2012 Broken Stones

According to Justin Smith, "while the 2012s were showing some pretty serious tannins and structure early on, they're staring to calm down and the fruit is coming up fast." As to 2013, Smith likes the cool character of the newer crop of wines and thinks that people will underestimate them "because they're not massive beasts." The final touches were being put on Smith's new cave at the foot of his hillside James Berry vineyard, and it will be ready for the 2015 harvest. The Smith family's vineyard work is legendary in the region; beyond what Justin accomplishes with his fruit at Saxum one need only look at what other winemakers achieve with James Berry fruit at their own wineries. I almost hesitate to say, again, that this winery is the gold standard for the region, not least because it has been said many times before but, selfishly, because I've been on the waiting list for the wines since 2010 and I don't want any more company.

Proprietor Justin Smith has done a magnificent job with his 2011s. Now that the wines are in bottle, they are every bit as impressive as they were from barrel. Readers who can still find the 2011s should not hesitate, as they are magnificent. The 2012s are pretty, but also quite subdued. Perhaps I caught the wines at an awkward stage, as only three of the 2012s have been bottled, but I think its more than that. Readers expecting a set of bombastic 2012s from Saxum are going to be disappointed. Instead, the wines are relatively medium in body, supple but also quite expressive. It is impossible not to notice the more restrained style in many of the 2012s. Smith was among the growers who remarked that the 2012s were much more subdued from the outset than expected based on the quality of the harvest, but also added that the wines might flesh out more in aging. Based on what I tasted in Paso and across the Central Coast, the Saxum 2012s are typical of the year. The wines are soft and accessible, but I don't get that sense of visceral thrill that is the signature of the very best wines that have come off the property. Every region has its leaders. Justin Smith has been at the forefront in Paso for a number of years. In addition to his own vineyards and wines, first at Linne Calodo and now at Saxum, Smith has played a pivotal role in developing Booker, Terry Hoage, Epoch and other properties in the area. Smith has also taken some of Paso's younger winemakers under his wing. Even with all of the accolades he has rightly received, Justin Smith remains one of the most down-to-earth, easygoing people you will ever meet, and that is as important an achievement as anything else.