GSM Blend/Rhone Blend

This is young but wonderful.  It should improve a bit over the next couple of years.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  Great nose of black cherries, cloves, black olives and black pepper.  Lovely juicy full (glycerin) texture.  On the palate, black cherries and in a really good way, light cherry cough syrup.  Some vanilla.  Long finish.  This has plenty of depth but its hard to find layers at this young stage.  Still, it is delicious and would work with hearty foods.  Better yet, wait 3 to 5 years and drink over the next ten or so.  

2011 is a very interesting vintage for Saxum.  They made great wines, some of the best from Paso Robles as always.  But, it seems to be accessible earlier than most and they are drinking very well today.  This one is no exception.  Seems to be at peak right now and drinking great.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, spice, slight floral quality and plums.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Deep and tightly layered, it unwinds in the glass.  Medium tannins that increase with air.  Good finish.  This will need big or spicy foods.  It is a big wine, but not

Stunning wine that still may yet improve amazingly enough.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, slight clove, and slight roasted meats.  It seems that with age, the Syrah and Mourvedre components are taking precedence over the Grenache.  What a great texture.  Full bodied, yet plush, yet light on its feet.  Layers of black raspberry and cherry fruit with minerals and char.  Still some tannins left.  Some warmth (not heat) on the finish is about the only indication of the 15.8% alcohol.  No harm opening now, but a few more years of cellaring is not a bad thin

This is very good and for $30 a nice value.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight mocha, spice and plums.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Juicy and plush.  Lots of black cherry fruit.  The mocha note carries thru.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  Delicious.  Will work with heavier foods (think cassoulet).  This has some upscale with future development and should be good for another decade, maybe more.  

Deep ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, some spice and slight garrique.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Good balance.  Tasty.  Nice black cherry fruit with underlying minerality.  This will work with a wide range of foods.  

This retailed for under $30 so it was a fine value.  Though the vintage was exceptional this is not a great wine, but certainly solid.  Ruby in color.  The nose has some cherries and a bit of spice.  On the palate, the cherries continue.  A bit tart and a bit light.  No tannins.  I doubt this gets better.  It should work well enough at the dinner table with most foods.  

Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries, black cherries and black raspberries with baking spice and a bit of pepper.  Full bodied with a great texture.  Nice backbone of acidity.  On the palate, black raspberries with some black cherries.  This is young and needs a few years to develop but quite tasty right now.  Not a monster wine by any means.  Will work with medium and big foods.  

This continues to improve.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper and grilled meats.  On the palate, this has a nice juicy acidity.  Medium tannins.  Black raspberries layered with char and earth.  Good finish.  No hint of alcohol or heat.  Needs bigger and/or spicy foods.  This wine still needs about five years to peak.  Then should be good for another 15 after that.  Very concentrated.  

Just an amazing wine.  This was a vintage with a lot of heat, some wines got jammy and while this is a big wine, it is definitely under control.  Purple/ruby in color. The nose is complex.  Lots of black cherries, black raspberries, with grilled meats, and some anise. Clean, no barnyard. The texture is amazing.  A great example of a sexy wine.  On the palate, loads of black cherry fruit.  Depth.  No hint of the 16% Alcohol.  Long finish.  This probably still has some room for improvement and certainly no hurry on it.  

Slightly better than a recently tasted 2006.  Purple, ruby at the rim.   Raspberries and boysenberries, with licorice, floral and spice on the nose.  A lot of complexity. Amazing texture. Lush, supple and sexy all at once. Perfectly balanced.  Tannins seem about resolved.  Long finish.  This seems to be at peak right now but should stay over the next few years depending on bottle variation.  Will work with a wide variety of food at this point, but heavier foods would be better.