Winemaker Notes
The elegant and abundant aromatics hit immediately with fresh cooked cranberry sauce, red English rose and dried orange zest. On the palate, the fruit and floral notes are reminiscent of the nose, with an additional layer of black tea, Meyer lemon and that iconic ocean spray found in many past vintages. This wine is tied together perfectly with fine sandy-grain tannins and luscious acidity.
Pair Terraces with blackened rock cod tacos or a BLT for an unexpected twist.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Pinot Noir Terraces has deep aromas of pomegranate liqueur, Italian plum, blood orange, iron, mushrooms and mossy bark. The medium-bodied palate derives power from a surprisingly concentrated core of spicy, dark fruit. It has abundant, powdery tannins, vibrant acidity and a long finish with a flourish of earth and bitters accents.
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark, intense and juicy aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, violet and black pep- per fire up the amazing nose of this bottling. The palate is vibrant with acidity and layered in a fascinating texture, combining flavors of bay leaf with boysenberry in seamless ways.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Ripe red cherries, currants, smoked herbs, iron, rose petal, and hints of game all emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir Terraces, a more medium to full-bodied effort from Melville that has a beautifully layered texture, building yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. Fermented with 60% whole clusters and aged in neutral oak, it’s going to evolve nicely for 10-15 years in cold cellars.
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James Suckling
A very contrasty pinot with sliced orange, strawberry, white pepper, and other spices. It’s medium-bodied and manages to show ripe fruit in the center palate but turns energetic and racy at the end.
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.