More dense and rich, the 2010 Heart Stone Vineyard is a co-fermented blend of 51% Syrah and 49% Grenache that comes from a small 7-acre, south-facing vineyard located on the western side of Paso Robles. Aged mostly in large oak puncheons for 20-28 months, it offers up a savory, complex bouquet of kirsch and blackberry-like fruit, meat juice, Provencal herbs, dried licorice, and dusty minerality. Gorgeous on the palate as well, with a deft, elegant texture, building richness, and layers of chewy tannin, this beauty is reasonably approachable now, yet will be even better in 2-3 years. It will drink well for 12-15 years. A benchmark estate for California, Saxum, under the helm of superstar winemaker Justin Smith, continues to produce some of the most compelling, profound wines on the planet. While Smith’s wines are always full-flavored and intense, there has been a stylistic change over recent vintages, with the wines showing more obvious tannin and structure, as well as additional minerality and savory qualities. These 2010s exemplify this change and are all serious, structured efforts that will need bottle age to blossom. Tel. (805) 610-0363; Fax (805) 238-2267; www.saxumvineyards.com