Dark cherry red with slight fading at the rim. Bright berry aromas. Bit astringent on the palate, blackberry, cherry. Some heat (16% ABV). Fine tannins, sharp acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes moderately long and sharp. Much poorer showing than my last bottle. Probably better a few years ago.
Dark red with slight translucence at the rim. Dark berry aromas. Smooth and deeply flavored on the palate. Blackberry, blueberry, anise, spice. Becomes brighter with air. Fine, intense tannins. could use 2 to 3 years to soften. Bright acidity, good balance. Finishes long, long, intense with blackberry fruit. Lovely wine but needs 2 to 3 years to develop. Drink next 10 years. Will the alcohol (16.1% ABV) become more prominent? Hard to tell. 35% Zinfandel; 26% Mourvedre; 19% Tempranillo; 9% Petite Sirah; 11% Syrah. 93 points with a possible upside.
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An outstanding blend that was a smooth as a freshly mowed green. Rich and balanced with some wonderful dark red fruit. Was a great treat on our anniversary.
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Decanted for one hour. It’s all about tension, balance, and integration at their point. High toned cherry leads off, quickly enveloped in tobacco, loam, black pepper, and a bass note of underlying plumb. Drink now and enjoy!
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Decant or slow ox for a couple of hours so it can get it’s legs. Not for the faint of heart. Enjoy with steaks, outdoors and after the kids go to bed. What a treat.
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Popped and poured. Rich black fruit, mocha and herbs come through in this Zin blend. Layers of flavor. High alcohol is masked reasonably well as the wine is decently balanced.
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Decanted for 4 hours from magnum. Dark ruby color. Dark cherry, Blackberry, pepper on the palate. Long and smooth finish. A masterful wine from Justin Smith. It's got plenty of years left, though it's in a great place right now. Served with steaks.
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Garnet-purple, completely opaque. Lots of glycerin, extremely viscous. The nose is dark fruits, mostly blackberries, with French oak and a touch of anise. On the palate, lots of upfront concentrated fruit, also blackberries. Much more power than finesse, but has some roundness to it. On the later palate the tannin and especially alcohol become much more prominent. Extremely long aftertaste. Drank this with a well-seasoned grilled flank steak, with which it paired very well. I don't get a distinct zin character, even though it's about 1/3 zin. I'm not sure that further aging will produce much change. I plan to drink my others in the next year or so. Ric
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Decanted 2 hours. Big nose, very forward, lots of raspberries, and black berries, hint of mint, cassis. Nice mouth feel almost fruit and cream mix, much smoother than the last bottle. I think it needed the extra time to decant.
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1.5 hours decanted. Might have needed more time Decanted. Quite a bit of alcohol on nose, but that’s par for the course with Saxum. Black berry, raspberry, chocolate. Strong tannins. This wine should have a long life. Might want to let this sit for a bit longer. Milk chocolate. Hints of bitter chocolate. Nice wine.
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Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Jammy nose and palate with well integrated tannins. Probably should have dipped into this bottle earlier to experience more gobby fruit as has been earlier posts proclaimed. Overall this was very well balanced and beat out a 2013 Opus One in the same flight. This is a very yummy wine and very well balanced at the moment. Just would have like a little more fruit up front...but that's just me. Drink up as I don't see this getting any better.
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I had not tried this wine in over a year and a half. I slow ox'd for about 6 hours . Red and black fruit on the nose. The palate was raspberry, dark cherry, plum, hints of tobacco, cigar box, and a touch of spice. The finish is amazing just on and on and on and on. I served with a dish of pork tenderloins with fennel and onions in a fennel cream sauce. I had found the receipe in a old 1996 Bon Appetit cookbook and it said the proper pairing was a zinfandel and since this is a zinfandel blend I figured it was close enough. As an aside the dish was absolutely awesome.
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Purple in color. 16.1% ABV. 35% Zinfandel, 26% Mourvedre, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah and 9% Petite Sirah. Exotic, perfumed nose of brambly blue and black fruits, licorice, cocoa and flowers. Full bodied with exquisite acidity. Notable balance. Exceptionally plush and concentrated. Blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry liqueur and anise on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Incredibly delicious and unique. Best over the next several years.
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This is a massive wine with lots of dark fruit, oak, and purple fruit. In the context of a big cali wine, it retained some fineese. Still too rich and overwhelming for my palate.
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Really, the fruit comes out in full force but then mellows after an hour. It could last another 5-10. The zin is light and dominated by petite and temp.
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From a magnum opened ten hours before dinner. Red and black fruit on the nose. The palate was raspberry, dark cherry, plum, hints of tobacco, cigar box, and a touch of spice. The finish is amazing just on and on and on and on. An amazing bottle of wine shared with good friends.
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Very dark. Nose not very giving but there’s dark berry fruit, some meat and some violet flower notes. Fairly viscous, and finishes with a bit of bite, and maybe a bit of heat. For me a little too big and concentrated. Like many of the bigger Central Coast wines, I liked it better with a melted ice cube in it...sigh.
Somewhat consistent with our previous tasting notes, in terms of fruit and secondary herbal and oak characteristics, but with this bottle, the alcohol jumped to the forefront and stayed there, and for me, that's a bit of a dealbreaker. Not bad, just not great like the previous bottles had been.
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One of the bigger wines I have had of late. Simply creamy texture on an oh so viscous wine like this. Strawberry and bramble and some mint on the palette. Long finish with huge heat that reminds me that I may have just had some 28% alcohol port. Big gulps some swishing in the mouth and then BOOM ! Comes the awesome fruit forward wines from Prejewski Vineyard. Bravo !
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This is a very tasty wine, for sure, with the signature Saxum multi-dimensional profile and multiple layers of berry fruits, but I wish I could score it higher. In addition to a bit of heat, it has a little bit of the charred raspberry character that some people might either find delicious or off-putting. But, I have several issues with this wine that limits my rating. 1. I'm not sure what to pair this wine with. It is so powerful and dense that it would overpower food. Not that wine necessarily needs a food pairing, but I do score a wine higher if it makes a beautiful pairing with food. One taster commented "cocktail wine". I don't think that's necessarily a negative, but it does limit the score potential. 2. After a certain qualitative threshold, I think Paso wines taste very similar to me. Like I don't know if I could tell the difference between this and a top wine from, say, Booker or Linne Calodo. So, I believe distinctiveness would take this wine to the next level. 3. The individual varieties in this blend don't represent themselves. There is zin and tempranillo and mouvedre and syrah, but I wouldn't be able to tell. I wish the Tempranillo showed hints of Rioja or that the zin provided a soulful rustic character. In any case, this wine is certainly still a baby, and will continue to evolve for the next decade and beyond.
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16.1% abv. Very dark ruby, great aromatics. On the palate, highly extracted blackberry, boysenberry, sage, black pepper and a nice bramble. Combines a lively mouthfeel with exceptional depth and length. This outstanding wine is in the zone now, but with with improvement potential.
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Very highly extracted wine! Decanted several hours before dinner, still very powerful seven hours later. Purple and opaque. Pronounced blackberry jam aroma. Very viscous, with thick, slow moving "legs". Very concentrated blackberry flavors, mouth-coating and huge, but well-balanced. Lots of tannin and alcohol, but the fruit stands up to them. Very enjoyable now, may even soften with a bit more time, but can certainly be enjoyed now...just give it plenty of airing! Ric
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Wine with friends (at Lake Michigan) (Mike and Lori's (near Shelby MI)): Great showing for this one at age 7. Pop and pour and it seemed good from the start. Served with a chocolate pound cake with chocolate ganache, it went perfectly. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, charcoal, slight bramble and roasted herbs. On the palate, this is big. Juicy black and red raspberry fruit. Some tannins. And underlying char. Clean. No hint of alcohol. Long finish. Great wine and in no hurry.
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This bottle was opened at home and drank without any decanting. I can sum up the clear and incredibly inky purple wine with one word...wow! Tonight this wine was stunning with a nose and flavours of dark cherries, caramel, vanilla and some caramel. The tannins and acidity were both in a great mid level place and the wine had a very long finish. So far, nearly half way through the year, this has been my number one wine of 2017.
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Wines with friends (Richter, Haut Brion, Tommasi, Pott, Saxum +) (Pine Lake Trout Club): I should have opened this ahead of time. It was great with dinner, but when I got home, I sat outside (first nice spring evening of the year) with this and a cigar and it was much better. Maybe 93 at the restaurant. Deep purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, some woody notes and black pepper. On the palate, this is tight at first. Good acidity. Some tannins. Black raspberry fruit. Long finish. it is a big wine and like many 2010's, it takes time to open. I would let breather for 10 hours or decant for a few IMO. So of course, no hurry on these. Perfect with a cigar later in the evening.
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whoa- this stuff is over the top intense. huge flavor, massive dense chewy. balanced with some acidity and tannic grip, but overall the liquid equivalent of an aerosmith concert.
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Tremendous nose of dark and red fruit. Dark, dark color. great flavors of more of the nose, pure, a bit brambly, smooth tannins and mouthfeel. Almost, but not quite light in the mouth (texture somewhat like some well made cab francs). Long finish. Very enjoyable.
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Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): Very nice showing. IIRC, this is Zin, Tempranillo, Syrah and PS in some numbers. It is in a very nice place right now. The nose has black raspberries, chocolate, violets, cherries and spice. Great texture. Juicy yet lush. On the palate, this drinks easily. I am sure there is plenty of alcohol, but it doesn't show. Like many Saxum wines it has that seamless quality. Powerful yet deft. Long finish. Worked just fine with the food as well.
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This is a wine for lovers of complex big red wines. Inky purple to black color, thick and rich mouth feel. Lots of flavors - too many for me to sort out, but with lots of dark fruits, pepper, spice, cocoa. Firm tannins, but not overpowering. Very enjoyable!
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Decanted for two hours, which seemed to be about right. As with the bottle we had in 2013, saturated reddish-purple at the rim, black at the center; on the nose, raspberries, bramble, and oak. On the palate, the zinfandel is still the primary note, but the fruit and spice is now more present, and things have come together nicely. This is the kind of wine you want when you just want something good to drink, without an intellectual challenge.
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Right off the bat you get the pepper we know and expect from the Zin. White pepper to be exact. A little clove, some spice. And the nice mixture of black and red berry. A pretty well integrated medium bodied wine. Some pretty tight tannins. Nice long finish. Solidly good effort. Though I will say in my opinion this is overpriced for what is in the glass.
To me this is a 92 point perhaps a 93 point wine, but for the price that we pay it should probably be hitting a little bit higher. I have had almost 92 points zins at half the price - Think the Bedrock catalog.
I usually buy Saxum for their Rhone heavy blends, not their Zins, and I think I'm on the right track there.
92+
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Blend of Zinfandel 35%, Mourvedre 26%, Tempranillo 19%, Syrah 11%, and Petite Sirah 9%; paired well with ribs. Fruity and vibrant (Zinfandel and Tempranillo) with substance (Mourvedre, Syrah, and Pitite Sirah). Decanted in the glass. It opened up and integrated quite well. Complex and layered.
