2019 Pax, Gamay Noir, Alpine Peaks Vineyard, Sonoma Coast.
The light ruby and deep amber edged 2019 Alpine Peaks Gamay Noir from Pax, from a forgotten bottle I tucked away, was a surprise addition to a blind tasting lineup of Gamay wines and proved delicious and has developed nicely since release about five years ago with spicy crushed red berry, strawberry, plum and cranberry fruit on the medium bodied palate that is backed up with wilted flowers, cinnamony/peppery spices, savory earthiness, dried herbs and a slight leathery note. This raw, but pleasing Gamay, still retains a fresh core of acidity and lost some of the more funky elements that some of Pax’s Gamay wines have typically shown when young. Most of the Pax Gamay offerings have been macerated and fermented in cement tank with carbonic maceration employed, while the 2019s saw some neutral oak barrel aging, as I believe was done here. As this wine opened it gained aromatic dimension, added some meatiness, woodsy notes and mineral tones, making it a rewarding effort, though it did fade a bit and I would definitely not wait much longer on this one. The grapes come from organic vines, 100% Gamay Noir from the Rancho Coda Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA at 1000 ft. of elevation on fractured sandstone with quartz and schist soils, which adds to the complexity and cool climate freshness of Pax’s Alpine Peaks Gamay, which might have been a bit better just a few years earlier in this particular case.
The set of Gamay Noir wines at Pax, including this one, was crafted using traditional natural wine methods, similar to some Cru Beaujolais producers, with 100% whole cluster fermentation and partial or all carbonic maceration, depending on vintage, with the wine getting close to 10 months in used French oak barrels, which are typically now 500L Puncheons, with almost no sulphur added. This vintage, again reminds me of some older vintages of Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, but maybe not as dark, and will certainly appeal to those that love a touch of funk, it’s an intriguing edition that might get a reaction, both positive and negative. Especially now with some age and secondary evolution, it is both more interesting and less fruit dominate, but I actually really enjoyed this 2019 Alpine Peaks Gamay in this stage of life. Pax, most known for outstanding Syrah, was the first winery to produce and release a Gamay Noir from the cool climate Sonoma Coast region, not too long ago. Starting with a tiny batch in 2015, since then Pax Mahle turned out a fabulous selection of Gamay wines, which have really caught on and kept a place in his lineup along with his Trousseau, another California rarity, and his Chenin Blanc. After my last sip of this 2019 Pax Gamay, I like it reminded me less of Beaujolais and more of the lighter reds of the Jura or a Gamay from the Loire and it was fun to try. While of course I wholeheartedly recommend the lineup of world class Syrah at Pax, I also suggest checking out some of the more obscure offerings here and take a little walk on the wild side.
($45 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive