2016 Rocket Block James Berry Vineyard

The 2016 Rocket Block James Berry Vineyard, a blend of 59% Grenache, 28% Mataro, 10% Counoise and 3% Syrah, is an incredibly layered, nuanced wine. It was made with 17% whole cluster and aged 31 months in 100% new oak. Medium to deep ruby, the nose offers a laundry list of aromas: black cherry jam, cured meats, pink peppercorn, dried cranberries, pomegranate, red berry jam and nuances of blood orange, amaro, cinnamon stick and earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is just as layered, with a gently grainy frame and lip-smacking freshness to enliven the long, perfumed finish. 240 cases were made.

Another perfect wine is the 2016 James Berry Vineyard Rocket Block, which always comes from a single block of the oldest Grenache vines in the James Berry Vineyard as well as around one-third of Mourvèdre. Its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by incredibly complex notes of black fruits, chocolate, cured meats, flowery incense, and assorted spicy, meaty, Mourvèdre-dominated nuances. Full-bodied, voluptuous, and perfectly balanced, with that rare sense of intensity paired with elegance, it has some upfront appeal, but do your best to give bottles 2-4 years of bottle age. Saxum’s Justin Smith has hit a home run with these recent vintages, and his 2015s, 2016s, 2017s, and 2018s all have singular styles, with the quality remaining sky-high. The 2018s show the slightly more pure, fresh, yet concentrated style of the vintage nicely. While not yet bottled, these will offer pleasure in their youth as well as benefit from short term cellaring. The 2017s are more pretty, perfumed wines that don’t quite have the density of the 2016s yet certainly don’t lack for fruit. Most are already drinking nicely today, yet as with all great wines, they’re going to evolve gracefully. Lastly, the 2016s are some of the greatest wines I’ve tasted from this estate, and they offer massive, layered, yet impeccably balanced profiles that are a joy to drink today; they’ll also be a joy to drink in 10-15 years as well. As I’ve written more than once, there are few mailing lists worth being one, but without a doubt, this is one of them.

Glass-staining ruby. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, Moroccan spices, vanilla and candied flowers, enlivened by a smoky mineral quality that gains power as the wine opens up. Sweet, seamless and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated raspberry liqueur, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. The mineral and floral components drive an extremely long, sappy finish shaped by smooth tannins. The interplay of power and finesse here is mighty impressive.