Wine Article
2010 Saxum James Berry Vineyard
Last edited on 12/18/2012 by meatman
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2010 JAMES BERRY VINEYARD
52% Grenache, 26% Mourvedre, 22% Syrah
ALC: 15.8%
Cases 750 ml: 980
Cases 1.5L: 120
Vineyard: James Berry Vineyard
Released: August 2012
Release Price: $89
Drink: now - 2026
NOTES FROM JUSTIN:
I am really enjoying the wines from the 2010 growing season. It was an incredibly cool season (the coolest we had ever experienced until 2011 came along!). This allowed for some great hang time, which leads to great flavor and tannin development. October and November were ideal, dry and not too chilly, amazingly, everything ripened beautifully. (I was very panicked we would get an October storm like we did in 2009.) In the end, we were able to bring in some incredibly complex but intense fruit that was a pleasure to work with in the cellar. Speaking of the cellar, in 2010 we purchased a whole slew of concrete fermentors and were extremely happy with how well they turned our fruit into wine. I am sold on concrete as a fermentation vessel. The concrete definitely helped in softening up the prodigious tannins of 2010 and allowed us to keep the wines fresher and more focused. It is a lovely combination.
The 2010 James Berry Vineyard is my personal favorite since the 2007 vintage. It has great concentration and intensity, with tons of red and black fruits jumping from the glass. Because of the cool year and our refined winery techniques, it contains great focus, purity of fruit, and freshness. I think that’s my favorite part. The freshness we captured. In no small part this vibrancy comes from the fact that most of the Grenache was aged in concrete tank, along with the large puncheons. The Mourvedre and Syrah saw time in tight grained French oak,adding some nice layers and richness to the wine.
52% Grenache, 26% Mourvedre, 22% Syrah
ALC: 15.8%
Cases 750 ml: 980
Cases 1.5L: 120
Vineyard: James Berry Vineyard
Released: August 2012
Release Price: $89
Drink: now - 2026
NOTES FROM JUSTIN:
I am really enjoying the wines from the 2010 growing season. It was an incredibly cool season (the coolest we had ever experienced until 2011 came along!). This allowed for some great hang time, which leads to great flavor and tannin development. October and November were ideal, dry and not too chilly, amazingly, everything ripened beautifully. (I was very panicked we would get an October storm like we did in 2009.) In the end, we were able to bring in some incredibly complex but intense fruit that was a pleasure to work with in the cellar. Speaking of the cellar, in 2010 we purchased a whole slew of concrete fermentors and were extremely happy with how well they turned our fruit into wine. I am sold on concrete as a fermentation vessel. The concrete definitely helped in softening up the prodigious tannins of 2010 and allowed us to keep the wines fresher and more focused. It is a lovely combination.
The 2010 James Berry Vineyard is my personal favorite since the 2007 vintage. It has great concentration and intensity, with tons of red and black fruits jumping from the glass. Because of the cool year and our refined winery techniques, it contains great focus, purity of fruit, and freshness. I think that’s my favorite part. The freshness we captured. In no small part this vibrancy comes from the fact that most of the Grenache was aged in concrete tank, along with the large puncheons. The Mourvedre and Syrah saw time in tight grained French oak,adding some nice layers and richness to the wine.