97-100
Based on 67% Grenache, 23% Mataro, and 10% Syrah, the 2023 Rocket Block was partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of new and used 300-liter and 600-liter French oak barrels and concrete amphora. It offers darker, more powerful aromas of ripe black fruits, graphite, crushed stone, spice, and sandalwood nuances. Full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured on the palate, with beautiful tannins and outstanding depth, this is a blockbuster effort that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this puppy top out the scale.
I’ve been raving about the wines from Justin Smith’s Saxum estate for close to two decades now, and at times I feel like a broken record. That said, the quality this family consistently delivers is jaw-dropping year after year. I don’t recommend many mailing lists, but this is certainly one to be on. Looking at the 2023s, the wines are brilliant across the board. They reflect the longer, cooler style of the vintage while staying true to form, with serious richness and depth. The 2022s are much more open and expressive, showing the sunny personality of the year. They still have plenty of structure, and I suspect they’ll age beautifully. It’s also worth noting that as Cayucos Ridge continues to come online, Justin is moving more and more toward estate-only fruit. As a result, 2023 will be the final vintage for both Heart Stone and Paderewski. He’s still holding onto a bit of G2 fruit, but we’ll see how long that lasts. At the same time, a new cuvée called The Old Blocks will replace the former Hexe release, although it will no longer include any G2 fruit.