Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/961311
{ SOMMjournal.com } 71 Saxum Vineyards Owner Justin Smith continues to revel in the astounding press he's received over the years for his wines, which embody the signature rocky soils, temperate climate, and cooling breez - es of Wine Speak Paso Robles' eponymous region. The Saxum 2008 Bone Rock Syrah blends in 13% Mourvèdre and 4% Grenache, which helps build the wine's dense, ripe, and rich style with dominant minerality on the mouthfeel. As with Harrington and Tolmach, whole- cluster fermentation also plays a role in Smith's production. "We're only second- or third-generation growers and producers here in Paso Robles, so what impresses me is the freshness and liveliness in the wines," he said. "We can't catch up to Hermitage, but we're making the best Syrah in what we believe is the ideal terroir." Delving into Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon Albeit to a lesser extent than the previous day's seminar on Cabernet Sauvignon, the topic of pyrazines and how they impart a green character in the variety arose once again during several of the four winemak - ers' ten-minute breakdowns. Dees addressed the concept quite directly: "So many people are afraid to use 'herbaceous' when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon, but I don't think you can talk truthfully about Cab without it," he said. "The reason I love Bordeaux [wines] so much is because they're all about soul and funk, not power and muscle. I think the beauty of our region is that you can have that fruit, but you can also have the herbal edge and that little bit of tension." A stone's throw west over the Santa Ynez Valley AVA from Jonata in Ballard Canyon is Star Lane Vineyard in the Santa Barbara AVA's Happy Canyon. Winemaker Tyler Thomas said Star Lane is "doing something popular in working with Cab," but working with the variety in "one of the younger AVAs in Santa Barbara County" lends a certain freshness to the winery's efforts. "We're one of the first to plant Cab in the area, so we try to make site-driven wines to bring a new lens to Cabernet," Thomas added. Mike Sinor, Director of Winemaking at Ancient Peaks Winery, spoke to his larger yet still quite thoughtful approach to Cabernet in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA of Paso Robles. "It's a very cool site and we have five different soil types: the calcified oyster shells, the volcanics, Monterey shell, alluvials, and sedimentary soils," he explained. "We grow just over 300 acres of Cab on a 14,000-acre ranch; there's almost 1,000 acres of vineyards total that stretch about six miles apart. The value aspect is a big part of our story, but so are the family-owned, handmade, and sustainable parts, too. As a journalist once said, 'We're a soulful project on a big level.'" Also located in the incredibly large AVA of Paso Robles is Clos Solène Winery. Winemaker/Owner Guillaume Fabre, a native of France, closed out the seminar with his thoughts on what enchants him about the region. "When I came here for the first time, what kept me is here is the limestone, the shells, and the weather," he said. "Nothing compares to the swing we get here, especially on the west side." Justin Smith subscribes to whole-cluster fermentation at his Paso Robles winery Saxum Vineyards. From left to right: Matt Dees, Winemaker, Jonata; Mike Sinor, Director of Winemaking, Ancient Peaks Winery; Chuck Furuya, MS, DK Restaurants; Tyler Thomas, Winemaker, Star Lane Vineyard; and Guillaume Fabre, Winemaker/Owner, Clos Solène. A quad of Cabernet Sauvignon: 2015 Clos Solène L'Insolent, 2014 Star Lane Vineyard, 2014 Ancient Peaks Winery, and 2005 Jonata El Desafio de Jonata.