2020 Melville Pinot Noir Block M

Last of the Pinot Noir, the 2020 Pinot Noir Block M comes from a higher point in the estate vineyard and thin soils. It always sees a lot of stems, and the 2020 was fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged all in neutral oak. Candied cherries, plums, iron, smoked meat, and roasted herbs all emerge from this more angular (almost mean) Pinot Noir that needs lots of air to open up and gain charm. As with all these latest 2020s from Melville, it’s built for the cellar, and I wouldn’t open a bottle for at least 3-4 years. It should evolve gracefully. Chad Melville has made these wines since 2015, and there’s been a gradual – yet dramatic – shift in the style of the wines from Melville. Harvested earlier and made in a leaner, more focused style, the wines today have a much more Burgundian vibe and are going to benefit from bottle age. As Chad told me, they’re no longer making 15% alcohol Pinot Noirs at Melville. Vine age also plays a role here, but I think the differences are largely due to winemaker decisions. I don’t think the wines are better or worse, as they were terrific under Greg and they’re terrific under Chad, but there’s no denying the dramatic change in style.

The 2020 Pinot Noir Block M is a wild wine that very much reflects its site, perched atop a hill on the western side of the property where exposure to wind and sun, along with clay-rich soils, yields a distinctly virile, somber Pinot. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, licorice and cloves all come together. The 80% stems are perfectly judged. The 2020 is a big wine, but the balance works.