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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 94.2 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 114 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by rocknroller on 4/25/2024 & rated 94 points: Just a small taste. I'll defer to Joe's notes as I had packed it in at that point. But this was impressive, much more balanced than I expected. Sure, it is a big wine, lot of dark fruits here, but they are not over done; and there's a load of complexity now to really enhance this and make it classy and interesting. Great to get to try this. (182 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 4/24/2024 & rated 95 points: California wines but not from Napa: What a difference 4 years makes. Decanted 30 minutes, this was the most deft and lifted Saxum that I think I've had. Still full-bodied, lots of spices, herbs, flashy fruit, blackberry. (142 views) | | | Tasted by ogres3 on 9/24/2023 & rated 93 points: CT says to drink by 2021 - this was pretty good on opening and after a couple of hour of air. (631 views) | | | Tasted by rogerr on 3/15/2023 & rated 93 points: Drinking beautifully right now. (900 views) | | | Tasted by Geoff on 2/6/2023 & rated 95 points: Holding up very well. Strong dark fruit, floral notes mollified but present tannins, full bodied, long finish. Even better the second day. Very enjoyable wine. (917 views) | | | Tasted by Jay A on 1/17/2022 & rated 93 points: I don't know the exact blend, but a beautiful Rhone blend from Paso Robles, California. Sexy, opulent and flashy, but at the same time not too over the top. Luscious and ripe boysenberry, plum, currant and blueberry fruit. Despite the forward fruit, there is some secondary nuance of bacon fat, fresh herbs, and cacao finishing with vanilla and sweet oak. A complete wine slightly on the heavier side, but not out of balance at all. Perfect with BBQ rack of lamb. (1967 views) | | | Tasted by bobvictor on 9/27/2021 & rated 96 points: Phenomenal! I preferred the complexity of this wine to the 2007 Booker, and was fun to see how swapping out 13% of the Syrah for Mourvèdre (in this blend) made so much of a difference!!!
Both bottles were amazing for what they represented! (1975 views) | | | Tasted by apg23 on 9/1/2021 & rated 89 points: Good not great. Nothing memorable for me about this - less acidity than I like. I would be happy to have it again, but I wouldn’t go in pursuit of it. (1676 views) | | | Tasted by CCGCCG on 1/1/2021 flawed bottle: This bottle was boiled either by shipping in the summer or from sitting on my porch after delivery. (2274 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 8/10/2020 & rated 90 points: Decanted 2.5 hours, served semi-blind to everyone else, but as the host and the only red wine, I knew what it was. The nose is very CDP. It is full-bodied with rich flavors, and there is undeniable alcohol that detracts from the overall appreciation of the wine. 1 of 5 people at the tasting was ok with the alcohol and felt that the rich fruit matched it. I believe the other 4, including myself, found the alcohol a significant detractor, and frankly this has been a sticking point with all these big-ass California wines. If the palate matched the nose, this would be on-par with the many glorious Saxum's I've had, and the best wines of Rhone. Tonight, this wine was marred by alcohol that somewhat ruined a great experience. 90 points, with the positives based mostly on the nose. (1954 views) | | | Tasted by bobvictor on 5/5/2020 & rated 95 points: Complex, silky, great depth. Fabulous wine (2513 views) | | | Tasted by D'Yquembe Mutumbo on 3/30/2020 & rated 94 points: Liked the last bottle so much I popped my other one. Stewed prunes, chocolate, red berries, blackberries. Lots of fun. (2219 views) | | | Tasted by N.Bonaparte on 3/19/2020 & rated 93 points: 3 hour decant- full bodied with a nice finish that paired well with steak. Balance is a bit above average and this is certainly in prime and certainly in need of hearty food to properly enjoy. Will hold up for another 3-5 years. (2201 views) | | | Tasted by D'Yquembe Mutumbo on 3/15/2020 & rated 94 points: Very lovely bottle, and hardly near the end of it's life. PnP and this jumped right out of the bottle, everything I love about the Paso Rhones, stewed dark berries, blueberry compote, garrigue, dark chocolate in a wave, there is nothing shy about this wine. Perfect match with flank steak grilled vegetables. (1851 views) | | | Tasted by Hanessjm on 2/8/2020 & rated 94 points: Interesting evolution over 3 hours. First hour was very fruity and acidic. Second hour was tannic and unresolved. Third hour hit its stride and integrated beautifully into soft, lush tannins and more elegant fruit. (2087 views) | | | Tasted by nywine68 on 1/18/2020 & rated 93 points: Big saturated wine but not heavy or overtly alcoholic. Very dark color. Nice expressive nose with some smokiness. Licorice, raspberries and chocolate. Nice fine grained tannins are very much in the background. Not particularly nuanced but well made and enjoyable. (1748 views) | | | Tasted by RickyT12 on 11/27/2019 & rated 91 points: Same as last notes, but more heat. It was very spicy. Somewhat enjoyable, but not the level of some of the other vintages I have had of this. (1873 views) | | | Tasted by RickyT12 on 9/6/2019 & rated 93 points: PNP
Nice dark juice. Cherry and overripe strawberry. A bit medicinal, but in a fruity way. Almost sweettarts on the nose, but too much heat. Might need a good 2 hour decant to open up. Perhaps some heat blows off. Heavy weight, medium acid. (1988 views) | | | Tasted by Ex-Ray on 8/9/2019 & rated 92 points: Deep garnet, still opaque. Deep blackberry and black cherry aromas and flavors, very rich and concentrated...big and bold. Still has lots of tannin, too pronounced for the fruit. A massive wine, opened more on the second night. Drinkable, could soften more with time, if it doesn't lose fruit. Very hot on the late palate and aftertaste from high alcohol. Drink or hold.
