Jeb Dunnuck - 96 Points
"Not destemmed and seeing an extended maceration, the 2018 Syrah Estate Donna's is another Cornas look-alike that boasts a saturated purple color to go with a huge nose of smoked black fruits, beef blood, ground pepper, crushed violets, and bacon fat. It's rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced, with both tannins and acidity. This beauty will keep for 10-15 years and is up with some of the top examples of Syrah in this report."
Wine Enthusiast - 96 Points
"Cracked black pepper, black currant and dark violet make for a cool-climate expression with tons of floral smoothness. There is heft to the sip, where black pepper, dried herbs and black fruits are sliced by a zesty acidity."
Wine & Spirits - 95 Points
"Set on a modest rise of almost pure sand, Donna’s Block tends to produce the purest expression of syrah among Melville’s four blocks. In 2018, it grew a wine that borders on the hedonistic in its youthful exuberance, with wild aromatics of smoke and olive, clove, mocha, dried beef, lavender and thyme, and a core of blueberry and blackberry flavors that feels deep and dark. And yet the acid-tannin structure shores up the wine with remarkable grace and precision, so that it still manages to be one of the raciest syrahs in the Central Coast."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 93 Points
"Medium to deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Syrah Donna's offers pure violet perfume and notes of cracked pepper, charcuterie, mint and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is full-bodied with a fresh, ripe structure and expansive, layered fruits, finishing long."
