Saxum Vineyards James Berry Vineyard White, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, USA 2023

The James Berry Vineyard White. This wine was a long time coming! We have had Roussanne planted here since 1997, but wanted to bring in some extra brightness that Roussanne can often lack, so we planted Grenache Blanc on an East facing section of the Rocket Block hill. This wine is seriously structured yet a complexly aromatic white. Like a classic White Burgundy, but with a California twist. The white blend is aged for 20 months in a combination of 320L hogsheads and 600L demi-muids, all new French except one used 600L (from Dageuneau no less!). The juice was barrel fermented and left on its lees with occasional lees stirring for the entire 20 months. This wine did not see any SO2 until it was racked to tank for bottling, unfined and unfiltered of course.

"Based on 46% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 4% Chardonnay, the 2023 James Berry Vineyard White was barrel fermented and aged on lees for 21 months in 66% new 600-liter French and Austrian oak. Ripe citrus, tangerine, honeyed white flowers, white almonds, and beautiful minerality all emerge from this medium to full-bodied white. It has beautiful balance and richness, a bright spine of acidity, and a gorgeous finish. This rich, layered, serious white should have a decade of longevity." Jeb Dunnuck 96