2007 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard

(65% syrah, 21% grenache and 14% mourvedre) Opaque purple. Explosive aromas of black raspberry, cherry pit, pomegranate molasses and Asian spices. Densely packed red and dark fruit flavors show intense spiciness and unfurl slowly to offer sexy floral character. Dense but with unlikely energy and finesse; this is just hinting at its potential.

The late-released 2007 Heart Stone, which spent 28 months in a combination of barrels, demi-muids, and pungeons, turned out to be a final blend of 65% Syrah, 21% Grenache, and 14% Mourvedre. Like all of Justin Smith’s 2007s, it is a riveting, sensational wine that carries its heavy weight, profound richness, and intensity very gracefully. That is no doubt an effect of the limestone soils of this region. Blackberry and smoked meats as well as some garrigue and floral notes are followed by a dense, rich, pure, multi-layered wine that just screams for grilled poultry or meats! Bottled unfined and unfiltered (and as I recall, 25-35% stems/whole clusters were used during fermentation), this is a fabulous wine that combines power and elegance. It should drink well for at least a decade or more. James Berry Vineyard, which I have mentioned many times, remains one of the iconic grand cru sites of California, an extraordinary block of limestone soil spread over a moderately steep hillside. The amazing thing is that there are probably many other sites in the area that are still cow pastures and would probably be just as suitable for the production of high quality grapes. The Smith family (in this case, Justin and his wife Heather) have continued to fine-tune their wines, having moved to proprietary Rhone Ranger blends. All of them are extraordinary in quality. Their 2007s were their greatest vintage to date, but as the following tasting notes evidence, 2008 (which produced another tiny crop from the 55-acre James Berry Estate Vineyards) is extremely impressive as well. I think most readers will find – and this is the case for many wines from California’s Central Coast – that 2008 is a much more inconsistent vintage, but those who waited and waited have achieved impressive success. By and large (and there are always exceptions to the rule), the 2008s are more evolved than the 2007s were at the same time last year. Tel. (805) 610-0363; Fax (805) 238-2267