Just bottled five weeks ago, the 2012 Terry Hoage Vineyard (330 cases) is a thrilling blend of 51% Syrah, 31% Grenache and 18 % Mourvedre. It has an up front approachable and sexy feel in its cherry blossom and black raspberry fruit, crushed flowers and spice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated and with sweet tannin, it’s the most ready-to-go in the lineup, yet will still have 10-12 years of longevity. This was another great visit with Justin Smith, and he continues to tweak and experiment with varying degrees of whole cluster and concrete, puncheon and barrel aging regimes. Looking at his 2011s, I was able to taste all of these from bottles in Colorado, and they’ve closed down substantially since I reviewed them from barrel. In most cases, these took a day or more to fully unwind, and the style here is much more Rhone-like, with spice, pepper and meaty aromatics paired with focused, firm palate profiles. These are gorgeous wine that won’t start to show their full potential for another 3-4 years. The 2012s are just as good, if not better, yet are surprisingly tannic and structured. Given the up-front nature of the vintage, I was surprised by the tannin profile and more reserved style in most of the wines. Nevertheless, the concentration level here is on par with, if not slightly greater than, the 2011s, and they show the fabulous purity and focus of the vintage. Both of these vintages will need short-term cellaring. My favorite of the three vintages reviewed here, the 2013s offer thrilling density of fruit, massive concentration, and sound underlying structure that keeps the wines focused and balanced. I think short-term cellaring will be helpful here as well, but I wouldn’t be afraid to crack a bottle or two on release either. Despite these vintage differences, as I hope the reviews and scores show, these are incredible wines that make the most of this special terroir. Truthfully, there are few mailing lists out there worth being on, but without a doubt, this is one of them. Tel. (805) 610-0363; www.saxumvineyards.com

Silky and layered in the glass, the 2012 Terry Hoage Vineyard is a bit laid back for a site that has typically yielded more forward, fruit-driven wines. Plum, sweet spice and mint notes are all laced together nicely in the glass. Overall, the 2012 is a very pretty, feminine wine built more on grace than power. The 2012 is 51% Syrah, 31% Grenache and 18 Mourvèdre, picked a little earlier than the other wines in the range.

51% Syrah, 31% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre. Meaty, fresh. Notes of spiced red fruit, with black tea and a long savoury, saline finish. The most immediately approachable of the Saxum wines in this tasting, with the most gentle tannin. Thoughtful, delicious with purity. Allow a little more time in bottle and aerate upon opening. (ECB)