Sta. Rita Hills

Melville’s Santa Rita Hills vineyard site is the coolest of our syrah producers, and the climate has a profound effect on the character of this wine. You’ll observe peppery, spicy and floral notes that you never see in wines from warmer vineyards. We use some of our edgiest winemaking techniques with this wine because the raw material demands it, and its potential would not be realized if we used more conventional methods. And, while we are big fans of low yields in the vineyard, in this case we have no choice because we couldn’t consistently ripen the syrah here unless we kept the crop small. Melville is also the most exotic of the six vineyard designated syrahs we make. It is the one that gets all the attention because it has so much upfront appeal. The aroma of this wine is so compelling, and the flavors so rich, that it is hard not to like it right away. However, don’t mistake this wine for an early drinker, it has a serious backbone of tannin that will ensure many years of positive development as the wine ages.

Blend: 100% Syrah | Alcohol: 14.5% | Vinification: 20% New French Oak | Barrel Aging: 22 Months