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SO'd overnight then double decanted, purple/black, dark fruit with pepper & spice, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious, drink or hold. If tasted blind, I would have guessed one of Turley's better zins
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Rich, full-bodied dark fruit, panoply of flavors including blackberry, black raspberry, slightly raisony, and dark violets, excellent structure, finish a little short, as good as wine was the multiple flavors didn't seem fully integrated, personally I'm not wild about this blend
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Had as a pop and pour at a restaurant after a Sea Smoke Pinot. Thick dark red to black. Lots of ripe red fruit, with a hint of spice, and surprisingly a hint of sweetness. Loved this wine!
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Another Saturday at Cooking School - California Wines (ICASI): Inky purple in color. The nose shows some cocoa/oak. Tons of raspberries and black raspberries. Some black pepper. Full bodied. Great texture. This is tight and I wish I would have had a bit more time to sample this, but with 13 wines, sometimes it goes that way. On the palate, kirsch and plums but no heat. Needs some air I think to come together a bit more. Its sweet, whether that is from ripe fruit of maybe 1or2% rs, I am not sure. Its delicious, that I am sure of. I think if I was drinking this by itself over a few hours, it might be a point or two better at this time.
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Drank from Magnum. PnP, initially the nose was closed with some lingering dark fruits in the background. Palate was super sweet with almost an artificial component to it, blackberry jam, strawberry, pepper, some stewed meats and a medium to long finish. Lingering pepper and spice on the finish goes on for a while. Good texture but the sweetness is out of balance a bit. This isn't my favorite style of Saxum and I see the style is changing in the more recent vintages thankfully.
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"hedonistic" certainly applies to this powerhouse of black and blue fruit carried in a giant body with firm tannins, and youthful heat. This wine is not likely to peak for at least 5 more years, and that is when I will try my next one. Amazing wine!
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This bottle was drank at the golf course with friends after 3 1/2 hours of decanting. The wine was very deep purple in colour and clear. I really enjoyed this tonight as there were tons of blueberries both on the nose and in the glass. The alcohol levels and tannins both seemed to be in good balance and I noticed a particularily long finish to the wine. This was one of my favourite Saxum's ever.
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Decanted through a vinturi and let sit for a few hours while we drank a bottle of Turley Juvenile. Dark fruit on the nose, deep dark color in the glass, the palate was blackberry, olive, leather a touch of chocolate and a hint of pepper. A long lingering finish makes this an outstanding wine.
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Large scaled and mouth coating. Lots of red and dark berries with some zin spice and yet a feeling of weight that comes from syrah. A very fulfilling wine that is perfect for a night when a fuller, warmer night is required. I like this.
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As solid a 95 as you can get. I can't see how or where this would improve - complex layers flirt in the glass. Heady first taste. Zin on the front porch and syrah sitting in the backyard so nicely with some friends visiting and playing so well (ok - fancy way to try and say an excellent ratio and blend - killing it softly) PNP - preferred it on the "cooler temp" side from the cellar. A very confident wine.
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I guess I expect these Zin-based Saxums to be drinkable earlier or with a minimal decant, but that just isn't the case. They are beasts like all the others and need to be tamed with time.
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Dinner with Friends (Beaucastel, Keller, McPrice, Saxum, ++) (Our home): Seemed liked we needed a bit more wine, so I went down and opened this. Still young, of course, but drinking well. Big nose of black raspberries, leather, bramble, some chocolate and damp earth. Great lush texture. Lots of black raspberry fruit on the palate, some milk chocolate. Delicious. This is big, and upfront. Some depth and complexity but that's not what this is about. Nice finish.
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Very similar to the last review, dark fruit and spices galore, one of the most extracted Zin's you will find. There is still a touch of heat at the end with some very welcome acidity but the heat worries me a little. Excellent wine.
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PNP. This was my first experiance with the Saxum Paderewski. I am a huge fan of zinfandel and big wines. Overall i thought this was light on the zin at 35% and am wondering at what level or percentage of zin should be inside the bottle in order to label it a zin.
But this was a big wine and I am glad that i was not alone drinking this big dog. I was doing just fine with two glasses at 16%. Huge.
Deep dark BLACK in the glass. Black as night. Only at the edges of the wine where it touched the wine glass could I see deep ruby red. I thought that was pretty awesome. Full bodied in taste and texture but not overly on the texture like the Broken Stones was.
Overall i do like this but i think it should sit a few more years and integrate more.
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Delicious. Sweet, perfume, heady fruit but still vibrant. Big and rich with intense, sweet palate and aftertaste. Almost too much but stays inside acceptability because of acid and focus.
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Had this wine with friends from a magnum with burrata, olives, and crusty bread! the fruit is ripe with a complexity that goes beyond the typical. Lovely dark fruit flavor in this blend the really typifies the Paso region. The food was Italian and the wine easily dealt with the fatty richness. As the night went on it only became more enjoyable. I love that Saxum doesnt up charge for magnums!
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Lots of deep, dark blue and black fruits, with a concentrated feel...tar, spice and deep cocoa. Alcohol was too noticeable for my taste, but setting that aside, certainly had taste going for it.
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Fun wine. Atypical perhaps for a Saxum but delicious nonetheless. A big nose of leather, bramble, black and red raspberries and oak. Drinks smoothly. Lots of fruit. Some heat. Not as nimble as most Saxum's, but not ponderous. Very nice wine.
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3 hours of slow-ox, and still not really awake even after that. In the glass, saturated reddish-purple, fading rapidly to black at the center. On the nose, a mix of raspberries, bramble, oak, and a tiny hint of rose. On the palate, the zinfandel is dominant, with secondary notes of funk and pepper. After a couple more hours, more fruit and some spice began to emerge. There is definitely more stuffing waiting to emerge; give it 3-5 years in the cellar and try again.
