Melville, Chardonnay Estate, Sta. Rita Hills

I believe it is definitely going downhill fast. Medium+ body. Little boring due to lacking acidity. But, stylistically it is modern and sophisticated. Ripe tropical fruits dominate with slight saltiness.

2014 vintage

At this point it’s on the downslope. Some burned hay and golden apple. It did best at room temp near the end of the bottle.

2014 vintage

Drinking quite well. Has stamina for another 1-2 years of further development.

2014 vintage

Still drinking ok, but suggest not waiting much longer if you have any

2009 vintage

Agree with others here. Quite lightly oaked and more steely than rounded. Very nice especially for this price if perhaps not particularly memorable.

2014 vintage

Corked

2014 vintage

It could have fooled me for a steely fermented wine because I did not get any oak notes and it is so fresh and bright, full of green fruit, silky. Really liked this wine. Perfect for summer too!

2014 vintage

Medium dark gold color and tropical nose. Medium weight. Citrus, red pepper and pineapple. Light oak and coconut finish. Decent.

2014 vintage

Decanted three hours. Tight on the nose when decanted but opened up beautifully to reveal classic Santa Barbara County chardonnay profile.

2014 vintage

Solid value. Light straw color, toasty nose. Zesty acidity up front, moderate residual sugar with a nice finish. Restrained oak, middling butter. Very nice wine that should please mist palates.

2014 vintage

Retail $30. Golden in the glass suggests that we may have waited too long but the nose of lemon curd, vanilla, and oak suggests otherwise. Subtle but evident fruit with plenty of acidity. Rounded out nicely with some butter and oak. This is a fantastic balance between fruit driven and big buttery wines. Melville has been a favorite for a while and this is why. 91. thedrunkencyclist.com

2009 vintage

Moderate oak and lemon on nose Saline minerality and fruit, moderate acidity creates nice balance

2014 vintage

A good value chard that shows the typical fruit from SRH. Tropical fruit notes, gala apple, pear, butterscotch, and almonds. Just enough acidity to balance against the buttery fruit.

2014 vintage

Early sunlight color. Peach, candied pear, Fuji apple scents. Apple , vanilla bean, melon, not a great deal of acidity. Finish is longish and layered.

2014 vintage

Medium nose shows dried butterscotch, light herbs, pineapple, kiwi, yellow apple, lemon peel, white flowers. Palate gives understated and balanced style for CA, hits the tropical fruit notes and also gives wet rock, green leaves or fieldgrass. Finishes a little sharp but overall tasty.

2014 vintage

Light golden yellow in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruit aromas of apples, lemons/limes, pears with overtones of floral notes of honeysuckle, minerals, stony, spices, roasted hazelnuts & a touch of vanilla. Medium-light body of a good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of tart green apples, lemons/lime, some pineapple, spices, minerals & a touch of vanilla. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present but given its reserve structure, it should continue it …

2014 vintage

Purity, no manipulation, things to take their own route. Full bore but with an umami character - salty, mineral, oceanic salt, lemon rind, all natural acidity, all cold climate. Really intense fruit but does have the salty minerality, so they like a Japanese culture you just take the raw ingrident and slice it and put it on the plate. All 20 to 30 year old barrels here. I'm being told that if you are committed to neutral wood the issue …

2014 vintage

multiple clones in 100% old oak, no malo Clean nose of mineral and white fruit. Slight creaminess, nuttiness working along melon, verbena finish Reminds me of some Margaret River initiatives, letting the fruit speak for itself.

2014 vintage

Tasted at winery, part of an excellent lineup.

2014 vintage

Tropical with toasted coconut and pineapple notes, but also a bright citrus steak.

2009 vintage

Nothing seriously wrong but I didn't like this as well as earlier Melville chardonnays tasted. Something off on the nose. Lots of complexity - pineapple, lemon curd, good acidity, but it didn't come together. Lots of CA chardonnay fans at the table, but it wasn't a winning offering.

2009 vintage

rich color had me thinking it was outdated. Original taste was heavy it had aerated a bit the complexities of the wine came through. Certainly not a Sweet California chardonnay. Spicy and rich, apple and citrus.

2009 vintage

If you compare this to 'classic' chardonnay it may confuse you BUT this is GREAT wine similar to Condruie, Ch Grillet, white Hermitage. Intense terroir, complex lemon oils, intense lychee, grilled pineapple, long complex finish with wonderful subtle nutty oak. Great effort!

