A sensational effort, the 2005 Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard is a combination of 93% Syrah and 7% Grenache. This decadently gorgeous, lavishly concentrated, stunningly pure wine was aged in demi-muids/pungeons. A terrific texture is accompanied by a sumptuous bouquet and equally prodigious flavors of kirsch, cassis, licorice, smoke, and crushed rocks. It still has some structure to resolve, but this fabulous effort should hit its stride in 2-3 years, and keep for 12-15 years. The bottled 2005s are all performing well. One of the superstar, artisinal winemaking operations in Paso Robles is Heather and Justin Smith’s Saxum Vineyard. The Smiths are also the proprietors of the James Berry Vineyard, an exceptional hillside site planted in pure white limestone, a site that provides extraordinary richness, minerality, precision, and individuality. Like his colleague to the south, Manfred Krankl, Justin Smith has been moving from strength to strength, building more elegance and nuances into his wines without sacrificing their intrinsic intensity, purity, and richness. As for the 2006s, these wines are scheduled to be bottled slightly later than usual as Justin Smith is another producer who is instituting longer cask and pungeon agings. The 2007s tasted suggest this may be one of the finest vintages Saxum has yet produced. The wines are already spectacular, and will no doubt gain in weight, texture, and nuances over the next year.Tel. (805) 610-0363; Fax (805) 238-2267

The wine comes from a particular portion of the estate vineyard, and is almost entirely Syrah, with a splash of Grenache. It is a brilliant wine, entirely New World, and impressive even by California and Australia standards. Massively rich in cherry, chocolate, cassis, licorice, vanilla and cinnamon spice flavors, the ’05 Bone Rock is softly tannic and compulsively drinkable, although the alcohol, 16.1%, is considerable. Best now and for a year or two.——S.H.(5/1/2008)—— 94