Melville Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2010 ( 92 Points Wine Spectator)

This is 100% Melville fruit from our Sta. Rita Hills estate, and is a collection of 16 pinot noir clones. Yields were 2.6 lbs/vine (2.4 tons/acre). 40% of the fruit was fermented as whole-clusters with 60% gently de-stemmed in small (1.5 ton) open-top fermenters. Total skin and stem contact averaged 30 days (7 day cold soak, 2 + weeks of fermentation and 1 + week extended maceration.) From the press, the wine was transferred directly into neutral barrel (old French oak), where it remained sur lie without sulfur until April, when it was gently racked for the first time and prepared for bottling in August. 7,715 cases produced.

92 Points Wine Spectator James Laube writes in Wine Spectator: "Tight and fresh, with vivid wild berry and raspberry that's pure and spicy, with a stemmy edge, yet it works well, as the fruit density and tannins fold together in a pleasing way. Drink now through 2022."