ROBERT PARKER REVIEWS
"I have had these wines year in and year out, and again Saxon Brown has turned out three outstanding efforts. Moreover, their prices are not out of line, especially at this level of quality"
91 POINTS - 2007 Saxon Brown Syrah Flora Ranch
The most hedonistic and plush wine of the group is the 2007 Syrah Flora Ranch. This wine has an opaque ruby/purple color and a big, sweet kiss of licorice and black cherry liqueur intermixed with chocolate and blackberries. A hint of a floral/forest floor note adds to the complexity, but in the mouth it is silky smooth, with a velvety, voluptuous texture, and no hard edges. This is a real head-turner and quite seductive. Drink it over the next 5 years. -Robert Parker
89 POINTS - 2005 Saxon Brown Syrah Rose Flora Ranch
Made from Syrah, the 2005 Rose Flora Ranch is a strong effort. Its deep rose color is followed by loads of kirsch, cherry, and plum-like fruit, medium body, excellent depth, and a dry, heady finish. -Robert Parker
90 POINTS - 2007 Saxon Brown Syrah Parmelee Hill Camp Block
The 2007 Syrah Camp Block Parmalee-Hill is a slightly beefier Syrah, with cassis and blackberrynotes as well as hints of charcoal and licorice. It is not as nuanced as the Owl Box, with a slightly higher level of alcohol, but it has silky tannins, a rich, layered mouthfeel, and impeccable depth, richness, and length. Like the Owl Box, the 2007 Syrah Camp Block should drink well for 5-7 or more years. -Robert Parker
90 POINTS - 2005 Saxon Brown Syrah Parmelee Hill Camp Block
The 2005 Syrah Parmalee-Hill Vineyard “Camp Block” has plenty of expansive black currant and sweet cherry fruit intermixed with some Provencal herbs, new saddle leather, pepper, and spice. It is full-bodied, deep, with a broad, savory mouth texture. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. My favorite of this group of wines is the 2005 Syrah Parmalee-Hill Vineyard, which is interesting, given that there are some sub-block cuvees that didn’t strike me as having the same level of complexity. -Robert Parker
91 POINTS - 2007 Saxon Brown Syrah Parmelee Hill Owl Box
The 2007 Syrah Owl Box Parmalee-Hill Vineyard has a beautiful nose of red and black fruits, charcoal, graphite, and a touch of camphor. It is medium to full-bodied, and has outstanding density and a layered mouthfeel, but the overall impression is one of elegance, purity, and harmony among all of its elements. It should drink nicely for 5-7 years. -Robert Parker
90 POINTS - 2006 Saxon Brown Syrah Parmelee Hill Owl Box
Slightly better than the 2006 Syrah Parmalee-Hill “Camp Block”, with no herbaceousness, is the 2006 Syrah Parmalee-Hill “Owl Box Block.” This wine displays sweet black currant fruit, a hint of minerality, some raspberries as well as cherries, an elegant mouthfeel, medium body, and good freshness and length. If the “Camp Block” is more Crozes-Hermitage, the “Owl Box Block” is more St.-Joseph-like. -Robert Parker
90 POINTS - 2005 Saxon Brown Syrah Parmelee Hill Owl Box
The star here is the brilliant 2005 Syrah Parmelee Hill Owl Box, a deep ruby/purple-hued effort offering notes of cassis, licorice, tar, and spice. it is medium to full-bodied with supple tannin, and a refreshing, vibrant mouthfeel. Good acidity provides uplift and definition to all the wine’s elements. -Robert Parker