to order individual glasses, in which no one would describe/ or talk about. At our next tasting we learned they were having serious staffing issues that was being caused by the management team not interviewing candidates in an appropriate amount of time. Plus it was a BEAUTIFUL location. However, whoever purchased the art for the space must have decided to only buy his daughters paintings. They were so disgraceful and odd for the space that I witnessed a professional oil painter (who I overheard used to teach at colleges) begin to cry because she was forced to sit in front of it. THEY have beautiful vineyard views, why not seat somewhere there? It was very odd. read more

The first thing you'll notice about The Hilt is that it's pricey. Pricier than most places in the SB wine scene. So what do you get for that price? Well, I can say they certainly have one of the nicest tasting rooms in all of Sb County. And, it's a more personalized experience with groups of rustic-chic stuffed leather chairs and low tables (rather than the long tasting bar where people plant themselves and never leave). Table service of course with very, very knowledgeable staff ( we had the amazing Lainey, a born and raised SYV local). Wine wise you can't possibly be disappointed with the quality. Pretty hedonistic in style from the estate Pinot Noir through the staggeringly rich Bordeaux blends, these wines are decidedly new world in style. Definitely suited to our wine preference stylistically but be sure it's your style before you commit, just Sayin :-) overall, we really liked the tasting and highly recommend it. Many very nice examples of what can be done with local fruit if you have the resources:-) read more

See all

Some of the best wines in CA! highly recommend the Radian Pinot noir and the pet nat. The art and decor is next level. read more

The Hilt Estate - The art is fantastic here - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Lompoc, California

my girlfriend and i had an amazing time. everyone i spoke to or met at the vineyard sweet, kind and attentive. i was there to propose to my gf and she said yes!!! lainey was amazing and helped me get through all my nerves and took some amazing pics and video of the whole proposal. read more

Quality wines. Really expresses some of the best of the Central Coast. Need to check their sister wines as well, especially The Hilt for Pinot Noir! read more

"Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living." -- Robert Mondavi "A mind of the caliber of mine cannot derive its nutrient from cows." -- George Bernard Shaw Next stop on the SB Wine Tour was Jonata Wines in Buellton. There is another review listed for them but apparently it is a wine review and not an actual visit review. Not surprised as the winery is not open except by appointment and maybe then probably just for trade/wine club members. Eric had arranged this visit with Matt Dees the winemaker and he was as energetic and passionate as all the other winemakers we have met but with a slightly different perspective given the ownership of Jonata (the group that bought Screaming Eagle...now $1499.99 per bottle at Costco) and the marketing (all Spanish, all estate except for two sister labels called The Pairing and The Hilt). And it was actually the two sister labels I liked the best...The Pairing was a white and red specifically made for approachable, easy drinking that gives you a hint of the house style but at a fraction of the Estate prices. Both were substantial but not cloying and very food friendly. I would definitely order these if I found them by the glass or by the bottle at a wine shop. The Pinot and Chardonnay from The Hilt were also lovely and balanced. Definitely food friendly but also age-able. It really showed a California meets Burgundy blend. I would definitely order these when they are available. We then tasted the gamut of the estate wines and I definitely preferred the older vintages. These wines are much too massive and tannic to be drank young. They need to be aged. Pricing is prohibitive at $50.00 to $125.00 ($60.00 for Sauvignon Blanc which I rather enjoyed tasting) but you can sometimes find the wines at KL or Lot 18 for cheaper. Matt then took us through the rather cramped barrel rooms and we tasted a 2011 Pinot from barrel, recently picked, that was absolutely phenomenal and drinkable now! I can't wait to see how this ages in the barrel and bottle. Another two hour visit with a winemaker that was just incredibly enlightening and informative. read more

If you're tasting Hilt wines you may as well hit the sibling in Jonata too. Actually Jonata maybe the more famous of the two but I guess sometimes I do things backwards. The maker Matt Dees expresses his wines in his way but Jonata obviously has different land than Hilt and t's ultimately different wine. Tasted: Jonata "Flor" White Wine, 2012 Jonata "El Alma" Red Wine, 2009 Jonata "La Sangre" Syrah, 2009 Personally these wines were a bit on the younger side for me and as a lover of Burgundy the sister Hilt wines were more my taste. But as something that is an expression of the land and it's winemaker in no traditional style, Jonata makes solid wine read more

Bought four bottles of "Todos" from JJ Buckley out of Oakland. Shared a bottle with a group of people including several wine makers. I also opened a 15 yr old Rioja and an 8 yr old Brunello. There were other wines shared including Ridge. The Todos was everyone's favorite. Would love to try some other offerings from this winery but due to price probably on very special occasions! read more

Jonata Wines and The Hilt are based in the Santa Ynez AVA of Santa Barbara, California, is the sister wine to Screaming Eagle producing #Bordeaux style blends and others on 600 acres of land founded in 1999 and producing its first wines in 2004. They produce some wonderful wines and worth purchasing a bottle or two. You can read the full review article with tasting notes on the Wine Dine and Play website. read more