Recommended by the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, and Many More. Check out our recent press.

Award-winning SF wine shop – free local delivery & fast nationwide shipping. Learn more
Sold out

Melville Sta. Rita Hills Estate Estate Pinot Noir Sandy's Block 2023

$6499

Sandy's Block is named for Chad Melville's aunt, and it sits on nearly pure sand in the northeastern reaches of the estate. That sandy soil tends to give Pinot Noir of real delicacy and aromatic lift, and this single-block bottling shows it: bright red fruit, floral perfume and a silky, finely detailed feel on the palate. Like everything at Melville, it's 100% estate-grown and organically farmed in the cool, foggy Sta. Rita Hills. Where Block M leans powerful, Sandy's Block leans elegant and perfumed, a beautiful counterpoint and a wine that rewards slow sipping.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


Add your content here

Antonio Galloni

94 points

"The 2023 Pinot Noir Estate Sandy's Block is a blend of four clones planted in pure sand. Fresh, spiced and lifted, it boasts a delicate, effusive, floral-tinged aromatic profile with lots of tension and an air of seriousness. There's ample complexity under the hood here. The 2023 is a little reticent today, but time should help to unlock some of its charms and build some fruit weight. This is a very pretty, classically built wine with upside potential." —Billy Norris

Robert Parker

94 points

"From high-elevation plantings on sandy soils comes the 2023 Pinot Noir Sandy's Block, fermented with 50% whole bunches. Refined and measured on the nose, it opens with a fragrant, floral bouquet with a red-fruited core, gradually revealing lifted orange peel and stem-derived spice notes. The palate balances a broad, silky texture with racy energy, culminating in a gently saturated, saline finish that lingers with delicate, fine-grained tannins and bright, red-fruited overtones. This is a beautiful example of precision on display at Meville, and it's among the more accessible single-block offerings." —Matthew Luczy

Wine Spectator

95 points

"This is coiled up, offering juicy energy that keeps the core of bitter cherry, raspberry and damson plum notes in reserve for now. When they unfurl, they'll have support from elements of black tea, singed sandalwood, rose petal and oyster shell minerality through the mouthwatering finish. Best from 2026 through 2036."

Wine Enthusiast

96 points

"A lighter hue in the glass, this bottling entices the nose with bay leaf, sage and nori aromas that give so much depth to the tart currant and smashed cranberry elements. The palate turns that into raspberry, tea leaf and eucalyptus flavors that finish on a warmer vanilla tone, deftly showing fruit, herb, spice and savory components at once."

More about Melville

After a long career growing some of the most sought-after fruit in Sonoma County’s Knights Valley, Ron Melville wanted to make California's best cold climate wines. This desire led him to the Santa Rita Hills in the windswept, foggy western edge of the Santa Ynez Valley where he founded Melville Estate Winery in 1996. Today, with the help of his son Ron, the estate is one of California's most highly regarded.

The best Pinots grown in California mostly seem to come from remote sites, and there aren't many sites more remote than the Santa Rita Hills. Even though it's home to one of Santa Barbara’s most important pioneering vineyards, Sanford and Benedict, it took over twenty years for the intrepid winemakers to realize its potential for crafting elegant and complex Pinot Noir.

That being said, for most of its history the Santa Rita Hills, along with the rest of Santa Barbara County has produced what one might say is the dominant style of California Pinot. Rich bold wines, with very smooth and silky textures and a sweetness of fruit that can sometimes make them difficult to pair with food. Ron Melville saw the potential to do something different with his cool, cool vineyards, and with the help of his family and the nonpareil winemaking talents of Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton, he decide to craft fresh, vivid and complex Pinots.

Believing that the best wines are made in the vineyard, Melville only produces wines from their meticulously farmed estate. Alongside the exceptional Pinots, Melville also produces Chardonnay and Syrah that are equally elegant.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Pinot Noir

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Earthy , Minerally

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Seared salmon, roast chicken, duck, or mushroom pasta.

Tasting Profile

Medium-bodied red, dry, with bright red fruit, floral lift, silky texture and fresh acidity.