Melville Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Block M 2023

98 points/'#63 Top 100 Wines of 2025,' Jeb Dunnuck: "Fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged in neutral wood, the 2023 Pinot Noir Block M sees the highest stem inclusion in the lineup. Ruby/plum in hue, it offers black raspberries, spice, rose petals, and damp underbrush, with beautifully integrated stems. Medium-bodied and vibrant, it has a seamless texture, sound underlying structure, and a gorgeous finish. This might be the finest Pinot Noir I've tasted from Melville. While far from unapproachable today, it will benefit from a year or two in bottle and drink well through 2038. Drink: 2026-2038. (9/4/25)"

98 points/'Highly Recommended/Editor’s Choice,' International Wine Report: "The 2023 Melville Block M Pinot Noir from Sta. Rita Hills, crafted with 80% whole cluster fermentation and matured in neutral oak, is the best of the lineup. Its deep ruby-plum color introduces a captivating nose of marionberry, wild blueberry, clove, and crushed violets, woven with savory hints of forest moss and subtle earth. On the palate, the wine is medium in body yet charged with vibrancy, carrying flavors of black cherry and cranberry layered with herbal lift and spice. The stems are seamlessly integrated, lending shape and definition without overshadowing the fruit. Its texture is both fluid and refined, with finely knit tannins and a long, graceful finish that holds a fantastic mineral edge. Drink: 2025-2035. (Sep 2025)"

96 points Matthew Luczy (Wine Advocate): "The most multifaceted and complete of the Melville Pinot Noirs is the 2023 Pinot Noir Block M, a selection of 114 and 115 clones situated above the blocks that supply the Terraces bottling, fermented with 80% whole clusters. It bounds from the glass with the most expressive aromatic profile of the range, seamlessly fusing mineral, saline, citrus and floral notes with a complex web that perfectly encapsulates the profile typical of the northern Sta. Rita Hills. The palate paints a similarly complex picture, combining density, elasticity and a distinct sense of buoyancy that carries through the concentrated, lively and multidimensional finish, only growing more complex and refined as it opens in the glass. Despite the youthfully taut nature of the Melville lineup, this wine is relatively expressive even at this young stage, although I would hold off on popping corks for at least another couple of years. Drink 2027-2038 (Nov 2025)"

95 points Billy Norris (Vinous): "The 2023 Pinot Noir Estate Block M is wonderful, and also the most generous, accessible and complete of these small-lot bottlings today. Rounded and supple, it's soft-spoken but oozes with floral complexity. Blood orange, lavender, potpourri, incense and sandalwood aromas drip with finesse and elegance, enshrouding a long, layered finish. The 80% whole clusters are perfectly integrated. The 2023 rings out in harmony. Drink: 2025-2035. (Aug 2025)"

95 points Wine Spectator: "A distinctive red, with savory, rosemary, sanguine and rose hip threads that ripple through a core of gently mulled blood orange, bitter cherry and damson plum. Subtle echoes of mesquite and sous-bois linger on the finish. For the cellar. Best from 2026 through 2036. 598 cases made. (9/30/25)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "Vivid and exotic aromas of Suriname cherry, black tea, sumac and black peppercorn engage the nose on this block-designated bottling. The palate is energetic and brisk, pairing strawberry with elegant mac and star anise flavors. Alcohol 13.1%. (Sep 2025)"