TN: 2011 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

Dark red in color. 15.5% ABV. 69% Grenache, 13% Mourvedre, 13% Syrah, 2% Counoise and 1% Roussanne. Sublime nose of black and blue fruits, anise, violets and pepper. Full bodied with notable acidity and balance. Lush and polished. Blueberry, black cherry liqueur, kirsch and pepper on the palate. The finish is long and smooth with subtle tannins. The 2011 Saxum lineup has consistently shined over the years and this wine is no exception. Best over the next 2-3 years.

My rating: 96 points.

Full review on Zinfandel Chronicles - https://zinfandelchronicles.com/2021/05/2014-limerick-lane-1023-bottle-notes/

Cheers, Tom
IMG_0617-scaled-e1621690518863.jpg

3 Likes

Saxum crushed in 2011.

My 11s are already gone, but I thought they were better than the 12s. People have such a negative view of 2011 across the board in California. I’ve seen 11s on auctions sites way cheaper than recent vintages.

1 Like

Thanks for the great note, and happy to have a case of 2011 Saxums to look forward to.

I’ve been preaching this from SBC and SLO County for a number of years . . .

I agree—good producers killed it in 2011 :slight_smile:

Pulled a bottle of '11 Saxum JBV back in Feb - sadly, moderately corked. Had another bottle available in the Vinotemp, which was sublime. Echo Tom’s notes in OP, although it struck me as being lighter bodied than I expected, particularly at 15.5%. Bought three on release and found a couple more at a good price at auction, so will be able to enjoy one per year for the next few years.