The 2013 Chardonnay Estate Sta. Rita Hills is a smoking effort that represent a fabulous value in Chardonnay. Made in a pure, clean style, it was barrel-fermented and aged 8 months in neutral oak. It gives up serious notes of lemon, lime peel, tinges of wild herbs and salty minerality to go with a medium-bodied, balanced and elegant profile on the palate that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s superb now, but will also age nicely for 3-4 years.
Hold onto your hats, as these latest releases from Chad Melville and winemaker Greg Brewer are off-the-charts good! While both of the Chardonnays are beautiful, and play in the clean, crisp and medium-bodied spectrum, it’s the 2012 Pinot Noirs and Syrahs that are incredible across the board. The Pinot Noirs all see varying degrees of whole cluster and are aged completely in neutral French oak barrels. The Syrahs see slightly less whole cluster inclusion, but are also aged all in neutral French oak. In case you missed the prices/scores listed above, these are some of the greatest values in the world of wine today!
Tel. (805) 735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com