Lot 131
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2005 (1) WA 97
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2006 (1) WA 95
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2007 (1) WA 100
Lot 131 Details
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2005 (1)
Paso Robles.
Starting off the more southern Rhone-inspired blends, the 2005 James Berry Vineyard is a brilliant effort that’s drinking perfectly. Made from 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache, it gives up incredible aromas of sweet blackcurrants, blackberry liqueur, spiced meats, licorice and roasted meats that are just now starting to show hints of evolution. Sweetly fruited and with full-bodied richness, this beauty is hard to resist and has fabulous concentration, sweet tannin and a seamless finish. It will have another decade of longevity, yet there is no harm in drinking it now. June 2014 WA 97
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2006 (1)
Paso Robles.
wrinkled label
An unfined/unfiltered blend of 45% Syrah, 38% Grenache, and 17% Mourvedre, aged 32 months in a combination of wood vessels, the prodigious 2006 James Berry Vineyard Proprietary Red exhibits beautiful sweet creme de cassis, black raspberry, blackberry, truffle, smoke, and herb notes. This spicy, rich, full-bodied effort should drink beautifully for a decade. August 2009 WA 95
SAXUM VINEYARDS JAMES BERRY VINEYARD 2007 (1)
Paso Robles.
u. 1 cm. scuffed label
Utter perfection, and one of the most profound Rhone Ranger wines I have ever tasted is the 2007 James Berry Vineyard Proprietary Red, a blend of 41% Grenache, 31% Mourvedre, and 28% Syrah (15.8% alcohol). It would be an amazing wine to insert in a tasting of the most profound 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes. As with many prodigious wines, the extraordinary freshness, purity, equilibrium, and singularity of this effort is breathtaking. Its dense purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary, incredibly pure, all enveloping, intense, sweet nose of black raspberries, kirsch, spring flowers, spice box, and pepper. Full-bodied with not a hard edge to be found, it is stunningly concentrated with unreal purity, a voluptuous texture, and remarkable freshness for a wine of such power, depth, and concentration. This 2007 will be approachable young, although I would not be surprised to see it close down given the relatively elevated proportion of Mourvedre, and it should drink well for 12-15 years. August 2009 WA 100