Saxum
Saxum Vineyards
James Berry Vineyard Syrah Blend 2014
Still a bit young. Definitely got more in the tank for the future. Good drinking now with ribs. — 8 months ago
Saxum Vineyards
James Berry Vineyard White Blend 2019
One of the bottles from my annual WWC hosting, opened alongside a 2020 Chateau Beaucastel Blanc.
46% Grenache Blanc/31% roussanne/23% Chenin Blanc.
More expressive and dialed up compared to the Beaucastel (not a big surprise). Medium gold in the glass. Bright and juicy roussanne notes of orange marmalade and apricot, alongside white peaches and a powder-sugar funnel-cake type aromatic. The Chenin gives this a good spine of acidity to prevent the rich and full-bodied entry from being flabby. Honey-roasted nuts, honeycomb, lemon cream, underripe pineapple and a savory/waxy finish. The warmth comes out at the finish, but it’s not substantial. Really nice with 1-2hrs of air. — 2 months ago
Saxum Vineyards
G2 Vineyard Mourvèdre-Grenache Blend 2014
Thanksgiving Eve wine #2. Dark Berry elixir…yum. — 7 months ago
Château de Beaucastel
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc White Rhone Blend 2020
One of the bottles from my annual WWC hosting. I opened this as a side by side to a 2019 Saxum White as the makeup is fairly similar.
80% roussanne/ remaining a mix of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, piquepoul blanc, picardan and bourboulenc.
Nicely expressive at pop, it then faded and hid in a shell for a few hours before coming back at last glass. At 80% roussanne, I expected a more consistent expressive profile (honeyed tropical fruits, some orange) and for the acid to show a touch, but it was a roller coaster. More melon and light fruits vs bigger/more tropical. Medium bodied but not as rich as expected. It’s clean and shows some floral and mineral/stony nuances, but I’d spend the extra and take the Roussanne VV to get more complexity and flavor. — 2 months ago
Conrad Green
Very big and rich. A slightly active shrill thing on the nose. Very rich plum and cherry. Roses and violets. A beast but rounded and under control. A bit much for my taste but it has some balance and purity that is admirable — 2 months ago