The Paring is the second label of The Hilt and Jonata, produced by winemaker Matt Dees from fruit grown on the same estate vineyards at Salsipuedes in the Sta. Rita Hills and in the Ballard Canyon. Lots that do not meet the quality threshold for The Hilt’s Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, or those from younger vines not yet aligned with the concentrated, site-specific character the estate demands, are directed into The Paring, making it not simply a surplus wine but a genuine and transparent expression of the same terroir at an earlier stage of vine development.

The Paring Chardonnay is fermented and raised using the same native yeast approach that governs The Hilt’s white wine programme, with a shorter elevage and a higher proportion of stainless steel and neutral oak barrels compared to its sibling. This gives the wine a fresher, more immediate character than the flagship Hilt Chardonnay, without compromising on the diatomaceous mineral character of the Bentrock and Radian vineyards that form its backbone. The 2022 vintage brought concentration from naturally low yields following a warm growing season.

The Paring has earned a devoted following among restaurant programmes and value-seeking collectors who want the DNA of The Hilt in a more immediately accessible format. The wines are widely distributed and priced at approximately a third of The Hilt’s entry-level white, making them among the most credible second labels in California. James Suckling has regularly reviewed The Paring wines and has recognised both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as quality benchmarks within their price bracket.