The 2007 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard was the winning bottle in the November installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for an hour and served with beef stew on a frigid night in Seattle.
Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California. Founded in the early 2000’s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo, Saxum leapt into the limelight in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. Smith owns the winery with his wife Heather, and produces up to 2,800 cases of wine a year.
Opaque purple in color. 15.5% ABV. 95% Syrah and 5% Grenache. Great nose of flowers, grilled meats, scorched earth and camphor. Rich and pure with tremendous viscosity. Medium body with medium acidity and still substantial tannins. Black cherry liqueur, blackberry compote, raspberries, black licorice and baking spices on the palate. Super finish on a sexy bottle. Great big wine that is showing well with an extended decant. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 96 points.
Current wines from Saxum are available via the mailing list at $98 per bottle. There is a several year wait before you can expect to receive an offer.
I’ve written about Saxum previously in Winery Mailing Lists: The Fab 5 and The Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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