The brilliant 2013 Melbury ratchets up the level of extract, with an opaque purple color, dense blueberry liqueur-like notes along with white flowers, licorice, and camphor followed by a full-bodied, incredibly seamless, concentrated, multidimensional wine. With its amazing depth and richness, while accessible now, it probably won’t hit its stride for another 5-7 years and last 30-35.

The 2013 Melbury displays bluer fruits than the 2012, more charcoal, violets, possibly slightly higher acid and more tannin, but also even more extract and richness (which is not easy). It is a very structured, backward, primordial wine with enormous upside potential, but patience will be required. This wine will need 5-10 years of bottle age and will drink well for 40-50 years.