Saxum 2021 Heart Stone Vineyard
Winemaker Notes
Aged in used foudre, this bottling of Heart Stone seems much more bright and fresh than normal, which I think is the character of the vintage really coming through. It’s both lifted and fresh, but has a dark undertone of black sage and fennel. I really dig it. The Grenache, Syrah, and Graciano really mesh well together.
It’s fresh, lifted and focused like you would expect in a cooler year, but has great concentration and texture from the dry weather. I’m happy to say the tannins are really soft and supple so I think it is a vintage that is versatile. Enjoyable in its youth (2-3 years after release, let’s not be hasty here!), but will age out very gracefully, with a long life ahead of it.
Critical Acclaim
96pts Jeb Dunnuck
A lush, sexy, forward beauty, the 2021 Heart Stone Vineyard is based on 31% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 21% Graciano, and the rest Mataro and Petite Sirah, with the blend shifting slightly due to replanting in the vineyard. As with all the ’21s here, it has a vivid purple hue as well as a great perfume of sweet red and blue fruits, spring flowers, ground pepper, and underbrush, but it’s on the palate where this beauty really shines. Layered, silky, and opulent, it’s not yet bottled, but my money is on this drinking nicely right out of the gate.
750ml