2010 Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard

(made with 60% whole clusters and 30% new oak): Saturated ruby. Cherry and dark berry preserves on the nose, with complicating notes of licorice and olive tapenade. Lively, penetrating bitter cherry and blackberry flavors stain the palate, showing excellent clarity and a zesty mineral nuance that builds with air. Finishes very long, with gentle tannins and lingering sweetness, leaving a smoky cherry note behind.

The 2010 Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard is one of the better wines in the range. Black fruit, tar, smoke, licorice and incense are all woven together nicely. The 2010 has more than enough intensity and pure fruit to stand up to the firm tannins. The Alder Springs is another attractive wine that falls just a bit short of being truly exciting and distinctive. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. These are the first new releases from Pax Mahle’s Pax Wine Cellars label following Mahle’s separation from Joe Donelan a few years back. Mahle describes 2010 and 2011 as both challenging, but the difference, he notes, is mostly that in 2011 growers were better prepared, as they had the experience of dealing with the cool, damp conditions from 2010. That keen observation may explain why the two 2011s I tasted were clearly more interesting than the 2010s. Tel. (707) 591-0782