2008 Broken Stones Syrah
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Tasting notes
A blend of 79% Syrah, 13% Grenache, and 8% Mourvedre, the 2008 Saxum Broken Stones is a full bore Syrah, delivering earthy dark berry fruits, roasted meats, charcoal, and spice box aromas that are lifted and framed by serious underlying minerality and crushed stone notes. Full bodied and powerful on the palate, with a ripe, grippy texture, gorgeous balance – despite the overall large scale – and a beautifully focused, blockbuster finish, this superb Syrah should benefit from 2 to 3 years of bottle age, and then drink well for 10 to 15.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
(79% syrah, 13% grenache and 8% mourvedre) Opaque purple. Exotic, floral and spice-accented black and blue fruits on the nose, with hints of fruitcake, vanilla and cola emerging with air. Impressively deep and powerful, offering sweet dark berry preserve and smoky spice flavors and a touch of candied violet. The extremely persistent finish is broad, sweet and penetrating, leaving smoke and spice notes behind. I like this wine's blend of depth and energy.
The 2008 Broken Stones (79% Syrah, 13% Grenache, and the rest Mourvedre) has a bluish purple color to the rim, with the classic nose of camphor, charcoal, black currant, and blackberry with hints of licorice and smoke. This intense wine displays great fruit, some structure, and a beautifully seamless texture. It is more evolved and open than the 2007 was at the same time, and just slightly less profound. It should drink nicely for at least a decade. James Berry Vineyard, which I have mentioned many times, remains one of the iconic grand cru sites of California, an extraordinary block of limestone soil spread over a moderately steep hillside. The amazing thing is that there are probably many other sites in the area that are still cow pastures and would probably be just as suitable for the production of high quality grapes. The Smith family (in this case, Justin and his wife Heather) have continued to fine-tune their wines, having moved to proprietary Rhone Ranger blends. All of them are extraordinary in quality. Their 2007s were their greatest vintage to date, but as the following tasting notes evidence, 2008 (which produced another tiny crop from the 55-acre James Berry Estate Vineyards) is extremely impressive as well. I think most readers will find – and this is the case for many wines from California’s Central Coast – that 2008 is a much more inconsistent vintage, but those who waited and waited have achieved impressive success. By and large (and there are always exceptions to the rule), the 2008s are more evolved than the 2007s were at the same time last year. Tel. (805) 610-0363; Fax (805) 238-2267
About the producer
Founded in 2002 by Justin and Heather Smith, Saxum Vineyards is a leading Paso Robles producer of Rhône-inspired wines. Limited to around 8,000 cases annually, the range includes Broken Stones, James Berry Vineyard, Bone Rock and Rocket Block.