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A fascinating wine from a fascinating vineyard. Paderewski vineyard was planted in 2004, west of Paso Robles by the Armstrong's on the site of an legendary old vineyard planted by Ignacy Jan Paderewski. While the varieties are not interplanted, they replicated the varieties of older historic vineyards including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Counoise, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Marsanne, and Viognier. As translated by Justin Smith, this wine is 35% Zin, 26% Mourved, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah and 9% Petite Sirah.
Exceedingly deep, dark, rich and long, Saxum has made spectacular versions of Rhone blends, this one is an excellent homage to a traditional California field blend. I like the concept and love the wine.
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Drank from Magnum. Slow-oxed for 10 hours. This is a very fun wine. The most approachable Saxum I have had. Inky purple in color. The nose has bramble, dark cherries, chocolate covered cherries, leather and raspberries. It is easy to drink but has a nice weight and complexity to it. No heat. Balanced. Lots of flavors to match the nose. A big hit at a neighbors dinner party.
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A Powerhouse. Nose was massive dark fruit and meat. Taste was one dimensional at first with big fruit but virtually no acidity which made it feel a bit flabby. After about an hour it was a working nicely together. A very interesting wine but not sure I would go for again.
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Enjoyed with massive grilled bone in pork chops from Lindy & Grundy in West Hollywood (pictured). Accompanied by a salad of bacon, candied walnut, aged Manchego, with toasted bread crumbs. Interesting blend of 35% Zinfandel, 26% Mourvèdre, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah, and 9% Petite Sirah. Big raspberry nose with hint of the 16.1% ALC. Decanted for 5 hours exposing layers of whipped cream, black cherries, anise, almond, and Chambord. Thick concentration with sweet menthol finish. Nice wine but needs more time to mellow.
See more detail at http://maximumsatisfaction.tumblr.com/post/41073071503
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Opened this too early. Decanted for one hour. Round velvety mouthfeel. Not a typical zin. Very good but the Saxum name always creates outsize expectations.
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4/7/2024 - Charlie C wrote: 85 Points
Dark cherry red with slight fading at the rim. Bright berry aromas. Bit astringent on the palate, blackberry, cherry. Some heat (16% ABV). Fine tannins, sharp acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes moderately long and sharp. Much poorer showing than my last bottle. Probably better a few years ago.
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12/30/2023 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red with slight translucence at the rim. Dark berry aromas. Smooth and deeply flavored on the palate. Blackberry, blueberry, anise, spice. Becomes brighter with air. Fine, intense tannins. could use 2 to 3 years to soften. Bright acidity, good balance. Finishes long, long, intense with blackberry fruit. Lovely wine but needs 2 to 3 years to develop. Drink next 10 years. Will the alcohol (16.1% ABV) become more prominent? Hard to tell. 35% Zinfandel; 26% Mourvedre; 19% Tempranillo; 9% Petite Sirah; 11% Syrah. 93 points with a possible upside.
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12/23/2023 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Out of magnum. Decanted
Fantastic! Rich, plush wine.
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11/10/2023 - shaferguy91 wrote: 92 Points
Still a very big wine. Wife liked it better than me.
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10/5/2023 - ogres3 wrote: 88 Points
Delicious
Typical Saxum
Drank in HMB
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7/19/2023 - golfhawk Likes this wine: 96 Points
An outstanding blend that was a smooth as a freshly mowed green. Rich and balanced with some wonderful dark red fruit. Was a great treat on our anniversary.
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6/24/2023 - djjagdish Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. It’s all about tension, balance, and integration at their point. High toned cherry leads off, quickly enveloped in tobacco, loam, black pepper, and a bass note of underlying plumb. Drink now and enjoy!
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4/28/2023 - nchexal wrote: 94 Points
Tasty but honestly could cellar for another 5-6 years. Still too hot but has the makings of greatness. 94 going on 96-97.
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8/16/2022 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Intense dark stewed fruit with plum, blueberry and earth
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8/13/2022 - mmcken02 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decant or slow ox for a couple of hours so it can get it’s legs. Not for the faint of heart. Enjoy with steaks, outdoors and after the kids go to bed. What a treat.
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8/7/2022 - europat55 wrote: 90 Points
This is a good wine, but to dense and and still too hot even after 12 years.
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4/23/2022 - rogerr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow, this wine really blossomed in the 3 years since I last tasted it! Beautifully intense, integrated, and long finish. Terrific!
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4/3/2022 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Rich black fruit, mocha and herbs come through in this Zin blend. Layers of flavor. High alcohol is masked reasonably well as the wine is decently balanced.
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6/12/2021 - IanAltman Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 4 hours from magnum. Dark ruby color. Dark cherry, Blackberry, pepper on the palate. Long and smooth finish. A masterful wine from Justin Smith. It's got plenty of years left, though it's in a great place right now. Served with steaks.
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4/24/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet-purple, completely opaque. Lots of glycerin, extremely viscous. The nose is dark fruits, mostly blackberries, with French oak and a touch of anise. On the palate, lots of upfront concentrated fruit, also blackberries. Much more power than finesse, but has some roundness to it. On the later palate the tannin and especially alcohol become much more prominent. Extremely long aftertaste. Drank this with a well-seasoned grilled flank steak, with which it paired very well. I don't get a distinct zin character, even though it's about 1/3 zin. I'm not sure that further aging will produce much change. I plan to drink my others in the next year or so.
Ric
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4/22/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Big ripe alcoholic wine. Not my thing. Friends and wife seemed to like it very much.
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3/21/2021 - CholakisCN wrote:
Day1 very disappointing, to the point of undrinkable. I put in a decanter and popped something else to see if it may come together.
