2018 Pasxa Syrah, SJR Vineyard

Another single vineyard Syrah from this team, the 2018 Syrah River Rock Vineyard sports a dense purple hue as well as a more reserved, inward bouquet of smoked red and black fruits, earth, chocolate, spice, and flowers. As with all of these releases from Todd, the classic Rocks funk is beautifully managed and plays a background, contributing (as opposed to dominating) role. The purity of fruit is terrific, the tannins are ripe and silky, and it's flawlessly balanced, all making for one incredibly compelling Syrah. It should benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar and keep for 15+. Bravo! One of the most exciting new labels out there is PÁŠXA Wines (pronounced “Pahk-sha”), which was created by owner Mike Martin (also behind the incredible wines at The Walls) and focuses on the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley. The wines are made by Todd Alexander of Force Majeure, and the vineyards are farmed by Walla Walla Vineyard expert Serafin Saldana. Their 2018s are the first release, but trust me, this is an estate worth jumping on.