Melville Estate – Tops in 2012 for Sta Rita Hills!
If Santa Barbara isn’t squarely on your radar, it should be.
Galloni opened his July 15 review with,
“A palpable energy and the thrill of discovery accompanied my tastings in Santa Barbara this year.”
Looks like big name Pinot producers from Napa and Sonoma have some competition on their hands. Melville in particular.
A long-time favorite, Greg Brewer and his team turned in a set of 2012s that flat out stunned Mr. Galloni. From fruit grown on their estate in the Santa Rita Hills AVA, Melville’s 2012 Pinot was the best of the bunch.
Galloni dubbed it
“One of the most polished, refined and aromatically expressive wines I have tasted from Melville…”
crowning it 94 points and saying
“What a gorgeous, radiant and totally sexy wine…”
Melville’s Lompoc estate, planted on various sub soils – predominantly Lompoc dune sand, clay loam and shale – performed brilliantly in 2012. The increased hang time allowed by the lazy, foggy mornings added up to picture perfect growing conditions. Brewer was able to harvest gorgeous fruit, with acidities to balance the striking fruit profiles and stunning aromatics.
Personally, these remind me of his ’07s – bursting with pleasure, balance like none other.
Gorgeous stuff, indeed!
Christopher Massie on Wine 