97 points Erin Brooks (Wine Advocate): "The 2020 Pinot Noir Block M is beautifully expressive this vintage, with very pretty scents of blackberry, raspberry and pomegranate with wafts of tar, lavender, prosciutto, mushrooms and blood orange. The medium-bodied palate is intensely concentrated and boasts fine, chalky tannins, mouthwatering acidity and loads of detail emerging on the long finish. Wow! 720 cases were made. Drink: 2022-2030. (Dec 2022)"
95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Dark in the glass, this bottling is concentrated on the nose with black cherry, cola, loamy earth, wild thyme and black olive aromas. The palate is bold as well, showing ripe boysenberry, mint chocolate chip and peppered salumi flavors, all wrapped in tight tannins. Alcohol 13.8%. (Mar 2023)"
94+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Last of the Pinot Noir, the 2020 Pinot Noir Block M comes from a higher point in the estate vineyard and thin soils. It always sees a lot of stems, and the 2020 was fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged all in neutral oak. Candied cherries, plums, iron, smoked meat, and roasted herbs all emerge from this more angular (almost mean) Pinot Noir that needs lots of air to open up and gain charm. As with all these latest 2020s from Melville, it’s built for the cellar, and I wouldn’t open a bottle for at least 3-4 years. It should evolve gracefully. (Aug 2022)"
94 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2020 Pinot Noir Block M is a wild wine that very much reflects its site, perched atop a hill on the western side of the property where exposure to wind and sun, along with clay-rich soils, yields a distinctly virile, somber Pinot. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, licorice and cloves all come together. The 80% stems are perfectly judged. The 2020 is a big wine, but the balance works. Drink: 2024-2032. (Aug 2022)"
Producer notes: "Block M sits atop a sun-exposed and wind-swept mesa on the west side of our estate above several feet of botella clay soil that is planted to Dijonnaise clones 114 and 115. Clone 114 is known for its lush and tender texture, while the more widely known 115 delivers higher-toned fruit components and is more pronounced structurally. Always the richest, roundest, and most full-bodied of our Small Lot Collection Pinot Noirs, we feel that 114 and 115 work in harmony together and make Block M such a complete bottling. 33% of the fruit was gently de-stemmed with 67% remaining as whole clusters. Rich crimson hued, savory, and spicy notes of shiitake mushrooms, cinnamon, star anise, and wet slate emerge initially. With time, richer fruit components of strawberry gelatin, orange marmalade, and blueberry notes also fill in. The palate impression is assertive, with broad shoulders and ripe tannins that give the wine tremendous depth and intensity."
95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Dark in the glass, this bottling is concentrated on the nose with black cherry, cola, loamy earth, wild thyme and black olive aromas. The palate is bold as well, showing ripe boysenberry, mint chocolate chip and peppered salumi flavors, all wrapped in tight tannins. Alcohol 13.8%. (Mar 2023)"
94+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Last of the Pinot Noir, the 2020 Pinot Noir Block M comes from a higher point in the estate vineyard and thin soils. It always sees a lot of stems, and the 2020 was fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged all in neutral oak. Candied cherries, plums, iron, smoked meat, and roasted herbs all emerge from this more angular (almost mean) Pinot Noir that needs lots of air to open up and gain charm. As with all these latest 2020s from Melville, it’s built for the cellar, and I wouldn’t open a bottle for at least 3-4 years. It should evolve gracefully. (Aug 2022)"
94 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2020 Pinot Noir Block M is a wild wine that very much reflects its site, perched atop a hill on the western side of the property where exposure to wind and sun, along with clay-rich soils, yields a distinctly virile, somber Pinot. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, licorice and cloves all come together. The 80% stems are perfectly judged. The 2020 is a big wine, but the balance works. Drink: 2024-2032. (Aug 2022)"
Producer notes: "Block M sits atop a sun-exposed and wind-swept mesa on the west side of our estate above several feet of botella clay soil that is planted to Dijonnaise clones 114 and 115. Clone 114 is known for its lush and tender texture, while the more widely known 115 delivers higher-toned fruit components and is more pronounced structurally. Always the richest, roundest, and most full-bodied of our Small Lot Collection Pinot Noirs, we feel that 114 and 115 work in harmony together and make Block M such a complete bottling. 33% of the fruit was gently de-stemmed with 67% remaining as whole clusters. Rich crimson hued, savory, and spicy notes of shiitake mushrooms, cinnamon, star anise, and wet slate emerge initially. With time, richer fruit components of strawberry gelatin, orange marmalade, and blueberry notes also fill in. The palate impression is assertive, with broad shoulders and ripe tannins that give the wine tremendous depth and intensity."
| Product SKU | 341795 |
| Producer | Melville |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| SubRegion | Central Coast |
| Appellation | Sta. Rita Hills |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| ABV | 13.8% |
| Ships To |
