Cahto Ridge Alder Springs Vineyard Syrah
⏳ Drinking Window
2005 - 2015
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops, grilled venison, wild mushroom polenta
✨ Technical Specifications
Perched in the rugged, remote wilderness of northern Mendocino County, the Alder Springs Vineyard is a testament to extreme viticulture. Planted by grower Stuart Bewley on steep, mountainous slopes near Laytonville, this vineyard sits at the very edge of where wine grapes can successfully ripen. The 'Cahto Ridge' bottling, named after the indigenous Cahto people and the imposing ridge that frames the vineyard, is sourced from high-elevation blocks dominated by decomposed sandstone and gravelly soils. Pax Mahle utilizes traditional, low-intervention winemaking techniques to capture this unique terroir, employing whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts and aging the wine in neutral French oak and concrete. The result is a cool-climate Syrah of remarkable tension, showcasing signature wild blackberry, cracked black pepper, smoked meat, and olive tapenade characteristics that evoke the classic Hermitage style of the Northern Rhône.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 2000 by Pax and Pam Mahle, Pax Wines is an acclaimed artisanal producer based in Sebastopol within Sonoma County, California. Recognized as a pioneer of the New California wine movement, the winery focuses on cool-climate coastal terroirs across Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Pax champions a minimalist, old-world approach to vinification, utilizing whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts, and aging in neutral French oak and concrete tanks to preserve purity and freshness. The estate is widely celebrated for its benchmark, savory Syrah bottlings—such as the Sonoma-Hillsides and Alder Springs Vineyard designations—as well as dynamic, terroir-driven expressions of Gamay, Chenin Blanc, and heritage varieties.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Syrah