Melville, Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2017

95 points Wine Enthusiast
"Crisp aromas of raspberry sorbet and cherry-mint glaze meet with a touch of green herbs and menthol on the nose of this bottling, which enlivens the senses. Fresh strawberry and blistered tomato flavors arise on the sip, backed by eucalyp- tus and pine-needle touches, making for a glass that’s guzzled quickly."

94 points Jeb Dunnuck
"Coming from vines around the estate, the 2017 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is based on a mix of clones and was 60% destemmed and brought up all in totally neutral oak. It’s a classic Melville Pinot Noir that jumps from the glass with its spiced red and black fruits, dried flower, marine-like salinity, bay leaf, and forest floor aromas and flavors. Balanced, medium-bodied, and elegant on the palate, with light tannins and nicely integrated acidity, it can be drunk today or cellared for a decade."

Vinous Reverie Notes
This is 100% Melville fruit from our Sta. Rita Hills estate, and is a collection of sixteen pinot noir clones. 40% of the fruit was fermented as whole-clusters with 60% gently de-stemmed in small (1.5 ton) open-top fermenters. Total skin and stem contact averaged 30 days (7 day cold soak, 2 + weeks of fermentation and 1 + week extended maceration). From the press, the wine was transferred directly into neutral barrel (15+ year old French oak), where it remained sur lie without sulfur until July, when it was gently racked for the first time and prepared for bottling in August.