96 points Eric Guido (Vinous): "The 2021 Syrah Cayucos Ridge Vineyard opens with a spice-laden bouquet of dusty lavender, white pepper, incense, cardamom and crushed blackberries. Cool-toned and graceful yet deep, it presents a silken wave of ripe wild berry fruits complicated by minerals and a dusting of cocoa. The finish is dramatically long, mixing dark chocolate with grippy tannins perfectly offset by a bump of residual acidity. This inaugural vintage of the Syrah Cayucos Ridge Vineyard is already a total rock star. It is a varietal Syrah from Saxum’s newest vineyard on York Mountain. The wine was fermented using 45% whole cluster stems. Drink: 2027-2038. (Jun 2025)"
94-96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Not yet bottled and coming from Smith’s new Cayucos Ridge Vineyard located west of Paso Robles, within sight of the Pacific Ocean and at 1650 feet in elevation, the 2021 Cayucos Ridge is all Syrah from vines planted in 2018, aged mostly (all?) in barrel. This deep purple-hued beauty has a Cornas-like vibe in its peppery red and black fruits, game, wild herbs, and iron-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's structured, has lots of tannins, terric balance, and a great nish. It's another singular wine in the lineup with tons of character. (Aug 2024)"
93-95 points Matthew Luczy (Wine Advocate): "From a San Luis Obispo Coast site planted to own-rooted Syrah in 2017 just 4.5 miles from the Pacic, the 2021 Cayucos Ridge Vineyard is a trio of rsts: Saxum's rst foray outside Paso Robles, the inaugural release from this vineyard and their first single-variety wine. Tasted as a nished blend just before bottling, the nose is exquisite, perfumed and alluring, with a level of poise and elegance altogether different from the rest of the Saxum roster. The texture is fresh and ethereal, with a wonderfully spry, lifted energy that carries through to the finish. The site's youth makes this stellar showing even more promising and offers a fascinating rst look into a storied producer breaking ground in a region that is quickly gaining momentum. Drink 2026-2036 (Jun 2024)"
94-96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Not yet bottled and coming from Smith’s new Cayucos Ridge Vineyard located west of Paso Robles, within sight of the Pacific Ocean and at 1650 feet in elevation, the 2021 Cayucos Ridge is all Syrah from vines planted in 2018, aged mostly (all?) in barrel. This deep purple-hued beauty has a Cornas-like vibe in its peppery red and black fruits, game, wild herbs, and iron-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's structured, has lots of tannins, terric balance, and a great nish. It's another singular wine in the lineup with tons of character. (Aug 2024)"
93-95 points Matthew Luczy (Wine Advocate): "From a San Luis Obispo Coast site planted to own-rooted Syrah in 2017 just 4.5 miles from the Pacic, the 2021 Cayucos Ridge Vineyard is a trio of rsts: Saxum's rst foray outside Paso Robles, the inaugural release from this vineyard and their first single-variety wine. Tasted as a nished blend just before bottling, the nose is exquisite, perfumed and alluring, with a level of poise and elegance altogether different from the rest of the Saxum roster. The texture is fresh and ethereal, with a wonderfully spry, lifted energy that carries through to the finish. The site's youth makes this stellar showing even more promising and offers a fascinating rst look into a storied producer breaking ground in a region that is quickly gaining momentum. Drink 2026-2036 (Jun 2024)"
| Product SKU | 352771 |
| Producer | Saxum |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| SubRegion | Central Coast |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Varietal | Syrah/Shiraz |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| ABV | 15.1% |
| Ships To |
