2017 Saxum Gratias

The 2017 Gratias "is a one-off wine," says owner-winemaker Justin Smith. "We put this together from some odds and ends that didn't fit into our vineyard designates." It's a yummy blend of 42% Grenache, 25% Zinfandel, 18% Mataro, 14% Syrah and 1% Tempranillo made with 5% whole cluster and aged 19 months in various vessels including 60% amphorae. It has aromas of Bing cherries, raspberries and wild blackberries with touches of warm earth, underbrush and potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied, silky and bright with a pleasantly chalky frame and lifted finish. 300 cases were made.

Lastly, the 2017 Gratias is being offered free to those on the mailing list as a way of saying thank you, a great example of the type of person Smith is. Already bottled, it offers an incredibly perfumed, pretty, sexy style as well as notes of kirsch and strawberries intermixed with plenty of spice and flowery incense notes. Full-bodied, silky, and as gulpable as it gets, it’s a classy wine that does everything right. Drink it any time over the coming decade. Saxum’s Justin Smith has hit a home run with these recent vintages, and his 2015s, 2016s, 2017s, and 2018s all have singular styles, with the quality remaining sky-high. The 2018s show the slightly more pure, fresh, yet concentrated style of the vintage nicely. While not yet bottled, these will offer pleasure in their youth as well as benefit from short term cellaring. The 2017s are more pretty, perfumed wines that don’t quite have the density of the 2016s yet certainly don’t lack for fruit. Most are already drinking nicely today, yet as with all great wines, they’re going to evolve gracefully. Lastly, the 2016s are some of the greatest wines I’ve tasted from this estate, and they offer massive, layered, yet impeccably balanced profiles that are a joy to drink today; they’ll also be a joy to drink in 10-15 years as well. As I’ve written more than once, there are few mailing lists worth being one, but without a doubt, this is one of them.

Moving to the 2017s from barrels, and a new wine sourced mostly from Booker and Dusi vineyards, the 2017 Gratis checks in as 42% Grenache, 25% Zinfandel, 18% Mataro, and the rest Syrah and Tempranillo. It has loads of plums and kirsch fruits intermixed with spice, cedar, and incense nuances. It’s medium to full-bodied, ripe, and incredibly sexy, and should drink nicely in its youth. This report looks mostly at the 2016s from undeniable superstar winemaker, Justin Smith. Smith is one of the pioneers of the Paso Robles wine scene yet remains as humble and accessible as ever. Speaking about the 2016s, these are the strongest set of releases since the 2007s, and I suspect at maturity these wines will be even better. They have a rare sense of depth and richness paired with purity and precision, as well as singular characters, and these truly are special wines. The 2016 James Berry is quite possibly the greatest wine ever produced from the region and is a legendary wine in the making. Do whatever you can to latch onto a few bottles of this magical elixir. The majority of the 2016s will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, but good luck keeping your hands off of them. The 2017s are similarly styled, yet they have slightly more elegance and approachability compared to the denser, richer 2016s. I suspect these will continue to put on weight as well with additional time in barrel. As I’ve said in the past, there are few mailing lists worth staying on in today wine world; this is one of them.