The sparse rainfall of the year was keenly felt by the vines planted in the clay soils of Melbury. The harvest lasted just seven days during early September and ended with one of the cru’s lowest yields to date. Yet these challenges seemed to burnish the vines’ collective resolve, giving rise to an intriguingly dark, dense wine whose heart, nevertheless, shines with light and warmth.

The fragrance of red fruit—though darker in this vintage—greets the nose, anchored by traces of damp earth and black tea. The palate offers a generous embrace, the spherical tannins encircling and briefly cloaking a rich core of spice. A moment of gratifying charm captivates the senses briefly, before the clay-softened tannins gradually begin to uncoil over the span of a resonant, joyous finish.

Situated on the slopes of the Vaca Mountains, Melbury is planted on compacted clay soils that retain moisture in wet years, furnishing a reservoir of energy for the vines. The arid conditions of 2020, however, withheld this advantage, eliciting from the vineyard an expression that favors definition and detail over explicit power.  

Vivid scents of rosehip, hibiscus, and red fruit supplant more typical notes of spice in perhaps the most aromatic example of this wine to date. Sheer layers of silky warmth sheathe the palate in gentle waves, while a bracing blade of acidity slices through this softness toward the finish, sending forth a surge of refreshed vitality.

Melbury often benefits from cooler and wetter years, and 2019 was no exception. Welcome spring rains resulted in a late budbreak for this clay-rich site. As the season warmed, bloom followed the pattern of more typical vintages. The summer months were mild, interspersed with only a few spells of heat, allowing ripening to progress evenly. Harvest began the last day of September and concluded 12 days later.

Delicate aromas of red fruit, florals, spice, and sunbaked earth prepare the senses for a warm embrace that envelops the palate. This expansive infusion of energy gives way to a layered resolve that lingers brilliantly, revealing a fine, folded, almost diaphanous texture.

The season began much later than the other crus with budbreak occurring in the last week of April. The unique clay that overlays this hillside vineyard allowed the vines to flourish due to a timely spring rain. Fruit set was small, given the nature of the vintage. Harvest was finished in one week during mid-October.

The spherical entry releases an impetuous energy that flirts with the edges. The wine gently settles into its normal position with the depth and charm that are so ubiquitous among the vintages from this cru. There is a feeling of joy that sits beneath the surface of an enveloping and generous finish.

Budbreak was delayed until the end of April due to early spring rains. This shift in timing helped the vineyard weather the summer heat, and as fall approached it looked to be a promising year for this site. Harvest began on September 27th and fortunately we were able to harvest the key components of Melbury before the wildfires broke out.

The nose contains all of the classic red fruit intermixed, as well as fresh violets and baking spice. As is often the case, the mineral facet of Melbury is felt as a salty tinge within its rich velvet layers. The vintage uniquely highlights the gravity that this wine has and demonstrates an almost endless depth. As the wine lingers it embraces the emotional nature of this vintage with a calm reflection.

Budbreak began on March 30th; cool temperatures allowed early growth to develop slowly. The fruit set was lower than normal but resulted in beautiful, loose clusters. The upper slopes were harvested in the early part of September, followed by morning fog, which elongated ripening for the remaining vines.

The generous spirit of Melbury reminds us of a jovial companion who enlivens an intimate dining table. This year, our friend delivers a more pensive charm than in years past. A touch of cardamom and hints of red fruit rouse an otherwise brooding nose. While the classic velvety texture is present, there is a gentle resistance on the tannins—a palpable reminder of the clay rich soils of this site.

An early budbreak on March 19th was followed by a cool spring that reduced fruit-set, and therefore yield. Summer’s heat was a constant threat until the grapes were picked. Harvest began on September 18th, and ultimately comprised 16 harvest passes over the course of two weeks.

Sweet spice and black cherry are just some of the aromatic highlights of this provocative example of Melbury. The wines’ ubiquitous charm is demonstrated by velvety layers of ripe red fruits and a soft mineral tinge. The wine holds forth on the front of the palate with a volume filling richness that slowly contracts into a long and inexplicably fine finish.

Maturation was slow and deliberate this season. Harvest was spread out over almost 31 days and 16 individual selections. Beginning in the upper part of the slope and proceeding down the vineyard. Fermentation was carried out, almost exclusively, in small French oak barrels, which allowed us to pick each lot at the ideal moment.

Melbury instantly transports one to the winter season with spice notes mixed with cherries and currants. The wine is round and velvety on entry, finding its rightful home on the front of the palate. An ephemeral saltiness touches the tongue as the wine’s resonance remains spherical.

Anticipating a warm growing season, we pruned the vines very late in order to delay budbreak. This allowed the vineyard to ripen later in the season, in the cooler part of fall. Regardless, this wine is proudly a product of the vintage as the skins were extremely thick, resulting in more structure and power than usual.

This primal Melbury has aromas of fresh cassis coupled with baking spices. It is classically spherical on the palate, with minerality manifesting itself as a salty sweetness along the edges of the tongue. The tannins are dense, imposing more muscle than softness at this early date. The 2013 still possesses classic Melbury charm, with a velvet-textured finish that is fine and powder-like.