Winemaker Notes
The selection of clones 114 and 667 (planted north to south) in tandem with the deep loam soil all combine to create small berries and ripe stems, ideal for creating a sophisticated balance we love. Cranberry, ripe pomegranate, and ripe red fruits along with some savory iron, green peppercorn, rosemary and dried orange peel give way to the assertive yet elegant texture. Great pinots make you stop and think; take a moment with this one.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Pinot Noir Anna's Block is more perfumed than the 2021, yet it doesn't quite have that vintage's precision either. Gamey red cherries, framboise, sappy spring flowers, and foresty, minty notes all shine here, and it brings plenty of classic Sta. Rita Hills iodine and salty sea breeze-like character. I love it on the palate, and it's supple, has a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a great finish. This complex, nuanced, incredibly satisfying Pinot Noir can be drunk any time over the coming 7-8 years, if not longer.
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James Suckling
Beautiful, inviting ripe fruit and a firm texture make a good combination in this flavorful but balanced wine. Medium- to full-bodied with red and black cherry, raspberry and savory notes and a lingering finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Pinot Noir Anna's Block hails from loamy soils in the western portion of the Melville West estate site and was fermented with 60% whole clusters. Aromas of dark exotic spices, bergamot and black cherries transition to a suave, silky palate that displays beautiful precision and elegance. The finish is tight and inward, clearly displaying the drying influence of stems, which will take time to soften in the cellar. As with much of the Melville lineup, this is beautiful and intentionally crafted but will require patience.
Rating: 93+
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.