Melville 2017 Pinot Noir Sandy's   

MELVILLE PINOT NOIR SANDY'S BLOCK, SANTA RITA HILLS, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 2017

NVWE Notes: Big, bold, zesty and packed with concentrated fruit and savory spice, this is a great wine in the making. The nose offers piquant notes of sour red cherry, dark cherry cobbler, wortleberry jam, dark boysenberry, blood orange bouillon, leather, Pu'er tea, forest mushrooms, dried rosemary and sage, five spice, star anise and cinnamon: the whole creating a "grand scale" impression. It proves ultra rich, super zesty and notably tongue-coating in the mouth, where the same harmony of focused fruit and spice-box exotica is replicated. The finish is marvelously long and the flavors already delicious, although this beauty is likely seven to ten years from its full expression. 721 cases produced.

Wine Advocate

93 Points

Made using 50% whole cluster, the 2017 Pinot Noir Sandy's is medium ruby with a layered nose, featuring cracked pepper, dried rose petal and amaro over crushed red and black berries, rhubarb, cranberry, dried tobacco leaf and an underlying herbal tone. Medium-bodied with earthy and herbal-tinged fruits, it has grainy tannins and juicy freshness, finishing long and spicy. 721 cases produced. Drink Date 2020 - 2030. Erin Brooks 12th Sep 2019

Vinous

94 Points

The 2017 Pinot Noir Sandy's dazzles with its interplay of floral/savory aromatics and bright red/purplish berry fruit. Sage, mint, blood orange, spice and star anise add striking layers of nuance to this super-expressive Pinot. The Sandy's (named after Ron Melville's sister) emerges from a block planted on pure sand, and was done with 50% whole clusters. Drink 2022 - 2032. Antonio Galloni Sep 2019