2014 Pax Syrah Griffin's Lair
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The 2014 Syrah Griffin's Lair Vineyard is another incredibly expressive, deep wine from Pax Mahle. Lavender, menthol, sage, iron, smoke, leather, licorice and intense, inky fruit confer tremendous richness and dimension to a Syrah endowed with tons of complexity and personality.
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Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The 2014 Syrah Griffins Lair Vineyard comes across as very closed in on itself. That should not be much of an issue, as the wine won't be released until November 2017. At this stage, there is plenty of brightness and intensity to the dark red cherry, pomegranate, smoke and game flavors to suggest the wine has a very bright future, even if it needs time to fully come together.
The 2014 Syrah Griffin's Lair is another wine with considerable promise. Black pepper, game, smoke, licorice and the intense ferrous notes that are so typical of this site are all front and center. Once again, the Griffin's Lair boasts tremendous personality and pedigree. Readers should expect a distinctly earthy, savory style of Syrah. What is interesting is that the character of this site comes through in every vintage. Tasting the 2013 and 2014 side by side, next to some of the other Pax Syrahs drives that point home beyond a shadow of a doubt.