History
As the proprietors of Melka Wines, we’ve been sharing our passion for creating exceptional wine since 1996. You can get a glimpse of this passion in Philippe’s eyes, which look out at you from every bottle. Together, we enjoy the freedom to nurture and blend each varietal and our pursuit of excellence and balance in our wines is equaled only by our dedication to exceptional quality.
Our vision is to maintain the quality that we’ve established and that our customers have come to expect from all of our wines. The way we see it, a grape must tell the story of its native soil. Which is why you’ll find that every bottle of Melka wine expresses the voice of the soil, as well as our passion as experienced winemakers. – Philippe & Cherie Melka
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Philippe Melka I spent much of my youth in Bordeaux, France, earning my geology degree from the University of Bordeaux. On a whim, I took a wine course in my final year of study - a decision that changed my life. My journey started at Chateau Haut Brion (where my passion for cabernet-based blends and sauvignon blanc began) and I completed a masters program in Agronomy and Enology under the direction of Professor Sequin, the renowned terroir specialist. I was fascinated by the relationship between soil and wine quality, a fascination which continues today. Yearning to know more, I set out for Napa Valley (Dominus Estate), Western Australia (Chittering Estate), Chianti in Italy (Badia O Coltibuono) and Bordeaux (Chateau Petrus) where I divided my time between soil study and winemaking. However, the great diversity of terroirs I found in Napa Valley, and its potential for extraordinary wines, was a revelation to me. |
So, with the knowledge I've gained around the world, I've devoted the past 15 years to winemaking here in Napa Valley – both as a consultant to the most highly regarded estate wineries, and as co-proprietor of Melka Wines with my wife, Cherie. We've also found time to raise a beautiful family together.
Cherie Melka
I feel fortunate to have been trained and influenced by some of the most notable personalities in the wine business: Jean Delmas and Jean Philippe Masclef from Haut-Brion, Christian Moueix and Jean Claude Berrouet from Petrus, Paul Draper from Ridge, Daniel Baron from Silver Oak and Michel Rolland from Chateau Pasteur.
My recent naming as one of the top 9 wine consultants in the world by Robert Parker has been truly humbling, and a terrific honor. But my pursuit of excellence in this field I'm so passionate about has only just begun.
For as long as I can remember, I've had an interest in winemaking. Once I earned my microbiology degree at Northern Arizona University, I pursued that interest in the vineyard country of northern California,
where it became my passion.
For five years, I ran the laboratory at Ridge Vineyards, working under the direction of legendary winemaker Paul Draper. During this time, I met Philippe. We fell in love and moved to France shortly thereafter. While there, I earned a certificate from the University of Bordeaux III.
Upon our return to California, I worked with Beaulieu Vineyards in Quality Control, then moved on to Silver Oak Cellars as Laboratory Manager. But I longed to be more involved in wine production. About this time,
I began to appreciate the fact that Philippe wasn't just making wine, he was crafting it. And so, following my passion, I decided to dedicate my time solely to Melka Wines.
Today, I enjoy running Melka's operations and working with Philippe in all facets of winemaking.