This was served during my annual WWC hosting. Typical format of sparkler, three whites, four reds, one dessert, all served blind.
Decanted an hour. Acquired during a visit to Melka a few years back. Last bottle of a 3-pack, and poured next to a 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. 100%SB and 100% barrel fermented. This was the SB that opened my eyes to how good SB could be 5-6yrs ago. The tropical aromatics (pineapple, lots of guava, white peach) alongside such a rich yet balanced palate (glycerin like, oak only noticeable in texture, not taste). Lemon cream with a puckering finish.
As an aside, I know these “super SauvBlancs” have become popular. Melka must be at the forefront thanks to involvement in V29, DANA, Lail, Melka, ADAMVS, and countless others from the Atelier Melka team.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This paired fantastically with a number of the fish and shellfish dishes in the initial courses of the meal. I could’ve had this wine with each one of the 20+ dishes. This was at its best during the Big Island Abalone “Rockefeller” and Marinated Watsonville Artichokes dishes.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Solid showing, especially for the first hour or so of consumption. There was a bit of heat to blow off on the initial pull, but it settled nicely into its groove with a gorgeous display of kiwi, guava, lime and lemon juice, honeydew, and grass flavors. Similar in quality to Aesthete and Arrow & Branch Heritage Sauvignon Blancs.
After a couple hours of air, the Melka started to flatten out a bit on the finish and lose some energy, potentially indicative of a narrowing drinking window. Nothing to panic about, but I'd be drinking these inside the next year or so (assuming you prefer your SBs to maintain the speed and freshness that makes the varietal so enticing).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This round and pure 100% Sauvignon Blanc is not as impressive as the 2017, but it a solid wine that ably balances the creamy and grassy elements of the varietal. Light yellow, almost clear in color; full in body; nose of wet grass, gooseberry, and Flavors of orange zest, lemon peel, and cantaloupe, with a lively and grassy finish. 14.5% alcohol. Decant about an hour. Drink in next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still awesome. Even better than a year ago. Extremely complex for a domestic SB. Marries suave smoothness with vivacious tension perfectly. Acacia blossom, fresh honeydew, guava, kiwi, lemon verbena, and wet travertine flavors dominate. Drink now and over the next year or so. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Melka: Grapefruit, guava, stone, white flowers, white peach, and apricot. Silky smoooooooth and absolutely stunning. A gorgeous mouthfeel with an added lemon verbena lift that elevates the back end and keeps the drive moving at a jack-rabbit’s pace. And yet, even with the energy brimming from the core, it maintains a near-perfect and balanced execution. Flavor distribution fans out with deliberate intention. Always a beautiful domestic SB and typically one of my favorites. 94-95+ points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Melka Estates Tasting (Napa Grill, Zurich): Big Melka Estates tasting with various wines produced by Philippe and Cherie Melka, both present at the event, including the largest Jumping Goat vertical to date. Selected notes of the winemaker comments included in the tasting story. All wines we tasted showed a European inspired handwriting (Graves, Rhone valley) especially for older vintages with later vintages (2012- 2014) coming across quite heavy on the extraction. But with most scores in the 91-94 range (few exceptions included Jumping Goat 2005 and Martinez 2015, the first vintage for the latter), the line-up struggled to meet my high expectations.
Tasting note: Goosberry and green grapes. Pure and linear with restrained oak. Fresh and cool with better balance on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful nose of goosberry, touch of grass but also floral and a bit of pineapple. The palat reveals the Bdx style with subtle oak. Complex, good length. The 2014 has the edge over the 2015 which is leaner and connot fully deliver on the palate. The 2016 is very young still, needs time but shows good promise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/30/2023 - Shay.Aldriedge Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was served during my annual WWC hosting. Typical format of sparkler, three whites, four reds, one dessert, all served blind.
Decanted an hour. Acquired during a visit to Melka a few years back. Last bottle of a 3-pack, and poured next to a 2016 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. 100%SB and 100% barrel fermented. This was the SB that opened my eyes to how good SB could be 5-6yrs ago. The tropical aromatics (pineapple, lots of guava, white peach) alongside such a rich yet balanced palate (glycerin like, oak only noticeable in texture, not taste). Lemon cream with a puckering finish.
