Pax Mahle Wines Pax Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah 2023 750ml

The 2023 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is one of the greatest wines I have tasted from Pax Mahle. The Hillsides is a blend of the best sites in the range, fermented in cement with whole clusters and also aged in cement. The long growing season resulted in a rich, heady wine with intense fruit and perfectly ripe tannins. Magnificent. (AG)

So, let’s get one thing out of the way. The 2017 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides is not the 2016. That is not a bad thing, as the 2017 has plenty to offer, and won’t be the subject of rabid speculation. In the glass, the 2017 is richer, sweeter and more immediate than the much darker and more brooding 2016, with a distinct red fruit character. Best of all, it will drink well upon release. All things considered, Pax Mahle turned out a brilliant Syrah in 2017 and my guess is that less extreme vintages will provide an opportunity for him to match the 2016 – which, in my view, remains his best wine ever. Vineyard sites are Walker Vine Hill, Nellessen Vineyard, Castelli-Knight Ranch and Griffin’s Lair. (Antonio Galloni)

The 2022 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is a blend of several sites. Aging in cement helps retain a good bit of freshness, and that gives this wine quite a different feel from the other Syrahs, all of which are aged in neutral oak. The 2022 doesn’t have the immediacy or flashiness of the very best years, or of the other Syrahs in the range, but readers who can wait will find a wine of magnificent pedigree.

Reminding me of a san soufre Saint Joseph, the 2017 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides is all Syrah that was sourced from the Castelli-Knight, Griffins Lair, Walker Viney Hill, and Nellessen Vineyards, saw no destemming, and spent a short ten months in concrete tanks before bottling. This juicy, lively effort offers lots of blue fruits, violets, leafy green herbs, and some leesy notes in a medium to full-bodied, rounded, charming effort that has good acidity. It’s forward and ready to go, and given the wild, slightly natural vibe, I suspect best enjoyed over the coming 4–6 years.