Aphrodite
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 2–8 years from vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Roasted pork belly, Moroccan vegetable tagine, aged hard cheeses
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Pax's 'Aphrodite' is an alluring, skin-contact white wine crafted from Chenin Blanc, representing Pax Mahle's innovative and minimal-intervention approach to heritage California vineyards. Sourced from old-vines in Mendocino County, most notably the Buddha's Dharma Vineyard, this cuv e undergoes extended skin fermentation to extract complex phenolics, deep golden-amber hues, and an exotic aromatic profile. Named after the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite challenges traditional white winemaking boundaries by utilizing ancient amphora or neutral wood vessels to age the wine on its lees, resulting in a textured, cerebral drinking experience that beautifully bridges the gap between white and light red wines.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 2000 by Pax and Pamela Mahle, Pax is a pioneering Sonoma County winery celebrated for redefining California Syrah through a lens of elegance and restraint. Based in Sebastopol, California, the winery sources fruit from cool-climate, coastal-influenced vineyards across Sonoma and Mendocino counties, such as the acclaimed Alder Springs and Castelli Knight Ranch. Pax's winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention, employing whole-cluster fermentation, native yeasts, and aging in concrete vats and neutral French oak to highlight pure terroir. The estate is highly renowned for its savory, structurally complex Syrahs, alongside vibrant, terroir-driven expressions of Gamay, Chenin Blanc, and Mondeuse.