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Melville Sta. Rita Hills Estate Estate Syrah Donna's Block 2023

$7999

Cool-climate Syrah is one of the wine world's great underrated thrills, and Melville's Donna's Block, named for founder Ron Melville's wife, is a prime example. The block sits on the western edge of the estate where sandy loam soils and steady ocean winds shrink the berries and concentrate everything. The result is a Syrah miles from the jammy stereotype: dark, peppery and savory, with bright acidity and that wild, meaty, almost Northern Rhone-like edge that only happens when Syrah grows somewhere genuinely cold. Organically farmed, 100% estate. If you think you don't like California Syrah, this is the bottle to change your mind.

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


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Robert Parker

96 points

"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." —Matthew Luczy

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

    Syrah

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Earthy , Minerally

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Grilled steak, braised short ribs, lamb chops, or pepper-crusted venison.

Tasting Profile

Full-bodied red, dry, with dark fruit, black pepper, savory meatiness and bright acidity.