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Paul Lin |
Eric Anderson |
The Wines of Melville -
October, 2007 |
Everyone would probably agree that wine tasting is a subjective matter - maybe even highly subjective. One person's "stunner" might be another person's "blah." Yet, there are also occasions when there is a meeting of the mind as to what is in the glass. We've always wondered just how much and how often tasters will differ in their opinions of the same wine. With that in mind, we felt it would be downright interesting, if not instructional, to have two tasters sample the same wines and write tasting notes on each - for side-by-side comparison. Overall impressions: the Melville lineup offered an interesting opportunity to taste through as many as six different vintages of the same bottlings, as well as two different varietals - Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. All of the wines were from Melville's Estate vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County. The alcohol content varied from the high 14% to the middle of the 15% range. In addition, a few of these wines used some whole clusters as part of the fermentation process, which can create a distinct aroma and flavor profile in the wine. Our two tasters agreed, relatively speaking, on several of the wines poured at this tasting. Yet, they obviously had differing opinions about some of the other wines - some quite notable. In fact, when reading the notes, you might even wonder if they were tasting the same wine. So, who's right? Well, if you learn one thing from this episode, there is no right or wrong - just differences. There are differences in how we each perceive aromas and flavors, differences in how we think one thing compares to another, and so on. There are also external forces at work at most tastings. For instance, the fact is that this was also a dinner tasting, and thus the food component could have easily swayed one into a positive or not-so-positive opinion about a given wine. So, let's take a look at the same wines from 'both sides now.' |
Flight #1 - Estate Pinot Noir |
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Flight #1 - Estate Pinot Noir |
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| 2000 Melville Pinot Noir - Given the price point of this wine, I'm more than a little surprised by how well it aged. Then again, it did come straight from the winery. Initial nose of cooked cherries, decaying logs, and touch of animal; with time in the glass, the nose became much less severe and a bit more floral. On the palate, tart cherries, cranberries, and chalky minerals. The acidity supports the fruit nicely. (87 pts.) |
2000 Melville Estate Pinot Noir - Nose of dark cherry, forest floor, Xmas spice and a hint of mushroom. Slight brightness on the palate, with a beautiful meld of citrus-infused forest scents and spice. Great mouthfeel and finish. WOTF for me. |
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| 2001 Melville Pinot Noir - This nose on this wine makes me think of a cherry pie being baked in log cabin in the middle of the forest. It has all of those elements and more. Bucolic aromas of cherry pie, tree bark, and pine needles followed by ripe cherries, raspberry puree, earth, and truffles on the palate. The nose is not as compelling as the 2003, but the longer finish makes this a better wine in my opinion. My WOTF. 88-89 points. (88 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Pinot Noir - Big nose - dense, jammy and heady with notes of black cherry, rhubarb, and a hint of citrus. The huge dark fruit is very upfront and won't be mistaken for something from RRV, but it all comes together nicely at mid-palate, with a lovely long finish. My #2 in the flight. |
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| 2003 Melville Pinot Noir - I loved the nose on this pinot as it had much more dark fruit characteristics (dark cherries, plum, and boysenberries) than the 2000 and 2001. On the palate, however, the wine seemed a bit thin, with a touch of green notes coming through on the very short and slightly watery finish. (87 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Pinot Noir - Nose of anise-infused dark fruit - similar to the '01, but less so. Initial mouthfeel and flavors seem a bit too sweet for me, but this all seems to even out at about mid-palate, and the wine finishes nicely. |
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2006 Melville Pinot Noir - |
2006 Melville Estate Pinot Noir - Somewhat lighter, yet lusher with a nice ripeness and some perfume notes, along with cherry, black cherry, and a touch of earth and toast. Bit soft on the palate, with a nice sense of dark fruit and a good finish. Barely squeeks by the '03 for my 3rd in the flight. |
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| Flight #2 - Terraces Pinot Noir Salmon alla Erbe - Fresh Salmon grilled with Garlic, Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and touch of Lemon |
Flight #2 - Terraces Pinot Noir |
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2002 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces - |
2002 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Terraces - |
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| 2003 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces - Dense aromas of wet soil, minerals, rose petals, and cinnamon spice followed by a tight palate of dark cherries, blackberries, dried herbs and mineral. Complex, but needs decanting or more time in the bottle. (88 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Terraces - Big, dense dark spicy cherry nose, with just a trace of heat. Sappy and sweet on the palate, very persistent and chewy, but its denseness almost overwhelms any nuance. |
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| 2004 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces - It is becoming more and more apparent to me that the Terraces need time. The 50% stem inclusion is still quite apparent here. Nose of cooked cherries, game, and asparagus. On the palate, ripe cherries, blueberries, tobacco leaf and stem. A powerful and complex pinot, but a bit too vegetal for me. 86-87 points. (87 pts.) |
