2008 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (69) Avg Score: 94.3 points

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  2/12/2023 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Saxum's 2008 Booker Vineyard bottling is an opaque crimson blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Mourvèdre. Tasted at a walk-around wine and food party from a bottle provided by an attendee, it offers a payload of ripe blackberries, chocolate covered cherries, licorice and Asian spices. Full-bodied, low-to-medium in acidity, proportionately oaked and with plentiful sweet tannins, it keeps its lofty 15.8% alcohol in check when served at 60-65°F. Dense on the mid-palate and long on the back end, this is a "fruit bomb" that flirts with going over-the-top (but in the end maintains its composure). Give it plenty of air and enjoy it throughout the remainder of this decade. Drink now-2030.

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  11/1/2022 - barrytaylor Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Almost black in color, mature wine, little tannin, dusty, best part is the finish which goes on for minutes, 2 hrs in decanrer then drank over 1 hr. maybe too much air

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  9/22/2022 - jshufelt wrote: 92 Points

  It's been seven years since our previous bottle, and the good news is that it's approachable now with a modest decant (one hour before service, in this case). The good or bad news, depending on your preferences, is that it is still closer to a barrel sample than an aged wine - raspberry, grenache liqueur, and a bit of barnyard are all present, with a deep, saturated magenta/black color that shows no sign of age, and still plenty of unresolved tannins on the long finish. If you have just one bottle, no harm in waiting another 5-7 years, at least.

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  7/19/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Dark garnet-purple, completely opaque, no amber edge despite its age. Pronounced aroma of dark fruits, mostly blackberries with some cassis, and French oak but not heavily toasted. Aroma could have been either syrah or cabernet. On the palate full-bodied but not coarse. Black fruit flavors. The tannin is too prominent for the fruit, and it's hot on the late palate and the long aftertaste. I would like more round fruit and less tannin, and a bit less hot. It's possible it will soften with more age but I'm not sure. I left the bottle open overnight, still with half the wine, but it didn't change the second night.
  Ric

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  6/29/2021 - peterk Likes this wine:

  I forgot how good this is. The initial astringency softened completely over a couple of hours in the decanter, leaving a silky, fruity, integrated, lovely wine. Served alongside Wagyu sirloins - perfect!

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