2005 Syrah Griffin's Lair Vineyard

To say that Pax Mahle and his team are wine freaks would be an understatement. Mahle's experience with great wines would make the most jaded collector drool and his years as a sommelier in top restaurants and as a retail buyer help to bring "good perspective," as he says, to his own wines. By the way, I was chided (with good nature, I hope) by his crew for the IWC's long-time coverage of Thierry Allemand's wines, as they would prefer that he stay under the radar, not that they can get much anyway. Mahle approaches his wines with no preconceptions and attempts to stand as far out of their way as possible but is not averse to using new oak when he believes it's appropriate. Some wines get up to 70% new wood while others get none at all. He often vinifies whole clusters "for the aromatic expression they bring," and he bottles his wines without fining or filtration. Mahle told me that he is extremely fond of his 2005s "because there's no baby fat on them." Alcohol levels are typically 13.5% to 14.5% (with a couple wines substantially lower), or a good degree and a half below those of 2004.