Just a small taste. I'll defer to Joe's notes as I had packed it in at that point. But this was impressive, much more balanced than I expected. Sure, it is a big wine, lot of dark fruits here, but they are not over done; and there's a load of complexity now to really enhance this and make it classy and interesting. Great to get to try this.
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California wines but not from Napa: What a difference 4 years makes. Decanted 30 minutes, this was the most deft and lifted Saxum that I think I've had. Still full-bodied, lots of spices, herbs, flashy fruit, blackberry.
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Holding up very well. Strong dark fruit, floral notes mollified but present tannins, full bodied, long finish. Even better the second day. Very enjoyable wine.
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I don't know the exact blend, but a beautiful Rhone blend from Paso Robles, California. Sexy, opulent and flashy, but at the same time not too over the top. Luscious and ripe boysenberry, plum, currant and blueberry fruit. Despite the forward fruit, there is some secondary nuance of bacon fat, fresh herbs, and cacao finishing with vanilla and sweet oak. A complete wine slightly on the heavier side, but not out of balance at all. Perfect with BBQ rack of lamb.
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Phenomenal! I preferred the complexity of this wine to the 2007 Booker, and was fun to see how swapping out 13% of the Syrah for Mourvèdre (in this blend) made so much of a difference!!!
Both bottles were amazing for what they represented!
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Decanted 2.5 hours, served semi-blind to everyone else, but as the host and the only red wine, I knew what it was. The nose is very CDP. It is full-bodied with rich flavors, and there is undeniable alcohol that detracts from the overall appreciation of the wine. 1 of 5 people at the tasting was ok with the alcohol and felt that the rich fruit matched it. I believe the other 4, including myself, found the alcohol a significant detractor, and frankly this has been a sticking point with all these big-ass California wines. If the palate matched the nose, this would be on-par with the many glorious Saxum's I've had, and the best wines of Rhone. Tonight, this wine was marred by alcohol that somewhat ruined a great experience. 90 points, with the positives based mostly on the nose.
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3 hour decant- full bodied with a nice finish that paired well with steak. Balance is a bit above average and this is certainly in prime and certainly in need of hearty food to properly enjoy. Will hold up for another 3-5 years.
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Very lovely bottle, and hardly near the end of it's life. PnP and this jumped right out of the bottle, everything I love about the Paso Rhones, stewed dark berries, blueberry compote, garrigue, dark chocolate in a wave, there is nothing shy about this wine. Perfect match with flank steak grilled vegetables.
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Interesting evolution over 3 hours. First hour was very fruity and acidic. Second hour was tannic and unresolved. Third hour hit its stride and integrated beautifully into soft, lush tannins and more elegant fruit.
Big saturated wine but not heavy or overtly alcoholic. Very dark color. Nice expressive nose with some smokiness. Licorice, raspberries and chocolate. Nice fine grained tannins are very much in the background. Not particularly nuanced but well made and enjoyable.
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PNP Nice dark juice. Cherry and overripe strawberry. A bit medicinal, but in a fruity way. Almost sweettarts on the nose, but too much heat. Might need a good 2 hour decant to open up. Perhaps some heat blows off. Heavy weight, medium acid.
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Deep garnet, still opaque. Deep blackberry and black cherry aromas and flavors, very rich and concentrated...big and bold. Still has lots of tannin, too pronounced for the fruit. A massive wine, opened more on the second night. Drinkable, could soften more with time, if it doesn't lose fruit. Very hot on the late palate and aftertaste from high alcohol. Drink or hold. Ric
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Saxum Tasting (Zurich): Comprehensive vertical tasting of several Saxum vineyards and a total of 24 wines. Most wines on a good to very good level in the 93 to 95 points range, just one on an exceptional (97+ points) level (James Berry Bone Rock 08). The consistency of the wine-making at Saxum is impressive but the tasting proofed to be rather a bit boring with less difference between the vineyards and vintages showing than expected and wished for. Heart Stone stood out a bit (bigger vats used, little new oak) thanks to more terroir expression. James Berry (mostly Grenache) and James Berry Bone Rock (elevated complexity and sexiness) were great. Best vintage (we tried wines from 2003 to 2011) is clearly the 2007 which produced the wines with the most depth.
TN: In my opinion, this was the best wine of all Saxums tasted. Dark, dens and ripe with lots of black and blue fruit, very good minerality with crushed rocks and some wet slate. A sexy component of some nuts and dark chocolate. Great intensity, great purity, great length. All that intensity is embedded in a soft and fresh structural frame with very fine tannins and a very good acidity. Not at all heavy or cloying. A magical wine. Not decanted and no decant needed. Very good to drink right now even without tertiary aromas.
