JimAronson gets this right: "Sweet candied cherry and red liquorish with light spice. Very fresh and smooth middle and finish". Also agree with those who felt this vintage is a little more sluggish and less dynamic than other bottling. Bordered on syrupy on Day 2. Still, very good.
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My last 2018 Maxem, so I’m giving it one of my highest scores ever….how many superlatives…deep, plush, robust, incredible flavors, off the charts balance and perfection.
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Good to go at PNP. A little less tension and energy than I remember. Very good but missing a bit of depth I’ve found in other Pinots at this price point.
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It was so good a month ago that I opened another for Thanksgiving. Excellent flavors, mouthfeel and fruit once again but this bottle didn't show the energy my previous bottle showed, so I marked it down by a point. Delicious and classy. Sam does such a consistently great job with Pinot and Chard at his Maxem label.
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First amazing wine in a lineup celebrating and helping to cheer me up on my 65th birthday. Solid 95 points with continued upside since it kept improving with air. Aging extremely well as it picks up finesse while retaining its gorgeous fruit and energy on the finish. Just delicious and complex and lovely!
Sweet candied cherry and red liquorish with light spice to distinguish it as a pinot. Very fresh and smooth middle and finish. Wine is singing on all fronts. Coravin tasting and let sit for 30 minutes in glass. Slight fade after an hour so I preferred it on the opening. Preferred it slightly chilled. Let's see how it evolved over the evening. Seems to have settled into a medium bodied wine after an hour and half. I preferred it on the opening where it had more body. Finished the glass and will report back when the bottle is opened.
Opened bottle next day with barbecue chicken dinner. The sweet Pinot grape was full bodied and balanced throughout. A real crowd pleaser. Drinking nicely now with no sense of closing down.
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What a great wine and for me, in general a non-Pinot drinker, I always look forward to having a glass or two of Maxem pinot. The wine seems to have grown a bit since the last time and continues to deliver on the goods. The one nuance I noticed in this vintage is there is a little less tension than the wine has delivered in previous vintages. Not sure if it was a timing thing or not but the wine is just so enjoyable now, it’s hard to even make the comment. Such an enjoyable wine now- a wife favorite for sure.
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Maxem & Memento Mori tasting (Napa): [No formal notes] This was a pleasant surprise as this was completely different than what I had in mind. Nose of dark red fruits like black cherries or overly ripened strawberries (in a good way), deep earth and some soft bitter earthy funk with soft oak. On the palate you get similar notes from the nose but with the addition of a spice and darker red fruits. With some time I was getting a little bit of gooseberry notes near the back end. Loved the fruit here and again, totally blew my expectations away. My first thoughts while tasting this was, "this might be a Cab drinker's Pinot."
Expressive nose of black cherries, strawberry, beautiful floral elements and hints of spice box. Super fresh and pure, this is an elegant yet ripe version of this wine. The concentration isn't on the level of some other vintages, but there is great purity, tension and overall balance. Very fine grained tannins with no hard edges. Digging into the finish you get nice length with earthy and mineral driven notes emerging. Probably could use another couple years in bottle to bring out more tertiary flavors, but my sense is this vintage is going to be more about the fruit.
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Really flavorful yet nuanced wine. Decanting for 2-3 hours really helped this to open up and get deeper and smoother. If a silky, red toned, energetic pinot is your preference then drink this as a PnP. If you prefer darker fruit, more balanced and smoother then decanting is absolutely needed. Great either way. Not as dynamic as the 2007 IMHO but wonderful nonetheless.
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Decanted 1hour, probably needed more, Dark, brooding garnet color. Black cherry, black fruits framed with a touch of acidity. Perhaps not my style at this time but thinking could use 3-5 years of cellaring or more for this up and coming Pinot. Well made wine that should improve with more age.
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Coravin poured. Beautifully structured and balanced. Tart and juicy red fruit, grippy tannins, medium acidity with nice mouthfeel and medium to long finish.
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Really big and powerful for Pinot — even for a Cali. Great acid and balance overall. Very ripe but not hot. Red and black fruits bordering on overripe on the nose, but in check on the palate. Fantastic finish with ripe red fruits — just killer delicious stuff in addition to being a well made, balanced wine.
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94 Points Enjoyed on Thursday night via a Zoom virtual wine tasting with Sam Kaplan, the winemaker, as well as 12 of my clients. Tasted both the 2018 MAXEM Chardonnay as well as the Pinot Noir.
Chardonnay- delicious, with nice lift and acidity, refreshing on the palate. Made in the white Burgundian style instead of the more common oaked vanilla fruit bomb style that is prevalent in Napa/Sonoma these days. As the wine opened up in glass, the flavors began to explode. Not a Chard expert by any means, but if rating I would give this a 94 for now with upside.
