Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Tight and fresh, with vivid wild berry and raspberry character that's pure and spicy, with a stemmy edge, yet it works well, as the fruit density and tannins fold together in a pleasing way. Drink now through 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Melville's 2010 Pinot Noir Estate presents an intriguing fabric of sweet candied cherries, rose petals, mint and sweet herbs. This is an especially juicy, yet medium-bodied Pinot built on finesse and elegance. The 2010 is simply gorgeous.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich and ripe in berry jam and spice flavors, this Pinot is enjoyable now for its silky texture and bright acidity.
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.