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Grand Saxum Tasting (Gustav in Zurich): Grand Saxum tasting over several vineyeards and vintages. 23 wines in total. What was remarkable is the consistancy in aromatics across vintages and partly also across vineyards. Big and powerful wines but not without elegance. As a vintage 2007 stood out as exceptional across all vineyards. Booker stood out as the most consistent on a high level while James Berry vineyards had the highest range, but was oustanding in some vintages. The top wines for me were 2008 Bone Rock and Booker 2007.
Tasting note: Ripe rather dark or blue fruit. Prefectly balanced palate again (as with the James Berry 2008) with power and pressure from the fruit but nevertheless elegant. Enormous pleasure to drink right now.
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Decanted for one hour before service. Largely consistent with my previous tasting note from 2014, although I'd now say that it's a bit more balanced than the previous note implied. I'd also say that while there were some unresolved tannins, they're fine and in the background, so if you haven't opened a bottle yet, now might be a good time to at least check in.
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This records a Dec 2018 tasting. 83% Syrah (75% whole clusters), 13% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache. Not sure if this bottle had issues. Lighter, more tart and more cedary than other Saxums I've had. Doesn't compare to the other 2008 Saxums.
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Just a packed and balanced Syrah in the prime drinking window I would imagine. Not heavy handed, acidity and spice lifted this into something special. Held up for two days.
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Decanted 4 hrs. Very impressive nose, take the usual Paso notes of floral and exotic - patchouli-esque spice and add a subtle suggestion of cedar and other signs of development and you have one of the better nose I have had in quite some time. Lots of material here and everything seems pretty integrated, very long on the finish, no sign of heat. Excellent.
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Loads of dark chocolate with some blueberry on the finish. Some pretty firm tannins left and this would ideally need another 10 years. Deep and saturated but not heavy. Could merit a higher score with more age. Added another point the next day. The tannins had mellowed significantly and plum flavors emerged. Nice complexity.
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Popped and poured, though cork broke on the server and he had to push through and decant...lively nose of dark fruit and spice...not as expressive as a bottle two months ago.
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Popped and poured...dark purple and oozing dark fruit and white pepper...smooth as silk in the mouth with long, integrated and smooth finish...definitely open for business.
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From memory at Kayne Prime in Nashville last night, decanted at the table, dark ruby, huge nose of blue/blackberry, mod. tannins, dark fruit with some spice & pepper on the palate, long finish; delicious, but last glass was the best & I believe this would be better with more air/time
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Decanted for 90 minutes, beautiful nose of black berries and some meat, delicious on the plate, smooth with a long finish, just a beautiful wine, drinking very well right now, don't see much upside, enjoy it !!!
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Sue has this sitting on the counter, said a friend gave to her. Okay, let's drink it!
Nearly opaque, no surprise. Very dark color but showing a hint of age at the rim. Sweet raspberry and blackberry fruit, very enjoyable, and the fruitiness played well off the St. Patrick's Day corned beef.
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Tried alongside Carlisle James Berry blind. At first the Carlisle was the clear choice but after about 40 minutes the Saxum blossomed and was no match for the Carlisle. Great fruit and mouthfeel
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Only had about an hour of decanting, but then it continued to improve over the next two hours. From nose to finish this was a mix of Cherry Kijafa and burnt blueberry pie, along with a healthy dose of chalk/fleur de sel. The brine on the mouth and finish was very reminiscent of a Washington-state Syrah (a la Cayuse). Very unusual experience for a Paso wine. I am used to my Saxums being huge on fruit and low on structure, so this threw me for a loop. In fact, I drank this with salty food (pastrami sandwich with pickles) and it did not work well because it all just got saltier as the meal went on. It was better by itself.
This wine will hold for several more years, but is enjoyable now. I have never been a huge fan of the Bone Rock bottlings, but this was a solid performer. Just be sure to give it a few hours of air before wandering into its path. You have been warned.
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Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): One of the co-WOTN's. From Magnum. The bottle was open and allowed to breathe for about 12 hours prior to serving. I think it helped. Gorgeous nose of black raspberries, black pepper, grilled meats, and violets. Also some chocolate. On the palate, exquisite texture. Silky yet velvety. Power yet balance. Deft on the palate. Lots of black raspberry fruit, depth and tight layers of pepper, minerals and fruit. Long finish. Wonderful wine. My red WOTN.
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Splash pour...wish I had decanted. Initially, the nose is blackberry and blackcurrant. Consistent with the rich, meaty, cassis and blackberry flavors and subtle black pepper on the back end. Big bold stuff...not for the faint of heart. The wine is full bodied, has a juicy texture and a long finish. After a couple of hours, I was enjoying it even more as things settled down and became a bit more integrated/approachable...dare I say more friendly. Will pop the next bottle in a few years to see how it develops. Scores will be higher for sure.
