The Sta. Rita Hills American Viticulture Appellation is in the southern section of California’s Central Coast in Santa Barbara County. The first vineyard in the region, Sanford and Benedict, was planted in 1971 but the AVA status was granted 40 years later in 2001. According to the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance, the “AVA is home to over 59 vineyards, totaling 2,700 hundred acres planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and 18 other cool climate wine grape varieties.”
Ron Melville relocated his family’s winery from the Knight’s Valley part of Sonoma County to Sta. Rita Hills in 1996. Since then, he and his son, Chad, have been dedicated to producing cool climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah from their estate fruit. Located about 10 miles from the ocean in the coastal valley corridors between the Purisima Hills and the Santa Rosa Hills, the estate vineyards receive consistent morning and evening fog as well as steady afternoon winds. The Chardonnay in particular is planted predominantly on the west side of the estate which receives the brunt of these winds. This section of vineyards consists of various sandy soils with a bit of clay loam and shale mixed in. It is this combination of cooling trends and poor soils which help create an extended growing season, allowing for Chardonnay with concentrated flavors with vibrancy, acidity and minerality.
We recently checked in our second drop of Melville’s 2013 Sta. Rita Hills Estate Chardonnay which displays these hallmark characteristics abundantly. Antonio Galloni awarded the wine 93 points for Vinous with the following review:
“The 2013 Chardonnay Estate is gorgeous. Rich and oily on the palate, with considerable texture, the 2013 boasts tons of texture and breadth. Candied lemon, white flowers, almonds and chamomile add shades of nuance as the 2013 opens up in the glass. The 2013 boasts tons of oiliness and viscosity for a Chardonnay with no malolactic fermentation. Best of all, the 2013 is a great value.”
With a price tag of only $24.99, I have to agree, and if you’re looking for a Cali Chardonnay as a summer sipper don’t hesitate on grabbing some!