Pinot- oh man was this tasty. Struck me as a Cabernet Lovers Pinot. Full bodied, hints of pepper and spice, lush mouthfeel. I can imagine this wine pairing perfectly with lamb or beef as well. Sam suggested that this will age easily for the next ten years, and I would have to agree. Giving this a 95 with upside in next 2-3 years.
All in all, a great event that was enjoyed by everyone. And while the wines were delicious, I couldn’t stop thinking about his Cabernet’s, so after the Zoom, I rushed to open a split of his 2016 Nine Suns. Paired with a skirt steak on the grill? OH MY...
Young. Double decanted and slow ox for 3 hours. The amazing quality here is the tension! There is great red and black cherry fruit with a hint of strawberry and spice. The finish is long as the acid makes for a high toned wine. I can see this adding 3 points or more as it ages and comes together. Still thrilling as a young wine.
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Opened Wed night to pair with southwest chicken and sweet potatoes and kale. Fun wine - bit of chewiness, nice tartness and strawberry aromas. Easy crowd pleaser, but also serious enough to age.
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Sam Kaplan - Arkenstone, Mememto Mori, Maxem, Vangone #3: Deep black cherry dominates here. A super tasty sample, with the makings of a compelling wine certainly poised to crest on the horizon for this wine as the years go on. A broader spectrum of saturated fruit is just waiting to bust out at the seams once it becomes a more complete wine in bottle. Chewy and just plain ‘ol down right fun to slurp up. 94++ points with huge upside in a few years.
1/18/2024 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
JimAronson gets this right: "Sweet candied cherry and red liquorish with light spice. Very fresh and smooth middle and finish". Also agree with those who felt this vintage is a little more sluggish and less dynamic than other bottling. Bordered on syrupy on Day 2. Still, very good.
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12/23/2023 - SMZ wrote: 97 Points
My last 2018 Maxem, so I’m giving it one of my highest scores ever….how many superlatives…deep, plush, robust, incredible flavors, off the charts balance and perfection.
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6/9/2023 - SMZ wrote: 96 Points
Same result as last bottle……a spectacular bottle of wine….beautiful complexity and flavors
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2/4/2023 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and consumed over two days. Day two was much more enjoyable for my palate. Less sharp cherry and a bit more weight and length on the finish.
93+ on day two.
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12/25/2022 - SMZ wrote: 95 Points
Brilliant…..deep lush flavors….big and bold.
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12/18/2022 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good to go at PNP. A little less tension and energy than I remember. Very good but missing a bit of depth I’ve found in other Pinots at this price point.
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11/25/2022 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
It was so good a month ago that I opened another for Thanksgiving. Excellent flavors, mouthfeel and fruit once again but this bottle didn't show the energy my previous bottle showed, so I marked it down by a point. Delicious and classy. Sam does such a consistently great job with Pinot and Chard at his Maxem label.
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10/24/2022 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 95 Points
First amazing wine in a lineup celebrating and helping to cheer me up on my 65th birthday. Solid 95 points with continued upside since it kept improving with air. Aging extremely well as it picks up finesse while retaining its gorgeous fruit and energy on the finish. Just delicious and complex and lovely!
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8/16/2022 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sweet rich dark cherry with chocolate and spice
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11/14/2021 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sweet candied cherry and red liquorish with light spice to distinguish it as a pinot. Very fresh and smooth middle and finish. Wine is singing on all fronts. Coravin tasting and let sit for 30 minutes in glass. Slight fade after an hour so I preferred it on the opening. Preferred it slightly chilled. Let's see how it evolved over the evening. Seems to have settled into a medium bodied wine after an hour and half. I preferred it on the opening where it had more body. Finished the glass and will report back when the bottle is opened.
Opened bottle next day with barbecue chicken dinner. The sweet Pinot grape was full bodied and balanced throughout. A real crowd pleaser. Drinking nicely now with no sense of closing down.
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10/1/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Huge cherry fruit with depth, spice and balance
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9/5/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a great wine and for me, in general a non-Pinot drinker, I always look forward to having a glass or two of Maxem pinot. The wine seems to have grown a bit since the last time and continues to deliver on the goods. The one nuance I noticed in this vintage is there is a little less tension than the wine has delivered in previous vintages. Not sure if it was a timing thing or not but the wine is just so enjoyable now, it’s hard to even make the comment. Such an enjoyable wine now- a wife favorite for sure.