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Terrific Cali syrah that is fresh and vibrant but beginning to show real depth and complexity. I'll be very excited to try this again in a couple of years. I don't think the fruit will fade, and the secondary characteristics should develop nicely.
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Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of spice, potpourri, berries and raspberries. Flavors of raspberries and black berries. Tangy acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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Medium to dark fruit, loads of spice, cedar, medium weight and not as heavy as many other Saxum's. This is an awesome wine overall, but doesn't live up to many Saxums I've had over the years. This was out of Magnum and was a pop and pour while drinking over 2 days.
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Garnet ruby color is brilliant, opaque, and nice clarity. The smells are crushed blueberries, sweet tar, cherry, earth, subtle spices, and flowers. The tastes are blueberry, dark chocolate, peppery notes, herbs, cherry liqueur, currants, and subtle meat and smoky notes. The finish is fruity and long with satin like tannins. Delicious.
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Lovely Syrah from Saxum with layers of fruit and growing complexity. Stunning nose and beautifully proportioned wine. Flavors of black fruit, smoke, spices and earth.
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Big, brawny and if anything still too young. Large scaled sweet fruit with some vanillin that is by no means over powering. Some beef and chocolate notes. Fairly tannic. Needs time.
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Lots of wines for a 25/50 Party (Lori & Mike's 25/50 Party): Wow is this drinking well right now. Sure, its young and primary and will get better, but this was delicious. WOTN for me. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, some violets and grilled steak. Deep and fantastic. On the palate, there is a nice juiciness to the great texture. The wine is light on its feet yet powerful. Great black raspberry fruit. Tight layers emerge in the glass. Just delicious.
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Excellent wine with big fruity flavors. The color is great and the taste even better. Still have two bottles left and feel it will continue to improve over the next few years.
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Some nice wines over the last two nights; 5/13/2015-5/14/2015: This really needed more air than it got. The subject of Paso Robles and Syrah came up, so we poured a glass each and I sent the bottle home with my host. Still, a great wine on pop and pour. At this stage, it is still primary. The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and grilled meats. Smooth and no sign of alcohol. Delicious. Balanced. Tons of fruit. While very deep, the wine needs time to unwind more. I would bet its better tonight.
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No formal notes. This was decanted for about 1-1.5 hours and consumed over 1 hour. Delicious black fruits and a sumptuous balance made this an extraordinary wine.
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Decanted for one hour before service. In the glass, dark, deep purplish-red. On the nose, crushed raspberries and a touch of black pepper. On the palate, more of the same, with gobs of ripe fruit, rich texture, and some complexity that is waiting to come out, although I suspect that's not going to happen for many years. Very drinkable now, but I think the peak is ten years away.
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Welcoming Chicago winos - Part Deux (BLT Steak - Washington D.C. - High Octane Wines): Intense black fruit and black spice driven nose, nutmeg, smoke and tar and a hint of heat as the end note. Exceptional concentration as usual, intense jammy dark fruit driven palate impression, quite chewy, nicely integrated tannins, good length and a hint of heat at the end.
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Some Italians and a Saxum (Our home): So, the crowd was talking about liking bigger wines. We were thru with dinner, so I went downstairs and opened this. It could have used some air, but, oh well. Purple in color. The nose is huge with black raspberries, leather, roaster meat and pepper. On the palate, this is noticeably sweet. Perhaps just ripe fruit, or maybe a hint of residual sugar. Smooth and easy to drink. The alcohol is noticeable but not over bearing or a detraction. Everyone drained their glass quickly and the bottle was gone. Delicious.
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Perfume on the nose with a hint of alcohol. Thick almost syrup like. Prunes, Black Cherries with a nice bite at the end. A little too over the top which is why it losses its balance.
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Decanted for an hour and a half, then funneled back into bottle; then half hour in the glass. Still, it didn't come together for another hour. Initially, the alcohol (15.5%) evident. Next time a longer decant. Once it came together, the blend was luxurious, dark and rich: Syrah 83% Mourvedre 13% Grenache 4%.
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Pop and pour and served with the last bit of a pork roast dinner with mashed potatoes. This came out towards the end of dinner, after the Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc was finished and folks wanted a little more wine. Dark purple color; nose of black fruits with a hint of pepper. Rich and complex, with dark fruits but a good core of acidity for lift. Carries the alcohol level well, showing no heat. While rich with ripe fruit, there is a tartness at the end that keeps things in balance and invites you back for another sip. This could age many more years but is delicious now.
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I love this wine! Thick, almost syrupy feel (almost like a port or liqueur), with a dark rich color. Lots of dark fruit, smooth tannins, and very well balanced. I personally prefer the Saxum wines that are higher in Syrah like this!
