In 1996, founder Ron Melville's desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought him to the Sta. Rita Hills where he established his winery, situated amongst the beautiful rolling hills where the grapes are grown exclusively in their three estate vineyards.

Melville currently has 120 acres under vine. The soil is mostly Lompoc dune sand, interspersed with clay loam and shallow hard pans of Monterey shale. The estate currently has 16 clones of Pinot Noir, 9 clones of Syrah, and 6 clones of Chardonnay - all on a variety of low-vigor rootstocks. All blocks are fermented in small lots and isolated through their entire period of elevage, which provides Melville’s team with an ongoing exhibition of how they can fine tune vineyard practices in order to achieve the most unmanipulated and site-specific wines possible.

Melville “grows their flavors,” using no new oak and adding only yeast.

This wine is 100% from Melville’s Sta. Rita Hills estate and is a combination of clones 4, 76, and 95, along with Mount Eden, Hanzell, Hudson, Wente and Melville selections. The estate’s chardonnay is planted predominantly on the west side of their estate where they have several different types of sandy soil.

Because the west side receives the brunt of brutal, ocean winds and has only poor soils, Melville feels their chardonnay always captures the vibrancy, minerality, and concentrated flavors that are hallmarks of their appellation. Fruit is harvested by hand then gently whole-cluster pressed, cold settled overnight and transferred by gravity to barrel for fermentation in neutral French oak barrels (10 to 20 years old), with zero malolactic conversion. Sur lie aging takes place without any lees disturbance.

The 2020 Melville Chardonnay Estate from the Santa Rita Hills in California is a noteworthy expression of Chardonnay, showcasing the region's distinctive qualities. Produced by Melville, this wine presents itself with a bright, vivid gold hue and is sealed with a traditional cork. With an alcohol content of 13.4%, it is a balanced white wine that has garnered commendable reviews from several esteemed wine critics.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded this wine a score of 93, highlighting its "rich aromas of peaches, honey, chamomile, and baker's yeast with gentle herbal tones." The review further praises its palate, noting "bright freshness and nutty, honeyed fruits" that culminate in a "long and textural" finish. This review underscores the wine's complexity and depth, making it a standout in its category.

Jeb Dunnuck, another respected reviewer, also gave the 2020 Melville Chardonnay Estate high marks with a score of 92. Dunnuck describes it as "one of the best values out there in California Chardonnay," emphasizing its "vivid gold hue" and "great nose of ripe Meyer lemons, honeyed citrus, chalky minerality, and sappy flowers." He praises its "racy acidity" and "medium-bodied richness," noting its "classic Sta. Rita Hills marine-like nuances and salinity." Dunnuck also highlights its potential for aging, suggesting it will "keep for at least a decade."

Vinous, another influential publication, echoes these sentiments with a 92 score. Their review calls the wine "vibrant and super-expressive," pointing out its "scents of lemon confit, mint, white flowers, and pear" which lend the wine a lively energy. The mention of "pretty tropical accents" adds an "exotic flourish" to the overall profile.

In summary, the 2020 Melville Chardonnay Estate Santa Rita Hills is a highly regarded wine, praised for its aromatic complexity, vibrant palate, and excellent value. It is a stellar example of Chardonnay from the Central Coast, particularly the Santa Barbara sub-region, and comes highly recommended by multiple wine critics.