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.
The James Berry Vineyard is the Smith family’s estate vineyard. It is located 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean with an average elevation of 1200 feet. This particular bottling is 52% Grenache, 31% Mourvedre and 17% Syrah. The wine was not decanted.
Crimson in color. 15.8% ABV. Blockbuster nose of black fruits, scorched earth, molten licorice and flowers. Full bodied with nice acidity. Exceptional balance. Rich and powerful with great concentration. Black cherry liqueur, creme de cassis and grilled meats on the palate. The finish is extraordinarily long, silky and seamless. This wine takes your breath away. Stunning effort. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 98 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 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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Saxum. Just amazing every time you pop a bottle. All they need is a few years to shine and then continue to get better and better. Thanks for the note Tom!
Thanks Rich. Completely agree. Every bottle is special. They are good young but seem to hit a sweet spot for me at 6-10 years of age.