It is my pleasure to share some of the best QPR wines you will find on the west coast. For years Chad Melville has been making his namesake winery’s wines. He studied under eminent winemaker Greg Brewer for years and his wines share a similar vein of texture, richness and mouthfeel.
Chad utilizes his family’s 82 acre property that produces marvelous, saline-drenched wines with beautiful texture and poise. It all started back in 1996 when the Melville vineyard was first planted by Chad’s father Ron Melville and his brothers. The vineyard was planted to 14 different clones of Pinot Noir and 4 different clones of Chardonnay, as well as Syrah and Viognier. The new releases by Chad Melville were simply gorgeous across the board, none more so than the 2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is dense and concentrated stuff with lovely salty character. I adore the 2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is a killer wine to buy by the case. Learn more about this outstanding producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah at http://melvillewinery.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by Melville.
2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Chardonnay Another year, another outstanding release of the ‘Estate’ Chardonnay as this edition comes from the 2023 vintage. Salted peach and juicy pears all mark the palate alongside shades of shortbread on the palate. Showing a smooth mouthfeel, with copious minerals, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2034- 93
2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant 2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir is a brilliant wine from winemaker Chad Melville. A whiff of cola marks the nos alongside deep pomegranate seed, Bing cherry and shades of Mandarin orange rind. Soft and approachable, loaded with dense red fruits and copious salty minerals, it is hard to find a better California Pinot Noir at this price point. Enjoy now and over the next eight years or so. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Melville ‘Sandy’s Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Sandy’s Block’ Pinot Noir is a site in the estate vineyard which is named after Chad’s Aunt Sandy. This location is due north of the winery. This offers a beautiful nervy entrance, with loads of kumquat zest and Bing cherry flavors alongside sandy soils and wintergreen accents on the palate. Complex, mineral-laden and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2034- 94
2023 Melville ‘Terraces’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Terraces’ comes from a clay-rich loam and calcareous shale block in the estate vineyard. This is very intense and mineral-driven stuff, with bright red fruits that combine with satsuma orange zest, red clay and shades of wet stone. Medium-bodied, nicely viscous and showing good length, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 Melville ‘Anna’s Block’ Pinot Noir- Translucent in the glass, the 2023 ‘Anna’s Block’ comes vines location in the southern portion of the vineyard which were planted back more than 20 years ago in 2001. This is plump, round and generous on the mouth, despite its translucent color. Opulent guava, wild strawberry and red cherry flavors combine with rocky and salty soils on the palate, as the nerve and salty essence makes your mouth water. A joy to consume now, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2025-200- 96
2023 Melville ‘Block M’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Block M’ is another total stunner by Melville. Once on the nose this exudes class with its generous core of red fruits, with red rose petals, citrus rind and salty/rocky soils. The palate is rich and voluptuous with a gorgeous texture and good underlying sense of tension. The terroir is marvelous here, as this is drinking beautifully in its mineral-laden, heady youth. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Syrah- A stunning value, the 2023 Melville ‘Estate’ Syrah comes from this salty terroir at the Melville Estate Vineyard. Smoked meats and iodine mark the nose alongside a great melange of red and dark fruits, with menthol accents. The palate is beautifully textured with outstanding concentration. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2022 Melville ‘Donna’s Block’ Syrah- The dazzling 2022 ‘Donna’s Block’ is a world-class wine that offers sensational aromatic range. Once on the nose this takes on violets and bacon fat aromatics that combine with black olive tapenade, oyster sauce and blackberry compote that meld in the glass. The palate is deep and concentrated, with refined tannins and excellent depth. Rich and fat on the tongue, with salty soil essence and great tension, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 97