Melville Estate Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2021 95pts

95 Points Wine Enthusiast
Lovely aromas of cherry pie and damp mint make for a fresh and complex nose on this estate bottling, one of the more affordable ones in the Melville lineup. The palate is firm in texture and blasted with acidity, showing black cherry, cola, mace, bay leaf and clove flavors, a classic expression of this appellation.

94 James Suckling
A racy and fine red with dried strawberry and citrus with a smoky undertone and hints of cedar. Some smoke and rose stems. Medium-bodied with crunchy and bright fruit. Fine and delicate tannins. Energetic finish. Spices at the end. White pepper.

94 Points Wine Advocate
Medium ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Estate has alluring aromas of cranberry and orange jelly, forest floor and Angostura bitters. Medium-bodied, it floods the mouth with waves of juicy berry fruit supported by fine, chalky tannins, and it finishes long and layered.

93 Points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Sta. Rita Hills shows the more classic style of this estate today and is unquestionably a qualitative match for a top Premier Cru from Burgundy, albeit at about a fraction of the cost. Translucent ruby, with a gorgeous nose of peppery red and black cherry fruits as well as spring flowers, baking spices, and subtle briny, marine-like nuances, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, an elegant, lively mouthfeel, supple tannins, and perfectly integrated acidity.

92 Points Vinous
Melville's 2021 Pinot Noir Estate is bright and effusive right out of the gate. Sweet red cherry, hard candy, spice and rose petal race across the palate. A touch of whole cluster savoriness adds shades of nuance. I would give the 2021 at least a year in bottle, as it is pretty reticent today. By Antonio Galloni on March 2023

Wine Notes
Aromatics of rose petals, ripe red plums, cloves, and orange zest. Notable flavors of Bing Cherry, raspberry and blackberry, followed by black tea and tarragon. A backbone of silky tannins and vibrant acidity give this wine real balance.

This is 100% Melville fruit from our Sta. Rita Hills estate and is a collection of seventeen Pinot Noir clones. 40% of the fruit was fermented as whole-clusters with 60% gently de-stemmed in small (1.5 ton) open top fermenters. Total skin and stem contact averaged 30 days (7-day cold soak, 2+ weeks of fermentation and 1+ week extended maceration). From the press, the wine was transferred directly into neutral barrel (15+ year old French oak), where it remained sur lie without sulfur until July, when it was gently racked for the first time and prepared for bottling in August.