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This wine was consumed a couple of weeks ago. I did not write a tasting note. But, WOW! What an impressive wine. Dark, concentrated, wine with smoked and grilled meats and blackberries on the nose. The palate was concentrated yet with a wonderful balance.
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It is hard for me to judge this wine right now. Big amounts of fruit and oak but with a nice acidic balance. I enjoyed the flavors. The real issue I have is with the hot finish in the throat that shows up sometimes. This needs more integartion before I feel like I can fairly judge it.
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Long and strong, but flavor profile still in development and somewhat undistinguished at this stage. Aromatics are also in a transitional stage, in my view. (And, I'm adding these qualifiers to appease all the CT Saxum-lovers!). This is so dense and concentrated its almost sui generis in its wine peer group and hard to rate (you almost want to compare it to a liqueur), but at the end of the day, I prefer some other Cali syrahs to this one, hence my rating which contradicts all the experts and their followers. Sorry!
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Wow... what a phenomenal wine. Drank this over two nights. First night, just poured a 2oz glass and tasted it to see what is was like on pop-n-pour... and it is really smooth, but didn't have much power to it. So I Vacu Vin'ed it back up to drink the next night. Second night, wow... amazingly smooth and a super long finish. Tons of black and blue fruits. I am now a firm believer that the James Berry Vineyard is a really special place.
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(Tasted in a flight with 2007 Broken Stones, 2008 Heart of Stone, 2008 Booker and 2008 Bone Rock) With potential to develop into 'A Grand Vin', the 2008 Bone Rock made from 80 percent Syrah and the rest Grenache and Mourvèdre is a bit tight tonight, but is indeed going to develop into a true beauty. Compared to the other Saxum 2008 I tasted tonight (Booker and Heart Stone), this wine is a bit reluctant but certainly shows so much potential I am amazed. The palate reveals violets, dark mature fruits, sun dried flowers and morellos. It is utterly adorable. The palate is full and lush with no heat, but also a bit tight compared to its siblings. Tannins, fruit, oak and acidity are all nicely integrated - again balance is the keyword. I score this wine only for how it behaved tonight, with time this score might acutally be slightly too low.
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4/25/2024 - rocknroller wrote: 94 Points
Just a small taste. I'll defer to Joe's notes as I had packed it in at that point. But this was impressive, much more balanced than I expected. Sure, it is a big wine, lot of dark fruits here, but they are not over done; and there's a load of complexity now to really enhance this and make it classy and interesting. Great to get to try this.
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4/24/2024 - galewskj wrote: 95 Points
California wines but not from Napa: What a difference 4 years makes. Decanted 30 minutes, this was the most deft and lifted Saxum that I think I've had. Still full-bodied, lots of spices, herbs, flashy fruit, blackberry.
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9/24/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
CT says to drink by 2021 - this was pretty good on opening and after a couple of hour of air.
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3/15/2023 - rogerr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully right now.
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2/6/2023 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Holding up very well. Strong dark fruit, floral notes mollified but present tannins, full bodied, long finish. Even better the second day. Very enjoyable wine.
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1/17/2022 - Jay A wrote: 93 Points
I don't know the exact blend, but a beautiful Rhone blend from Paso Robles, California. Sexy, opulent and flashy, but at the same time not too over the top. Luscious and ripe boysenberry, plum, currant and blueberry fruit. Despite the forward fruit, there is some secondary nuance of bacon fat, fresh herbs, and cacao finishing with vanilla and sweet oak. A complete wine slightly on the heavier side, but not out of balance at all. Perfect with BBQ rack of lamb.
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9/27/2021 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 96 Points
Phenomenal! I preferred the complexity of this wine to the 2007 Booker, and was fun to see how swapping out 13% of the Syrah for Mourvèdre (in this blend) made so much of a difference!!!
Both bottles were amazing for what they represented!
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9/1/2021 - apg23 wrote: 89 Points
Good not great. Nothing memorable for me about this - less acidity than I like. I would be happy to have it again, but I wouldn’t go in pursuit of it.
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1/1/2021 - CCGCCG wrote: flawed
This bottle was boiled either by shipping in the summer or from sitting on my porch after delivery.
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8/10/2020 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours, served semi-blind to everyone else, but as the host and the only red wine, I knew what it was. The nose is very CDP. It is full-bodied with rich flavors, and there is undeniable alcohol that detracts from the overall appreciation of the wine. 1 of 5 people at the tasting was ok with the alcohol and felt that the rich fruit matched it. I believe the other 4, including myself, found the alcohol a significant detractor, and frankly this has been a sticking point with all these big-ass California wines. If the palate matched the nose, this would be on-par with the many glorious Saxum's I've had, and the best wines of Rhone. Tonight, this wine was marred by alcohol that somewhat ruined a great experience. 90 points, with the positives based mostly on the nose.
