2019 Rocket Block James Berry Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Another heavenly wine from this estate, the 2019 Rocket Block checks in as 70% Grenache, 19% Mataro, 7% Syrah, and 4% Counoise that spent 32 months in 48% new 300-liter barrels. A young baby of a wine, it has a mammoth-sized bouquet of red and black fruits, pepper, rare steak, white pepper, and iron that's to die for. Along with full-bodied richness, it has flawless balance, ripe, integrated tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and needs to be forgotten for 3-4 years in the cellar and will see its 20th birthday in fine form. It reminds me slightly of the Not For You Châteauneuf du Pape cuvée from the Usseglio family. The 2020s from Saxum are solid wines, although there are subtle signs of smoke in a few of the wines, and in general, the wines are narrower and more focused than normal, yet still nicely concentrated. At a high level, I think these are good to outstanding wines that will offer pleasure. Clearly the 2021s are a step up, and this is another brilliant vintage for winemaker Justin Smith.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Eric Guido, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Rocket Block is very pretty, wafting up with a flourish of savory herbs and dusty florals, accentuating notes of cherry sauce and sage. This is silky-smooth with outstanding purity, mixing rich dark red fruits with exotic spices and cinnamon that form toward the close. It finishes dramatically long and intense, caking the palate in chalky tannins and primary concentration. Residual acids add a pleasant freshness. The Rocket Block is a blend of 70% Grenache, 19% Mataro, 7% Syrah and 4% Counoise from a parcel in the James Berry vineyard planted in 1995 with a north-north-east slope and less sun.