March 13, 2024 - Surprising new brick/ garnet med- intensity color, w/ mostly clear meniscus with. tawny hint. Aromas of dried wild strawberries and other red berries, including some cherry, and balsamic notes. Spicy in the mouth, possibly partly from the alcohol.
January 30, 2017 - Waited too long, should have opened this 2-3 years ago.
November 25, 2016 - The Melville Estate Pinot is one of my favorites in any vintage and I was happy to open a 2007 over Thanksgiving. Showing no signs of age, at year 9, this pinot is still powerful, juicy, and loaded. It seems bottle age hasn't tamed this wild child one bit and, in fact, is a little more untame and explosive than I remember. Dark cherry and raspberry syrup dominate, with some stemmy herbaceousness on the back end. This was a wine better with the honey-baked ham, than the turkey.
September 4, 2016 - Last of these and still drinking well. Went well with left over chicken.
January 10, 2016 - We both loved it. Intense mix if fruit and earth/peat. Lingered. Packed lunch but smooth. Would buy more.
December 1, 2015 - Westchester Wine School: USA Pinot Noirs (White Plains, NY): Drank at WWS pinot tasting and was my least favorite of the evening. I found it medicinal in taste, way too hot (15+% alcohol) with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. I don't believe many at the tasting thought highly of this wine.
May 20, 2015 - The 2007 Melville Estate Pinot is still wonderful and still the finest estate Pinot bottling from Melville ever (until I taste the 2012 and 2013). Time has softened all the edges but it still tastes like an adolescent. Still youthful, lively, and vibrant. I disagree with a previous reviewer who loved the wine but did not think its a wine for Pinot lovers. I especially think this is a Pinot that Pinot lovers would enjoy regardless of stylistic preference. This clearly wine over-delivers for the price point and actually tastes more like the Carrie's/Block M. No question in my mind this is the best value in California Pinot.
August 22, 2014 - A pure joy to drink. This is perhaps the best, or at least one of the best Melville Estates I have ever tasted. It still boasts of the classical strawberry perfume, but also reveals subtle forest floor and spice box. The alate is totally integrated and wonderfully balanced, despite the massive fruit attack. This might not be a Pinot for Pinot lovers but it certainly pleases its tasters from a more general perspective. A lovely wine, very expressive and certainly hitting its prime drinking window.
August 2, 2014 - Past its prime. Over-extracted
June 19, 2014 - IMO, vintage-to-vintage, the Melville Estate is perhaps the most consistent, and reliably delicious, CA pinot noir for under $30. Calera may be more intellectually interesting, but Melville is pretty, feminine and an easy crowd-pleaser. The 2007 may be the most overachieving one I've ever had. It was fragrant with a palate filled with a farmers market abundance bright juicy red cherries, raspberries, blackberry jam. There was subtle sweet herbs on the back end. I was shocked to see 15.9% alcohol as I never felt the heat.