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5/5/2020 - bobvictor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Complex, silky, great depth. Fabulous wine
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3/30/2020 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
Liked the last bottle so much I popped my other one. Stewed prunes, chocolate, red berries, blackberries. Lots of fun.
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3/19/2020 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
3 hour decant- full bodied with a nice finish that paired well with steak. Balance is a bit above average and this is certainly in prime and certainly in need of hearty food to properly enjoy. Will hold up for another 3-5 years.
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3/15/2020 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
Very lovely bottle, and hardly near the end of it's life. PnP and this jumped right out of the bottle, everything I love about the Paso Rhones, stewed dark berries, blueberry compote, garrigue, dark chocolate in a wave, there is nothing shy about this wine. Perfect match with flank steak grilled vegetables.
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2/8/2020 - Hanessjm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Interesting evolution over 3 hours. First hour was very fruity and acidic. Second hour was tannic and unresolved. Third hour hit its stride and integrated beautifully into soft, lush tannins and more elegant fruit.
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1/18/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 93 Points
Big saturated wine but not heavy or overtly alcoholic. Very dark color. Nice expressive nose with some smokiness. Licorice, raspberries and chocolate. Nice fine grained tannins are very much in the background. Not particularly nuanced but well made and enjoyable.
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11/27/2019 - RickyT12 wrote: 91 Points
Same as last notes, but more heat. It was very spicy. Somewhat enjoyable, but not the level of some of the other vintages I have had of this.
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9/6/2019 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP
Nice dark juice. Cherry and overripe strawberry. A bit medicinal, but in a fruity way. Almost sweettarts on the nose, but too much heat. Might need a good 2 hour decant to open up. Perhaps some heat blows off. Heavy weight, medium acid.
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8/9/2019 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet, still opaque. Deep blackberry and black cherry aromas and flavors, very rich and concentrated...big and bold. Still has lots of tannin, too pronounced for the fruit. A massive wine, opened more on the second night. Drinkable, could soften more with time, if it doesn't lose fruit. Very hot on the late palate and aftertaste from high alcohol. Drink or hold.
Ric
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7/20/2019 - Tonester Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking very well now. Not as powerful as othe vintages but could be that it’s 10 years old now.
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7/13/2019 - Cailles wrote: 97 Points
Saxum Tasting (Zurich): Comprehensive vertical tasting of several Saxum vineyards and a total of 24 wines. Most wines on a good to very good level in the 93 to 95 points range, just one on an exceptional (97+ points) level (James Berry Bone Rock 08). The consistency of the wine-making at Saxum is impressive but the tasting proofed to be rather a bit boring with less difference between the vineyards and vintages showing than expected and wished for. Heart Stone stood out a bit (bigger vats used, little new oak) thanks to more terroir expression. James Berry (mostly Grenache) and James Berry Bone Rock (elevated complexity and sexiness) were great. Best vintage (we tried wines from 2003 to 2011) is clearly the 2007 which produced the wines with the most depth.
TN: In my opinion, this was the best wine of all Saxums tasted. Dark, dens and ripe with lots of black and blue fruit, very good minerality with crushed rocks and some wet slate. A sexy component of some nuts and dark chocolate. Great intensity, great purity, great length. All that intensity is embedded in a soft and fresh structural frame with very fine tannins and a very good acidity. Not at all heavy or cloying. A magical wine. Not decanted and no decant needed. Very good to drink right now even without tertiary aromas.
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6/22/2019 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Grand Saxum Tasting (Gustav in Zurich): Grand Saxum tasting over several vineyeards and vintages. 23 wines in total. What was remarkable is the consistancy in aromatics across vintages and partly also across vineyards. Big and powerful wines but not without elegance. As a vintage 2007 stood out as exceptional across all vineyards. Booker stood out as the most consistent on a high level while James Berry vineyards had the highest range, but was oustanding in some vintages. The top wines for me were 2008 Bone Rock and Booker 2007.
Tasting note:
Ripe rather dark or blue fruit. Prefectly balanced palate again (as with the James Berry 2008) with power and pressure from the fruit but nevertheless elegant. Enormous pleasure to drink right now.
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5/6/2019 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour before service. Largely consistent with my previous tasting note from 2014, although I'd now say that it's a bit more balanced than the previous note implied. I'd also say that while there were some unresolved tannins, they're fine and in the background, so if you haven't opened a bottle yet, now might be a good time to at least check in.
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3/12/2019 - mdvillaverde Does not like this wine: 92 Points
This records a Dec 2018 tasting. 83% Syrah (75% whole clusters), 13% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache. Not sure if this bottle had issues. Lighter, more tart and more cedary than other Saxums I've had. Doesn't compare to the other 2008 Saxums.
