Another blockbuster is the 2013 Syrah Verna's, which comes from a vineyard located north of the Sta. Rita Hills, near Los Alamos. It was 70% destemmed and aged 10 months in neutral oak. It reveals terrific notes of cassis, peppered meats, blackberries, licorice and wood smoke to go with a full-bodied, ripe, yet beautifully balanced and layered feel on the palate. Given all the Syrahs and Pinot Noirs from Santa Barbara going for three times the price, the quality here is remarkable. In short, it's a no-brainer that will drink nicely for at least another 4-6 years. Unfortunately, this will be the last vintage from this vineyard for Melville.

Looking at the three Syrahs, these are all incredible efforts that go screaming past anything else even close to this price point. The 2012 Syrah Estate Verna’s offers a vibrant purple color to go with a full-bodied, seamless and layered profile. Blackberry, cassis, tobacco leaf, beef blood and hints of iron emerge from this stunner that should drink nicely for 4-5 years, if not longer. All from Melville’s Verna Vineyard, 100% Syrah, 70% destemmed and aged 11 months in neutral oak, it’s a no-brainer purchase and don’t miss it. Hold onto your hats, as these latest releases from Chad Melville and winemaker Greg Brewer are off-the-charts good! While both of the Chardonnays are beautiful, and play in the clean, crisp and medium-bodied spectrum, it’s the 2012 Pinot Noirs and Syrahs that are incredible across the board. The Pinot Noirs all see varying degrees of whole cluster and are aged completely in neutral French oak barrels. The Syrahs see slightly less whole cluster inclusion, but are also aged all in neutral French oak. In case you missed the prices/scores listed above, these are some of the greatest values in the world of wine today! Tel. (805) 735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com

Looking at the Syrah, the 2011 Syrah Verna’s is a supple, sexy effort that’s loaded with black cherry liqueur, blackberry, pepper, stem, bacon fat and assorted meatiness on the nose. Filling in beautifully on the palate, with a medium-bodied profile, this knockout, voluptuously textured effort has no hard edges, serious purity of fruit and ripe tannin that emerges through the finish. Taking the better part of a day to shine, this beauty should be given another 2-3 years of bottle age and consumed over the following 7-8 years. Drink 2015-2022. Winemaker Greg Brewer and grower Chad Melville continue to knock it out of the park with these Melville releases. Focusing on site, if not plot, specific releases, neutral oak, no SO2 until racking and varying degrees of whole cluster are the norm here. The wines have individual characters and, stylistically, lean toward the more complex, finesse-driven side of the spectrum. They “wow” more for their balance and nuance than their power and richness. They also remain reasonably priced! Tel. (805) 735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com

A delicate, finely knit fabric of aromas and flavors floats on the palate in the 2010 Syrah Estate Verna-s. Mint, plums and sweet herbs all meld together in this gracious, impeccable Syrah. The intensely perfumed, feminine finish has a sweet, almost-Pinot like register from the use of 50% whole clusters. Amazingly, in 2010 the harvest stretched into December 1. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. Longtime winemaker Greg Brewer has done a great job with these new releases. Although there are a number of highlights here, it is the Pinots that truly shine in 2010. I also tasted the 2010 Chardonnay Estate, but it was completely closed down and in no mood to be evaluated, so I will have to wait for another opportunity to get a better read. Tel. (805) 235-7030; www.melvillewinery.com

The 2009 Syrah Verna’s is a relatively straightforward wine, as most wines from this site are. Black cherries, flowers and spices are some of the notes that flow from this attractive, plush Syrah. The estate used 30-40% whole clusters here. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016. Melville is one of the better known properties in Santa Barbara. The estate makes a wide range of wines under the direction of oenologist Greg Brewer, and also sells fruit to a number of other producers. The 2009 Pinot Noirs in particular are standouts. Brewer vinified the Pinots with one-third whole clusters. The 2010 Chardonnays had only recently been bottled and needed quite a bit of air to blow off some of their reductive qualities.Tel. (805) 735-7030; www.melvillewinery.com