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Saxum is one of my favorite wineries so no surprise, but this is outstanding.  It has really opened up since last tried reinforcing my belief that despite what some say, these big reds are best after ten years in a good cellar.  This is made from 79% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah and the rest Grenache, Mourvedre and Roussanne grapes.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted meats and slight violets.  On the palate, the texture is wonderful.  Velvety with excellent acidity.  Complex and layered, this unwinds in the glass.  And, it is delicious with black raspber

Dunn Cabernet's have a reputation of taking forever to get to maturity but lasting a long time.  While that is more true for the Howell Mountain, it is also true for the Napa.  This one was purchased on release to celebrate occasions as my daughter, born in the same vintage grew up.  So, when she graduated college, this one was on the list.  It is drinking wonderfully right now and does not seem like it is 22 years from vintage.  It will easily go another decade and may be two before heading south.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cassis, some cigar box and spice. 

I absolutely loved this wine.  And for $32, this is a great value.  What I like about Petite Syrah is that it is not as boisterous as Syrah but in a similar vein.  The two grapes are not (at least closely) related.  Many times it seems Petite producers try to "correct" for this and get too much ripeness.  It is a fine line, but this wine really does a wonderful job of expressing the true qualities of Petite.  It does need some air and time to open, so keep that in mind if drinking now.  Or better yet, cellar a few bottles and open them in ten years!  Inky purple in color.  The nose has blac

This one seems like it has seen better days.  There is still a fair amount of oak on it, yet the fruit is almost all faded.  I tasted this in its youth and it was a very nice wine.  It had a fair amount of oak but also a nice crispness to it.  If you own any, I would drink up.  

This was a difficult vintage in most of California, but Saxum seemed to handle it just fine.  The wines, do, however, seem to be drinking a little earlier than most vintages.  The 2011 Saxum's are ready to drink but no hurry on any of them.  This one has at least another decade but it probably won't get better.  That is fine because it is outstanding.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, black cherries, red currants and slight bacon fat.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with some black cherries over some pepper and charred earth.  A nice backbone of a

Rivers Marie is more known for their Pinot's and Cab's but they make a tremendous Chardonnay as well.  It does have some oak showing but its use is deft and all but the most oakaphobes among us should LOVE this wine.  The 2016 is still a bit young but is drinking very well.  These wines seem to age pretty well, but the truth is, i rarely am disciplined enough to let mine age.  Yellow gold in color.  The nose has lemons, vanilla and slight sawdust.  On the palate, this is like a slightly sweet/sour lemon candy with a touch of vanilla.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This particular bottle was

Another stunning wine from Torrin.  Still a bit young but starting to show some development especially with a few hours in a decanter.  This is 50% Syrah, 26% Mourvèdre and 24% Grenache.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with a  meatiness reminiscent of the northern Rhone but vibrant fruit that says California sunshine.  There is also some black pepper, plums and slight floral notes.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Black raspberry fruit intertwines with black pepper over a smoke and earth base.  It is pretty big right now with firm tannins.  This should continue to develo

This is a mostly Grenache wine (87%) with the rest Syrah from Dry Stack Vineyard.  It is a delicious and charming wine that is drinking well right now and for the next five years or so.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black raspberries, slight saw dust, black pepper and slight sour cherries.  On the palate, this is soft with a nice complexity.  Good acidity.  Black raspberry fruit and a bit of oak.  Light tannins.  Nice finish.  This drinks easy but has enough depth to get your attention.  It works well on its own or with medium or hearty fare.  

This was a worrisome bottle.  The top was sticky due to a leaking cork.  On opening, the cork was a mess and had leaked and apparently self sealed at some point.  Still, the underlying wine was excellent.  Light golden in color.  The nose has green apples, slight lemon custard and hints of vanilla.  On the palate, this has a creamy texture but sharp acidity.  Nice lemon fruit with some vanilla.  Slight tannins.  Long finish.  Drinks like a wine I would expect from the Sonoma Coast.  No idea how the leaking cork affected the development of this wine.  Will work great with veggies and spicy f

40% Mourvedre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache, and 10% Counoise.  This is still pretty young but quite delicious.  Sort of like a California version of a Chateauneuf du Pape.  Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose has cherries, plums, cedar, spice and slight cocoa powder.  On the palate, the spicy red fruits dominate at this stage.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This has tight layers that unwind in the glass.  This will work with a wide variety of foods.  It may improve a bit from here but easily has a decade and probably two left in it.