Melville Estate Sta. Rita Hills Syrah 2014
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I always love the two blockbuster Syrahs from this estate, both of which need to be sought out by readers. Tons of black olive, smoked and salted meats, as well as ripe dark fruits all emerge from the incredibly polished, elegant and layered 2014 Syrah Estate, which is just an off the hook value. Inky colored, layered, yet graceful and light on its feet, with gorgeous fruit, drink this beauty over the coming 4-5 years, although I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve for longer.
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Melville is a family-owned, 100% estate, organic vineyard and winery in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County.
They produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and a small amount of Grenache. All their wines, from the flagship Estate
Pinot Noir to the Small Lot Collection Donna's Block Syrah, are hand-grown and hand-made 100 cases at a time.
Their founder Ron Melville carefully selected the location of the estate for its proximity to the Pacific Ocean as well as
the soil composition - predominantly sandy loam and diatomaceous earth with sections of clay. You can be too close
to the ocean and struggle with getting fruit ripe, and you can also be further away and struggle with temperatures that
are too hot...Melville is in the sweet spot.
The Melville's have been practicing responsible farming for over three decades, and since 1997 in the Sta. Rita Hills
when brothers Chad and Brent Melville planted the estate vineyards (before the AVA was formally established). They
take great pride in their commitment to "winegrowing"…working in harmony with Mother Nature to nurture their land
through organic and sustainable farming practices to ensure that all of the most crucial work is done in the vineyard.
The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is incredibly unique for a few reasons:
• It lies within a transverse mountain range, meaning that the mountains on either side of the valley are running
east-to-west from the ocean rather than north-to south. This is the only transverse mountain range in North
America.
• It has the longest growing season in North America. The growing season starts early (bud bread in late
February) and ends relatively late (Melville is often harvesting into late November) because they have a mild winter
and a cold, sunny summer. This environment of consistent "cold sunshine" allows for a long, slow ripening
and wines that showcase high acidity with ripe aromas/flavors.
Stylistically, They choose to only use neutral wood. With the vines being 25+ years old, they have reached a maturity
that Melville is proud of. The vines are creating the best fruit ever and they want their customers taste the flavors of Sta.
Rita Hills and Mother Nature in their purest form.
Stem inclusion during fermentation has been a key to Melville wines. They create aromatic lift, add tannins, and can
bring another dimension of flavor to the palate, including savoriness and spiciness. When using stems, it is important
to ensure they are fully ripe to avoid green, unpleasant, vegetal flavors. Fortunately, the Sta. Rita Hills' long growing
season allows for fully ripened stems.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.