Syrah Obsidian
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted leg of lamb, grilled ribeye steak, earthy wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the rugged, sun-drenched slopes of Knights Valley in Sonoma County, the Pax Obsidian Vineyard Syrah is a masterclass in volcanic terroir. The vineyard itself is named for the shards of black volcanic glass—obsidian—that litter the soils, reflecting the California sun and radiating heat back to the vines. This unique geological setting produces a Syrah of immense depth, structure, and mineral complexity. Winemaker Pax Mahle captures this wild landscape by employing traditional, low-intervention techniques, including whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts and aging in neutral French oak. The resulting wine is a dramatic expression of the varietal, balancing intense dark fruit with savory notes of cracked black pepper, cured meats, and a distinct, stony minerality that echoes its volcanic origins.
🍾 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