Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard The Terraces is co-fermented with 3% Viognier, aged in 100% new oak, and while not the biggest and boldest wine in the Pax portfolio, it is exuberant, with notes of blueberry liqueur intermixed with licorice, a perfumed floral character, medium to full body, and wonderful opulence in an enthralling/endearing character that says, “Drink me now.”
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.