2010 Melka Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard

From the warmer appellation of St. Helena, the 2010 Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard is a 450-case blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and nearly equal parts Merlot and Petit Verdot that was aged 26 months in 86% new French oak. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by copious aromas of crushed rocks, toasty oak, blackberries, cassis, spring flowers, licorice and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, opulent and rich with admirable structure and focus, it can be approached now, but should be even better in 5-7 years, and last for 25-30. Philippe Melka is one of the most respected and successful of the French-born, Bordeaux-educated oenologists working in California. He and his wife Cherie have been doing terrific consulting work for many years, and while he no doubt has to face the same absurd criticisms that some of his colleagues like Michel Rolland confront (all the wines taste the same as all of their clients- wines), nothing could be further from the truth. Melka also has the grit to put his own name on a couple of interesting wines, especially his project in the Knights Valley as well as his Jumping Goat Vineyard wine from St. Helena. Melka always jokes with me that I-m not allowed to score his wines higher than his clients-. However, they are what they are, and these are extremely impressive wines that demand to be taken seriously. Melka-s red wine comes from a site not far from where Peter Michael makes their famed Bordeaux blend, Les Pavots. La Mekerra is usually a blend of nearly equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged 24-26 months in French oak, of which about half is new. Tel. (707) 963-6008

The 2010 Metisse Jumping Goat Vineyard, from a vineyard in St. Helena, literally jumps from the glass with freshly cut flowers, cloves, menthol, tobacco, smoke and scorched earth. All of the aromas and flavors are beautifully layered in this refined, nuanced wine. This is an especially silky, polished 2010 with tons of appeal. The 2010 is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot.

(blended with 8% merlot and 7% petit verdot): Good bright medium ruby. Ripe, slightly gamey aromas of black raspberry, mocha and licorice. Plush, smooth and sweet but with lovely floral lift and bright acidity enlivening the dark berry and black cherry flavors. Sexy, lively wine, showing less of the syrupy character an earlier barrel sample displayed. Finishes very long, with suave tannins. Melka picked these St. Helena vines on the early side in 2010 (all during the first 13 days of October) and this approach paid off.