Day 2: still disjointed, alcohol is primary and port like.
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1/31/2021 - Backdoctor wrote: 95 Points
absolutely stellar wine. Mouth coating with long finish The best of all the bottles I have opened of this vintage
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9/13/2020 - whitmanlholt wrote: flawed
Corked (not terribly, but clearly enough to persist even with air and to ruin the nose). Bummer.
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8/2/2020 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours.
Big nose, very forward, lots of raspberries, and black berries, hint of mint, cassis. Nice mouth feel almost fruit and cream mix, much smoother than the last bottle. I think it needed the extra time to decant.
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8/1/2020 - RickyT12 Likes this wine: 93 Points
1.5 hours decanted. Might have needed more time Decanted.
Quite a bit of alcohol on nose, but that’s par for the course with Saxum.
Black berry, raspberry, chocolate. Strong tannins. This wine should have a long life. Might want to let this sit for a bit longer. Milk chocolate. Hints of bitter chocolate.
Nice wine.
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7/11/2020 - larrybbaldwin wrote: 94 Points
Stunning Unexpected. Deep. Rich. Smoky. Alive I am in awe of Justin Smith
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5/30/2020 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Jammy nose and palate with well integrated tannins. Probably should have dipped into this bottle earlier to experience more gobby fruit as has been earlier posts proclaimed. Overall this was very well balanced and beat out a 2013 Opus One in the same flight. This is a very yummy wine and very well balanced at the moment. Just would have like a little more fruit up front...but that's just me. Drink up as I don't see this getting any better.
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5/4/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
I had not tried this wine in over a year and a half. I slow ox'd for about 6 hours . Red and black fruit on the nose. The palate was raspberry, dark cherry, plum, hints of tobacco, cigar box, and a touch of spice. The finish is amazing just on and on and on and on. I served with a dish of pork tenderloins with fennel and onions in a fennel cream sauce. I had found the receipe in a old 1996 Bon Appetit cookbook and it said the proper pairing was a zinfandel and since this is a zinfandel blend I figured it was close enough. As an aside the dish was absolutely awesome.
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4/29/2020 - MLwine wrote: 89 Points
Spicy with a low to moderate mouth feel. Enjoyable but lacks richness or depth.
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2/22/2020 - RDJ#1 Likes this wine:
outstanding - pared extremely well with medium rare rib eye
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1/31/2020 - tomlee wrote: 96 Points
Purple in color. 16.1% ABV. 35% Zinfandel, 26% Mourvedre, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah and 9% Petite Sirah. Exotic, perfumed nose of brambly blue and black fruits, licorice, cocoa and flowers. Full bodied with exquisite acidity. Notable balance. Exceptionally plush and concentrated. Blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry liqueur and anise on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Incredibly delicious and unique. Best over the next several years.
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1/4/2020 - Backdoctor wrote: 93 Points
Another great Saxum. Super long finish. Balanced, good fruit on front palate
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9/21/2019 - rogerr wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine but a bit too much fruit and not my favorite bottling of Saxum (although I think the 2009 is exceptional.) Perhaps it needs more time.
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9/6/2019 - Burgnick wrote:
This is a massive wine with lots of dark fruit, oak, and purple fruit. In the context of a big cali wine, it retained some fineese. Still too rich and overwhelming for my palate.
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2/17/2019 - Anzaldo99 Likes this wine:
Really, the fruit comes out in full force but then mellows after an hour. It could last another 5-10. The zin is light and dominated by petite and temp.
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2/16/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine, Zin based blend, Dark briary fruit with tannin that seem very integrated.
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1/13/2019 - tomoem wrote: 94 Points
Last bottle. Wow this is just so big. I reiterate notes of prior tasting with the following augmentations
Flavors are of slightly rotted fruit. Blueberry, strawberry and forest floor. Long finish witblingering flavors of the fruit. Wow !!!
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10/20/2018 - Rktekt3 wrote: 94 Points
Not even needing decanting. So nice.
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10/10/2018 - jimineff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking well right now. Fruit has flattened somewhat, without precision but still present. Rich, great mouthfeel, and still a great wine.
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9/10/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 Points
From a magnum opened ten hours before dinner. Red and black fruit on the nose. The palate was raspberry, dark cherry, plum, hints of tobacco, cigar box, and a touch of spice. The finish is amazing just on and on and on and on. An amazing bottle of wine shared with good friends.
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6/23/2018 - rcg62 wrote: 91 Points
Very dark. Nose not very giving but there’s dark berry fruit, some meat and some violet flower notes. Fairly viscous, and finishes with a bit of bite, and maybe a bit of heat. For me a little too big and concentrated. Like many of the bigger Central Coast wines, I liked it better with a melted ice cube in it...sigh.
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3/25/2018 - jshufelt wrote: 88 Points
Somewhat consistent with our previous tasting notes, in terms of fruit and secondary herbal and oak characteristics, but with this bottle, the alcohol jumped to the forefront and stayed there, and for me, that's a bit of a dealbreaker. Not bad, just not great like the previous bottles had been.
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2/25/2018 - tomoem Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the bigger wines I have had of late. Simply creamy texture on an oh so viscous wine like this. Strawberry and bramble and some mint on the palette. Long finish with huge heat that reminds me that I may have just had some 28% alcohol port. Big gulps some swishing in the mouth and then BOOM ! Comes the awesome fruit forward wines from Prejewski Vineyard. Bravo !
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1/23/2018 - Jonathan T wrote: 93 Points
This is a very tasty wine, for sure, with the signature Saxum multi-dimensional profile and multiple layers of berry fruits, but I wish I could score it higher. In addition to a bit of heat, it has a little bit of the charred raspberry character that some people might either find delicious or off-putting. But, I have several issues with this wine that limits my rating. 1. I'm not sure what to pair this wine with. It is so powerful and dense that it would overpower food. Not that wine necessarily needs a food pairing, but I do score a wine higher if it makes a beautiful pairing with food. One taster commented "cocktail wine". I don't think that's necessarily a negative, but it does limit the score potential. 2. After a certain qualitative threshold, I think Paso wines taste very similar to me. Like I don't know if I could tell the difference between this and a top wine from, say, Booker or Linne Calodo. So, I believe distinctiveness would take this wine to the next level. 3. The individual varieties in this blend don't represent themselves. There is zin and tempranillo and mouvedre and syrah, but I wouldn't be able to tell. I wish the Tempranillo showed hints of Rioja or that the zin provided a soulful rustic character. In any case, this wine is certainly still a baby, and will continue to evolve for the next decade and beyond.
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11/3/2017 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
16.1% abv. Very dark ruby, great aromatics. On the palate, highly extracted blackberry, boysenberry, sage, black pepper and a nice bramble. Combines a lively mouthfeel with exceptional depth and length. This outstanding wine is in the zone now, but with with improvement potential.
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11/1/2017 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
Very highly extracted wine! Decanted several hours before dinner, still very powerful seven hours later. Purple and opaque. Pronounced blackberry jam aroma. Very viscous, with thick, slow moving "legs". Very concentrated blackberry flavors, mouth-coating and huge, but well-balanced. Lots of tannin and alcohol, but the fruit stands up to them. Very enjoyable now, may even soften with a bit more time, but can certainly be enjoyed now...just give it plenty of airing!
Ric
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10/9/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Wine with friends (at Lake Michigan) (Mike and Lori's (near Shelby MI)): Great showing for this one at age 7. Pop and pour and it seemed good from the start. Served with a chocolate pound cake with chocolate ganache, it went perfectly. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, charcoal, slight bramble and roasted herbs. On the palate, this is big. Juicy black and red raspberry fruit. Some tannins. And underlying char. Clean. No hint of alcohol. Long finish. Great wine and in no hurry.
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7/27/2017 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note; a year later & no evolution; delicious, drink or hold
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6/20/2017 - Rosengoo wrote: 99 Points
This bottle was opened at home and drank without any decanting. I can sum up the clear and incredibly inky purple wine with one word...wow! Tonight this wine was stunning with a nose and flavours of dark cherries, caramel, vanilla and some caramel. The tannins and acidity were both in a great mid level place and the wine had a very long finish. So far, nearly half way through the year, this has been my number one wine of 2017.
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6/17/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Zin based blend. Bright fruit and soft smooth finish. It's wines like this that remind me how great Paso Robles can be.
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6/8/2017 - Eric.S Likes this wine:
Layers of flavor! No formal notes, but drinking really well with a 2 hour decant.
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3/25/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
Wines with friends (Richter, Haut Brion, Tommasi, Pott, Saxum +) (Pine Lake Trout Club): I should have opened this ahead of time. It was great with dinner, but when I got home, I sat outside (first nice spring evening of the year) with this and a cigar and it was much better. Maybe 93 at the restaurant. Deep purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, raspberries, some woody notes and black pepper. On the palate, this is tight at first. Good acidity. Some tannins. Black raspberry fruit. Long finish. it is a big wine and like many 2010's, it takes time to open. I would let breather for 10 hours or decant for a few IMO. So of course, no hurry on these. Perfect with a cigar later in the evening.
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1/13/2017 - Empirate wrote: 93 Points
From magnum: 3 hours decant. Great blend. Don't know where the inspiration comes from but inspired it is.
Classic structure and new world mouth feel. Balanced and food friendly.
Ready but many years of pleasure ahead.
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12/14/2016 - Levinsb wrote:
whoa- this stuff is over the top intense. huge flavor, massive dense chewy. balanced with some acidity and tannic grip, but overall the liquid equivalent of an aerosmith concert.
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12/3/2016 - Rktekt3 wrote: 92 Points
So nice.
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11/30/2016 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thanksgiving 2016. Huge wine. Really delicious.
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11/25/2016 - shapida wrote: flawed
coked, unfortunately
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10/15/2016 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Interesting blend... bold!!!
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9/26/2016 - Geoff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tremendous nose of dark and red fruit. Dark, dark color. great flavors of more of the nose, pure, a bit brambly, smooth tannins and mouthfeel. Almost, but not quite light in the mouth (texture somewhat like some well made cab francs). Long finish. Very enjoyable.
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9/25/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
Magnum night in the CLE (The Penthouse at IMG Headquarters in Downtown Cleveland): Very nice showing. IIRC, this is Zin, Tempranillo, Syrah and PS in some numbers. It is in a very nice place right now. The nose has black raspberries, chocolate, violets, cherries and spice. Great texture. Juicy yet lush. On the palate, this drinks easily. I am sure there is plenty of alcohol, but it doesn't show. Like many Saxum wines it has that seamless quality. Powerful yet deft. Long finish. Worked just fine with the food as well.
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9/24/2016 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dense dark fruit with incredible mocha finish.
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8/20/2016 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a wine for lovers of complex big red wines. Inky purple to black color, thick and rich mouth feel. Lots of flavors - too many for me to sort out, but with lots of dark fruits, pepper, spice, cocoa. Firm tannins, but not overpowering. Very enjoyable!
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8/15/2016 - KenK wrote: 91 Points
From magnum. Nice friendly fruit forward style. Zippy red fruit driven wine, showing primarily Zin flavors.
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8/7/2016 - jshufelt wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours, which seemed to be about right. As with the bottle we had in 2013, saturated reddish-purple at the rim, black at the center; on the nose, raspberries, bramble, and oak. On the palate, the zinfandel is still the primary note, but the fruit and spice is now more present, and things have come together nicely. This is the kind of wine you want when you just want something good to drink, without an intellectual challenge.
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6/10/2016 - NTR wrote: 92 Points
Right off the bat you get the pepper we know and expect from the Zin. White pepper to be exact. A little clove, some spice. And the nice mixture of black and red berry. A pretty well integrated medium bodied wine. Some pretty tight tannins. Nice long finish. Solidly good effort. Though I will say in my opinion this is overpriced for what is in the glass.
To me this is a 92 point perhaps a 93 point wine, but for the price that we pay it should probably be hitting a little bit higher. I have had almost 92 points zins at half the price - Think the Bedrock catalog.
I usually buy Saxum for their Rhone heavy blends, not their Zins, and I think I'm on the right track there.
92+
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5/26/2016 - ELH wrote: 94 Points
Blend of Zinfandel 35%, Mourvedre 26%, Tempranillo 19%, Syrah 11%, and Petite Sirah 9%; paired well with ribs. Fruity and vibrant (Zinfandel and Tempranillo) with substance (Mourvedre, Syrah, and Pitite Sirah). Decanted in the glass. It opened up and integrated quite well. Complex and layered.
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5/21/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
SO'd overnight then double decanted, purple/black, dark fruit with pepper & spice, mod. tannins, long finish; delicious, drink or hold. If tasted blind, I would have guessed one of Turley's better zins
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2/6/2016 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Delicious blackberry, pepper, and spice on the nose and rich palate with a touch of heat on the long finish.
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2/2/2016 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, full-bodied dark fruit, panoply of flavors including blackberry, black raspberry, slightly raisony, and dark violets, excellent structure, finish a little short, as good as wine was the multiple flavors didn't seem fully integrated, personally I'm not wild about this blend
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1/17/2016 - lucaslabelle wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Beautiful wine. Complex and layered yet balanced. Delicious.
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12/4/2015 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had as a pop and pour at a restaurant after a Sea Smoke Pinot. Thick dark red to black. Lots of ripe red fruit, with a hint of spice, and surprisingly a hint of sweetness. Loved this wine!
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11/22/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Another Saturday at Cooking School - California Wines (ICASI): Inky purple in color. The nose shows some cocoa/oak. Tons of raspberries and black raspberries. Some black pepper. Full bodied. Great texture. This is tight and I wish I would have had a bit more time to sample this, but with 13 wines, sometimes it goes that way. On the palate, kirsch and plums but no heat. Needs some air I think to come together a bit more. Its sweet, whether that is from ripe fruit of maybe 1or2% rs, I am not sure. Its delicious, that I am sure of. I think if I was drinking this by itself over a few hours, it might be a point or two better at this time.
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10/24/2015 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank from Magnum. PnP, initially the nose was closed with some lingering dark fruits in the background. Palate was super sweet with almost an artificial component to it, blackberry jam, strawberry, pepper, some stewed meats and a medium to long finish. Lingering pepper and spice on the finish goes on for a while. Good texture but the sweetness is out of balance a bit. This isn't my favorite style of Saxum and I see the style is changing in the more recent vintages thankfully.
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8/13/2015 - Stevere Likes this wine: 95 Points
"hedonistic" certainly applies to this powerhouse of black and blue fruit carried in a giant body with firm tannins, and youthful heat. This wine is not likely to peak for at least 5 more years, and that is when I will try my next one. Amazing wine!
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8/7/2015 - Rosengoo wrote: 97 Points
This bottle was drank at the golf course with friends after 3 1/2 hours of decanting. The wine was very deep purple in colour and clear. I really enjoyed this tonight as there were tons of blueberries both on the nose and in the glass. The alcohol levels and tannins both seemed to be in good balance and I noticed a particularily long finish to the wine. This was one of my favourite Saxum's ever.
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7/25/2015 - mhewitt wrote: 94 Points
Another awesome Saxum. I'd put it a step behind the Broken Stones right now, but great nonetheless.
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2/15/2015 - Brownvino wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for four hours. Very fragrant when first opened. the wine progressed through different taste stages during the four hour period.
Very good wine. unique flavor with the various varietals.
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1/1/2015 - Rktekt3 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours.
Great bottle of wine.
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12/13/2014 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted through a vinturi and let sit for a few hours while we drank a bottle of Turley Juvenile. Dark fruit on the nose, deep dark color in the glass, the palate was blackberry, olive, leather a touch of chocolate and a hint of pepper. A long lingering finish makes this an outstanding wine.
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12/1/2014 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 94 Points
Paired for Thanksgiving Dinner, decanted for 1.5 hours, complex blend, thick, purple color, big and bold, some pepper in the finish from the zin.
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11/22/2014 - WineBum wrote: 85 Points
Hot mess. I will chalk it up to an off bottle and hope for a better showing next time.
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11/8/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Large scaled and mouth coating. Lots of red and dark berries with some zin spice and yet a feeling of weight that comes from syrah. A very fulfilling wine that is perfect for a night when a fuller, warmer night is required. I like this.
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10/15/2014 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich creamy dark fruit. Great Southern Rhone blend.
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10/13/2014 - sbfireman wrote: 95 Points
As solid a 95 as you can get. I can't see how or where this would improve - complex layers flirt in the glass. Heady first taste. Zin on the front porch and syrah sitting in the backyard so nicely with some friends visiting and playing so well (ok - fancy way to try and say an excellent ratio and blend - killing it softly) PNP - preferred it on the "cooler temp" side from the cellar. A very confident wine.
