2021 Melville Pinot Noir Terraces Estate
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Pinot Noir Terraces has deep aromas of pomegranate liqueur, Italian plum, blood orange, iron, mushrooms and mossy bark. The medium-bodied palate derives power from a surprisingly concentrated core of spicy, dark fruit. It has abundant, powdery tannins, vibrant acidity and a long finish with a flourish of earth and bitters accents. 595 cases were made.
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Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Pinot Noir Terraces emerges from three tiny parcels with soils heavy in clay planted with a number of clones. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint and blood orange are some of the many notes that infuse the Terraces with striking textural depth. There's a fair amount of whole clusters in the 2021 (60%) but the stems are nicely balanced. I very much admire the density here.
Ripe red cherries, currants, smoked herbs, iron, rose petal, and hints of game all emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir Terraces, a more medium to full-bodied effort from Melville that has a beautifully layered texture, building yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. Fermented with 60% whole clusters and aged in neutral oak, it’s going to evolve nicely for 10-15 years in cold cellars. As I’ve written in the past, the style at Melville has shifted considerably, with the wines today playing in the fresher, more acid-driven, vibrant end of the section. The quality remains incredibly high, and these latest 2021s are the finest wines I’ve tasted from winemaker Chad Melville.
A little more than 65% whole-cluster fermentation. Ages for 14 months in neutral oak. 595 cases made. Smells of wonderfully perfumed cherry and raspberry fruit. Highly floral raspberry and cherry fruit flavours mix with dried herbs and dried flowers in a swirling crystalline haze of brilliance. Athletic tannins. Fantastic acidity. Faint salinity. Stunning. (AY)