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2004 Pax Syrah Griffin’s Lair - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (7/25/2009)
An outstanding wine. 4 hour decant. Color is extremely dark, almost black. Nose had a bit of funk when it was decanted, but it went away almost immediately. The nose betrays a bit of smooth oak with red fruits. Palate has no noticeable oak. The first flavor is a strong tart cherry, with a bit of plum. There is a background of smooth soft white pepper and an earthy woodsiness that seems to represent a flavor development of age that I have not noticed on prior forays into my Pax collection. Five years is about the oldest one I’ve had. This wine is begining to bridge the gap between explosive fruit forward CA syrahs and the development of complexity reminiscent of good northern Rhones. I’ve got one more 04 Griffin’s that I will try to hold for a few years, but this is wonderful right now. We paired this with a fire grilled butterflied leg of lamb marinated in garlic, EVOO and fresh rosemary. YUMMM. (93 pts.)
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