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7/15/2014 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I guess I expect these Zin-based Saxums to be drinkable earlier or with a minimal decant, but that just isn't the case. They are beasts like all the others and need to be tamed with time.
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5/11/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Friends (Beaucastel, Keller, McPrice, Saxum, ++) (Our home): Seemed liked we needed a bit more wine, so I went down and opened this. Still young, of course, but drinking well. Big nose of black raspberries, leather, bramble, some chocolate and damp earth. Great lush texture. Lots of black raspberry fruit on the palate, some milk chocolate. Delicious. This is big, and upfront. Some depth and complexity but that's not what this is about. Nice finish.
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3/8/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very similar to the last review, dark fruit and spices galore, one of the most extracted Zin's you will find. There is still a touch of heat at the end with some very welcome acidity but the heat worries me a little. Excellent wine.
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3/8/2014 - Rktekt3 wrote: 93 Points
I did NOT drink this from a magnum.
PNP. This was my first experiance with the Saxum Paderewski. I am a huge fan of zinfandel and big wines. Overall i thought this was light on the zin at 35% and am wondering at what level or percentage of zin should be inside the bottle in order to label it a zin.
But this was a big wine and I am glad that i was not alone drinking this big dog. I was doing just fine with two glasses at 16%. Huge.
Deep dark BLACK in the glass. Black as night. Only at the edges of the wine where it touched the wine glass could I see deep ruby red. I thought that was pretty awesome. Full bodied in taste and texture but not overly on the texture like the Broken Stones was.
Overall i do like this but i think it should sit a few more years and integrate more.
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3/5/2014 - phenricsson wrote: 95 Points
Delicious. Sweet, perfume, heady fruit but still vibrant. Big and rich with intense, sweet palate and aftertaste. Almost too much but stays inside acceptability because of acid and focus.
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2/16/2014 - peternelson wrote: 87 Points
EWG at AKA: Opaque black, Massive over the top fruit bomb, hot. 16.1%. Not a fan.
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12/29/2013 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this wine with friends from a magnum with burrata, olives, and crusty bread! the fruit is ripe with a complexity that goes beyond the typical. Lovely dark fruit flavor in this blend the really typifies the Paso region. The food was Italian and the wine easily dealt with the fatty richness. As the night went on it only became more enjoyable. I love that Saxum doesnt up charge for magnums!
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10/31/2013 - cadamson wrote: 88 Points
Lots of deep, dark blue and black fruits, with a concentrated feel...tar, spice and deep cocoa. Alcohol was too noticeable for my taste, but setting that aside, certainly had taste going for it.
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10/10/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Fun wine. Atypical perhaps for a Saxum but delicious nonetheless. A big nose of leather, bramble, black and red raspberries and oak. Drinks smoothly. Lots of fruit. Some heat. Not as nimble as most Saxum's, but not ponderous. Very nice wine.
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8/6/2013 - jshufelt wrote: 90 Points
3 hours of slow-ox, and still not really awake even after that. In the glass, saturated reddish-purple, fading rapidly to black at the center. On the nose, a mix of raspberries, bramble, oak, and a tiny hint of rose. On the palate, the zinfandel is dominant, with secondary notes of funk and pepper. After a couple more hours, more fruit and some spice began to emerge. There is definitely more stuffing waiting to emerge; give it 3-5 years in the cellar and try again.
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8/6/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
A fascinating wine from a fascinating vineyard. Paderewski vineyard was planted in 2004, west of Paso Robles by the Armstrong's on the site of an legendary old vineyard planted by Ignacy Jan Paderewski. While the varieties are not interplanted, they replicated the varieties of older historic vineyards including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Counoise, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Marsanne, and Viognier. As translated by Justin Smith, this wine is 35% Zin, 26% Mourved, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah and 9% Petite Sirah.
Exceedingly deep, dark, rich and long, Saxum has made spectacular versions of Rhone blends, this one is an excellent homage to a traditional California field blend. I like the concept and love the wine.
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5/7/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 93 Points
Drank from Magnum. Slow-oxed for 10 hours. This is a very fun wine. The most approachable Saxum I have had. Inky purple in color. The nose has bramble, dark cherries, chocolate covered cherries, leather and raspberries. It is easy to drink but has a nice weight and complexity to it. No heat. Balanced. Lots of flavors to match the nose. A big hit at a neighbors dinner party.
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5/3/2013 - bablues wrote: 93 Points
A Powerhouse. Nose was massive dark fruit and meat. Taste was one dimensional at first with big fruit but virtually no acidity which made it feel a bit flabby. After about an hour it was a working nicely together. A very interesting wine but not sure I would go for again.
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1/21/2013 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION Likes this wine: 94 Points
Enjoyed with massive grilled bone in pork chops from Lindy & Grundy in West Hollywood (pictured). Accompanied by a salad of bacon, candied walnut, aged Manchego, with toasted bread crumbs. Interesting blend of 35% Zinfandel, 26% Mourvèdre, 19% Tempranillo, 11% Syrah, and 9% Petite Sirah. Big raspberry nose with hint of the 16.1% ALC. Decanted for 5 hours exposing layers of whipped cream, black cherries, anise, almond, and Chambord. Thick concentration with sweet menthol finish. Nice wine but needs more time to mellow.
See more detail at
http://maximumsatisfaction.tumblr.com/post/41073071503
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1/19/2013 - Griffin5416 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened this too early. Decanted for one hour. Round velvety mouthfeel. Not a typical zin. Very good but the Saxum name always creates outsize expectations.
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12/30/2012 - pakabear wrote: 93 Points
Lots of zin notes, oak and dark fruit with very good balance. A bit of hit at the end.
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