Our Rating
Paso Robles
Red Blend
This Grenache-driven blend from the Willow Creek District offers a compelling look at the power and precision of Paso Robles. With a structure built for longevity and a profile rooted in dark fruit and earth, the 2021 G2 Vineyard is a serious bottling that balances intensity with detailed texture.
Paso Robles has established itself as a premier region for Rhone varieties in California, and the Willow Creek District sits at the center of that reputation. Known for its calcareous soils, steep hillsides, and significant diurnal temperature shifts, this sub-region produces wines with distinct concentration and natural acidity.
Saxum Vineyards operates with a focus on these specific site characteristics. The winery keeps production limited, sourcing fruit from their estate James Berry Vineyard as well as select neighboring sites like G2. The G2 Vineyard, located just a short distance from the estate, is characterized by its rocky soil profile and steep south-facing slopes. These conditions force vines to struggle, resulting in low yields and fruit with high skin-to-juice ratios, which translates directly into the structure of the final wine.
Justin Smith is a second-generation winemaker who grew up working in the vines his father planted. His approach to winemaking is often described as minimalist, preferring to let the vineyard dictate the wine’s character rather than imposing a heavy stylistic hand in the cellar. Smith utilizes concrete vessels and large oak puncheons for fermentation and aging, techniques chosen to preserve aromatic purity and texture without masking the fruit with excessive oak artifacts. His philosophy centers on the belief that the rocky limestone soils of the region provide all the necessary tension and complexity, requiring only careful stewardship to reach the bottle.
In the glass, the wine presents a deep, opaque ruby core that transitions to a narrow, violet-tinged rim. The viscosity is apparent, with slow-moving legs that hint at the wine’s weight and concentration.
The nose is immediately expressive and lifted. Aromas of bramble berries and black raspberry lead the profile, supported by savory notes of grilled plum and dried herbs. There is a distinct mineral component here as well, reminiscent of crushed graphite and stone dust. As it opens, subtler layers of white pepper, sandalwood, and anise emerge, adding savory complexity to the primary fruit notes.
On the palate, this bottling is full-bodied and dense. The fruit profile leans toward dark cherry and blackcurrant, but the ripeness is checked by a firm structural spine. Tannins are present and grippy but polished, providing a frame that holds the 15.9% ABV in check. The acidity is surprisingly fresh for a wine of this magnitude, cutting through the weight and lifting the finish. Notes of cocoa powder and dried thyme linger on the back end, trailing off into a clean, tapering finish that highlights the limestone influence of the site.
The 2021 Saxum G2 Vineyard is a well-executed expression of the variety and the region. It manages to deliver the characteristic power of Paso Robles while maintaining a sense of discipline and balance. While the fruit is approachable now, the underlying structure suggests this wine will benefit significantly from patience. It is a confident, age-worthy style that will likely reveal greater secondary complexity over the next decade.
USA
Paso Robles
Red Blend
15.9
Justin Smith
90–120 minutes
Now–2036
Saxum Vineyards
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