From the west side of Melville estate, the three undulating slopes of Terraces cascade down from Block M and lie completely exposed to the elements. 4.9 acres in total, Terraces is planted on clay-rich loam and calcareous shale soils. The three sections wrap 120 degrees around Block M, facing severe wind pressure, several different sun exposures and challenging drainage issues.
It is planted to five different clones of Pinot Noir: Swan, Mount Eden, 115, 667 and 777, making for a unique combination of older California field selections and newer Dijonnaise clonal material. 60% of the fruit is gently de-stemmed with 40% remaining as whole clusters.