2010 Pax Syrah Griffin's Lair

(made with 75% whole clusters; 13.5% alcohol): Glass-staining ruby. A flamboyantly perfumed bouquet displays scents of cherry liqueur, cassis, bitter chocolate, anise and espresso, complicated by notes of dried flowers. Then youthful and vibrant in the mouth, offering energetic, finely etched flavors of ripe blackberry and boysenberry. Creamy and powerful but with excellent focus and vivacity. The sweet dark berry flavors linger impressively on the smooth, gently tannic finish.

The 2010 Syrah Griffins Lair Vineyard opens with beguiling, expressive aromatics. Deep, rich and resonant, the 2010 impresses for its detail and pure nuance. The aromas and flavors are masculine and imposing. Smoke, tar, iron graphite and incense all add to the wine’s exotic personality. This full-bodied Syrah is extremely varietally expressive and full of life. In sum, this is a terrific showing. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. 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