Welcome to the 7th installment of the Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings. The Power Rankings took a hiatus in 2019 as I did not think the list had changed materially from the 2018 list. The intent behind the list is to rank wineries based on the buzz and excitement they create in the wine collecting crowd. The rankings are entirely subjective…
Tag: Saxum
Winding Down the Corona Virus Wine Challenge
As talk begins to move from flattening the curve to restarting the economy I think it is time to bring an end to the Corona Virus Wine Challenge. The whole thing began on Wednesday, March 11th when Covid literally punched us collectively in the face. This was the day most sports leagues began cancelling seasons and many schools began the…
2011 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California. Founded in the early 2000’s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo, Saxum leapt into the limelight in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. Smith owns the winery…
2008 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California. Founded in the early 2000’s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo, Saxum leapt into the limelight in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. Smith owns the winery…
Pick My Next Bottle – 2011 Syrah
The September Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on iconic Syrah from the 2011 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened this weekend and a Bottle Note will be published the following…
The 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings
Welcome to the 6th, annual installment, of the Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings. The intent behind the list is to rank wineries based on the buzz and excitement they create in the wine collecting crowd. The rankings are entirely subjective based on my observations on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Wine Spectator, WineBerserkers, WineBid and Cellartracker. Factors such as demand for…
2007 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California. Founded in the early 2000’s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo, Saxum leapt into the limelight in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. Smith owns the winery…
The 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings
Welcome to the 5th, annual installment, of the Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings. The intent behind the list is to rank wineries based on the buzz and excitement they create in the wine collecting crowd. The rankings are entirely subjective based on my observations on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Wine Spectator, Wine Berserkers, WineBid and Cellartracker. Factors such as demand…
2007 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California. Founded in the early 2000’s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo, Saxum leapt into the limelight in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. Smith owns the winery…
2006 Lillian Syrah – Bottle Notes
Maggie Harrison was assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non for eight years before moving to Oregon to take over the wine making position at Antica Terra. Lillian Winery, founded in 2004, represents Maggie’s personal project and reflects everything that she learned during her time at Sine Qua Non. The fruit for the Lillian Syrah comes from the…