Mit einem Wein, der als der wohl beste „jungfräuliche“ (virginal) Chardonnay Kaliforniens bezeichnet wurde (Robert Parker, Wine Advocate 28-06), führten wir dieses kleine Weingut aus der Santa Rita Hills Appellation (südwestlicher Teil von Santa Barbara County) in Deutschland ein. Ausschließlich „estate bottled“ Weine aus einem für Burgunder-Rebsorten idealen Gebiet unweit des Pazifik, in „Handarbeit“ in den Weinbergen und im Keller erzeugt von Ron Melville, seinen Söhnen und winemaker Greg Brewer. Der 2005er Clone 76 INOX Chardonnay „boasts beautiful intensity along with crisp, lively notes of white currents, peaches and honeyed citrus...(a) pure, rich beauty“ (Parker).

 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, Issue 172, 31.8.2007, S.53 über das Weingut Melville:

 This highly respected estate owned by the Melville family sells large quantities of fruit to other top winemakers, but also produces wines under its own label. The Melville offerings are fashioned by the dynamic duo of Steve Clifton and Greg Brewer. A large production cuvée, the 2005 Pinot Noir Estate Verna's reveals a dark ruby color along with aromas of plums, cherries, raspberries, and spicy wood in its medium-bodied, attractive, soft personality. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. The 2005 Pinot Noir Estate possesses pure blueberry and raspberry fruit as well as an elegant, medium-bodied style with good freshness, acidity, and length. lt should drink nicely for up to a decade. The deep rubyhued, medium-bodied, beautifully pure, long, heady 2005 Pinot Noir High Density offers aromas of sweet raspberries, forest floor, flowers, underbrush, and spice. It's interesting that the Melville Pinot Noirs are not nearly as complex as the Brewer-Clifton offerings, even though they have the same winemaking team. The 2005 Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigène, which was fermented with native yeasts indigenous to the vineyard, exhibits a bouquet of sweet black cherries, plums, pomegranate, and blueberries (an aromatic profile characteristic of the finest Santa Rita Pinot Noirs), medium to full body, an attractive spicy character, and good balance. Displaying cool climate notes of underbrush, menthol, blueberries, and raspberries, the 2005 Pinot Noir Terraces possesses good acidity, medium to full body, and beautiful richness. lt is one of the most complex of these Pinots, and should drink nicely for a decade. Melville's flagship cuvée is the 2005 Pinot Noir Carrie's. Its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by aromas of plums, blackberries, and blueberries, wonderful purity, richness, and sweetness, and a long, layered mouthfeel as well as finish. lt should drink well for a decade or more. Arguably one of the finest stainless steel-fermented and aged Chardonnays made in California is Melville's Chardonnay Clone 76 Inox. The 2006 offers beautiful, clean, lemon butter, honeysuckle, and orange/tangerine characteristics, medium body, and stunning elegance and precision. Vivid and fresh, this un-oaked Chardonnay should be enjoyed over the next 1-3 years. Even better is the 2005 Chardonnay Estate Verna's, which reveals notes of poached pears, honeysuckle, brioche, and pineapples. This medium to full-bodied, deep, concentrated effort displays superb acidity, richness, and length. lt is reminiscent of a top-notch French Bâtard-Montrachet.

Sofort lieferbar sind die folgenden Abfüllungen: