Cool Climate's finest Syrah is named after the beloved wife of owner Ron Melville, Donna.
Donna's block is located on a 20-foot sandy hill on the northeast side of the estate and is home to two varieties of Syrah: Clone #1 and Estrella.
In order to clearly express the lively aromas and body of Syrah grown in cool climates, the wine was fermented in neutral oak barrels with 100% whole clusters. It was fermented in an open-top 1.5 ton tank with skin (including stem) contact for 35 days (7 days cold soak + 2 weeks fermentation, 1 week extended maceration). After pressing, it was transferred to neutral French oak barrels and aged on the lees without any additives until March 2020.
Its deep indigo color is accompanied by an intense and rich nose of Chinese five-spice, dark cocoa beans and smoked sea salt. In the background, rich aromas of blueberry compote, grilled beef skewers and porcini mushrooms mingle with soft floral notes of violets and lavender. This wine is highly concentrated and well-balanced, with delicate, dusty tannins framing a powerful, long finish.
Melville's founder, Ron Melville, was influenced by his father and was familiar with the soil from an early age. He started a vineyard in Sonoma's Knights Valley in 1987. He cultivated Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other grapes, and the high quality of the grapes led to many famous wineries in the area to purchase them. In 1997, the Melville family decided to move from Sonoma to Santa Barbara. They had long envisioned making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a cool climate in the Santa Rita Hills. This area is only 10 miles (16 km) from the sea, and fog rolls in in the mornings and evenings, with cool winds from the sea blowing in in the afternoons. This cool climate is not only ideal for cultivating Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, but also has a long growing season and produces concentrated flavors. The soil is sandy with limestone rocks, which produces fruits with firm acidity. Convinced of the greatness of this land, Ron also contributed greatly to the AVA certification of Santa Rita Hills (2001). Currently, Melville grows 16 clones of Pinot Noir, 9 varieties of Syrah, and 6 varieties of Chardonnay in its 120 acres of vineyards. At Melville, the characteristics and qualities of each clone are important, and they are grown in separate areas of the vineyard. In addition, during winemaking, each clone is fermented in a separate barrel, and every effort is made to bring out its individuality to the fullest. Ron's son, Chad, has been involved in grape growing with his father and brothers since 1997. He is very proud of the fact that he and his family grow grapes with their own hands on their own land and make wine, doing all of this process in-house. In 2015, he took on the position of winemaker, and is pouring his passion for grape growing and winemaking into wine.
You have successfully registered for the restock notification! We will notify you when the product is back in stock.