Ric (1943 views) | | | Tasted by Tonester on 7/20/2019 & rated 94 points: Drinking very well now. Not as powerful as othe vintages but could be that it’s 10 years old now. (1803 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 7/13/2019 & rated 97 points: Saxum Tasting (Zurich): Comprehensive vertical tasting of several Saxum vineyards and a total of 24 wines. Most wines on a good to very good level in the 93 to 95 points range, just one on an exceptional (97+ points) level (James Berry Bone Rock 08). The consistency of the wine-making at Saxum is impressive but the tasting proofed to be rather a bit boring with less difference between the vineyards and vintages showing than expected and wished for. Heart Stone stood out a bit (bigger vats used, little new oak) thanks to more terroir expression. James Berry (mostly Grenache) and James Berry Bone Rock (elevated complexity and sexiness) were great. Best vintage (we tried wines from 2003 to 2011) is clearly the 2007 which produced the wines with the most depth.
TN: In my opinion, this was the best wine of all Saxums tasted. Dark, dens and ripe with lots of black and blue fruit, very good minerality with crushed rocks and some wet slate. A sexy component of some nuts and dark chocolate. Great intensity, great purity, great length. All that intensity is embedded in a soft and fresh structural frame with very fine tannins and a very good acidity. Not at all heavy or cloying. A magical wine. Not decanted and no decant needed. Very good to drink right now even without tertiary aromas. (2848 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 6/22/2019 & rated 97 points: Grand Saxum Tasting (Gustav in Zurich): Grand Saxum tasting over several vineyeards and vintages. 23 wines in total. What was remarkable is the consistancy in aromatics across vintages and partly also across vineyards. Big and powerful wines but not without elegance. As a vintage 2007 stood out as exceptional across all vineyards. Booker stood out as the most consistent on a high level while James Berry vineyards had the highest range, but was oustanding in some vintages. The top wines for me were 2008 Bone Rock and Booker 2007.
Tasting note:
Ripe rather dark or blue fruit. Prefectly balanced palate again (as with the James Berry 2008) with power and pressure from the fruit but nevertheless elegant. Enormous pleasure to drink right now. (2087 views) | | | Tasted by jshufelt on 5/6/2019 & rated 93 points: Decanted for one hour before service. Largely consistent with my previous tasting note from 2014, although I'd now say that it's a bit more balanced than the previous note implied. I'd also say that while there were some unresolved tannins, they're fine and in the background, so if you haven't opened a bottle yet, now might be a good time to at least check in. (1582 views) | | | Tasted by mdvillaverde on 3/12/2019 & rated 92 points: This records a Dec 2018 tasting. 83% Syrah (75% whole clusters), 13% Mourvedre and 4% Grenache. Not sure if this bottle had issues. Lighter, more tart and more cedary than other Saxums I've had. Doesn't compare to the other 2008 Saxums. (1638 views) | | | Tasted by fisk15 on 12/30/2018 & rated 94 points: Just a packed and balanced Syrah in the prime drinking window I would imagine. Not heavy handed, acidity and spice lifted this into something special. Held up for two days. (1660 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, November/December 2011, IWC Issue #159
(Saxum Vineyards Syrah James Berry Vineyard Bone Rock Paso Robles) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Exploring California's Central Coast (Aug 2011)
(Saxum Bone Rock Paso Robles) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (2/1/2011)
(Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard) Dark purple red violet color; big, oaky, boysenberry, baked berry, oak nose; concentrated, oak, baked berry palate, hard to drink; long finish (83% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache) 78 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Saxum Producer website
Justin Smith of Saxum Vineyards is focused on producing Syrah, Grenache, and Mataro based blends from the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, California. We let our rocky calcareous soils, steep hillsides, and cooling ocean breezes speak through our wines by keeping our yields extremely low, picking fruit at the peak of ripeness, and using a minimalist approach in the cellar. We respect our land and farm everything sustainably without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. Because our vine’s roots penetrate deep through the fissures in the calcareous soil irrigation is rarely needed. Production is kept at 5000-6000 cases per year divided between 12 different cuvees, Broken Stones, Heart Stone Vineyard, James Berry Vineyard, James Berry Vineyard White, Booker Vineyards, Rocket Block, Bone Rock, Paderewski Vineyard, G2 Vineyard, Terry Hoage Vineyard, 4hearts Vineyard, and The Hexe.Syrah BlendThe 2018 is 40% Merlot and 60% Syrah.James Berry VineyardUnder the expert care of Justin Smith, James Berry Vineyard has quickly established itself as one of the premiere Rhône varietal vineyards in the state. The “Carlisle” block of James Berry Vineyard is located just below the terraced “Bone Rock” section and is planted to Syrah clones 470 and 174. Justin practices sustainable farming, using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. And with the limestone laden soils and devigorating rootstock, the vines struggle, yielding small quantities of intensely flavored fruit.
Copyright © 2013 Carlisle Winery & Vineyards, all rights reserved
On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaPaso Robles Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
Set apart by unique climate and geography, Paso Robles Wine Country provides prime growing conditions for more than 40 varietals planted over 26,000 acres of vineyards. More than 300 wineries craft this fruit into premium wines, gaining recognition around the world. The fruit, the wines and the distinct environment have quickly made Paso Robles California's third largest and fastest growing wine region. |
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