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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.9 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 44 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 2/3/2024: Consistent with prior notes, drinking well. (348 views) | | | Tasted by Momus99 on 12/10/2023 & rated 93 points: On pop and pour this is singing from the first sniff and sip. This is a very special wine:balanced, graceful, and most of all, complex. Ridiculous value at $30. This tasting note from WE seems spot on to me: “ Extreme amounts of cracked black pepper spice up the crumbled lilac, dark-black-plum and snappy red-currant aromas on the dynamic nose of this cool-climate bottling. There's a wild zestiness to the palate, where the peppery spice plays well with black-raspberry, lavender and rosemary flavors."” (589 views) | | | Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 9/1/2023 & rated 92 points: Good bottle, this was singing on pop'n'pour. White pepper, violet, olive, with savory smoked meat aromas emerging later. Lively, fresh on attack, mulberry and blackberry, bright and very drinkable. Light tannins, easy finish with a hint of herby bitterness.
Drink or hold. (765 views) | | | Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 5/26/2023 & rated 89 points: Tight on opening, improved with air, though not decanted. Basil oil, roasted peppers, olive, very mild impression of violet, pungent. Fresh, high acidity, more red fruited, angular, lively. Low oak, mild tannins, finish is only OK.
I like this stylistically, though this bottle didn't really check all the boxes. Maybe there is a surprise given the acidity, but probably for drinking over the next several years. (879 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Gray on 4/30/2023 & rated 85 points: darker berry but highly acidic/tart in middle. The end is very flat and body very light. Just ok (934 views) | | | Tasted by quaffnov on 3/27/2023 & rated 90 points: Hour decant, the nose has hints of Northern Rhone syrah to it, with a leaning towards that interesting meaty/bacon fat bouquet that syrah can take on. The palate does not carry through heavily with the with the Rhone characteristics though it does have some olive elements going on and resorts to the more obvious fruit forward style with a strong vein of acidity present as well. Pairs with food quite nicely, overall a solid effort. (903 views) | | | Tasted by Spsmatthews on 2/16/2023 & rated 91 points: Very light and delicate. Peppery and herbs. Deep fruit. Lovely (962 views) | | | Tasted by snamnoum@gmail.com on 1/7/2023 & rated 90 points: Translucent medium ruby in color. This is a gamy / savory and wild wine. It smells of cured meat, bacon fat, smoke, salt brine, black olive tapenade, black pepper, stewed plums, cranberry cocktail, wet earth, tobacco, leather, and barnyard.
Tannins are very light for a Syrah and acid is also fairly light making this a very approachable wine at a young age. With a bit more structure I think this is easily be 93+ point wine. (927 views) | | | Tasted by CleverCorkage on 11/26/2022: This was open for business the moment I pulled the cork. Very expressive and fragrant with notes of ripe dark fruit and black pepper spice. On the palate this wine was lighter than anticipated showing a great balance of acidity and finesse with ripe sunkissed Sta. Rita Hills fruit. A very good showing and a great compliment to our Thanksgiving dinner. (996 views) | | | Tasted by Maphill01 on 11/22/2022: PNP drank over two nights. Showed best the second night. Plum, strong black olive, white pepper, leather and a bit of bacon fat. Medium+ body, soft tannins. Nice balance of ripe fruit, savory elements and a crunchy undercurrent. Very approachable for a young wine, this should develop nicely over the next few years. (928 views) | | | Tasted by Momus99 on 11/20/2022 & rated 91 points: Very enjoyable wine, and a quite decent value at $30. Coravined over 2 nights. On nose and palate the flavors are very clean and distinct (i.e. separable). Fruit dominant but not in a gloopy, overly extracted way. Very well balanced overall with moderate tannins and length. An earthy/dusty note on the nose but no savory notes (like roast meat) as one gets with Syrah sometimes. Drinking wel mot but feels like it has at least a couple of years of stuffing in it. Glad I got 4 bottles! (861 views) | | | Tasted by cdebeau on 10/27/2022 & rated 92 points: Medium bodied, bright blackberry, (991 views) | | | Tasted by hotrawd on 10/3/2022 & rated 92 points: I purchased three bottles about a year ago. I opened the first one right away and it wasn't ready and I was disappointed. Right now it's drinking beautifully with a nice balance of fruit and oak and a satisfying finish. Decanted 1 hour (1037 views) | | | Tasted by vino_per_tutti on 9/13/2022 & rated 90 points: Still good, but this bottle a little more disjointed on the palate, and flat on the finish. Time at room temperature may be the culprit. Alcohol also seems more potent. Drink up. (1057 views) | | | Tasted by ChristoBretts on 8/20/2022 & rated 91 points: Writing from memory. PnP. Medium body. Aromatic notes of red and blue fruit. pool climate Syrah on the palate with pepper and blue fruit. Good balance of acidity and tannin. Ready now, will improve. Good QPR. (1117 views) | | | Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 7/29/2022 & rated 93 points: Consistent Melville Estate Syrah profile. Olive and basil dominate on the nose, with white pepper, lavender and cured meat in the background, seems already on the verge of developing tertiary complexity. Rounded texture, low oak impression, yet fresh almost crunchy fruit, mulberry comes to mind, very long finish. Fine tannin present, should resolve in 3-5 years.
