2001
SYRAH MELVILLE
Santa Rita Hills
The 2001 syrah Melville is a great surprise, and it proves the
point I was making in my introduction to this newsletter. I actually
toured the property many years ago when I was looking for land
to plant grapes on. I just couldn't imagine that this spot-- a
flat sandy field that looked like it had been planted to lima
beans for the last fifty years--had any magic to it, and rejected
it out of hand. But the site has a reservoir of hidden beauty
that I simply couldn't see at the time.
The magic starts with where
the vineyard is located, in the Santa Rita Hills appellation near
the town of Lompoc. The very long and cool growing season allows
the grapes to mature slowly without losing acidity. The color
and flavor seem to intensify with that long "hang time."
If it weren't for the dry fall weather of Southern California,
one could never grow syrah in this extremely cool climate, as
the grapes ripen here very late in the fall. The sandy soil turns
out to be a benefit because sandy soils hold almost no water or
nutrients, so it is easier to control the growth of the vines,
which is essential for quality. The third aspect that makes this
vineyard work for us is Chad Melville. He does a fabulous job
farming this close-planted vineyard and is receptive and responsive
to my many picky vineyard management requests.
High Resolution Label