2017 Saxum Terry Hoage Vineyard

2018 will be the last vintage of the Terry Hoage Vineyard, as it was ripped out due to red blotch. The 2017 Terry Hoage Vineyard is a blend of 59% Grenache and 41% Syrah made with 41% whole cluster and aged 19 months in 36% new oak. It has a medium ruby color and nose of red and black currants, dried cranberries and red cherries, cinnamon stick, autumn leaves, tree bark and underbrush. The palate is medium-bodied with bright fruits, a grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long. 240 cases were made.

The 2017 Terry Hoage Vineyard is a prettier, more complex wine and has lots of raspberries, blackberries, and blood orange notes to go with a medium to full-bodied, elegant profile on the palate. It was slightly more open and sexy prior to bottling, and I expect it will show more opulence with 2-3 years of bottle age. 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.