There are some wines in this world that are simply impossible to forget. From Allemand to Chave, I’ve been lucky and patient enough to taste some of the world’s greatest wines. It’s my honest belief that the wines of Pax Mahle stand among these life affirming producers. Many of you are probably familiar with Pax (especially if you hang around me long enough) but if not, check out my write up from a few months back where I stated that he is my favorite producer ever. Indeed, I would go as far to say that his wines were life changing and palate forming for me.

The 2010 vintage, which inspired my love of un-manipulated syrah

It was specifically the “2010 Pax Griffin’s Lair” that cemented my love of Syrah and un-manipulated wines in general. The first time I tasted this wine I was absolutely blown away by the power and intensity on display. After that first exposure to Griffin’s Lair I became obsessed, tracking down every vintage and bottle I could find. Though it’s true that Pax’s style has evolved over the years (becoming more elegant and refined), one thing has not changed: His complete and utter commitment to authenticity and terroir. This is a rare quality not only in California, but in the wine world at large.

Morgan Twain Peterson. One of CA Great Winemakers and admirer of Pax.

I’m not the only person in this industry to praise Pax and his Griffin’s Lair Syrah. Among the admirers includes one of California’s top young winemakers: Morgan Twain Peterson. Morgan is the owner and winemaker of Bedrock (who was also featured recently). I was able to talk to Morgan about the virtues of Griffin’s Lair among other things. Having supported Bedrock, he was kind enough to grant us a case of his version of Griffin’s Lair. This is a wine of minuscule production, typically reserved for Bedrock’s mailing list only. Now, it’s an exclusive here in Colorado at the wine shop I buy for. Here’s what Morgan had to say about Pax and Griffin’s Lair in an old blog post:

“I was still in graduate school when I tasted the first Syrah from Griffin’s Lair. It was back in 2005, and the wine was made by the inimitable Pax Mahle. I distinctly remember mentioning to my friend, as we tasted it, that ‘this is a Syrah that I would love to make.’ At the time though I was still buried in graduate school, my legs were burning from climbing the stairs of the Ivory Tower and the thought of Bedrock Wine Co. was a mere zygote in my imagination. It is funny how those seemingly irrational musings on a cold, winter night years ago manifested into something…

Truly, Pax and his Griffin’s Lair Syrah possesses the capacity to inspire and captivate. Usually, this level of worship is reserved for the most cult, hard-to-acquire, old world examples. However, here it is in all it’s glory — and in our own backyard. It’s interesting that Morgan makes the comparison to Cornas because that is exactly the region that Griffin’s Lair most reminds me of. It’s not as light or fresh as Saint Joseph nor as polished as Hermitage. Instead, it has the deep, hidden complexity and rawness found in some of the finest Cornas — but again, it’s its own thing. I was lucky enough to meet Pax back in November and taste his current releases. Asked to describe his tasting notes on Griffin’s Lair, Pax simply said “Inward”. For me, a glass of Griffin’s Lair exerts the same inexplicable force elicited by peering over the edge of a particularly steep precipice. The pull is real and irrefutable.

A view from Griffin’s Lair. Notice the flora between the vineyards and orientation allowing wind flow.

So what is it about this place that makes such special wine? Well, historically, owners Joan and Jim Griffin farmed the vineyard by themselves, selling fruit to only the best wineries in California. The site is located in Sonoma, but specifically the cool, wind-riddled Petaluma Gap. The cooling wind whips from the valley, hitting the Sonoma Mountains and rips South. Some grapes could not stand this level of punishment, but Syrah is ideal here. If you want to make highly ripened Syrah, this is not the place to do it. Indeed, all of Pax’s wines barely resemble other New World wine, be it California or other warm regions abroad. In a blind tasting, many would assume it French if not for its own idiosyncrasies. I’ve tasted several vintages of Griffin’s Lair blind with family and friends, and the experience is always the same. “Could this be Cornas? But what is that other quality we are experiencing here? Oh! Of course… it’s Griffin’s Lair.”

Pax was the first to lobby the Griffin’s to convert to Organic farming, a philosophy that Joan now fully embraces, saying:

“If you have healthy soil, the vines are going to be healthy. You can see the difference — the cover crop is lusher, the soil has more earthworms, and the vineyard corridors are teeming with beneficial insects. The Roundup soil is like a moonscape — just bare dirt.”

The fact that the vineyard is farmed organically is important because it matches both Pax’s and Bedrock’s commitment to minimalist and natural winemaking. Pax for example, uses almost no sulfites (or none at all), ferments whole cluster with no added yeasts, and forgoes all other additives. Bedrock also is a huge proponent of wild yeasts and models his winemaking style after some of the world’s greatest Syrah producers. These are serious wines made without manipulation.

However, Pax and Bedrock are stylistically quite different. For me, Pax is all about rawness. Bedrock is more polish. Which is better? It’s hard to say and it will come down to personal taste. Bedrock’s wines are inspired by Morgan’s experiences growing up with a California wine pioneer as a father. He’s been tasting and making wine since he was 10 years old and it’s clear that his palate is expansive and well tested (he is a Master of Wine after all). Tasting Bedrock, be it his syrah, rosé, zinfandel or whatever, evokes some of the true masters and classics in the category. Indeed, Bedrock Syrahs (with liberal but purposeful use of new oak) have always conjured images of Guigal in my mind. Pax on the other hand is more of an auteur. His wine though unbearably familiar, never quite seems like anything else.

Allemand is one of the world’s greatest producers of Syrah

The closest comparison I can make is to Allemand, a cult wine icon that commands hundreds of dollars per bottle. It took decades of unthanked work before Allemand got the respect he deserved, yet the wines are unchanged. He still farms everything himself, gently foot-treading each fermenter carefully, forgoing the use of sulfites. Allemand’s wines are on a completely different wavelength than nearly anyone else. Pax is the same way. And I know, because I drink more of his wine than anyone you will meet. Below are my tasting notes for the vintages and bottles I’ve tasted recently.

If you have not tasted the beautiful wines of this site, I urge you to seek them out. You will not be disappointed.