2006 Melville Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene Estate

Perhaps better is the exquisite 2006 Pinot Noir Clone 115 Indigene. Blueberry notes intermixed with black raspberries, forest floor, and spring flowers are grand cru Cote de Nuits all the way. Incredible purity of flavor, a good, layered, multidimensional mouthfeel, super-duper concentration, and terrific length all characterize this prodigious Pinot Noir. Drink it over the next 5-10 years. The Melville family has one of the top vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills, and the wines are made under the supervision of Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton. It is interesting that I found the Melville Pinot Noirs far less spice-dominated, with more blue and black fruits, than those of Brewer-Clifton. That struck me as unusual because the vineyards are often close to each other geographically, and of course, the winemaking philosophy is generally the same. Tel. (805) 235-7030; Fax (805) 235-5310