Melville Terraces Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2012

One of our favorite new Pinot Noir producers from Santa Barbara.  Limited single-vineyard release.95 Points Robert Parker:  "Even better, the 2012 Pinot Noir Terraces comes from the top portion of the vineyard, saw 80% whole clusters and 18 months in neutral oak prior to bottling. Rose petal, cherry blossom, licorice, steak tartare and hints of earth all soar from the glass, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, fabulous texture and sweet tannin. It too will have a decade of longevity...Hold onto your hats, as these latest releases from Chad Melville and winemaker Greg Brewer are off-the-charts good! While both of the Chardonnays are beautiful, and play in the clean, crisp and medium-bodied spectrum, it’s the 2012 Pinot Noirs and Syrahs that are incredible across the board. The Pinot Noirs all see varying degrees of whole cluster and are aged completely in neutral French oak barrels. The Syrahs see slightly less whole cluster inclusion, but are also aged all in neutral French oak. In case you missed the prices/scores listed above, these are some of the greatest values in the world of wine today!."This is one of Melville's small lot offering from their 4.9 acre "Terraces" estate vineyard. Planted on loamy clay with calcareous shale soils, this vineyard is high-draining and exposed, yielding fruit with lots of character. Adding to its uniqueness this vineyard is planted to a combination of old California field selection clonal plantings and newer Dijon clones, for an intriguing mix of spicy aromatics and darker structural elements in the finished wine, which was aged in neutral French oak. Black cherry, anise, lavender, and earthy minerals lead in the nose, which are followed by darker fruit and mushroomy 'sois bois' flavors on the palate. It fills the mouth with fruit, given definition by acidity, fine tannins, and current of minerals. Exotic spices accent the finish, which lingers in persistence.

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