TN: 2006 Pax Cuvee Keltie Syrah

A month or two ago I read a TN here regarding this wine and couldn’t believe that the taster thought it was open for business already. The note motivated me to open the first of a sixer I purchased on release. I popped and poured this last night and saved a little more than half for today.

This is without question the best Pax wine I have ever had, and I am a Pax fan. The first thing I wrote in my note was, “Holy Shit!” This wine is dark purple in the glass. The nose is huge, assaulting the senses with raspberry, herbs, and scorched earth. On the palate the wine impersonates a Northern Rhone Syrah. It is in no way heavy, has decent acidity and delivers a potent and penetrating mix of iron, blood, red raspberry and smoke on the palate as well as a persistent finish. Far from being a boozy, ripe Syrah, this is focused, intense, and full of flavor and nuance. I would not call it young and tight at this point. It is just a ripping wine now that should only get better in the next few years. Wow.

Sounds good. What’s the vintage?

D’oh! Clearly I am too busy grilling to focus on note writing today. 2006. I’ll edit.

It has been a minute, but I opened another one of these tonight to go with some braised short ribs. Believe it or not, this is a youthful wine. Still very dark with the red fruit, grilled meat and gun metal, maybe there is a bit less acid than there was 15 years ago when I posted my note. But there is nothing tired about this wine. I am amazed how well this held up. It was a hit with Easter dinner!

I had a bunch of other Pax wines in a storage unit that I forgot about for a long time. I am pretty psyched to dig into the others now.

Old Pax. :flirtysmile:

Brad, let me live through you……open some 05 Castelli-Knight or Walker Vine Hill. Some great memories there.

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Frank - I’m doing a dinner in NYC next week @ Red Hook Tavern and we are opening 2003 & 2005 Castelli-Knight Ranch Syrahs - I will report back…

~Pax

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I grabbed some of the 06 Pax Alder Springs cuvees from Benchmark last year for silly prices, like $25 each. Had one so far and it was drinking young.

Pax too bad you don’t have something for the OC. If you ever decide to come down this way and wanna engage the group here with some wines and dinner, just let us know. That 2005 is one of my all-time favorite wines you’ve made.

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I’m way overdue to do something in the OC.

Let’s get that conversation started for an early summer event.

~Pax

Still packin some old Pax…

2002 Lauterbach Hill
2004 Keltie
2004 Walker Vine Hill

Anyone still have some 05 Rose…love that stuff!!:sunglasses:

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I’ll private message you my contact info and then leave it in your court to get me when convenient for you. We have a pretty wide group of smart tasters here, many you may know from years past who would dig doing an event with you.

Have a great trip to NY.

Please do post some feedback on your NY event. I have some 02,03 and 04 Griffin’s and Keltie so any feedback would be great

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Popped an ‘05 Majik down in the OC at the pre-Falltacular dinner and it was smoking good. ‘05 Keltie always has touched my soul and I still have one on its’ side along with an ‘05-‘06-‘07 vertical of Griffin’s Lair waiting for an excuse. I always seem to pair Keltie with Short Ribs. They are made for each other.

Would love to join you in Red Hook but they are ripping out some remaining wisdom teeth so I suspect that I will not be able to share my remaining Mag of 2004 Agharta. :frowning:

We pop lots of 2005s here at the winery, Majik, Keltie, Castelli and Walker in particular, they are all still so fresh and vibrant, really one of our best early vintages in my opinion. Glad you had a smoking good bottle Brian!

~Pax

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