Winemaker Notes
right sun-gold in color, with vibrant notes of salted apricot, tarragon and grilled Meyer lemon coming through on the nose. Fresh impressions of watermelon rind, fuji apple and jasmine frame a rich and plush mouthfeel on the mid-palate while a crisp streak of acid anchors the wines energetic and focused finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
There are two Chardonnays from Chad Melville. Looking first at the 2018 Chardonnay Estate Sta. Rita Hills, its medium gold color is followed by a spicy, salty bouquet of crushed citrus, iodine, honeyed minerality, and white flowers. With good richness, bright acidity, and a medium-bodied mouthfeel, it's going to keep nicely for 10-12 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
This winery’s Chardonnays have existed on their own unique plane since the days when Greg Brewer was the winemaker. There’s a yogurt-like dairy kick to the nose alongside orange peel, dried pear and sea salt. The palate is zesty with acidity and loaded with a range of citrus-peel and pith flavors plus a flash of guava, with a grippy texture pushing into the zippy finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Estate has a soft nose of white peaches and quince with touches of baker's yeast, beeswax and chamomile. The palate is medium-bodied, round and silky with lovely dichotomy of tangy uplift and perfumed fruits, finishing long and layered.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
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.