Pax Mahle Wines

Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah

9.3193 ratings
9.344 pro ratings
Sonoma County, California, USA
Syrah
Lamb
Top Notes For
John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.6

Beautiful wine.

Beautiful wine.

Aug 11th, 2018
Stephen Solaka

Impressive effort. Iron, pepper, fruit and smoke.

Impressive effort. Iron, pepper, fruit and smoke.

May 12th, 2018
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10

The 2016 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides has been nothing less than stunning on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. A wine of extraordinary purity and depth, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. The richness and power are simply breathtaking. Bacon fat, smoke, grilled herb and lavender are woven into a graceful, seamless core of inky blue/purplish fruit. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 remains remarkably light on its feet. The Sonoma-Hillsides is a blend of fruit from Castelli-Knight Ranch, Griffin's Lair and Walker Vine Hill, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in a combination of concrete and neutral oak, with no SO2. I am not sure how the 2016 will age, but I am also not sure it will matter, as most bottles will be long gone before that is an issue. Quite simply, the Sonoma-Hillsides is a total pleasure bomb and a modern-day benchmark for Syrah in California. Don't miss it! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2018)

The 2016 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides has been nothing less than stunning on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. A wine of extraordinary purity and depth, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. The richness and power are simply breathtaking. Bacon fat, smoke, grilled herb and lavender are woven into a graceful, seamless core of inky blue/purplish fruit. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 remains remarkably light on its feet. The Sonoma-Hillsides is a blend of fruit from Castelli-Knight Ranch, Griffin's Lair and Walker Vine Hill, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in a combination of concrete and neutral oak, with no SO2. I am not sure how the 2016 will age, but I am also not sure it will matter, as most bottles will be long gone before that is an issue. Quite simply, the Sonoma-Hillsides is a total pleasure bomb and a modern-day benchmark for Syrah in California. Don't miss it! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2018)

2 people found it helpfulJun 11th, 2018
Dave Parker

Dave had this 6 years ago

Dave had this 6 years ago

1 person found it helpfulDec 30th, 2017
Patrick Derdeyn

The ratings below from Steve Matthiason and Raj Parr tell you everything you need to know about this wine. 2 heroes of California wine singing its praises. On Pax’s recommendation I opened one early, I immediately regretted that decision. Not because it’s not good, it is fact VERY good but I wouldn’t come to find that out until I had it open for SIX days. It took that long for the layers and layers of fruit to peel back to reveal the structure underneath. I can only rate now based on day 6, but in 10 years I might be able to go 100pts just like Steve did.

The ratings below from Steve Matthiason and Raj Parr tell you everything you need to know about this wine. 2 heroes of California wine singing its praises. On Pax’s recommendation I opened one early, I immediately regretted that decision. Not because it’s not good, it is fact VERY good but I wouldn’t come to find that out until I had it open for SIX days. It took that long for the layers and layers of fruit to peel back to reveal the structure underneath. I can only rate now based on day 6, but in 10 years I might be able to go 100pts just like Steve did.

1 person found it helpfulNov 17th, 2017
Raj Harb

Corkage at Wu’s wonton. Bright purple. Floral violet aromatics with a bit of cracked pepper. I was as impressed as the first time I drank it. Pulled away from gonon les iles feray (split decision) by end of night but they are two v high quality and v high qpr Syrah.

Corkage at Wu’s wonton. Bright purple. Floral violet aromatics with a bit of cracked pepper. I was as impressed as the first time I drank it. Pulled away from gonon les iles feray (split decision) by end of night but they are two v high quality and v high qpr Syrah.

Jan 2nd, 2019
David B

All the elements are there. But currently shut down. Needs a few years.

All the elements are there. But currently shut down. Needs a few years.

Dec 1st, 2018
Aaron Rankin

Thanksgiving 1.0 “pleasure bomb”. I effectively popped and poured and I’d advise a decant. The aromatics were incredible but the wine otherwise seemed closed. I also didn’t notice bacterial taint as noted by others.

Thanksgiving 1.0 “pleasure bomb”. I effectively popped and poured and I’d advise a decant. The aromatics were incredible but the wine otherwise seemed closed. I also didn’t notice bacterial taint as noted by others.

Nov 18th, 2018
Scott Soren

Professional rating of 100 pts I cant get there but it amazing as it is so young. Fully extracted. Bold powerful,yet sublime. Delicious

Professional rating of 100 pts I cant get there but it amazing as it is so young. Fully extracted. Bold powerful,yet sublime. Delicious

Sep 12th, 2018
Paul T- Huntington Beach

Its been 4 months since my first bottle,
The nose! Forgot how great this bottle is,
$48.00 on release, retail & auction over $150.00 now😳

Its been 4 months since my first bottle,
The nose! Forgot how great this bottle is,
$48.00 on release, retail & auction over $150.00 now😳

Sep 3rd, 2018