Every bit as good, with a touch more gaminess and meatiness (which is common for the vineyard), the 2009 Syrah Melville dishes out superb blackberry, pepper, bacon fat and smoke as well as supple, voluptuous feel on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, with gorgeous purity of fruit and a solid mid-palate, it will have over a decade of longevity. Drink now-2021+. This was one thrilling lineup of wines by Adam Tolmach and assistant winemaker Fabien Castel and this is always one of my favorite visits during my trip through the region. After making wine for close to 30 years, Adam continues to push for improvement and is subtly tweaking his wines to get more freshness, focuses and elegance out of them. Minimal new oak, low SO2 and few rackings are all the norm here, and these 2009s, 2010s and 2011s are some of the strongest wines I’ve tasted from this estate. They’re all highly recommended. Tel. (805) 798-3947; www.ojaivineyard.com

Combines ripe, grapey plum and wild berry character with a touch of meatiness, turning spicy and ending with a crushed rock and hot brick edge. Drink now through 2024. 216 cases made. –JL

The 2008 Syrah Melville is loaded with character and personality. Dark plums, tapenade and spices are some of the many notes that are woven together in this intense, varietally expressive Syrah. At four years of age, the 2008 is still an infant. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. This is a gorgeous set of wines from Ojai and proprietor Adam Tolmach. The 2009 Pinots and 2008 Syrahs in particular are terrific. The best Ojai wines – and there are many that vie for that label – are gorgeous, transparent to site and highly expressive. As always, the style at Ojai is fairly non-interventionalist. Since 2005, the fermentations have been gentler, with less overall extraction. The malos proceed naturally and slowly. As a rule, the wines are never racked until bottling. The Ojai wines remain exceedingly fairly priced considering the quality and painstaking effort that goes into every bottle. Tel. (805) 649-1674; www.ojaivineyard.com