Melville Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2024

In the late 1990s, sommelier Bobby Stuckey, then at Colorado’s The Little Nell, turned Chad Melville’s father on to Santa Barbara Chardonnay. In 1998 the elder Melville purchased a property in Santa Barbara County and planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The site wound up as part of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA (created in 2001), the epicenter for Santa Barbara County’s top Burgundian-varietal bottlings. The 135-acre vineyard is situated on lunar-looking sandy loam, with a hefty portion of Pinot Noir vines from the first plantings still going strong. Winemaker since 2014, Chad counts Greg Brewer and Chris Whitcraft as his mentors. Production is entirely from estate-grown grapes. No new oak is used, and a fair amount of whole cluster is, resulting in a piercing, savory-edged style that also carries ample, energetic fruit.

Tasting Note

This is very alive, with a burst of kirsch and cherry flavors liberally laced with savory and bay leaf notes. Offers crackling acidity, wet slate and a bright iris streak through the finish. Best from 2027 through 2034. 2,699 cases made.—James Molesworth