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2017 Melville Block M Pinot Noir

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

April 9, 2023 - $42

Estimate

RATINGS

96Wine Enthusiast

Loads of bay leaf, wild chaparral shrubs, oak forest floor, green sage and sansho pepper play against a brisk raspberry backdrop on the nose of this lively bottling. Lush, delicious and vivid flavors of red fruit meet with pine needle and eucalyptus on the palate, which is simultaneously hedonistic and intellectual.

94+ The Wine Advocate

...layered nose with scents of orange oil, tree bark, amaro and peppered meats with sliced blueberries, rhubarb, cranberry, powdered strawberry, black cherries and dried violet—this offers great layering of nuanced aromas. It's medium-bodied and quietly intense in the mouth with loads of restrained flavor layers, juicy acidity and fine, grainy tannins, finishing long on a saline note.

92Vinous / IWC

Earthy notes, tobacco, blood orange, cedar and mint all grace this mid-weight wine... Soft contours and silky tannins add to the wine's immediacy and overall appeal.

REGION

United States, California, South Coast, Santa Barbara County, Santa Rita Hills

Santa Rita Hills AVA in northern Santa Barbara County was granted appellation status in 2001. Located between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton, it has a total area of 30,720 acres with 2,700 vineyard acres. The area is considered a cool climate for vineyards, so vineyards are most often planted with the cool-weather grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The hills in the western part of this appellation are directly exposed to the Pacific Ocean, meaning that maritime winds and fog make the western edge of the Santa Rita Hills AVA particularly cool. The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard planted in 1971 was the first vineyard in the district and is still considered one of the best.

TYPE

Red Wine, Pinot Noir

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.