Grapelive Daily Pick
By Kerry Winslow
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2008 Melville Chardonnay Verna’s Santa Babara County.
There can be no doubt, the Melville family offer the best estate wines for the money in California, and this new vintage of Verna’s Chard can not be faulted, re-enforcing my view even further. With Greg Brewer, Brewer-Clifton, making the wines and the Melville family helping in with great fruit, Melville Winery and Vineyards just seem to get better and better. This 2008 Melville Chardonnay Verna’s is lush and round, with pure fruit and classic Burgundian character. The nose is nutty and smoky with hints of matchstick and citrus, before lots of pear, peach and apple fruits flow across the palate, with flashes of hazelnuts, kiwi and wet stones, finishing with a citrus, almost lemon kiss and very light and subtle oak spice. This vintage was made with almost no new wood, but it still is everything you would want from a fine white and a great value for what you get in style and pleasure.
($24-26 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive
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