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12/30/2018 - fisk15 wrote: 94 Points
Just a packed and balanced Syrah in the prime drinking window I would imagine. Not heavy handed, acidity and spice lifted this into something special. Held up for two days.
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8/4/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note after 1 hr decant; delicious, drink or hold
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7/5/2018 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 4 hrs. Very impressive nose, take the usual Paso notes of floral and exotic - patchouli-esque spice and add a subtle suggestion of cedar and other signs of development and you have one of the better nose I have had in quite some time. Lots of material here and everything seems pretty integrated, very long on the finish, no sign of heat. Excellent.
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6/8/2018 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loads of dark chocolate with some blueberry on the finish. Some pretty firm tannins left and this would ideally need another 10 years. Deep and saturated but not heavy. Could merit a higher score with more age. Added another point the next day. The tannins had mellowed significantly and plum flavors emerged. Nice complexity.
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1/27/2018 - hanasowner wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, though cork broke on the server and he had to push through and decant...lively nose of dark fruit and spice...not as expressive as a bottle two months ago.
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1/5/2018 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really dark red fruit with a long mellow finish. I really loved this wine!
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11/8/2017 - hanasowner wrote: 96 Points
Popped and poured...dark purple and oozing dark fruit and white pepper...smooth as silk in the mouth with long, integrated and smooth finish...definitely open for business.
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6/18/2017 - Mr T wrote:
Big wine
Folks loved it
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5/14/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From memory at Kayne Prime in Nashville last night, decanted at the table, dark ruby, huge nose of blue/blackberry, mod. tannins, dark fruit with some spice & pepper on the palate, long finish; delicious, but last glass was the best & I believe this would be better with more air/time
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4/25/2017 - GaryHOhio wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes, beautiful nose of black berries and some meat, delicious on the plate, smooth with a long finish, just a beautiful wine, drinking very well right now, don't see much upside, enjoy it !!!
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3/18/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Sue has this sitting on the counter, said a friend gave to her. Okay, let's drink it!
Nearly opaque, no surprise. Very dark color but showing a hint of age at the rim. Sweet raspberry and blackberry fruit, very enjoyable, and the fruitiness played well off the St. Patrick's Day corned beef.
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3/4/2017 - jjhsom Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tannic March 2017
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12/31/2016 - bablues wrote: 95 Points
Tried alongside Carlisle James Berry blind. At first the Carlisle was the clear choice but after about 40 minutes the Saxum blossomed and was no match for the Carlisle. Great fruit and mouthfeel
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11/12/2016 - leadpencil wrote: 95 Points
Blackberry, white pepper, limestone
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9/28/2016 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Only had about an hour of decanting, but then it continued to improve over the next two hours. From nose to finish this was a mix of Cherry Kijafa and burnt blueberry pie, along with a healthy dose of chalk/fleur de sel. The brine on the mouth and finish was very reminiscent of a Washington-state Syrah (a la Cayuse). Very unusual experience for a Paso wine. I am used to my Saxums being huge on fruit and low on structure, so this threw me for a loop. In fact, I drank this with salty food (pastrami sandwich with pickles) and it did not work well because it all just got saltier as the meal went on. It was better by itself.
This wine will hold for several more years, but is enjoyable now. I have never been a huge fan of the Bone Rock bottlings, but this was a solid performer. Just be sure to give it a few hours of air before wandering into its path. You have been warned.
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9/25/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 97 Points
Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): One of the co-WOTN's. From Magnum. The bottle was open and allowed to breathe for about 12 hours prior to serving. I think it helped. Gorgeous nose of black raspberries, black pepper, grilled meats, and violets. Also some chocolate. On the palate, exquisite texture. Silky yet velvety. Power yet balance. Deft on the palate. Lots of black raspberry fruit, depth and tight layers of pepper, minerals and fruit. Long finish. Wonderful wine. My red WOTN.
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7/29/2016 - Rackit Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash pour...wish I had decanted. Initially, the nose is blackberry and blackcurrant. Consistent with the rich, meaty, cassis and blackberry flavors and subtle black pepper on the back end. Big bold stuff...not for the faint of heart. The wine is full bodied, has a juicy texture and a long finish. After a couple of hours, I was enjoying it even more as things settled down and became a bit more integrated/approachable...dare I say more friendly. Will pop the next bottle in a few years to see how it develops. Scores will be higher for sure.
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5/13/2016 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious full-bodied blackberry fruit with black olive and cassis flavors, excellent structure, very smooth and integrated, ready to drink
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4/23/2016 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 91 Points
1hr+ decant. A lot of pepper and spice, rather full bodied with big flavors. Was disappointed as expected much more
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4/17/2016 - MLwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Terrific Cali syrah that is fresh and vibrant but beginning to show real depth and complexity. I'll be very excited to try this again in a couple of years. I don't think the fruit will fade, and the secondary characteristics should develop nicely.
