My first of the new Pax releases. I bought this, along with the Griffin’s Lair. This is more savory than 1.0 Pax. Very few notes on this wine so far so will be interested to follow the discussion in CT as more people get bottles open and make their reference points to current Wind Gap, even the 1.0 Pax. I like this and if I am going to have to seek Castelli under this label, that’s fine. I do enjoy the Wind Gap and buy new releases several times a year. I’ll be selective with Pax 2.0, as I will watch the alc #s and choose selectively. Yes, I know, alcohol is relative, but I do better on lower alc wines these days and like them more, too.
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2010 Pax Syrah The Hermit - USA, California, North Coast (5/17/2014)
First bottle I have drank from the re-launch, and with being open about 30 mins, here are my first impressions. Stems and fruit here, real strong length of finish from the acid. Juicy cherry, some plushness, along with green olive, beef boulllon, cooked meat and some licorice. Quite a fascinating wine. Like a Wind Gap Sonoma Coast, with some added dimensions of fruit and weight. Willl have another glass, re-post tomorrow when we finish it…another look a day later, this is more intergrated now. The fruit has come together, a mix of savory black and red, along with a juicy quality too. There is some tannin here, some astringence that will need to settle down so for right now, it’s about freshness, energy. In all, reminds me of a Wind Gap that has the fruit cranked up another notch, yet still keeping to the rustic and old world qualities of whole cluster and acid. FWIW, the alcohol on this is 14.7%, which seems about right as the fruit does have a richer tone than say a Wind Gap Armagh, as an example. Drink now (if you want some pop and savory quality) or wait another couple years and let things settle in.
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