The 2021 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is towering and statuesque in bearing from the very first taste. I don’t think I have ever tasted a Sonoma Hillsides with this much finesse, this much purity. A wine of vertical energy, the Sonoma Hillsides possesses tremendous depth from start to finish. In many vintages the Hillsides leans towards a darker expression of Syrah. The 2021, on the other hand, is marked by more of a red/purplish fruit profile, with bright floral and citrus overtones that confer freshness. Once again, Pax Mahle made one of the truly epic wines of the year. His Sonoma Hillsides has been one of the very finest wines in Northern California for a number of years now. (AG)  (1/2023)

Antonio Galloni for Vinous on the vintage: "Pax Mahle presented a stellar set of new releases in our most recent tasting. The 2021s might be the most impressive set of wines I have ever tasted here." (01/2021)