Philippe Melka: An Extraordinary Winemaker
Ed Fitts and Sue Rathbone, owners of Feathered Horse Vineyards, are honored to work with Philippe, a much sought-after winemaker in California. Philippe selects projects because he is drawn to the soil. Feathered Horse Vineyards, with its volcanic soils in the arid, rocky hills above Lake Hennessey, is terroir that produces grapes with powerful and unique flavors. It is just the sort of place that attracts Philippe's interest. Philippe strives to make wines that show "the voice of the vineyard through its terroir." And the soils at Feathered Horse Vineyards have a voice worth listening to.
Philippe was born and raised in Bordeaux, France. He graduated with a degree in geology from the University of Bordeaux in 1989 and a second degree in enology, with a specialization in agronomy and vineyard soils, in 1991.
Philippe has worked at wineries in Europe, Australia, and the United States, including: Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau Petrus in France; Badia o Coltibuono in Italy; Chittering Estate in Australia; and Dominus and Ridge in California.
Philippe was named "Winemaker of the Year" by Food & Wine Magazine in 1995 and by The San Francisco Chronicle in 2003. He considers these among his greatest achievements.
In the close-knit wine community, Philippe is credited with returning the focus of wine making back to "terroir." His experience in France has been instrumental to his perspective. He emphasizes gentle harvesting techniques, extended skin contact, and the careful use of new oak. He combines this with what is now a keenly-developed "American insight" into artisanal farming.
As Philippe explains, "My style is to show the site through the wine, to respect the grape as much as I can. So every single wine I make will be very different because every one has a unique site. We should emphasize the estate much more than the winemaker. You have to minimize the technique as much as you can."
Philippe's passion for wine making is shared by his wife Cherie, who has a degree in microbiology from Arizona State University. Together they produce Melka Wines. Ed and Sue look forward to many exciting harvests with the Melka family at their side.
Feathered Horse Vineyards Presents Feathered Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
Feathered Horse is the poetic Romany translation for Gypsy Vanners, a beautiful and rare new breed of horse with striking colors, long flowing manes, and "feathered" legs.