As the promise of summer shimmers on the horizon, a distinct craving emerges: the crisp, refreshing embrace of a perfectly chilled glass of Chardonnay. Forget the heavy, buttery stereotypes; the Melville 2023 Chardonnay Estate from the Sta. Rita Hills is not your everyday wine, it is a vibrant invitation to sun-drenched afternoons and breezy evenings. This exceptional bottling has already garnered significant critical acclaim, earning a magnificent 94 point score from Antonio Galloni, a testament to its quality!
Ron Melville and his family have been farming high quality grapes for over 30 years. After finding success in Sonoma County, Ron's desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought Melville Vineyards to the Sta. Rita Hills. The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is unique, as it is one of the few grape growing regions in California whose valley runs west to east. In doing so, the cooling air from the Pacific Ocean is able to rush through the area, keeping the daily temperatures low, and providing a long growing season that maximizes flavors. The soils at Melville are a mix of sand and clay, giving Syrah beautiful aromatics combined with ripe, but not overpowering fruit. In addition, Melville plants their vines at a denser spacing than most. In doing so, root systems must compete, inhibiting rigorous growth, naturally lowering yields and furthering the development of flavor and concentration. Farming at Melville is sustainable at a minimum, but often done organically.
Melville has become a nucleus for Rhone varietals from Santa Rita Hills, though they also excel with Burgundian varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After studying at U.C. Davis, Chad Melville began managing the family's estate vineyards. His primary focus was on producing the best possible fruit for the family's winemaker. In turn, the Melville wines received high scores and rave reviews year-in and year-out.
This Chardonnay has garnered significant acclaim from top critics, affirming its exceptional quality and suitability to the Sta. Rita Hills. Antonio Galloni awarded it 94 points, praising its "exquisite," "floral and lifted" character with "striking precision" and "bright acids." In addition, Jeb Dunnuck scored this at 93 points and wrote the wine has "beautiful overall balance and texture". Clearly, this is a must-have for your summer sipping. You won't want to miss out on a wine that's practically begging to be enjoyed poolside, making every sun-drenched moment feel utterly luxurious.
ANTONIO GALLONI 94 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Estate is exquisite. Floral and lifted, with striking precision, the Melville Chardonnay makes such a strong case for why Chardonnay is so ideally suited here. Lemon confit, jasmine and light tropical inflections are some of the notes that grace this sublimely elegant white. Bright acids pull it all together on the finish. I would give the 2023 six months to a year in bottle, as it is pretty tightly wound at this stage."
JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - "Ripe lemon and citrus fruits, some minty herbs, and chalky minerality all emerge from the 2023 Chardonnay Estate Sta. Rita Hills, a clean, vibrant, focused Chardonnay that has solid acidity, beautiful overall balance and texture, and a great finish. The estate comes all from the Melville Vineyard and was raised in neutral oak, hitting 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.27."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Estate spent 10 months in barrique without malolactic fermentation. It opens with clay, green apple, jasmine and citrus rind aromas framed with a touch of reduction. The palate is linear, focused and acid-driven, pleasantly bolstered by a touch of phenolic richness through the saline finish. Readers who enjoy laser-focused expressions of Chardonnay will find much to love here."
Ron Melville and his family have been farming high quality grapes for over 30 years. After finding success in Sonoma County, Ron's desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought Melville Vineyards to the Sta. Rita Hills. The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is unique, as it is one of the few grape growing regions in California whose valley runs west to east. In doing so, the cooling air from the Pacific Ocean is able to rush through the area, keeping the daily temperatures low, and providing a long growing season that maximizes flavors. The soils at Melville are a mix of sand and clay, giving Syrah beautiful aromatics combined with ripe, but not overpowering fruit. In addition, Melville plants their vines at a denser spacing than most. In doing so, root systems must compete, inhibiting rigorous growth, naturally lowering yields and furthering the development of flavor and concentration. Farming at Melville is sustainable at a minimum, but often done organically.
Melville has become a nucleus for Rhone varietals from Santa Rita Hills, though they also excel with Burgundian varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After studying at U.C. Davis, Chad Melville began managing the family's estate vineyards. His primary focus was on producing the best possible fruit for the family's winemaker. In turn, the Melville wines received high scores and rave reviews year-in and year-out.
This Chardonnay has garnered significant acclaim from top critics, affirming its exceptional quality and suitability to the Sta. Rita Hills. Antonio Galloni awarded it 94 points, praising its "exquisite," "floral and lifted" character with "striking precision" and "bright acids." In addition, Jeb Dunnuck scored this at 93 points and wrote the wine has "beautiful overall balance and texture". Clearly, this is a must-have for your summer sipping. You won't want to miss out on a wine that's practically begging to be enjoyed poolside, making every sun-drenched moment feel utterly luxurious.
ANTONIO GALLONI 94 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Estate is exquisite. Floral and lifted, with striking precision, the Melville Chardonnay makes such a strong case for why Chardonnay is so ideally suited here. Lemon confit, jasmine and light tropical inflections are some of the notes that grace this sublimely elegant white. Bright acids pull it all together on the finish. I would give the 2023 six months to a year in bottle, as it is pretty tightly wound at this stage."
JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - "Ripe lemon and citrus fruits, some minty herbs, and chalky minerality all emerge from the 2023 Chardonnay Estate Sta. Rita Hills, a clean, vibrant, focused Chardonnay that has solid acidity, beautiful overall balance and texture, and a great finish. The estate comes all from the Melville Vineyard and was raised in neutral oak, hitting 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.27."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The 2023 Chardonnay Estate spent 10 months in barrique without malolactic fermentation. It opens with clay, green apple, jasmine and citrus rind aromas framed with a touch of reduction. The palate is linear, focused and acid-driven, pleasantly bolstered by a touch of phenolic richness through the saline finish. Readers who enjoy laser-focused expressions of Chardonnay will find much to love here."
