2012 Syrah Nellessen Vineyard

This lineup from Pax Mahle and Wind Gap is full of gems. After having spent a considerable amount of time in France, Italy and Napa Valley over the last year, I was simply blown away by not only the quality of these wines, but their pricing, which is so consumer friendly. I imagine many Vinous readers will be attracted to the vineyard designates, but in my view, the appellation-level Pinot and Syrah are every bit as delicious, sometimes moreso. The Wind Gap wines are made from cool sites that ripen at lower sugars than some of the sites Pax Mahle works with in his other projects. A high amount of whole clusters, often 100%, and aging in mostly neutral oak yields delicate, lifted wines long on personality and class. I can't recommend these wines highly enough.

This is a stunning set of wines from Pax Mahle and Wind Gap. Best of all, these wines remain exceptionally fairly priced considering the quality of what goes in the bottle. As always, the wines are made with a high percentage of whole clusters, usually 100%, and aged predominantly in neutral oak, although in recent years cement has begun to play a more important role. Pax Mahle has a way of making these coastal Sonoma sites come to life with superb elegance and a total sense of class. By any measure, these are remarkable wines. I also tasted the Agharta and Pax wines, which are reviewed separately.