2004 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Terraces – Dark ripe fruit, with some light burnished – even faintly sweet tomato notes, and bit of stem still apparent in the nose. Nice mouthfeel overall, good fruit, seems quite balanced. Frankly, the nose had me intrigued, but the mouthfeel didn’t quite match it. |
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| 2005 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces - A Ron Melville was proud to announce at our table that this is a man's pinot. Indeed, many of the wines in this flight were quite masculine in character and often had notes of dried herbs and/or tobacco leaf. This one seemed to have both. Deep aromas of dark cherries, dried cranberries, and wet soil followed by white pepper, tobacco leaf, dried herbs and earth on the palate. My WOTF. (89 pts.) |
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Terraces – Very nice mix of red and black fruit in the nose, with somewhat reticent notes of toast, spice and herb. Bit sweet in mouthfeel initially, but nice juicy acids seem to pick up about mid-palate and the wine finishes luxuriously. My #2 of the flight. |
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| 2006 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces - As a barrel sample, it still comes across as very primary and raw. Grapey and chewy, with notes of dried cherries, plum, blackberries, and black pepper. No doubt, the wine will be very much in the same bloodline as the previous Terraces. Interesting to taste, hard to score. |
2006 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Terraces – Very nice effusive nose of ripe fruit and spice. Good-Very Good on the palate, nice fruit and pretty good balance with touches of flint – almost a minerality, and even a bit of heat on the latter palate. Altogether, I liked the nose a little better than the mouth. My #3 of the flight. |
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Flight #3 - Carrie's Pinot Noir |
Flight #3 - Carrie's Pinot Noir |
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| 2001 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - A terrific pinot! Rich aromas of dark cherries, blueberries, and brown spices followed by an opulent palate of ripe cherries, plum, black raspberries, earth, and truffles. Sexy and delicious. 92-93 points. My #2 WOTN. (92 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's - Big heady nose, with juicy and spicy aromas. Chewy on the palate, slight sense of heat, but the juicy acids seem to balance things out very nicely. My #3 of the flight. |
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| 2002 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - This pinot came across as one of the more tannic in the flight with a strong black tea and tree bark component. With more time in the glass, the tannins started to subside and the wine reveals ripe black cherries, plum, and boysenberries. (91 pts.) |
2002 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's – Gorgeous nose of fruit, spice, floral scents and a bit of toast. Seemed a bit cloying from front end to mid-palate, but picked up some weight and nice texture through the long finish. My #2 of the flight. |
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| 2003 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - Much like the 2003 Estate pinot, while I really enjoyed the dark fruit aromas, this wine came across a bit thinner on the palate, at least compared to the other wines in this flight. That said, I think still preferred this wine to any of the Terraces. Notes of cherries, cranberries, a touch of apple peel. 89-90 points. (90 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's – Lovely nose of fruit, toasted herbs, and Xmas spice. Fabulous mouthfeel – just big enough, with ripe fruit, spice and juicy acids – almost mouthwatering. My WOTF. |
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| 2004 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - This wine is the real deal and shows what the SRH can offer in terms of pinot noir. Opulent and rich, with notes of dark cherry, blueberries, boysenberries, cinnamon spice, and dark chocolate truffles. Full in the mouth with a long long finish. My WOTF and WOTN. 93-94 points. (93 pts.) |
2004 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's – Heady and huge, this was the Baby Huey of the flight. Plenty of ripe chewy fruit, yet a bit too sweet and monolithic as well. |
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| 2005 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - Perhaps the most elegant pinot in this flight with notes of red cherries, red plum, black raspberries, and black tea. Delicious. 91-92 points. (91 pts.) |
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's – More than any of the others in the flight, this one showed the whole cluster fermentation – and I mean that in a good way. Plenty of dark fruit, nice ripeness and spice throughout, and very, very long finish. | |||
| 2006 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's - Like the 2006 Terraces, this barrel sample is still quite raw and primary. Grapey and hollow in the midpalate, but I have no doubt that Carrie will develop some curves in the coming months. |
2006 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's – Understated and elegant in the nose, this seemed far more…well, mature in presence. It’s obviously too early to tell, but this just might represent a directional change – intended or otherwise. |
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Flight #4 - Chardonnay Inox and Estate |
Flight #4 - Chardonnay Inox and Estate Taglioline alla Bolognese - Homemade thin pasta prepared in a veal (ragu) sauce |
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| 2001 Melville Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox - A steely chardonnay with intriguing notes of hay, cheese rind, smoke, honeydew melon, and lemon. Very nice acidity. An intersting wine; just not my cup of tea. 86-87 points. (86 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox – Really nice citrusy, crisp nose and mouth – almost Champagne-like! Juicy, excellent balance, very long seamless finish. Kudos here! My WOTF. |
