2018 Saxum James Berry Vineyard

Saturated purple. A heady, expansive bouquet evokes ripe blueberry, cherry compote, potpourri, candied licorice and exotic spices, and a smoky mineral nuance builds in the glass. Sweet, palate-staining red/blue fruit liqueur, lavender pastille, cola and spice-cake flavors show outstanding depth as well as energy thanks to an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Plays power off finesse with a sure hand and finishes extremely long, sappy and precise, with polished, well-knit tannins emerging slowly.

Showing better from bottle than barrel (always a good sign), the 2018 James Berry Vineyard is another stunning wine in a long line of stunning wines from this estate. Based on 64% Grenache, 16% Mataro, 14% Syrah, and the rest Carignan, incredible notes of blueberries, wild strawberries, licorice, new leather, herbes de Provence, and candied violets all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with an incredible sense of purity and elegance, flawless balance, and a huge finish. It has some early appeal yet is going to be best with 2-4 years of bottle age and will still be drinking beautifully at age 20.

Inky purple. Highly perfumed aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, candied flowers and incense are complicated by exotic spice and mineral nuances. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering densely packed boysenberry, black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and floral pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. Finishes sweet and extremely long, showing fine detail and silky tannins that marry effortlessly with the wine's sweet, expressive fruit.