Tried these two over the last two days:
1. WindGap Orra NorthCoast RW (14.0%; 69% Grenache/21% Mourv/10% Counoise; 298 cs; www.WindGapWines.com) PaxMahleWines/Forestville 2009: Dark some browning color; rather cedary/pencilly/oldRed light Grenache/strawberry/grapey slight Rhonish/roasted/smokey/w-c bit tired complex nose; tart/tangy rather cedary/pencilly/oldRed slight earthy/Grenache/strawberry/low fruit some smokey/roasted/Rhonish/toasty/oak fairly tired/dried-out flavor w/ light astringent tannins; some interesting things therein & not totally dead but pretty much a goner.
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2. Agharta NorthCoast RW (15.2%; 97% Syrah/2% Grenache/1% Viog) PaxMahle 2005: Dark bit murky brown color; strong c-c/black pepper strong w-c/Rhonish/roasted/espresso/smokey some blackberry/Syrah bit toasty/oak quite complex nose; fairly tart very strong w-c/Rhonish/roasted/graphite strong c-c/black pepper/Syrah slight blackberry/peppery light toasty/oak slight cedary/pencilly quite complex flavor w/ light chewey tannins; very long/lingering strong w-c/Rhonish/roasted complex finish w/ light tannins; a lovely fully-mature c-c/w-c/Rhonish Syrah that's unlikely to get any better; starting to dry out just a bit on the palate.
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More rylloficker from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. I have followed Pax Mahle's wines from the very start. It was at a Syrah Shootout at a HdR years ago at Villa CreekInn that he breathlessly approached me & wanted me to try his Ho-Made Syrah. Like his early Rhones, it was big & alcoholic & extracted but quite good. Since then, and his time at Pax Wines, he has reined his wines in. These two were from his early WindGap days when they were still pretty big wines.
Tom