Loved my first bottle of Pax SH. Had to get some more. Tried a new vintage. First I had was 2018, opened a few months ago.
In the glass, deep red without any purples. Opaque but not quite inky. Feel like I saw a slight haze which may just be me knowing it's unfiltered.
Heavy red fruit in the nose, strawberry candy, opened up into more herbal notes, some meatiness, picked up a bright herbal note close to tea leaves/mint/anise that I couldn't nail down. And a sort of caramelized something scent that I enjoyed. Picked some umami up as well.
Medium plus body, not as big as a hot weather Syrah or a Cab but full still. Fine, present tannins, almost dusty that washed over my palate and tongue and shifted to the sides/cheeks. Very pleasant. Medium acid imo, present but not overwhelming.
In the palate I still get some red fruit, like a strawberry/plum candy flavor but that pushes into all the dark fruits, cassis, blueberry, plum, tobacco, dried herbs, black cherry is in there. Touch of lingering bitterness on the back of my tongue.
Absolutely fantastic. I think I like it more than the 2018 though I did enjoy the 2018. I'd give the 2019 a 92 and the 2018 a 91. 2018 had some funk, which I enjoyed, a lot more anise, earthy, mushrooms notes. Less bright than 2019. I think in a couple years that will come out and the fruit will still be present. Definitely going to hunt some more of 2019. I have a couple 2018s I want to revisit and see if I feel the same. Going to compare what happened in Sonoma in 2018 vs 2019 to see the differences.
by JT1989
2 Comments
Dropping it in the comments too.
Loved my first bottle of Pax SH. Had to get some more. Tried a new vintage. First I had was 2018, opened a few months ago.
In the glass, deep red without any purples. Opaque but not quite inky. Feel like I saw a slight haze which may just be me knowing it’s unfiltered.
Heavy red fruit in the nose, strawberry candy, opened up into more herbal notes, some meatiness, picked up a bright herbal note close to tea leaves/mint/anise that I couldn’t nail down. And a sort of caramelized something scent that I enjoyed. Picked some umami up as well.
Medium plus body, not as big as a hot weather Syrah or a Cab but full still. Fine, present tannins, almost dusty that washed over my palate and tongue and shifted to the sides/cheeks. Very pleasant. Medium acid imo, present but not overwhelming.
In the palate I still get some red fruit, like a strawberry/plum candy flavor but that pushes into all the dark fruits, cassis, blueberry, plum, tobacco, dried herbs, black cherry is in there. Touch of lingering bitterness on the back of my tongue.
Absolutely fantastic. I think I like it more than the 2018 though I did enjoy the 2018. I’d give the 2019 a 92 and the 2018 a 91. 2018 had some funk, which I enjoyed, a lot more anise, earthy, mushrooms notes. Less bright than 2019. I think in a couple years that will come out and the fruit will still be present. Definitely going to hunt some more of 2019. I have a couple 2018s I want to revisit and see if I feel the same. Going to compare what happened in Sonoma in 2018 vs 2019 to see the differences.
I’ve been impressed with almost everything I’ve had from Pax. Super solid.