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2/8/2016 - Knicksfan wrote: 95 Points
Really special; delicious fruit but well balanced.
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1/23/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of spice, potpourri, berries and raspberries. Flavors of raspberries and black berries. Tangy acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with air or continue to hold.
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1/17/2016 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium to dark fruit, loads of spice, cedar, medium weight and not as heavy as many other Saxum's. This is an awesome wine overall, but doesn't live up to many Saxums I've had over the years. This was out of Magnum and was a pop and pour while drinking over 2 days.
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1/6/2016 - hackey37 wrote: 94 Points
Garnet ruby color is brilliant, opaque, and nice clarity. The smells are crushed blueberries, sweet tar, cherry, earth, subtle spices, and flowers. The tastes are blueberry, dark chocolate, peppery notes, herbs, cherry liqueur, currants, and subtle meat and smoky notes. The finish is fruity and long with satin like tannins. Delicious.
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11/22/2015 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely Syrah from Saxum with layers of fruit and growing complexity. Stunning nose and beautifully proportioned wine. Flavors of black fruit, smoke, spices and earth.
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11/12/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Big, brawny and if anything still too young. Large scaled sweet fruit with some vanillin that is by no means over powering. Some beef and chocolate notes. Fairly tannic. Needs time.
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11/1/2015 - Fid Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with Slice Truck pizza. Classic Saxum Syrah. Nice upfront dark fruit with good structure. This probably will get even better.
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8/9/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 97 Points
Lots of wines for a 25/50 Party (Lori & Mike's 25/50 Party): Wow is this drinking well right now. Sure, its young and primary and will get better, but this was delicious. WOTN for me. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, some violets and grilled steak. Deep and fantastic. On the palate, there is a nice juiciness to the great texture. The wine is light on its feet yet powerful. Great black raspberry fruit. Tight layers emerge in the glass. Just delicious.
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6/16/2015 - Reno-Rhone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine with big fruity flavors. The color is great and the taste even better. Still have two bottles left and feel it will continue to improve over the next few years.
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5/14/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Some nice wines over the last two nights; 5/13/2015-5/14/2015: This really needed more air than it got. The subject of Paso Robles and Syrah came up, so we poured a glass each and I sent the bottle home with my host. Still, a great wine on pop and pour. At this stage, it is still primary. The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and grilled meats. Smooth and no sign of alcohol. Delicious. Balanced. Tons of fruit. While very deep, the wine needs time to unwind more. I would bet its better tonight.
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4/11/2015 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 96 Points
No formal notes. This was decanted for about 1-1.5 hours and consumed over 1 hour. Delicious black fruits and a sumptuous balance made this an extraordinary wine.
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12/26/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful. If anything, deeper and better balanced than an 05 tasted earlier this week.
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9/19/2014 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston III - the Weekend; 9/18/2014-9/20/2014 (Charleston SC - various locations incl. Red Drum, Halls, Circa 1886, and Kings Courtyard Inn): Popped and poured. I'll admit my palette was starting to fatigue a bit after all of the other Syrah. I got some in the rocks flavor here which surprised me a bit. An almost metallic taste to it. It was a nice wine - would like to try again.
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8/29/2014 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for one hour before service. In the glass, dark, deep purplish-red. On the nose, crushed raspberries and a touch of black pepper. On the palate, more of the same, with gobs of ripe fruit, rich texture, and some complexity that is waiting to come out, although I suspect that's not going to happen for many years. Very drinkable now, but I think the peak is ten years away.
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8/9/2014 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Welcoming Chicago winos - Part Deux (BLT Steak - Washington D.C. - High Octane Wines): Intense black fruit and black spice driven nose, nutmeg, smoke and tar and a hint of heat as the end note. Exceptional concentration as usual, intense jammy dark fruit driven palate impression, quite chewy, nicely integrated tannins, good length and a hint of heat at the end.
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8/9/2014 - Uglypinga wrote:
Dark anf brooding. A hint of coffee. Some black pepper. The palate is big young and bright. A baby in this lineup
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7/6/2014 - Cashious wrote: 94 Points
It's just good. Really, really good.
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7/1/2014 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 95 Points
What can I say...
Super good.
Drink up now.
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5/24/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Some Italians and a Saxum (Our home): So, the crowd was talking about liking bigger wines. We were thru with dinner, so I went downstairs and opened this. It could have used some air, but, oh well. Purple in color. The nose is huge with black raspberries, leather, roaster meat and pepper. On the palate, this is noticeably sweet. Perhaps just ripe fruit, or maybe a hint of residual sugar. Smooth and easy to drink. The alcohol is noticeable but not over bearing or a detraction. Everyone drained their glass quickly and the bottle was gone. Delicious.
