2022 Jada Vineyard Sawbones

Based on 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Syrah, and 1% Graciano, the 2022 SawBones spent 19 months in 63% new French oak. It offers a killer nose of crème de cassis, graphite, spicy oak, and violets. This medium to full-bodied beauty is pure, polished, and incredibly balanced, with ripe tannins, a focused, elegant mouthfeel, and fabulous length. It shines for its purity and finesse while bringing classic California fruit. Drink 2025-2040. Jada Vineyard is located in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, just off Vineyard Drive, and produces a wide range of estate-grown wines spanning Rhône and Bordeaux varieties, along with single white and rosé offerings. The portfolio includes varietal Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings under the Empire and Jersey Girl labels, along with proprietary blends such as SawBones, Jack of Hearts, and Passing By. Additional small-lot offerings include Merlot, Tannat, and a rosé based on Grenache. The Sauvignon Blanc program sources from Vogelzang Vineyard in Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara and is bottled under the Lotus Eaters label. The wines are made by Joshua Harp with some blending help by Nate Hall, with aging in a mix of new and used French oak, Austrian oak, and stainless steel, depending on the cuvée. Beginning with the 2023 vintage, the Empire series replaces the former WCS bottlings as the top-tier releases for Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2022 SawBones combines 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah and 1% Graciano aged 18 months in 64% new French oak. The nose combines black and blue fruits, dark spices and eucalyptus aromas, leading to a massively dense, staining palate that finishes on a drying, charred note, entirely dominated by its élevage.