

Saxum Vineyard’s founder, Justin Smith, is Paso Robles first vintner to be raised in the vines, and has developed a deep respect for each of his seven vineyard sites and the Rhone style wines he produces. The high quality, low yielding winery is credited for revolutionizing Paso Robles winemaking.
Their Templeton Gap/Willow Creek location is characterized by rocky calcareous soils, steep hillsides, perfectly sunny days and cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean. This Central Coast rock star focuses on producing Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre blends; crafting some of the most sought after and expensive wines in Paso Robles history.
The production is up to 4,000 cases with 38 of his wines scoring over 95 points by the Wine Advocate and Saxum’s 2007 James Berry Vineyard earning Wine Spectator’s 2010 Wine of the Year. Smith eagerly shares his experiences and knowledge with his neighbor winemakers and utilizes the help from his childhood friends in the cellar. Uniqueness and creativity is found on the bottle as their labels are crafted by a local artist, making it as highly expressive as their wines.
The 2016 Saxum Grenache Rocket Block is a remarkable wine hailing from a select vineyard within the Willow Creek District in California. This limited bottling showcases the estate's old Grenache vines, complemented by a touch of Mourvèdre. After an extensive aging period in large foudre and concrete, this wine emerges with a deep ruby/purple color and an intricate bouquet. Its flavor profile is rich, featuring dark fruits, chocolate, savory meat notes, and a spice complexity, all while maintaining an elegant balance. This full-bodied wine is both intense and approachable, suggesting it can be enjoyed now or after a few years of aging. It consists of approximately two-thirds Grenache and one-third Mourvèdre.
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