A Stand-Out Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills

With the clock falling back this week, we fall back on one of our favorite Thanksgiving varietals—Pinot Noir. This is a grape that was seemingly designed for cool weather. Its warm, elegant fruitiness makes it a great companion to the hearty foods and chilly air of autumn. Even in the vineyard, Pinot is a grape that produces its most profound expressions through colder climes, such as today’s wine, the 2013 Melville Pinot Noir Estate Santa Rita Hills

When you think of the world’s great Pinot Noir sites, Burgundy of course jumps to mind along with Oregon and perhaps the up-and-comer of New Zealand. But California should be on the savvy wine-drinker’s radar. While generally too hot for the finicky Pinot, there is one area where geology has come together to offer an especially ideal spot for its growth—the Sta. Rita Hills. Only 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the east-west valley formed by these mountains funnels in morning fog and cool, drying winds, leading to a growing season almost a month longer than other areas in California. That’s not to say however that these vines have an easy life! Unlike other crops, vines put out their best fruit when stressed, and the team at Melville knows this well. From the chalky, well-drained soil that keeps the roots digging deep to the extra-dense plantings that have them fighting for nutrients, this terroir results in concentrated, expressive grapes.  No wonder that Steve Heimhoff of Wine Enthusiast has said “Today, I think it’s safe to say that Sta. Rita Hills stands as one of the greatest places in the New World to grow Pinot Noir…”

Tasting the Melville, its cold climate nature doesn’t immediately come across on the nose. There’s an unusual richness that buoys scents of jammy, kirschy cherry and mandarin orange out of the glass. The palate is at once darker with bing cherry and lingering apple peel but also refreshing thanks to a hint of menthol herbality and the bright, tart acidity typical of the Sta. Rita Hills. The choice of neutral oak for aging and a minimal intervention approach allows the wine to really show its unique character. Melville’s makers state, “At the time of harvest, we consider the wines to already be made and strive not to interfere with their natural path.” With its nice acid and fruit, low tannin and surprisingly lush mouthfeel for a Pinot Noir, this wine would pair wonderfully with richer preparations of pork or chicken, such as a potpie or pork chops with a cherry balsamic glaze. 

At only $29.99, this wine will be a welcome addition to your holiday table and will bring that special warmth that only cold climate Pinot can!