Pax "Moriah" Sonoma County 2005

Red.

Wild nose - stemmy, jalapeno/marijuana notes front and center. Nice earth, spice and red fruit underneath. Reminds me of some Brewer-Clifton Pinots.

Round more than sweet in the mouth (only 14.2% alcohol), with vibrant red cherry/cranberry, spice and stem/cinnamon flavors. Idiosyncratic Grenache-based wine, but I like this. Great, subtle length, as well as stem/acid chew.

Pax taking an outside pitch to right field. Very nice.

Day 3 - Aromatic craziness subdued - more cinnamon and fresh herb now - though there's still a hint of jalapeno. This really smells like a killer Pinot. Even a slow-roasted meat nuance. Very round in the mouth - with a light stem/acid constriction that frames the flavors. Lots of energy too.

This rocks.

75% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 1% Roussanne. For pH freaks, this clocks in at 4.13. For most people, completely out of the park. So where does the vibrant character come from? Great fruit, stems, and simple winemaking.

$50