Griffins Lair Syrah
⏳ Drinking Window
2005 - 2014
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rosemary lamb chops, grilled venison, earthy wild mushroom stew
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the wind-swept Petaluma Gap AVA, the Griffin's Lair Vineyard is defined by its extreme maritime climate. Cool fog and relentless afternoon winds from the Pacific Ocean force the Syrah vines to develop thick skins and tiny berries, resulting in remarkable concentration balanced by vibrant natural acidity. Pax Mahle coaxes the pure essence of this challenging terroir using traditional whole-cluster fermentation and aging in neutral French oak and concrete. The result is a classic cool-climate California Syrah, celebrated for its intense savory profile, characterized by cracked black pepper, cured meats, black olives, and dark brambly fruit.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2000 by Pax and Pam Mahle, Pax Wines emerged as an influential champion of cool-climate California viticulture, initially earning renown for single-vineyard expressions of Syrah. Operating out of an urban winery and tasting cellar in Sebastopol's Barlow district, the domaine collaborates closely with growers across coastal Sonoma County, Mendocino, and the Sierra Foothills. Viticulture centers on organically and sustainably farmed heritage plots, frequently anchored in fractured shale, marine sandstone, and decomposed granite. While early vintages leaned rich and assertive, Pax evolved toward an uncompromising low-intervention ethos characterized by whole-cluster foot stomping, spontaneous fermentations driven by ambient yeasts, neutral French oak aging, and minimal sulfur. Beyond benchmark Syrah bottlings such as Alder Springs, Griffin's Lair, and Castelli-Knight Ranch, the portfolio explores esoteric and heritage white varieties, notably old-vine Chenin Blanc, Vermentino, and Pinot Blanc, celebrated for their tensile acidity, savory transparency, and mineral cut.
🍇 Grapes
Syrah
🍷 ABV
12.5-13.5%