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4/24/2021 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Maxem & Memento Mori tasting (Napa): [No formal notes] This was a pleasant surprise as this was completely different than what I had in mind. Nose of dark red fruits like black cherries or overly ripened strawberries (in a good way), deep earth and some soft bitter earthy funk with soft oak. On the palate you get similar notes from the nose but with the addition of a spice and darker red fruits. With some time I was getting a little bit of gooseberry notes near the back end. Loved the fruit here and again, totally blew my expectations away. My first thoughts while tasting this was, "this might be a Cab drinker's Pinot."
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1/7/2021 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Expressive nose of black cherries, strawberry, beautiful floral elements and hints of spice box. Super fresh and pure, this is an elegant yet ripe version of this wine. The concentration isn't on the level of some other vintages, but there is great purity, tension and overall balance. Very fine grained tannins with no hard edges. Digging into the finish you get nice length with earthy and mineral driven notes emerging. Probably could use another couple years in bottle to bring out more tertiary flavors, but my sense is this vintage is going to be more about the fruit.
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11/27/2020 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really flavorful yet nuanced wine. Decanting for 2-3 hours really helped this to open up and get deeper and smoother. If a silky, red toned, energetic pinot is your preference then drink this as a PnP. If you prefer darker fruit, more balanced and smoother then decanting is absolutely needed. Great either way. Not as dynamic as the 2007 IMHO but wonderful nonetheless.
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9/12/2020 - buymoreredsdrinkmorewhites wrote:
Decanted 1hour, probably needed more, Dark, brooding garnet color. Black cherry, black fruits framed with a touch of acidity. Perhaps not my style at this time but thinking could use 3-5 years of cellaring or more for this up and coming Pinot. Well made wine that should improve with more age.
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8/21/2020 - Slwojdyla Likes this wine: 94 Points
Trending very up. Excellent long finish. Integrated tannins. Wonderful nose. Dark garnet.
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7/17/2020 - VinNoobie Likes this wine: 95 Points
Coravin poured. Beautifully structured and balanced. Tart and juicy red fruit, grippy tannins, medium acidity with nice mouthfeel and medium to long finish.
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7/11/2020 - HoostineFL wrote: 93 Points
Really big and powerful for Pinot — even for a Cali. Great acid and balance overall. Very ripe but not hot. Red and black fruits bordering on overripe on the nose, but in check on the palate. Fantastic finish with ripe red fruits — just killer delicious stuff in addition to being a well made, balanced wine.
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5/23/2020 - blarmston Likes this wine: 95 Points
94 Points
Enjoyed on Thursday night via a Zoom virtual wine tasting with Sam Kaplan, the winemaker, as well as 12 of my clients. Tasted both the 2018 MAXEM Chardonnay as well as the Pinot Noir.
Chardonnay- delicious, with nice lift and acidity, refreshing on the palate. Made in the white Burgundian style instead of the more common oaked vanilla fruit bomb style that is prevalent in Napa/Sonoma these days. As the wine opened up in glass, the flavors began to explode. Not a Chard expert by any means, but if rating I would give this a 94 for now with upside.
Pinot- oh man was this tasty. Struck me as a Cabernet Lovers Pinot. Full bodied, hints of pepper and spice, lush mouthfeel. I can imagine this wine pairing perfectly with lamb or beef as well. Sam suggested that this will age easily for the next ten years, and I would have to agree. Giving this a 95 with upside in next 2-3 years.
All in all, a great event that was enjoyed by everyone. And while the wines were delicious, I couldn’t stop thinking about his Cabernet’s, so after the Zoom, I rushed to open a split of his 2016 Nine Suns. Paired with a skirt steak on the grill? OH MY...
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5/15/2020 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 96 Points
For my palate this is my style of Pinot. Lighter in weight and not over oaked. I highly recommend.
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4/12/2020 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young. Double decanted and slow ox for 3 hours. The amazing quality here is the tension! There is great red and black cherry fruit with a hint of strawberry and spice. The finish is long as the acid makes for a high toned wine. I can see this adding 3 points or more as it ages and comes together. Still thrilling as a young wine.
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4/8/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened Wed night to pair with southwest chicken and sweet potatoes and kale. Fun wine - bit of chewiness, nice tartness and strawberry aromas. Easy crowd pleaser, but also serious enough to age.
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12/7/2019 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Sam Kaplan - Arkenstone, Mememto Mori, Maxem, Vangone #3: Deep black cherry dominates here. A super tasty sample, with the makings of a compelling wine certainly poised to crest on the horizon for this wine as the years go on. A broader spectrum of saturated fruit is just waiting to bust out at the seams once it becomes a more complete wine in bottle. Chewy and just plain ‘ol down right fun to slurp up. 94++ points with huge upside in a few years.
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