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The April 2025 Auction: Part 1
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1 / 2Lot 2489
Estimate: $250
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Collection name
Reviews
97JD
"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 itâs 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 shouldnât evolve for 15 years or more. One of Californiaâs unquestionably superstar estates is Heather and Justin Smithâs Saxum Vineyards, and you wonât find any finer examples of RhĂŽne 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 theyâve 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, thatâs certainly not the case here. I think the wines have never been better, and given the scores Iâve awarded in the past, thatâs saying something. Today, the Smiths release multiple cuvĂ©es, and while the focus in the past might have been the estate James Berry Vineyard, the portfolio includes numerous new vineyard sources and cuvĂ©es, 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 is incredible, and, certainly, many estates and winemakers in Paso Robles need to be tasting these wines to understand why theyâre great and what is possible from these incredible limestone soils. As a critic, itâs always a challenge to try to understand why wines show differently and why one estate can produce brilliant wines while others struggle. Given the prodigious wines the Smiths release year in and year out from different vineyards (and now even from different winemaking facilities), itâs 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 RhĂŽne varieties and blends better."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"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 itâs 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 shouldnât evolve for 15 years or more. One of Californiaâs unquestionably superstar estates is Heather and Justin Smithâs Saxum Vineyards, and you wonât find any finer examples of RhĂŽne 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 theyâve 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, thatâs certainly not the case here. I think the wines have never been better, and given the scores Iâve awarded in the past, thatâs saying something. Today, the Smiths release multiple cuvĂ©es, and while the focus in the past might have been the estate James Berry Vineyard, the portfolio includes numerous new vineyard sources and cuvĂ©es, 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 is incredible, and, certainly, many estates and winemakers in Paso Robles need to be tasting these wines to understand why theyâre great and what is possible from these incredible limestone soils. As a critic, itâs always a challenge to try to understand why wines show differently and why one estate can produce brilliant wines while others struggle. Given the prodigious wines the Smiths release year in and year out from different vineyards (and now even from different winemaking facilities), itâs 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 RhĂŽne varieties and blends better."
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