Tart sweet and sour cherries, hints of strawberry jam, and lively acids characterize the 2006 Pinot Noir Estate. This wine is medium-bodied, fresh, lively, and very Cote du Beaune-like. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. The Melville family has one of the top vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, and the wines are made under the supervision of Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. It is interesting that I found the Melville Pinot Noirs far less spice-dominated, with more blue and black fruits, than those of Brewer-Clifton. That struck me as unusual because the vineyards are often close to each other geographically, and of course, the winemaking philosophy is generally the same. Tel. (805) 235-7030; Fax (805) 235-5310

Here’s a stylish, full-bodied and elegant wine that’s a great exposition of Santa Rita Hills. From low-yielding vines, the wine is layered and complex in currant, cherry, raspberry, carob, Asian spice and cedar flavors that are wrapped into a lush, silky texture.——S.H.(12/1/2008)—— 90