JD97 “The 2019 Heart Stone Vineyard is mostly Graciano, Grenache, and Syrah but has a small amount of Mataro, Petite Sirah, Viognier and Touriga Nacional. Rocking levels of red and blue fruits, white pepper, and sandalwood all emerge from the glass, and its full-bodied, with a pure, polished mouthfeel, silky tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It has some up-front appeal, yet I see no reason it shouldnt evolve for 15 years or more.One of Californias unquestionably superstar estates is Heather and Justin Smiths Saxum Vineyards, and you wont find any finer examples of Rhne variety wines anywhere in the world. The proprietors of James Berry Vineyard, located in the cooler Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, the Smiths have seen incredible changes over the past decade, and theyve traded their small, old-fashioned, yet perfectly adequate cellar for a brand-new cave and state of the art winemaking facility. And while changes of this magnitude can often result in hiccups in either the style or quality of the wines, thats certainly not the case here. I think the wines have never been better, and given the scores Ive awarded in the past, thats saying something. Today, the Smiths release multiple cuves, and while the focus in the past might have been the estate James Berry Vineyard, the portfolio includes numerous new vineyard sources and cuves, most focusing on single vineyards and even specific blocks inside of a vineyard. This report looks at the 2018s and 2019s, and in a nutshell, these wines epitomize what I consider greatness in wine; the ability to offer both hedonistic and intellectual pleasure; intensity and richness without heaviness or any sensation of weight; singular profiles; and the ability to improve with bottle age. In addition, the purity and precision this estate can achieve are incredible, and certainly, many estates and winemakers in Paso Robles need to be tasting these wines to understand why theyre great and what is possible from these incredible limestone soils. As a critic, its always a challenge to try and understand why wines show differently and why one estate can produce brilliant wines and others struggle. Given the prodigious wines the Smiths release year in and year out from different vineyards (and now even from different winemaking facilities), its become increasingly apparent that the quality coming from Saxum is due to the genius of Justin Smith. After being lucky enough to taste these wines every year for well over a decade now, I can say that no one in California does Rhne varieties and blends better. Ive written this many times in the past, but Ill say it again, this is one of the few mailing lists worth being on.” JD Sep 2021

VM97 “Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Vibrant raspberry, cherry, blueberry and floral scents are complicated by suggestions of botanical herbs and exotic spices. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering intense, finely detailed red and blue fruit liqueur and spicecake flavors and a subtle lavender nuance. Fine-grained tannins lend gentle grip to a wonderfully long, focused finish that leaves suave floral pastille, vanilla and Moroccan spice notes behind.” JR for VM Jul 2022