Syrah Alder Springs The Emerald Pool
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rosemary lamb chops, grilled venison, wild mushroom stew
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the rugged, high-altitude wilderness of northern Mendocino County, the Alder Springs Vineyard is legendary for its extreme viticulture. 'The Emerald Pool' cuvée is named after a pristine, deep-green swimming hole along the Eel River bordering this remote property. Pax Mahle crafts this cool-climate Syrah with a nod to the Northern Rhône, utilizing whole-cluster fermentation and aging in neutral French oak and concrete to preserve the vineyard's intense, wild character. The terroir yields a wine defined by cracked black pepper, smoked meats, black olives, and a distinct forest-floor herbaceousness, showcasing the dramatic, windswept nature of its origin.
🍾 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