WMD "Wines of Mass Deliciousness" Half Case
Ultimate 2009 Bordeaux Half Case
Wedding Milestone Trio: 1, 5 & 10 Anniversary Wines
2008 Melka Métisse Le Chatelet St-Émilion Grand Cru
Merlot Blend • St-Émilion • Red Wine
Limit of 3 Bottles Per Order
One of the world's most influential wine consultants (Robert Parker's words, not mine), Philippe Melka has spent time at famed wineries such as Hundred Acre, Gemstone, Dana Estate, Dominus, Cliff Lede, Vineyard 29, Lail, Château Haut-Brion, Château Cheval Blanc and countless others that would take far too long to list. Yet with Melka wines, one could say that the phrase "behind read more...
Limit of 3 Bottles Per Order
One of the world's most influential wine consultants (Robert Parker's words, not mine), Philippe Melka has spent time at famed wineries such as Hundred Acre, Gemstone, Dana Estate, Dominus, Cliff Lede, Vineyard 29, Lail, ChâteauRead more...
Limit of 3 Bottles Per Order
One of the world's most influential wine consultants (Robert Parker'sRead more...
Limit of 3 Bottles Per Order
One of the world's most influential wine consultants (Robert Parker's words, not mine), Philippe Melka has spent time at famed wineries such as Hundred Acre, Gemstone, Dana Estate, Dominus, Cliff Lede, Vineyard 29, Lail, Château Haut-Brion, Château Cheval Blanc and countless others that would take far too long to list. Yet with Melka wines, one could say that the phrase "behind every great man is an even greater woman" truly fits.
Cherie Melka, Philippe's wife, is a microbiologist who holds certification from the University of Bordeaux III. She honed her skills running the laboratory at Ridge Vineyards under legendary winemaker Paul Draper and at other renowned wineries, such as Silver Oak and Beaulieu Vineyard.
Having one of the Melkas' wine pedigrees would be an amazing resource for any wine project, but the ability to tap into both? Almost needless to say, it is rarely seen.
For the past 16 harvests, the Melkas have diligently built two wine labels under their eponymous Melka wines: Métisse and CJ. Métisse, a French word that translates to "a blend of cultures," was chosen for the blend of Cherie's American heritage and Philippe's French heritage. The wine is the Melkas' notion of showcasing unique, single-vineyard sites, from Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley to St. Émilion, France.
Today's offer spotlights a standout from the Melkas' Métisse line from the Grand Cru Le Chatelet vineyard in Bordeaux's famous St.-Émilion region. This remarkable property sits adjacent to the Premier Grand Cru Classé properties Château Beau-Séjour Bécot and Château Canon and seems every bit their equal in terms of delivering finessed, noteworthy Merlot and Cabernet grapes. Add this amazing terroir to the Melkas' ability to coax every inch of nuanced charm from the vineyard, and this is a wine that is not to be missed.
Tasting Note
The 2008 Métisse Le Chatelet Vineyard St.-Émilion is a blend of 70 percent Merlot and 30 percent Cabernet Franc, and is textbook St.-Émilion. Focused on elegance and integrity rather than raw power, the wine has impeccable balance and purity, and lingers with the crushed rock and minerality that one would expect from a hallmark St.-Émilion. Though the mineral drives the flavors, there is still plenty of fruit with ripe black cherry, wild blueberry, and red currant encased with subtle notes of mocha powder, tobacco leaf and dried lavender. The excellent acidity within this wine nods toward a long and lustrous life span.
This wine will surely improve over the next 15 to 20 years, but don't be afraid to open it when it arrives; simply decant it for two to three hours before drinking. Pair this beautiful wine with a variety or roasts, grilled steaks, lamb and spiced pork dishes.
Kevin Boyer has 16 years of wine experience, most recently as VP of beverage for Ruth's Chris Steak House, Inc. He also co-founded the critically acclaimed boutique Napa Valley winery, BOYANCI. Kevin is a nationally recognized sommelier affiliated with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Society of Wine Educators and many other global wine organizations. Learn more about Kevin here, or follow him on Twitter: @kevinboyanci
Praise for Philippe Melka
The Wall Street Journal
"Although Michael Rolland may be the most prolific wine consultant in the world, fellow Frenchman Philippe Melka is easily his equal in the Napa Valley."
—Lettie Teague, "A Frenchman in Napa Valley" (Oct. 2010)
Robert Parker
"Combines French training and technique with top California fruit to great effect."
—R.P., "The World's Most Influential Wine Consultants" (Sept. 2008)
Food & Wine
American Wine Awards 2005: Winemaker of the Year
"It may raise eyebrows to name a Frenchman as the American Wine Awards' Winemaker of the Year, but Philippe Melka is an honorary native of the Napa Valley. 'I bring my French roots,' he says, 'but I don't have a French conservatism in winemaking; I have an American open-mindedness.' In addition to creating his own tiny-production, Bordeaux-style Métisse and CJ wines for the past nine years, Melka is currently the winemaker of and consultant to 12 first-rate small Napa wineries, including Lail Vineyards, Hundred Acre and Vineyard 29. (Add to that Washington State, where Melka's new Bordeaux-style blend, Pirouette, was just bottled.) His most publicized coup came in 2002, when he seamlessly succeeded the legendary Helen Turley at über-cult winery Bryant Family Vineyard. This University of Bordeaux–trained soil geologist was enticed by the Bryant family's exquisite Pritchard Hill Vineyard. 'My clients are not blind dates,' says Melka. 'They represent some of the greatest vineyard sites of Napa Valley.' Melka believes in strictly noninterventionist winemaking, designed to let the fruit produced by a great vineyard – not the art of the winemaker – shine through. 'I don't use any tricks,' he says."
—Richard Nalley (Oct. 2005)
