6763840667730
$199.99
Rare new release from cult producer Saxum. Limited.
97 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "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 it’s 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 shouldn’t evolve for 15 years or more....
...One of California’s unquestionably superstar estates is Heather and Justin Smith’s Saxum Vineyards, and you won’t find any finer examples of Rhône 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 they’ve 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, that’s certainly not the case here. I think the wines have never been better, and given the scores I’ve awarded in the past, that’s saying something. Today, the Smiths release multiple cuvées, and while the focus in the past might have been the estate James Berry Vineyard, the portfolio includes numerous new vineyard sources and cuvées, 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 they’re great and what is possible from these incredible limestone soils. As a critic, it’s 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), it’s 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 Rhône varieties and blends better. I’ve written this many times in the past, but I’ll say it again, this is one of the few mailing lists worth being on
$80.00
Monthly delivery of our finest Premium wine discoveries delivered to you every month.
Since we are located at the Crossroads of the California wine country, most of our selections are the best California wines we can find, but we will come across some great small-production wines from around the world to send you if we know you will love it.
Personalize your Club Membership: After signing up for the club, you will be contacted by one of our wine consultants to find out if there are any varietals you particularly enjoy or may not like to receive. We'll make a note of that in your profile and make sure to send you wines we think you will love.
All Wine Clubs are billed on a monthly basis and you may cancel at anytime.
$49.99
95 Points
A blockbuster new Cabernet blend from Hestan Vineyards. Usually only available to mailing list members we have a small amount of this tiny production Cabernet while our allocation lasts!
Brix26 Inside Scoop: "Stephanie Cabernet comes from relative Napa Valley newcomer Hestan Vineyards, who are turning out some great high-end wines. The Stephanie Cabernet has quietly become one of our top-selling Cabernets over the last 3 vintages for good reason: its got all the hallmarks of a "classic" California Cabernet: plenty of rich berry fruit and that dusty tannin; not a wimpy Cab and not a giant fruit bomb. If you're a Cab-lover, Stephanie should be next on your wish list. Every time a customer calls and asks what new Cabernet we recommend, we'll send them Stephanie and 9 times out of ten they reorder a case!"
$43.00
Monthly delivery of our finest latest discoveries delivered to you every month.
Since we are located at the Crossroads of the California wine country, most of our selections are the best California wines we can find, but we will come across some great small-production wines from around the world to send you if we know you will love it.
Personalize your Club Membership: After signing up for the club, you will be contacted by one of our wine consultants to find out if there are any varietals you particularly enjoy or may not like to receive. We'll make a note of that in your profile and make sure to send you wines we think you will love.
All Wine Clubs are billed on a monthly basis and you may cancel at anytime.