Saxum 2022 Cayucos Ridge Vineyard Syrah, San Luis Obispo

100 Points - limited                          
100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The second vintage from this cool site just beside the Pacific, the Saxum 2022 Cayucos Ridge Vineyard is 100% Syrah, fermented with 43% whole clusters and aged 34 months in 68% new French oak (225-liter and 300-liter barrels). Spicy red and black fruits, California bay, pepper, sandalwood, and sage all emerge from this incredibly complete and complex wine. Medium to full-bodied, it’s layered, pure, and seamless, with ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and flawless balance. It's an absolutely magical, singular wine that tops out my scale. I love it today, yet it should have 15-20 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2045....

...Needing no introduction for anyone that’s followed the Wine Advocate or the wine scene in Paso Robles for any time in the past decade, Heather and Justin Smith’s Saxum Vineyards continues to fashion sensational, world-class wines from a number of top sites on the west side of Paso Robles."

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.