The 2023 Syrah Mountain Tops is a fabulous conclusion to this tasting. It is essentially the same lots that were used for the Sonoma Hillsides, but the wine was aged for 18 months in used 500-liter barrels instead of cement. Time in wood has softened the contours so well. Dark red cherry/plum fruit, pomegranate, rose petal, lavender and a kick of exotic floral notes open with some coaxing. The Mountain Tops is at once both rich and quite finessed. It is another magnificent wine in this range of 2023s from Pax Mahle, arguably the best wines he has made so far. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2026

Pax Mahle presented a stellar set of new and future releases. I was quite simply blown away by what I tasted. The full lineup of 2023 Syrahs is just magnificent. In addition to current wines, Mahle also poured a few older Syrahs from his Wind Gap days, including wines from the period when he favored much heavier extraction and a stronger oak imprint. Even though those wines are miles apart from Mahle's stylistic preferences today, they have aged exceptionally well. There is no stronger endorsement for the quality of Sonoma's top sites than that. Mahle picks early for freshness. Wines are done in a minimalist style that includes a good bit of stem inclusion for the reds and aging in neutral oak and/or cement. These wines remain benchmarks for excellence in Sonoma.