As an aside, I know these “super SauvBlancs” have become popular. Melka must be at the forefront thanks to involvement in V29, DANA, Lail, Melka, ADAMVS, and countless others from the Atelier Melka team.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2022 - ajrez Likes this wine: 93 Points
if you got em, drink em. Drinking well now but lifetime is limited here. Losing freshness and energy, maybe 12-18 months
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2021 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): At the French Laundry. An invigorating and lively example of Sauvignon Blanc. I have enjoyed this wine on a number of previous occasions and each time it delivers a complex and captivating array of kiwi, guava, Squirt, and fresh cut grass flavors. I love this wine… though I gotta say, the lingering bedroom eyes on the label make for a peculiar encounter. I typically don’t like my wine bottles watching me drink them.
This paired fantastically with a number of the fish and shellfish dishes in the initial courses of the meal. I could’ve had this wine with each one of the 20+ dishes. This was at its best during the Big Island Abalone “Rockefeller” and Marinated Watsonville Artichokes dishes.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2021 - csimm wrote:
Solid showing, especially for the first hour or so of consumption. There was a bit of heat to blow off on the initial pull, but it settled nicely into its groove with a gorgeous display of kiwi, guava, lime and lemon juice, honeydew, and grass flavors. Similar in quality to Aesthete and Arrow & Branch Heritage Sauvignon Blancs.
After a couple hours of air, the Melka started to flatten out a bit on the finish and lose some energy, potentially indicative of a narrowing drinking window. Nothing to panic about, but I'd be drinking these inside the next year or so (assuming you prefer your SBs to maintain the speed and freshness that makes the varietal so enticing).
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/8/2021 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This round and pure 100% Sauvignon Blanc is not as impressive as the 2017, but it a solid wine that ably balances the creamy and grassy elements of the varietal. Light yellow, almost clear in color; full in body; nose of wet grass, gooseberry, and Flavors of orange zest, lemon peel, and cantaloupe, with a lively and grassy finish. 14.5% alcohol. Decant about an hour. Drink in next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2020 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Still awesome. Even better than a year ago. Extremely complex for a domestic SB. Marries suave smoothness with vivacious tension perfectly. Acacia blossom, fresh honeydew, guava, kiwi, lemon verbena, and wet travertine flavors dominate. Drink now and over the next year or so. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2019 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Melka: Grapefruit, guava, stone, white flowers, white peach, and apricot. Silky smoooooooth and absolutely stunning. A gorgeous mouthfeel with an added lemon verbena lift that elevates the back end and keeps the drive moving at a jack-rabbit’s pace. And yet, even with the energy brimming from the core, it maintains a near-perfect and balanced execution. Flavor distribution fans out with deliberate intention. Always a beautiful domestic SB and typically one of my favorites. 94-95+ points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2019 - Indywinefan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fresh with taste of pineapple. Long finish with noticeable acid.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2019 - sirpat00 wrote: 92 Points
Melka Estates Tasting (Napa Grill, Zurich): Big Melka Estates tasting with various wines produced by Philippe and Cherie Melka, both present at the event, including the largest Jumping Goat vertical to date. Selected notes of the winemaker comments included in the tasting story. All wines we tasted showed a European inspired handwriting (Graves, Rhone valley) especially for older vintages with later vintages (2012- 2014) coming across quite heavy on the extraction. But with most scores in the 91-94 range (few exceptions included Jumping Goat 2005 and Martinez 2015, the first vintage for the latter), the line-up struggled to meet my high expectations.
Tasting note:
Goosberry and green grapes. Pure and linear with restrained oak. Fresh and cool with better balance on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2019 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of goosberry, touch of grass but also floral and a bit of pineapple. The palat reveals the Bdx style with subtle oak. Complex, good length. The 2014 has the edge over the 2015 which is leaner and connot fully deliver on the palate. The 2016 is very young still, needs time but shows good promise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment