Winemaker Notes
This block has always been very distinctly Melville with a cold climate, sandy soil, and a long, sunny growing season working together to make Syrah magic. A blueberry and boysenberry core is studded with white pepper, olive brine, apricot, dried flowers and crispy bacon with loads of ripe tannin wrapped in a rope of acidity. This finish on this wine lingers for days. Make no mistake, this is Melville Syrah.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 100% Syrah fermented with 100% whole clusters and brought up in neutral oak, the 2022 Syrah Donna's Block is slightly deeper ruby/plum in hue and offers up blackberries, pepper, bouquet garni, orange blossom, and exotic floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, it has moderate acidity, a broad, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gamey, almost bloody profile. The balance is stunning, and the finish is brilliant. This is a singular Syrah that I absolutely love.
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James Suckling
A super distinctive, brilliant wine with bright aromas, vivid red and black fruit and an elegant texture. Fresh red cherries, red plums, winter holiday spices and a long finish. Full-bodied, balanced and fresh.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Despite being bottled just three weeks before I tasted it, I found the 2022 Syrah Donna's Block an alluring highlight within the Melville roster. It emerges from sandy soils at Melville East and spent 24 months in 228-liter barrique. A delicate yet complex nose of red and blue fruits, purple flowers, dried cloves and nori opens up to a lush and layered palate bound by a delicious velvety richness. It concludes with a savory, saturated finish framed by focused, pleasantly drying tannins and ethereal intensity. It's a fantastic expression of Sta. Rita Hills that should age effortlessly for more than a decade.
Rating: 94+ -
Vinous
Tasted from tank prior to bottling, the 2022 Syrah Estate Donna's Block presents an exotic mélange of sweet dried cherry, mint, spice, blood orange and star anise. In this vintage, the Donna's shows more red rather than black fruit. The 2022 is texturally very beautiful and polished, but it is still coming together following its recent racking into steel in preparation for bottling.
Tank Sample: 92-94 -
Wine Spectator
Engaging notes of white pepper, lavender and dried bay leaf lead in this refined, medium-bodied version, which offers juicy accents of spiced plum and wild strawberry. Mace, mineral and peppercorn details swirl in, adding to the complexity around well-integrated tannins. Drink now through 2032. 720 cases made.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.