2009 vintage

The wine was luminous gold in appearance, giving off sweet aromas of pineapples, melon and apple crumble, melded together with dried jasmines. The entry was overwhelming, evocative of concentrated lemon syrup and green apple juice. This wine gives the impression of having more to offer beyond the initial flavours, but whatever potential it had in mid-palate to finish was drowned out by the volatile acidity and alcohol. Hints of grilled pineapples persist at the end, but there seemed to be …

2009 vintage

i didn't like this bottle .. had a weird sweet flavor and something that i didn't want in Chard

2009 vintage

Having just returned from a trip to Santa Barbara County/Santa Rita Hills, broke this open to see how it compared. Yellow/gold color. Lots of SRH "funk" on the nose - mix of pineapple, mango and citrus. Palate tart with some minerality; round, slightly oaked finish. Agree with those below who noted it gets better as it warms in the glass. Compares favorably - and hits many of the same notes - as much more expensive alternatives. Drink up!

2009 vintage

Everything from Mellville has been great. Superoaked and buttery.

2010 vintage

Light yellow in color, with aromas of pineapple, tropical fruit, and a touch of oak. The flavors opened up after an hour (and warming - don't drink this one too cold) and included a nice buttery finish. Good and easy-drinking, but lacking the complexity to make me come back for another bottle. That said, this bottle finished quickly...

2009 vintage

Much better than bottle tasted 3/4, but still not yet well integrated.

2009 vintage

Crisp and fresh on the nose with pear and mineral. Palate is Chablisian* with good acid, vibrant fruit, and balance. A beautiful Chardonnay at a modest price.

2010 vintage

I picked up this chardonnay for $22 and it delivers for the price. It’s the neon yellow color of Tweety Bird in the glass. On the nose, explosive aromas of toasted nuts, lemon zest, baked apple and something that reminds me of orange Pez candy. The palate is expectedly rich, with creamy apple, pear and lemon fruit. What’s surprising is the acid, which is of medium intensity and provides solid structure. It tastes juicy, not goopy. Be warned: there’s some …

2009 vintage

good and solid ... nothing spectacular and unchanged from previous notes

2009 vintage

Maybe I have been drinking too much white Burgundy, but I found this a bit too oaky for me. Well balanced, muted fruit, citrus and vanilla, heavier finish but certainly not a big caramel bomb. Good enough with food or sipping, a nice but not brilliant wine for every day use.

2009 vintage

had with Salmon - excellent wine, a little tart, citrusy, lemony,not buttery or oakey but still complex

2009 vintage

drank after a couple cups of coffee and a 2 hour I-5 drive after arriving from a long flight from Korea ... i may not have been in best state to taste and appreciate wine ... however, it was very good and really was enjoyable as a before bed treat ...

2009 vintage

Several points better than the Verna's this vintage. This has solid acidity, low malo, and really nice fruit. Quite nice for a CA chard. 89-90.

2010 vintage

Deep golden in color, with aromas of citrus fruit and cream soda. The palate shows citrus, lime, and Meyer lemon flavors, which are pure but tart. Some vanilla and mineral notes peek through. Dense in weight, with a crisp and puckery finish.

2009 vintage

What a terrific bottle of chardonnay! Not overdone in any way. No over the top oak or extraction. Bright acidity to make it food friendly.

2009 vintage

A sunny sunday afternoon on the deck w/ a good white wine ... fit the ticket

2009 vintage

Loads of citrus and lemon on the nose, with hints of deeper tropical fruit lurking underneath. More citrus on the palate, with notes of mango and papaya. Lots of acidity -- almost too much -- but it makes for a nice, refreshing quaff on a hot summer night. Lacking complexity or nuance to warrant any higher score.

2009 vintage

Fresh and vibrant

2009 vintage

Surprisingly deep color. Light caramel nose, pineapple. Smooth, full bodied and pleasant. Not heavy. Better with food than alone- alcohol a bit high.

2009 vintage

Toasted coconut and tropical fruit nose an palate with the nose being more impressive than the palate.

2009 vintage

papaya, lime and pears

2009 vintage

Lots of sulfur not yet integrated. Started blowing off but only after many hours. There is some creamy minerality underneath. Don't think I would pop this until at least summer though.It will be better.

2009 vintage

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Melville, Chardonnay Estate, Sta. Rita Hills

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