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2/15/2014 - bambam Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perfume on the nose with a hint of alcohol. Thick almost syrup like. Prunes, Black Cherries with a nice bite at the end. A little too over the top which is why it losses its balance.
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1/12/2014 - shadow wrote: 95 Points
palate was brisk tea, hints of leather and black ink
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1/11/2014 - ELH wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half, then funneled back into bottle; then half hour in the glass. Still, it didn't come together for another hour. Initially, the alcohol (15.5%) evident. Next time a longer decant. Once it came together, the blend was luxurious, dark and rich: Syrah 83% Mourvedre 13% Grenache 4%.
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12/29/2013 - t_moderne wrote: 94 Points
Pop and pour and served with the last bit of a pork roast dinner with mashed potatoes. This came out towards the end of dinner, after the Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc was finished and folks wanted a little more wine.
Dark purple color; nose of black fruits with a hint of pepper. Rich and complex, with dark fruits but a good core of acidity for lift. Carries the alcohol level well, showing no heat. While rich with ripe fruit, there is a tartness at the end that keeps things in balance and invites you back for another sip.
This could age many more years but is delicious now.
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11/3/2013 - bruce61 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted double blind in grouping of 8 Rhone blends. But, was decanted and immediately put back in bottle then 2 hrs slow oxed.
It was my WOTN. One other person's too. It was very rich and fruit forward but with great balance and a long finish.
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8/2/2013 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 98 Points
I love this wine! Thick, almost syrupy feel (almost like a port or liqueur), with a dark rich color. Lots of dark fruit, smooth tannins, and very well balanced. I personally prefer the Saxum wines that are higher in Syrah like this!
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11/14/2012 - pakabear wrote: flawed
Unfortunately it was corked, I'm not having much luck lately.
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10/20/2012 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Not as good as last time, but very nice wine. A bit of time will balance the wine a bit more.
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10/14/2012 - MayValley wrote: 96 Points
This wine was consumed a couple of weeks ago. I did not write a tasting note. But, WOW! What an impressive wine. Dark, concentrated, wine with smoked and grilled meats and blackberries on the nose. The palate was concentrated yet with a wonderful balance.
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5/8/2012 - bambam wrote:
It is hard for me to judge this wine right now. Big amounts of fruit and oak but with a nice acidic balance. I enjoyed the flavors. The real issue I have is with the hot finish in the throat that shows up sometimes. This needs more integartion before I feel like I can fairly judge it.
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3/15/2012 - jonnyoro wrote: 97 Points
Yum- seriously tasty and complex- stem inclusion very nice; licorice, black fruit, tar, meaty...
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1/26/2012 - pgb67 wrote: 90 Points
Long and strong, but flavor profile still in development and somewhat undistinguished at this stage. Aromatics are also in a transitional stage, in my view. (And, I'm adding these qualifiers to appease all the CT Saxum-lovers!). This is so dense and concentrated its almost sui generis in its wine peer group and hard to rate (you almost want to compare it to a liqueur), but at the end of the day, I prefer some other Cali syrahs to this one, hence my rating which contradicts all the experts and their followers. Sorry!
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11/5/2011 - Justin B wrote: 96 Points
Wow... what a phenomenal wine. Drank this over two nights. First night, just poured a 2oz glass and tasted it to see what is was like on pop-n-pour... and it is really smooth, but didn't have much power to it. So I Vacu Vin'ed it back up to drink the next night. Second night, wow... amazingly smooth and a super long finish. Tons of black and blue fruits. I am now a firm believer that the James Berry Vineyard is a really special place.
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9/15/2011 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 98 Points
(Tasted in a flight with 2007 Broken Stones, 2008 Heart of Stone, 2008 Booker and 2008 Bone Rock) With potential to develop into 'A Grand Vin', the 2008 Bone Rock made from 80 percent Syrah and the rest Grenache and Mourvèdre is a bit tight tonight, but is indeed going to develop into a true beauty. Compared to the other Saxum 2008 I tasted tonight (Booker and Heart Stone), this wine is a bit reluctant but certainly shows so much potential I am amazed. The palate reveals violets, dark mature fruits, sun dried flowers and morellos. It is utterly adorable. The palate is full and lush with no heat, but also a bit tight compared to its siblings. Tannins, fruit, oak and acidity are all nicely integrated - again balance is the keyword. I score this wine only for how it behaved tonight, with time this score might acutally be slightly too low.
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7/25/2011 - dionysis wrote: 94 Points
Gorgeous, velvet layers of fruit. A bit overpowering with food, but by itself give it an hour and it was really pleasurable.
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