Last Updated: 01/29/02

MELVILLE ESTATE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2000	18.99
MELVILLE ESTATE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2000	21.99

In 1989, Melville Vineyards, a family owned and operated enterprise was founded in Sonoma County's Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high quality, much sought after Chardonnnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1996, Ron's desire to grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brought Melville Vineyards to Lompoc's Santa Rita Hills, located in the western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California. The Santa Rita Hills appellation is where Ron Melville and his sons Brent and Chad Melville decided to develop their estate vineyards and winery. Since then, they have also developed an interest in Rhone varietals, particularly Northern Rhone Syrah and Viognier. The Melville estate achieves quality through the integrity of its farming practice and its respect to the microclimate. The Melvilles believe that a fine wine begins in the terroir (teh-RWAHR) or microclimate of a vineyard. Terroir is the French term for soil. In the vineyard, it encompasses soil type and geographic factors which may influence the quality of wine. This is indicative of the Melvilles' decision to grow wine in the Santa Rita Hills (AVA) appellation. The Santa Rita Hills appellation's microclimate, which is characterized by cool temperatures, prominent coastal winds and foggy mornings is known to be viticulturally suited to growing Burgundian grape varietals such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Northern Rhone Syrah. The cool temperatures prolong the growing season which allows grapes longer hang time on the vines and heightened varietal flavor intensity. The soil is predominantly Lompoc dune sand, with various blocks possessing clay loam with shallow hard pans of Monterey shale. This microclimate distinguishes Santa Rita Hills as a premium region for cool climate fruit from the rest of Santa Ynez Valley.

The Melville estate incorporates the pounds per vine formula in their farming practice. Farming pounds per vine inhibits overproduction and insures quality, balance and intense fruit flavor. The vineyards are planted at a spacing of 8' by 3' (1815 vines per acre) and are predominantly oriented on a North/South axis. Vines are all vertically shoot positioned with aggressive canopy management to insure proper ripening and varietal development. Currently, we have 110 acres planted with 205,000 vines of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and two Rhone varietals, Syrah and Viognier. There are 11 different clones of Pinot Noir, 9different clones of Syrah and 5 different clones of Chardonnay all grafted on a variety of low vigor rootstocks. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Northern Rhone Syrah will be our primary focus. We also have 100 acres in Cat Canyon, 2 miles North of Los Alamos in Santa Barbara County, which is primarily dedicated to Syrah and Viognier production. Our grape production is currently supplied to Santa Barbara wineries: Babcock Vineyards, Bonaccorsi Wine Company, Andrew Murray, Tensley Winery, Brewer-Clifton, Jaffurs Wine Cellars, The Ojai Vineyard, Santa Barbara Winery, Lane Tanner Winery and Whitcraft Winery. Look for these labels and experience fine wine from Santa Barbara County.