Steve Anderson

9.2

Savory and a bit of funk. Might have guessed Rocks District on p&p if blind. — 5 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Tasting great right now. Olives and prosciutto on the nose and initial palate. Good amount of fruit, tart cherry, pomegranate, some citrus, earth, forest. Outstanding with a vegetable pesto soup. Drink it soon! — 3 years ago

sheila tran

9.6

Super smooth, deep flavor and nice finish, good fruit without a lot of the harsh tannins — 4 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.0

Improved after opening up for a time. Dry with a strong tannins. Plum on the nose with more of a dark Cherry and leathery taste. — 5 years ago

Russ Davis

9.6

Light bodied, medium acid, tastes like apple crisp (almost like a light apple cider), bright fruit, elegant hint of pear. Already buzzed from one glass. Send help. — 7 years ago

with Greg and Ashlyn

Mark Flesher

9.3

Very New World style. By the nose and palate, this one allost seemed to resemble a Malbec. I believe this is 100% Merlot. Decadent black and purple youthful fruit and a hint of chocolate on the nose. Entry is gritty, black and purple fruit with cocoa nibs and herbal character. Herbs carry to the middle where a baking spice note shows, but again this wind seems to have more of a dark purple and tarry black fruit background. Very weighted finish. Thick and inky. I think this could benefit from a few more years of bottle aging but drinking well now! — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay

Meg Herring

9.1

When it’s from Pax Wines, even the glou glou is going to be top-notch. Lots of carbonic action but the crazy blend adds layers of flavor. 🤤 — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2022, Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview:
100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Planted with Robert Young and Dijon clones in one of Sonoma’s coolest, wind-influenced regions, allowing slow ripening and naturally vibrant acidity. Aged with 100% malolactic fermentation and approximately 35% new French oak.

Aromas & Flavors:
Expressive aromas of lemon meringue, ripe lychee, mandarin peel, and baked guava. The palate layers citrus-driven energy with baked stone fruits, subtle spice, and savory undertones.

Mouthfeel:
Creamy and polished from full MLF, yet beautifully lifted by fresh acidity. Medium-to-full body with integrated oak influence, soft texture, and a long citrusy, savory finish.

Food Pairings:
Lobster risotto, roasted chicken, buttery seafood dishes, creamy pasta, grilled halibut, or triple cream cheeses.

Verdict:
A beautifully balanced California Chardonnay that delivers richness without losing freshness. Complex, aromatic, and polished, showing how the Petaluma Gap can bring tension and elegance to a more textural Chardonnay style.

🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap became an official AVA in 2017 and is heavily shaped by strong Pacific winds and fog intrusion, helping Chardonnay retain acidity and precision even with full flavor development. — a year ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Outrageously loud nose. Green peppercorn, spicy beef jerky, powdered rock dust, tangy red berries behind all that. Balanced and full of flavor, there’s nice acidity lifting flavors of crushed rocky minerals. There is something like dried red berries - almost Christmas-spiced- that turn savory as the finish progresses. Tannins almost fully resolved and soft. Fascinating. — 4 years ago

Joe Gillies

9.4

Every time I drink, I'm amazed that I got several of these at $9. For being 15 years old, this is drinking beautifully. Elegant and smooth. — 5 years ago

Daniel Thomas Williams

9.2

4rth of July — 7 years ago

David Shaw

9.0

Third and last tasting of 2015 vintage. Pale white, very good clarity. Nose is floral and funky; one hour later, a spice note emerges. Melon and stone fruit flavors are fading since previous tasting one year ago. Litchi flavor is now core (label says quince, which emerges after 60 minutes, displacing litchi), while orange-citrus finish is relatively strong, with a lactic, mineral and creamy leesy character. Dryish, good acidity. Moderate skin astringency, with a white pepper tactility but not flavor. I’ve never tried an aged Gruner before, but this wine is making me think about aging one, this being a possible candidate. A nice product overall. — 7 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.4

Pax Mahle makes majestic Syrah that is light and gentle as single vineyard cool climate Pinot. His wines encapsulate the best of the idiosyncratic grape in a more delicate than typical frame that is complex and lean, but neither thin nor meager.

His Wind Gap Majik single vineyard has funky expressive aromas of iodine, menthol, violet, olive, and black peppercorn. Flavors of herbs, unripe blackberry, and salty minerals. Tons of flavor and body at an astounding 11.5% ABV (2014 was 10.4%!).

P.S. considering buying his Pax Hillside which got 100 points from @Antonio Galloni last year. If anyone has tried 2017 please let me know how it was. — 8 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.1

My last bottle from the defunct yet memorable winery.

Smells so delicious, like a fruit yogurt

This drinks like it is fresh, with blackberry bramble, subtle and unique red fruits tucked behind the leather ones.
Tannins are still very gripping, and the acidity tames it back. A touch of heat and its off to the races! — 3 years ago

Greg Smith

9.0

This is a great version of a California Zin. Nice notes of spice and pairs so well with a red meat meal. Found this on sale and will go get more while I can. Love the label and the cork. I am under a thunderstorm warning and this is so nice to watch the clouds rolling. Get some. — 4 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Just an incredible 14 year old #syrah from Wind Gap that’s just screaming Crozes-Hermitage or Cornas in the glass. Cured meat, bacon fat, black olive followed by a deep well of brooding black fruit aromas. Palate is fresh with salivating acidity, aged fruit, coffee, dark chocolate and ethereal tannins on a long finish. Beautiful wine, especially for $53 for 6 bottles at WineBid (before shipping.)
— 4 years ago

William Hughes

9.2

Seventy-five plus year vines make me happy. Plenty of acidity balanced by lean, yet round, tannins. Savory raspberries and cherries with rhubarb and a little bay leaf. Yum! — 6 years ago

Kirk F

9.1

My favorite Wind Gap wine to date, for a 13 abv Pinot, this was a rather full bodied effort with abundant cherry and a touch of tobacco. Very solid. — 7 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A pretty, translucent ruby color in the glass. Delicate red fruit aromas on the nose with cherries, candied apple, cranberry, and a hint of nutmeg. There’s just so many good things going on in this bottle. Incredible balance, nice acidity, and a silky texture on the tongue. Oak, dried grass, vanilla, and dark cherry on the palate. The fruit is lively and fresh here. This is such a well made Pinot that can sit for another few years. And I didn’t even mention who makes this. — 8 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

Light ruby with garnet hues and a thin edges. Spectacular nose consisting of floral aromatics, tons of red fruits, luscious chocolate, and a little toasted oak kicking in too. Though Napa is in here somewhere, this is straight Loire style. Medium bodied with simply wonderful acidity and tannins. On the tongue, the fruit is definitely more refined and subtle. Rich coffee, dried herbs, more oak, and green pepper dominate. On the long finish, there’s a bit of cloves. This is such a beautiful wine. A true Cab Franc, not pretending to be some heavyweight bruiser. — 8 years ago