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| 2001 Melville Chardonnay - A really lovely chardonnay with mature notes of honey, caramel, melon, and lemon curd. Lime acidity on the finish lifts the rounder notes in this wine. Very nice and real treat. My WOTF. (91 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Chardonnay - Beautiful lemon-lime crème brulee nose, with just a hint of leesy aroma. Lovely balance, really nice fruit, good weight and complexity, delicious to drink. Yeah, I like Cream of Oak…no apologies here. |
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| 2003 Melville Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox - Reminds me more of a sauvignon blanc than a chardonnay. Nose of gooseberry (cat pee?) and lime followed by hay and flint flavors. My least favorite wine of the evening. 84-85 points. (84 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox – Almost Chablis-like nose of stone, mineral, and a touch of chalk and lees. Crisp on the palate, flirting fruit, lovely balance and finish. I hope this is headed in the same direction as the ’01. My #3 of the flight. |
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| 2003 Melville Chardonnay - Notes of honeydew melon, citrus rind, and margarita mix. Round and elegant on the palate, with a nice smokey note on the finish. 90-91 points. (90 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Chardonnay – Very smoke-infused, ripe citrusy, and toasty nose. Ditto mouthfeel. This is the oak from down the street that your mother told you not to go out with. I like it that way…once in awhile. |
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| 2006 Melville Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox - I was quite impressed with this bottle. Notes of lychee, banana peel, and citrus rind. Clean and vibrant and joy to drink. Given my impressions of the other older Inox chards, I think I prefer them on the young side. 89-90 points. (89 pts.) |
2006 Melville Estate Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox – Fascinating! Huge tropical fruit mélange, with lemon and lime leading the way. Almost chewy, yet not; almost sweet, yet not, with interesting textures on the palate and a long silky yet crisp finish. My #2 of the flight. |
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Flight #5 - High Density and Clone 115 Indigene Pinot Noir |
Flight #5 - High Density and Clone 115 Indigene Pinot Noir Polpette di Garnchio - Homemade crab cake topped with a fresh mango sauce Tonna Tartar - Ahi Tuna finely chopped seasoned with a touch of Mustard, Shallots, Lemon and topped with Micro Arugola |
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| 2001 Melville Pinot Noir High Density - The slightly stemmy aromas in this wine are offset by a good dose of hard spices. On the palate, bright red cherries, black tea, and asparagus flavors meld in a way that is not although unpleasant. (87 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Pinot Noir High Density – Fleshy nose, with plenty of cherry, black cherry, spice, and that unmistakable sense of whole cluster fermentation. Very nice on the palate, with really nice fruit and balance. My #2 of the flight. |
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| 2001 Melville Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene - A very interesting and aromatic mix of black cherries, raspberries, caramel, toffee and a pinch of white pepper. Intriguing and complex with very nice acidity. 90-91 points and my WOTF. (91 pts.) |
2001 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene – Not too dissimilar to the HD, this one had a bit more perfume and dried meat components in the nose – almost a more feminine rendition. Mouthfeel was more about the fruit – pure fruit. Delightful, but not as complex as the HD. |
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| 2003 Melville Pinot Noir High Density - Notes of black cherry, plum, and strawberries. Hard spices on the finish add interest. (89 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Pinot Noir High Density – Beautiful melding of aromas here, with dark fruit, dark spices and wet forest floor. Every time I came back to this wine it changed just a bit, accenting the spice, then the texture, then the fruit. Wonderful stuff! My WOTF, and probably the night. |
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| 2003 Melville Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene - I find it very interesting that wild yeasts can impart a comparable level of complexity as a blend of 14 different clones, which what is found in their High Density pinots. Notes of black cherry, boysenberry, spice cake, and toffee are supported by zesty acidity. (90 pts.) |
2003 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene – This one seemed to be missing something that would have added to its complexity. It was okay on fruit, and balance, but just didn’t rise to the occasion – plus it seemed to pick up some heat on the back end. |
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| 2005 Melville Pinot Noir High Density - I am impressed by the elegance of this pinot, which I attribute in part to the very even 2005 growing season. Graceful notes of red cherries, cranberries, and strawberries. Brown spices on the finish add compexity and depth. (90 pts.) |
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir High Density – More to the red fruit spectrum, there was ample spice here, but I had the feeling that it was in Limbo trying to gain weight. Striking acids – balanced but obvious too. Good fruit profile… I think this is just in a weird place right now. |
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| 2005 Melville Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene - A very good wine, but perhaps my least favorite of the 115 Indigenes. Notes of plum, dark cherries, caramel, and black tea. Needs some time to smooth out the tannins. The finish is marred by a searing heat, which tips the scales at 15.5% alcohol. (88 pts.) |
2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene – Big and sweet in both nose and mouth, this version seems better to my palate than the ’03 model. |
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