Melville Syrah Sta. Rita Hills Donna's Block 2023

97 points/'Highly recommended and editor’s choice' International Wine Report: "The 2023 Melville Donna’s Block Syrah from Sta. Rita Hills, crafted entirely from whole-cluster fermentation and raised in neutral barrels, presents a vivid ruby-plum core that hints at its intensity. The aromatics are striking, with layers of boysenberry, black plum, and wild blueberry intertwined with cracked black peppercorn, lavender, and hints of blood orange. On the palate, the wine is expansive yet finely detailed, marrying savory tones of cured meat and iron with a lifted floral character finishing with notes of green olive brine. Its tannins are supple but firm enough to shape the broad, mouth-filling texture, while acidity provides vibrancy without sharpness. The finish is long and deeply expressive, carrying both fruit and savory notes. This wine reminds me of standing by a roaring bonfire on a cool autumn night, sparks lifting into the sky as smoke mingles with the scent of wild berries in the air. Highly recommended and editor’s choice. Drink 2025-2035 (Sep 2025)"

96+ points Matthew Luczy (WIne Advocate): "The single most impressive wine of the Meville roster is the spectacular 2023 Syrah Donna's Block, which I found to be one of the finest renditions of the variety produced in Santa Barbara County. It opens with an immediately transfixing bouquet that reads like a laundry list of textbook Syrah aromas: black and blue fruits, lavender, violets, cracked pepper and boot polish, all enlivened by marine overtones and delivered with crystalline purity. The palate is dense and sumptuous yet equally finessed and ethereal, seamlessly releasing into a striking, sophisticated finish propelled by vibrant acidity and staining richness that remains in perfect equilibrium with fruit intensity, structural refinement and savory undertones. This is fabulous already, and I cannot wait to follow its evolution. Drink 2028-2038 (Nov 2025)"