Tilth Wines
California, United States
Jason and Hilary Driscoll met in Washington State and discovered their love of wine through Jason’s work as a chef and their determination to find the perfect wine pairings. What was supposed to be a brief once-in-a-lifetime harvest opportunity in between kitchens, turned into a passion and full-time job as Jason worked his way up through the cellars at Hunnicut Wines before becoming the Assistant Winemaker for David and Katharine DeSante of DeSante Wines. “DeSante University” immersed him both in the vineyards and the cellar. He learned everything from pruning to pump-building. Jason was exposed to lesser known vineyards, both old and new, that produced spectacular fruit. Inspired by the quality wines these vineyards produced, Hilary and Jason conceived Tilth Wines.
Tilth, which refers to soil health, encapsulates the Driscoll’s approach to exploring California’s treasury of soils. Working with individual growers that he has developed relationships with, Jason focuses on authenticity and makes wines that are unique every vintage.
Wines
Zinfandel
California
Tilth California Zinfandel highlights the grace and vibrancy of its 50 to 100 year old vines in sandy soils. Del Barba Vineyard in Contra Costa County and Cherryhouse vineyard in Lodi demonstrate the quality potential of these often overlooked regions.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California
Tilth’s first foray into Napa Valley Cabernet is exactly on point. Showing all of the dark fruit and floral characteristics one would expect and knit together with velvety tannin structure, this wine is emblematic of the approachable Tilth style while remaining true the vineyard source.
Sauvignon Blanc
Napa Valley
In 2015, Jason was offered the opportunity to take over the Burkett Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc in Saint Helena. As his first wine under Tilth, it routinely expresses the fragrant and delicate nature of its source and the warmth and generosity of its maker.
Napa Chardonnay
Napa, California
A surprisingly fresh style of Chardonnay from the southeastern corner of Napa, this wine balances its foggy influence with the characteristic warmth of California.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast
Working with an array of vineyards from the foggy climes of the Sonoma Coast, Tilth’s Pinot Noir marries purity, elegance, and silky texture for a pitch perfect example of the variety.
People
Jason Driscoll
While pursuing a career as a Chef and cooking in kitchens throughout Seattle and Napa Valley, Jason found a home as a cellar hand in the caves of Hunnicutt Wines in Saint Helena, California. What was supposed to be a brief once-in-a-lifetime harvest opportunity in between kitchens, turned into a passion/full-time job.
Jason worked as a cellar hand for two years at Hunnicutt Wines before becoming the Assistant Winemaker for David and Katharine DeSante of DeSante Wines. “DeSante University” immersed him both in the vineyards and in the cellar. He learned everything from pruning in the vineyards to building pumps in the cellar. This experience also exposed Jason to lesser known vineyards, both old and new, that produced spectacular fruit. From these vineyards, the wines produced excited both Hilary and Jason. From this, Tilth Wines was born.
Hilary Driscoll
After living a nomadic existence for the three years following college, Hilary was ready to set roots in a town similar to the one she grew up in Idaho. As a new mother in 2011, the time was more important than ever to take the leap of faith and fully commit to making Saint Helena the home of the Driscoll family.
When Tilth Wines started, Jason was stretched thin with a full-time job working for another winery. Hilary threw herself into the business to keep it alive. Making wine was the easy part; things like accounting, compliance and sales, are the hardest part. She immersed herself in books about accounting and the wine business in general to help out in any way she could. Now, as a mother of two (J and Ellie), Hilary runs the books for Tilth and also hits the road whenever she can to spread the word about the wines they so passionately make.
