2016 Melville Syrah

2016 Melville Syrah

2016 Melville Syrah This exquisite 2016 vintage is Inky garnet in color with brilliant aromatics of ripe blue fruits, allspice and white pepper emanate from the glass. In the background, floral notes of lavender and violets intermingle with deeper components of prosciutto, buttered mushrooms and soy. From Melville, the palate impression is tender and polished with a firm presence finishing with significant weight and focus. Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern cultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) known as Shiraz. Syrah has proved successful around the world; wines are produced in many styles and display myriad dark-fruit flavors. Varietal Syrah can be quite floral in its youth, developing white and black pepper aromas and herbaceous notes as it ages.

91 Jeb Dunnuck Leading off the Syrahs, the 2016 Syrah Sta. Rita Hills sports a deep ruby color to go with a gamy, olive tapenade, peppery, dark fruited and straight-up classic Syrah character. This beauty is medium-bodied, has good acidity, and a balanced style that’s ideal for drinking over the coming 7-8 years.

About Melville

Situated amongst the beautiful rolling hills of Western Santa Ynez Valley, Melville is dedicated to producing exceptional cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah grown exclusively in their estate vineyards throughout the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. Founded in 1989, Melville is a family-owned and operated estate winery with its roots in Sonoma County’s Knights Valley, where Ron Melville grew high-quality and greatly sought-after grapes. In 1996, Ron’s desire to grow cold-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah brought Melville Vineyards to the Sta. Rita Hills, located in the Western Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County. Today, Ron and his son, Chad Melville, uphold Melville’s tradition as one of the most highly-regarded estates in California.