Such a singular wine, very drinkable and refreshing, yet with many layers and flavors melded together. (1276 views) | | | Tasted by cjsadler on 7/11/2022: Lots of pepper, high-toned blackberries. The finish is very abrupt, and the wine feels a bit angular. Maybe more time? Could have just clashed with the burgers and roasted vegetables I paired it with. (1179 views) | | | Tasted by Millennial Drinkers on 6/13/2022 & rated 91 points: Medium ruby red. A bit of spice on the nose with black peppercorn. mortadella and dark cherries. Medium tannins (5.5/10) and balanced acidity with a medium plus body. Savory palate with black olives, followed up by blackberries, floral nuances and a hint of baking spices on the finish. Medium plus to a long finish. Drink till 2030. (1199 views) | | | Tasted by gkpaoli on 6/8/2022: Cigar box and black peppercorns, not to my taste (1141 views) | | | Tasted by vino vidi vici on 5/26/2022: New World Syrah - sweet Cola and black pepper. Will seal up the remainder and see how it shows on Day 2.
13.9% ABV makes it eminently drinkable, so I'm grateful. Nothing worse than high alcohol Cali Zin/Syrah!
** Although this is well made, it just reconfirms my preference for Old World character. No earth/mineral components to speak of... and that's what it needs... (1130 views) | | | Tasted by Gonzo’s grape juice on 5/26/2022 & rated 90 points: Paired well with rack of lamb on th BBQ. Nice aromatics but what struck me immediately was how much it resembled a Chatauneuf de Pape on the palate. Not typical for a Central Coast Syrah. (1123 views) | | | Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 5/20/2022: Melville Spring 2022 Pickup Tasting (Melville Santa Barbara Tasting Room): Aromatic, pepper, bacon fat, wilted violets. Less vegetative on the nose than the 2017, but on the palate the acidity is vibrant, basil, thyme, olive and sage complement red and black raspberry. Long finish, superb, extremely refreshing and frankly drinkable, yet complex and expressive. (1163 views) | | | Tasted by Spsmatthews on 5/12/2022 & rated 93 points: Beautifully light and elegant. Lots of peppery herbs, olives, smoked meat, and violets. Love this. (1060 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 5/5/2022: That's got some big bold black pepper too. (1103 views) | | | Tasted by cdebeau on 3/29/2022 & rated 92 points: Blackberry, polished, smooth finish (866 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Melville Producer web site
In 1989, Melville Vineyards, a family owned and operated enterprise was founded in Sonoma County's Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high quality, much sought after Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1996, Ron's desire to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brought Melville Vineyards to Lompoc's Sta. Rita Hills, located in the western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. The Sta. Rita Hills appellation is where Ron Melville and his sons Brent and Chad Melville decided to develop their estate vineyards and winery. Since then, they have also developed an interest in Rhone varietals, particularly Northern Rhone Syrah and Viognier. The Melville estate achieves quality through the integrity of its farming practice and its respect to the microclimate.
Syrah Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)
Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. EstateIn the United States, "Wines with “estate bottled” designations must: a) also designate an appellation of origin or an AVA, and both the vineyards and the winery must be located there; b) the grapes must come from vineyards owned or controlled by the winery; and c) the wine must have been produced, from crush to bottle, in a continuous process without leaving the winery’s premises."
- WINE LABEL FAQS: A QUICK SUMMARY OF LABEL DESIGNATION RULES" by David E. StollUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA Wikipedia |
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