Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

vintage 2015 | spicy, pepper, morelcherries, strict, good acidity — a month ago

Mark S.

9.1

Deep cherry red. Oak vanilla. Creamy. Blueberry blackberry black cherry. Smoky. Meat. Deep. Dried herb. Complexity. Chocolate nuance. Black pepper Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M+ Tannin M+ quite Smooth Velvety. Bitterness M Body M Finish M++ Elegant Balanced Concentrated 15% E. Guigal Hermitage Syrah 19 @13200, AD, 260214 — 4 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Mourvèdre (10%). Dark ruby color with a garnet meniscus. Aromas of black berry/cherry fruit, purple flowers, leather, garrigue and dried herbs. Flavors of dried blackberry and red and black cherry fruit, tobacco, black pepper, red and black licorice and a bit of smoked meat. Medium-plus body and finish. Plus acidity, nice structure and nicely smoothed out tannins. Well aged and hitting its peak. Appreciate you opening this one, Ron B! — 9 months ago

Steve Sánchez

9.3

Most excellent! Lovely wine with smoke , strawberries , dusty earth and cedar notes. If you give it some time in the glass I even get hints of honeyed fig. Beautiful fruit on the palate and just enough hints of white pepper. 14% and beautifully balanced. Mild acidity and lovely finish that isn’t overbearing. This wine is delish, don’t hate on this beauty. 💋 — 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Scarlet tawny color. Big exotic nose. Notes of menthol, black cherry, raspberry, moist earth some pepper and a little Kirsch. Masculine yet is rich with a velvet glove impact. Tannins resolved, great balance. Remains in a great drinking window. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Our wine pairing with Kentucky Bourbon marinaded chicken skews.

The blend is; 43% Ganache, 29% Mourvèdre, 18% Syrah and 10% Goundise.

The nose reveals; ripe; spiced, blackberries, black plums, purple fruit blend, dark currants/cassis, dark poached cherries, anise to black licorice, dark Asian spice, sweet, syrupy tarriness, dark chocolate, steeped fruit tea, crushed, dry rocks, dark, rich soils, blackberry jam, incense, limestone minerals, black & white pepper, candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is medium, rich and gorgeous. The fruits are perfectly ripe. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting their stride. Still has 10 years plus of good drinking ahead. The fruits on the palate are bright, juicy and ripe. It’s drinking beautifully and has that gorgeous/sexy sensation. Spiced, blackberries, black plums, purple fruit blend, dark cassis, dark poached cherries, creamy raspberries, mixed berry fruit cola, cherry kirsch, anise to black licorice, dark Asian spice with just a touch of heat, sweet, syrupy tarriness, dark chocolate, coco powder, steeped fruit tea, vanillin notes, crushed, dry rocks, dark, rich soils, blackberry jam, incense, limestone minerals, dry top soil, dry underbrush, softer black & white pepper than the nose, leathery, some fresh tobacco, candied & bright; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is waterfall perfect. The long, elegant, ripe, juicy, well balanced fruit & earth finish is delightfully persistent for several minutes. Another all-star blend from Justin.

Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone. Cheers! 🍷

Photos of, Saxum winery, James Berry Vineyard and Owner-Winemaker, Justin Smith. — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and desiccated black and red fruits: mixed brambles, Flintstone vitamins, spiced meat, olives, purple flowers, black pepper, dried herbs, rocky earth, a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Similar to the 1997 we tasted alongside, with all of the same notes except this brought back the familiar Flintstone vitamins that I have encountered in La Mouline from the past. The structure was also more substantial. I preferred this to the 1997 tonight…but I’m splitting hairs! — 3 months ago

Matt Waring

8.9

Really nice Crozes with those pepper and bacon notes you expect but plush black fruit forward too. Quite tight — I got the real experience at 2.5 hours open. — 8 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Medium Ruby color with aromas dark red fruits, black tea and ample floral spice, aged in 8% new French oak for 21 months. On the palate flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum with tobacco, cedar, black pepper, tea and vanilla spice. Soft fine tannins, long finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with fruit, herb, spice and flinty wet stone mineral character. Nice! Organic! — 3 years ago

Tony Velone

9.3

Fresh strawberry, pepper and sour cherry and pencil shavings on the nose.
Tannins are smooth.
Amazing dry wine at a reasonable price. — 5 years ago

Michelle M

9.5

Lemony pale gold color. Gardenia, honeysuckle, sweet tangerine with hints of golden apple, tropical fruits, and ginger in the bouquet. Dried apricots, ripe gooseberries, and fresh apples with lemon zest and candied ginger notes on the palate. Umami mushroom and cooking fat sensation lingers long on the finish with hints of white pepper. Medium bodied white that would probably pair well with a rich cream sauce but wonderful by itself. So hard to find a yummy and interesting white wine! — 7 years ago

Deana Cunningham

9.1

Delicious, hit of pepper on the nose, flavours of red berries, med tannins, medium acidity. Well balanced with a medium finish. — 8 years ago

Michael Chelus

8.9

Blackberry, raspberry, cherry, white pepper, mossy earth, tobacco, oak and hints of currant. Great structure and soft tannins. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of about mostly Sangiovese with 3% Syrah & 15% Canaiolo Nero, aged in large oak casts. Deep Ruby red color with aromas of black and red fruit adding tobacco and herb pepper spice nuances. On the palate flavors of blackberries and cherries, savory with licorice notes. Fine tannins, full body, nice balance, long finish ending with herb and fruit mineral character. — 3 months ago

Damian

9.4

Nose of dark and red fruit, tar, baking spice and some floral notes. Medium acidity plus acidity, long finish, plum, black pepper, well integrated tannins that is present but not in your face, black tea. — a year ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.4

Stellar. It took a solid hour to blow off the funk. It's ruby red in color with orange blending into the edge. Cranberry, white pepper, potting soil on the nose. Mouthfeel is dry, silky smooth and spherical. Alcohol medium plus but without heat. Acidity is absolutely perfect here at medium. Tannins are already pleasantly dry. This will improve, but it will be tough to keep my hands off my other 2 bottles.

94 points — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Dark deep Ruby in colour. Red and black berries, plum and dirt aromas. Sweet and tarry on the medium to full bodied palate with a dash of black pepper - from the excellent 2018 Barossa vintage. Won the hotly contested Best 2018 Barossa Shiraz Trophy at the 2019 Barossa Valley Wine Show. 10 months in 95% French and 5% American Oak (25% new). Probably too heavy for the Pork mince (thought we were having beef mince) but doesn’t alter the quality of the wine. 97 points from James Halliday. — 5 years ago

Kyle Gross

9.3

As Aussie Shiraz as it gets. Amazing wine. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Had this about a year ago and tried another bottle to see if short term aging had some benefit. Often referred to as the "Green Wine" of the Vinho Verde region with a concentrated fruit character with notes of pepper spice. Lively acidity gives this wine a zesty boost turning the fruit into a complex dry wine with character, apple and citrus, smooth and well balanced on a lingering finish. Wine developed deeper character, very nice! Great value. A Fav! — 7 years ago

Barb Anderson

9.1

Pepper, cinnamon & clove spice, dark berries and jam, long finish. The pepper softens with aeration allowing the cinnamon spice and berries to tantalize the senses. — 8 years ago