95 Jeb Dunnuck - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Maybe the best Pinot Noir from Chad to date, the 2012 Pinot Noir Melville Vineyard saw 50% stems and 20 months in 50% new French oak. It is flat-out awesome. Possessing lots of salty minerality in its black raspberry, truffle, autumn leaf and wood-smoke-scented bouquet, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, silky texture and fabulous persistence and flavor intensity that comes through on the finish. While it saw 50% stems, they're nicely integrated and work well with this cuvee."

93 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

"The 2012 Pinot Noir Melville Vineyard is round, sweet and enveloping in style. "Dark red cherry, plum, spice, violet and mint overtones wrap around the palate in a succulent, expressive Pinot that emphasizes texture and voluptuousness. The 50% whole clusters are pretty much buried by the richness of the fruit.

SAMsARA is one of the hidden jewels of the Sta. Rita Hills. Although Chad Melville's family winery is quite established, Melville prefers to make his wines in a tiny warehouse in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto. The SAMsARA reds generally see a fair amount of whole clusters along with lengthy cold soaks. Fermentations are spontaneous and the wines spend longer in barrel than is the norm in the area. Minimal racking, an emphasis on neutral oak and a generally minimalist aesthetic informs wines of class and pedigree."