11/26/2020 - T.O.Wineaux Likes this wine:

Wondering what to drink on a Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving I turned to one of my favorite producers...SAXUM. I just can't say enough good things about this vineyard. Owned and operated by Justin Smith SAXUM is one of the founding wineries of Paso Robles and, no doubt, one of the finest in California. No price increases in more than 5 years, making a great wine from grapes disqualified from SAXUM's more popular labels and selling to to his mailing list for a lousy $10 (other wineries sell these kitchen sink wines for far more), helping his competition flourish (Epoch, Torrin, and others), and making fabulous wine year in and year out. Just an absolute pleasure whenever I open a bottle!

The 2014 James Berry Vineyard (JBV for short - maybe it should mean Justin' s Bountiful Vineyard) is a monster of a wine. This balanced GSM blend posses a highly perfumed aroma of dark berries and a bit of spice on the nose. The dark berry and mineral flavors glide across your palate with the seamless harmony of a Vienna symphony playing Beethoven's 5th! The finish sails on and on leaving you wanting for more. It's really tough staying away from my last bottle of the 2014 but I'll give it a couple more years to see if it can get even better. The 2014 JBV is truly a testament to the the great winemaking going on at SAXUM.