Phillippe Melka 'CJ' Napa Valley Cabernet BYOB at Carnivore & Queen
We went out to dinner with son Sean and d-in-law Michelle and dined at Carnivore & The Queen in adjacent Downers Grove, IL. I took from our wine cellar BYOB this Napa Valley Red wine to accompany our entree dinner selections - NY Strip Steak and Bone-in Veal Chop.
Closing in on celebrating our grandaughter's, Sean and Michelle's daughter, Lavender's first birthday, this was a fun choice with its whimsical label with the child's hand-prints on the label and foil, as this label is named for and dedicated to the winemakers' two children.
There's another reason I selected this label, from producer Phillippe Melka, a producer we know well and hold several of his labels across two decades of vintages. Phillippe was the mentor for Eric White of Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winey in Galena, IL, whom we met during our stay in the estate guest house during our getaway holiday week before last.
Philippe and co-proprietors and co-winemaker for Melka Estates, wife, Cherie Melka produce four distinct brands that reflect their philosophy of soil driven wines: Métisse from Napa Valley, Mekerra from Sonoma Valley, Majestique from sites around the world and CJ, also from Napa Valley.
Both Philippe and Cherie are both academically prepared for their distinctive careers and achievement in winemaking. Philippe having degrees in Geology, Agronomy and Enology; and Cherie in Microbiology from the US and a diploma in French Studies from the University of Bordeaux III.
Philippe learned winemaking and vineyard techniques from legendary prestigious estates such as Haut Brion, Chittering Estate, Badio O Coltibuono, the Moueix domains and Dominus. Cherie was more self-taught as a enologist gaining her wine knowledge from equally impressive estates such as Ridge Vineyards, Beaulieu and Silver Oak Cellars. Their combined science backgrounds and extensive experience in the industry make them a perfect team in their winemaking endeavors.
After years of consulting,
Philippe and Cherie opened up Melka Wines, in 1996, celebrating their
first vintage of a Bordeaux styled Red Wine labeled Melka Metisse with a total production of 500 cases. Soon
after, Melka’s success would eventually lead him to 3 more labels, the
Mekerra, Majestique and the
first vintage of CJ in 1996, the year Jeremy was born with production of only
200 cases.
Melka Estates started with Philippe and Cherie
Melka sourcing fruit for their first two labels, two wines named
in honor of their two children Chloe and Jeremy and Metisse. They have
since grown to four collections, CJ (a red blend very approachable in
its youth sourced from premium vineyards throughout the Napa Valley),
Metisse (a word that means ‘blend of cultures’ with wines from the Napa
Valley), Mekerra (from the property they own in Sonoma County) and
Majestique (single vineyard wines from outside of the Napa Valley). As a
footnote, one quickly realizes the affinity the Melka’s have for the
letter ‘M’.
Philippe grew up in Bordeaux, earned his degree in Geology at the University of Bordeaux and later his Master’s degree in Agronomy and Enology. His first wine job was at Château Haut Brion in Bordeaux. His first introduction to the Napa Valley came in 1991 as an intern with Christian Moueix, proprietor of Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in Napa Valley. Philippe came to Dominus to study soils – then spent a few years as a traveling winemaker and ultimately settled in the Napa Valley in 1994.
Melka CJ Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Cherie earned a degree in Microbiology at
Northern Arizona University and worked for a while in pharmaceuticals
as a laboratory technician. In 1989, she moved to
California and took her first winery job for Paul Draper at
Ridge Vineyards where she ran the lab for five years. It
was here that she met Philippe who was working the vineyards.
The list of Napa wineries that Philippe has worked with over the years reads like a whose whose list of the valley – Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate, Brand, Bryant Family, Dana Estates, Lail, Hundred Acre and Tusk Estate among many other well-regarded brands.
The vineyards that contribute to the making of Melka wines are sourced from relationships with growers over the 20 years that they’ve been making this wine. Two primary sources of fruit for CJ are Soda Canyon, a unique area in Napa Valley near Oakville with hillside fruit, and Broken Rock has brought more fresh crushed rocks, good acidity and more massive tannins.
At eighteen years, the fill level, label and cork were perfect. This was most likely at the apex of its drinking window and profile and will not likely improve with further age, but should last up to another decade.
This is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot.
This release got 92 points from Wine Spectator.
Dark inky garnet colored, full bodied, firm, structured, tight, concentrated ripe, rich and lush blackberry and wild berry fruits with pointed notes of gritty eucalyptus cedar notes, black tea, dark mocha and cigar box with firm focused tannins on the finish.
RM 92 points.
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