Saxum Vineyards Heart Stone Vineyard, Paso Robles, USA 2023

The Heart Stone Vineyard is a small 7 acre vineyard planted on a gentle South slope of limestone and shale. With 8 different clones of Syrah, 4 of Grenache and 1 Mataro, we aim to produce a wine that is both compelling and complex. We typically co-ferment all the varieties together with a high proportion of whole clusters, producing a tannic and spicy wine that has great purity and complexity. We age this wine with very little new oak in mostly larger puncheons for 20-28 months. Our wines are never racked off their lees and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

"The last vintage from this site as the team transitions to more estate fruit, the 2023 Heart Stone Vineyard is based on 51% Graciano, 27% Syrah, 12% Grenache, and 5% each Petite Sirah and Touriga Nacional. It was fermented with 10% stems in concrete fermenters and aged 21 months in 76% new French and Austrian oak (300-liter and 600-liter barrels). Deep purple-hued, it’s a rich, powerful red with notes of red and black cherries, sappy flowers, juniper, licorice, and exotic spice. Full-bodied and layered, it has a deep mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s another brilliant wine from this team." Jeb Dunnuck 98