2010 Pax Grenache James Berry Vineyard

(includes 10% mourvedre; all whole clusters and no new oak; 15.1% alcohol): Vivid ruby. A highly aromatic bouquet displays black raspberry, blueberry, cherry liqueur, cola and Indian spices. Lush and sweet but pure, with energetic red berry, cherry-cola and zesty mineral flavors. Combines depth and energy smoothly, finishing with impressive clarity, gentle tannic grip and noteworthy persistence.

Another solid offering, the 2010 Grenache James Berry Vineyard has good varietal character but less in the way of site-specific character, which is a shame, as James Berry is one of the truly great vineyard sites of California’s Central Coast. Dark red cherries and flowers are some of the nuances that struggle to emerge from a wine that remains a bit compact and not fully expressive, its striking inner perfume notwithstanding. Overall, the 2010 is a very good effort that is missing just a little sexiness. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2016. These are the first new releases from Pax Mahle’s Pax Wine Cellars label following Mahle’s separation from Joe Donelan a few years back. Mahle describes 2010 and 2011 as both challenging, but the difference, he notes, is mostly that in 2011 growers were better prepared, as they had the experience of dealing with the cool, damp conditions from 2010. That keen observation may explain why the two 2011s I tasted were clearly more interesting than the 2010s. Tel. (707) 591-0782