Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

2013, the last vintage Charles Hendricks made at James Cole. I bought 8 bottles on Winebid that were all $30-$50. This one $50, stealing. Before buying these, the winery sent me a library email of his & his apprenticeship’s wines at $175-$250. So…I caught extreme value.

The nose is dark and brooding. Dark core of currants, black, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, poached/baked strawberries, dark, cherries, some purple fruits, anise to black licorice, rich, dark earth with dry leaves, steep black tea, dark chocolate, mocha powder, caramel, layered, baking, spices, dark spice, chocolate, pudding, withering to candied, dark, florals, violets and lavender.

The palate shows; velvety, rounded, dusty M+ tannins, a dark core of currants, black, plum, blackberries, brambly black raspberries, poached/baked strawberries, dark cherry kirsch & purple fruit blend. Anise to black licorice, rich, dark earth with dry leaves, steep black tea, dark chocolate, mocha powder, caramel, layered, baking, spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanillin, dark spices, espresso roast, chocolate, pudding, dry, crushed, rocks, dry limestone, dry twigs, dry herbaceous notes, black pepper notes, withering to candied, dark, florals, violets and lavender, excellent acidity with a well structured, balanced, elegant finish with good length that is polished, last 90 seconds and long sets on dry earth and clay.

This is peaking with 5-7 yrs of good drinking road ahead. — 21 days ago

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. — 7 months ago

Paul J

9.3

Paul Hobbs two nights in a row! Gold color. Very deep, thick wine with subtle acidity. Aged pineapple with stone fruits and subtle apricot, peach, and melon elements. Fairly unique and complex in my mind. I prefer other single vineyard Paul Hobbs Chards style wise but wasn’t bad by any means. 93.5 rounding up. — 3 years ago

with Brooke

Will Stanley

9.0

Impossible not to like this Margaret River Cabernet from Robert Oatley, a bright, fresh and compact example of the variety with good concentration to the fruit and a satisfying herbal, mineral and tannic edge. This got better with air, showing best on the second night having popped and poured on the first. A wine for early drinking, but an impressive one at that. — 4 years ago

Brad Taylor

9.2

One word....outstanding. — 6 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

Diane Ramcharan

9.7

Finally opening this one up! — 15 days ago

with Michael

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Tons of floral, wild dark berries and spice on the nose. Mid season cherry. Palate is so good. Rich, elegant, deep, gritty and nimble. Some nice amplitude in the mid palate and great tension and red fruits on the finish. Needs mega air so I can only assume score goes higher tomorrow. — 5 months ago

Stephen Mathews

9.3

17% alc is pushing it; even for me lol — 6 months ago

Daniel K. Rausch

10

A robust berry aroma is enticing and tempting. I savored every sip. I paired this delicious port of the Ol’vine with a confectionery milk chocolate or White chocolate Orange (available at your grocer) during the Christmas holiday. Thanks dear Nick. — 3 years ago

CA Haynam

9.0

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

CA Haynam

9.3

Fruit forward and jammy with light tannins — 4 years ago

Charles Mires

9.5

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

Boris Mathiszik

9.0

Very interesting Roussanne. Saline notes, good minerals, sweet finish. Pretty complex. — 7 years ago

Kaushal Kantawala

9.2

Rich plum and dark fruit, low acidity in the mid-palate but a smooth finish. — 2 months ago

Steve Somermeyer

9.0

Great nose & a clean finish. Not out of TJ wines, not in a negative way, but just different. — 4 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Saxum — James Berry Vineyard White 2023
Paso Robles – Willow Creek District AVA, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A powerful, Rhône-inspired white blend composed of 46% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 4% Chardonnay, sourced entirely from the iconic James Berry Vineyard, delivering intensity, texture, and serious structural presence.

Aromas & Flavors
Dense stone fruit, baked pear, preserved citrus peel, and subtle tropical tones lead the aromatics. Layers of honeysuckle and warm orchard fruit intertwine with gentle herbal nuance and faint almond creaminess. On the palate, ripe yellow peach, quince, lemon oil, and savory mineral notes unfold with depth and clarity.

Mouthfeel
Rich, broad, and commanding with impressive mid-palate weight. The wine carries a firm line of tension through the back palate, preventing any sense of heaviness despite the elevated alcohol. Texture is polished, energetic, and confidently structured, warm yet controlled.

Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs and lemon. Grilled halibut or monkfish with beurre blanc. Moroccan spiced tagine. Aged Comté or Alpine cheeses. Cream-based seafood pasta.

Verdict
Serious, layered, and unapologetically bold, this is a thinking person’s white wine. Intensity meets balance, delivering both immediate impact and clear aging potential. A standout expression of Paso Robles whites pushing into Grand Cru mindset territory.

Did You Know?
James Berry Vineyard is one of Paso Robles’ most celebrated sites, better known for producing legendary Rhône-style reds. Seeing this level of complexity and structural precision translated into a white blend highlights just how versatile and elite this terroir truly is.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is not a casual patio white, it’s a layered, expressive, high-octane wine (15.2% ABV) built for contemplation, food, and cellar evolution. Definitely a white wine for red wine lovers. — 6 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

CA Haynam

8.9

Maybe stored too long. Not the jammy big nose fruit forward wine I was expecting. Still quite nice. — 4 years ago

Lindsey M

9.2

Great sipping wine. Lots of tropical fruit roundness. — 6 years ago