Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

This Saxum White Blend is unique & delicious. Cheers, Justin. 55% Grenache Blanc, 28% Roussanne & 5% Chenin Blanc.

The nose is a blood orange/tangerine that has orange at its center. White citrus’s-lemon-grapefruit, tropical melons, overripe yellow stone fruits. steeped sun tea, notes of marmalade fruit bits, brown sugar-molasses, caramel hues, some moist herbs, lite white spice, limestone, volcanic minerals, withering yellow lilies and carnations.

The palate is round, juicy and a bit viscous. Gentle oxie notes, Blood orange/tangerine that has orange at its center, white citrus’s-lemon-grapefruit-lime reduction, tropical melons, some pineapple, overripe yellow stone fruits. steeped sun tea, notes of marmalade fruit bits, brown sugar-molasses, caramel hues, some moist herbs, lite white spice w/ palate heat, saline, brioche, well toasted bread crust, frothy cream, white pepper hues, maple tree bark, limestone bits, volcanic minerals, withering yellow lilies and carnations, acidity is off the charts, rich, lush, well balanced, nicely toned structure with elegance for days and lasts minutes landing on darks sugars & spice.

What a beautiful wine experience. Loving it. This wine rips your mind apart. It is a heady wine. Drink now & for 5-7 yrs. — 3 days ago

Kaushal Kantawala

9.2

Rich plum and dark fruit, low acidity in the mid-palate but a smooth finish. — 3 months ago

Stephen Mathews

9.3

17% alc is pushing it; even for me lol — 8 months ago

Shay A

9.5

I’ve got lots of love for these wines, but I always struggle with when to open. They are fantastic young and equally fantastic with age. Jeb said of this wine, “the greatest GSM blend from California, ever.”, and stamped it with a perfect score. Strong praise, and while I’m not there, I don’t regret opening this.

Consumed from decanter the first 2-3hrs before decanting back to bottle and finishing the remaining third later in the evening. Much better later in the day. Wound up tight initially. Classical high end Paso with this distinct airy-jammyness. So much going on with squeezed blackberries, peppercorn, lots of kirsch. Some garrigue. Mouth coating and a total wave of flavor on the palate…black fruit, cherry cordial, cherry drizzled smoked meats. It’s both supremely juicy and hauntingly tannic at the finish. Even with time to open, the ABV makes itself known, but you know that going in. If you like the style, it’s hard to beat. — 3 years ago

Walter Fahr

9.1

Above average Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc. Rich, mild citrus flavor. Paired very well with shrimp. — 4 years ago

Charles Mires

9.5

Exceptional. Top 5 across all Bojo and tops of a great lineup from Burgaud. — 5 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

A profoundly backward Jessie James that took a strange, winding path over several days. Initially reduced and giving maybe 10%, with matchstick, damson, sour and mid-season cherry, mineral and very little aromatic expression. The palate was completely discombobulated at first, but the material was obvious: beautiful velvety tannins, tiny-berry fruit intensity, tremendous depth and an extraordinarily long, persistent finish. After about ninety minutes it briefly opened into something spectacular, with deep, voluminous perfume, sweet and sour cherries, mossy minerality and exotic spice, the nose easily operating at a 9.7 level. Then it closed again, the tannins took over and both nose and palate retreated. Two days later it is much more composed, silky and elegant, with pure red fruit, sour cherry and beautifully refined tannins. Very good, serious and clearly built to age, but not at the level of the great 2021 or 2022 Jessie James. — 14 days ago

Diane Ramcharan

9.7

Finally opening this one up! — 2 months ago

with Michael

Steve Somermeyer

9.0

Great nose & a clean finish. Not out of TJ wines, not in a negative way, but just different. — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1989 vintage. WOTD! Funky, old grandparents nose for a spell, then blew off. Still a bit of the feminine (blueberries, raspberries, cocoa powder) characteristics evident. Better than the last bottle tasted (4.4.23 a 9.4) but not as good as another fairly recently (12.9.22 a 9.6). Still pretty damned delicious and still at the top of the bell curve for another half-decade or so. Hit. It. Now. Ain’t getting better. 5.5.23. — 3 years ago

CA Haynam

9.0

Inky black. Moderate fruity aroma. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and blueberry. Nice — 4 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was in its prime, interesting nose with notes of dark fruits, berry, currant, leather, brambly, earth, animal, bell pepper & tobacco. — 5 years ago

Ken Schmidt

9.0

2016. Valerie discover this wine at her Von’s. It is our go-to second wine, and many a time, our first wine. Dry and sophisticated for a $15 bottle of wine. — 7 years ago

John Malcolm

9.1

Refreshing. Tasting pear, tangerine, brioche, and vanilla. Quite lovely, but I still prefer Tor or Aubert for Chardonnay. — 23 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Very pale crimson - almost transparent. Aromas of red cherry and violets. Like many good Pinots pale in colour but M+ palate Intensity - an elegant wine finishing with fine tannins. Bell Hill produces some of the rarest and most sought after wines in New Zealand. I have visited all the major wine producing areas in New Zealand but I have never been to Canterbury - not far from Christchurch. — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour.  On the nose:  dark fruit, pencil shavings, green bell pepper, leather, mushrooms.   Taste:  a brooding, still austere, structured wine with dark fruit, cassis, smoked earth, cigar, minerals, crushed stone.  Some pronounced tannins want you to give it more time for a better score in the future.

At Cote, Last Vegas — 4 months ago

with Brenda and

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Merry Christmas 2025! 🎅🎄🎁 🍷 ❄️ ⛄️

As I have said, Charles Hendricks is my favorite new world winemaker for Malbec. This 12 is perfect with chocolate truffles.

Many would not get this blind. They would call Napa Cabernet or Napa Bordeaux blend.

It is around its precipice. Ripe, juicy, lush fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, strawberries, blueberries, mocha powder, dark chocolate to chocolate mousse, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, dry top soil, moist to dry clays, tumbleweed, some light dry herbs, chard barrel shavings, dark spices, black tea, black licorice, dark cola, dry, crushed limestone/rocks, leather, dry tobacco, dark, withering flowers, liquid violets-lavender, grand, round, acidity, well; balanced, structured, tensioned with a polished/elegant finish that lasts minutes and long sets on spice & dry earthiness. — 8 months ago

CA Haynam

9.3

Fruit forward and jammy with light tannins — 4 years ago

CA Haynam

8.9

Maybe stored too long. Not the jammy big nose fruit forward wine I was expecting. Still quite nice. — 5 years ago

Marc Melser

9.4

We had the 2013 Vintage on 5/2-3/21. This was a terrific full bodied, well balanced wine. Tastes of blackberry, plum, kirsch and vanilla on the palate. The tannins were smoothed out. A great example of the Napa floor. — 5 years ago