Pax Gamay, Alpine Peaks, El Dorado County 2023 (750 ml)

100% Gamay Noir 
100% Whole Cluster Fermentation
80% Barsotti Vineyard
20% Fenaughty Vineyard
Partial Carbonic Maceration
Ambient yeasts & Bacteria
Aged in neutral French Oak Barrels for 5 months
Free So2 @ Bottling – 23ppm
3.4 pH
12.0% Abv

Gamay Noir from pink granite-covered peaks in the Sierra Foothills, this Gamay burst out of the cellar with our first version of this wine in 2019.  Well a lot has happened since 2019, and we are filled with excitement to have this back in the lineup once again. Light, juicy and translucent but loaded with delicious fruit and density of flavor. A quick three day maceration on the crushed skins after a 7-day carbonic maceration have formed a wine that is light in body and color, but heavy on enjoyment and beauty. This wine is a pure blast of alpine fruit and joy!

Tasting Note:
Alpine strawberries and cherry skins. Translucent electric garnet in color, light-medium body and loaded with joyous fruit and spice. Very buoyant and light on its feet, it is packed with gorgeous and continuously unfolding flowers, spices and juicy fruit. This wine is too fun for words, Gamay purity, alpine freshness, juicy melons and summer berries exuberance all in one glass. 
Drink Chilled.

Pax Wines:

Pax and Pam moved to wine country in 1997 to create a lifestyle that involved working with wine. After a few years of tasting and sourcing wine from all over California, Pax finally found a vineyard in which he felt a kismet connection. Alder Springs Vineyard was the site and subsequently led to the launch of the PAX brand in 2000.

The Mahles made a bold choice by favoring the “untapped potential"  of the Syrah grape. Their entire lineup of wines came from cool climate vineyards in  Sonoma County and Mendocino. These wines were big, rich expressions of Syrah that went on to be highly sought after. As a result, Pax quickly became established as one of California’s premier producers of Syrah.

Presently, Pax Wines has evolved to include new and exciting varieties in addition to Syrah. This includes Trousseau Gris, Chenin Blanc, Gamay Noir, and Mission, along with a host of others recently planted. 

At Pax Wines winemaking is approached holistically. This is done by taking care to use only grapes that are grown without the use of chemicals and by hand making their wines with as little intervention as possible. As a result, all of their wines are crushed by foot and hand, and fermented using only natural yeasts. To taste these wines visit the urban winery and tasting room in the outdoor Barlow market in downtown Sebastopol.

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