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Last of the Syrahs, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as a wonderfully complex, classic Syrah nose of red and black fruits, cured meats, mushrooms, bacon fat, iron, and forest floor, with a touch of flowers emerging with time in the glass. With its medium to full-bodied richness, firm, focusing tannins, and great finish, it’s another wine that takes savoriness to the nth degree. I love its texture, and there’s almost a Burgundian style here that keeps you coming back to the glass. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDNotes of blackberry with coffee, nutmeg and smoke undertones. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Elegant and balanced on the palate with a creamy texture and supple, smoky character. Long finish. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSBright ruby-red, the darkest of these Horsepower bottlings. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, menthol, bitter chocolate, crushed rock, violet and licorice are more Hermitage than Côte-Rôtie. At once dense and lively, conveying more energy and black fruit intensity than the Sur Echalas Syrah. Boasts lovely inner-mouth verve and definition for such a rich wine, and a captivating balance of sweetness and acidity. Also purer and sweeter than the Sur Echalas, with more subtle salty and balsamic tones. Finishes firmly tannic, ripe and very long, with complicating hints of violet and black olive. I particularly like this wine’s balance of acidity and sweetness. It has the spine to evolve positively in bottle but its subtle sweetness gives it early appeal. Incidentally, the Horsepower wines are fermented in concrete tanks and aged in neutral demi-muids and foudres, with this bottling getting some second-fill demi-muids. (Tasted June 2021; Published September 2021)Vinous Media | 94 VMWith grapes coming from a vineyard where the stones of the ancestral Walla Walla River and the surrounding silty loam meet, the aromas bring notes of raspberry, funk, ash, blood orange, black olive and potpourri. Palate-coating, intense flavors follow, showing layers of complexity. It’s more overtly rich in style than prior vintages but with no shortage of grace. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDark ruby with a magenta rim, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard offers the darkest and broodiest nose of the range this year, with elements of teriyaki beef jerky, roasted plums and black peppercorn spice. Full-bodied, the palate is dense and chewy with a firm tannic edge, offering a gripping mineral tension and elements of blackberry skin, turned earth and worn leather. Give this another year or two in the bottle and drink until its 15th birthday. The wine rested for two years in a mixture of demi-muids and foudre. Just under 6,200 bottles were filled.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThere’s a simmering core of power underneath the elegant texture of this red, which unfurls slowly with blackberry, bacon fat and garrigue tones. Drink now through 2029. 516 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard is stunning with its quiet intensity, elegance and detail: blueberry pie, lilac and violet, prosciutto and mint chocolate define the nose. The medium-bodied palate is light on its feet, velvety in texture and seamlessly fresh, although it takes significant time in the glass to really unfold. Wow! It deserves 3-5 years to unwind in bottle and will be long-lived in the cellar. Drink Date 2024 - 2034 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2019 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from further north, in Santa Maria, and it was mostly destemmed as well and spent 19 months in close to two-thirds new French oak. More Jamet-like notes of ripe blackberries, smoked game, ground pepper, and spring flowers define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a perfectly balanced, multi-dimensional texture, incredible tannins, and a great, great finish. This is another brilliant, magical Syrah from Lato that flirts with perfection.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Il Padrino is silky, perfumed and gracious right out of the gate. This is an especially airy Syrah from Bien Nacido. The tannins are so harmonious, they are barely perceptible. A touch of Viognier in the blend adds lift to varietal dark and savory flavors. The Bien Nacido Syrah is terrific.Antonio Galloni | 95 AG

In the same ballpark quality-wise, the 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango (89% Syrah and 11% Graciano) is riper and more exotic, with lots of violets, bay leaf, game, and peppery notes as well as a core of dark fruits. Full-bodied, balanced, and just impeccably put together, it’s a seriously good Syrah to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Syrah 2 2 Tango is a gorgeous, sumptuous wine that marries fruit from top sources in Ballard Canyon and Willow Creek. Juicy plum, black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice and spice are all kicked up. Readers will find an exuberant, open-knit wine that is ready to deliver the goods.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Crushed stone, berry and lead pencil. Flintlock and iodine, too. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with incredible depth and intensity. Sculpted and intense. Incredible. Silky and tight tannins. Great finish. Reminds me of the 1978 La Chapelle. This needs three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 100 JSSporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2019 IX Syrah Estate hops up and down with its showy, flamboyant scents of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and preserved plums, before bursting into a gorgeous perfume of bouquet garni, candied violets, tar and roses, followed by unsmoked cigars with a waft of Sichuan pepper. The generous, full-bodied palate offers beautifully rounded, pebble-like tannins with invigorating freshness and so many fragrant layers that linger with edifying persistence. An absolute diva of a wine!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPLastly, Colgin only makes a tiny amount of Syrah, but it’s consistently one of the greatest expressions of the variety in California, as well as the world. Their 2019 Syrah delivers the goods and brings a Côte Rôtie-like opulence and elegance as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blueberries, violets, smoke game, bouquet garni, and spring flowers. Pure, seamless, and perfectly balanced, you can safely put this up with anything out there. Enjoy bottles over the coming 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Syrah IX Estate is deep, plush and super-expressive. The Colgin Syrah is so unique, as it is much a wine of place as it is a varietal Syrah. Huge fruit and captivating aromatics make a strong opening statement. All the elements simply fall into place. In 2019, the Syrah is simply exceptional. All that said, readers need to cellar the 2019 for at least a few years, as today the fruit remains very front and center, and true Syrah notes have not yet started to emerge.Vinous Media | 97 VMPotent and polished, with deeply structured blueberry, smoked meat, licorice and fruitcake spice flavors that gather richness and tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. To be released November 2022. Drink now through 2032. 400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSyrah thrives in the coolest spots on Pritchard Hill, and after harvest is vinified in open-top fermenters. There’s an exotic, floral character on the lush nose. Broad and concentrated, it has ample tannins that are cut by the acidity that gives drive and lift. Although spicy and tangy, it lacks a little depth and complexity, and the finish is firm and chunky.Decanter | 93 DEC

Moving to the Syrahs, the 2019 Syrah Reva reveals a much cooler climate-like style in its blackberry, graphite, pepper, and bouquet garni-like nuances, and it picks up an almost Cornas-like game and white pepper character with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe yet polished tannins, and a great finish. It reminds me slightly of the 2018, although with slightly less concentration. It will evolve for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDI tasted the 2019 Syrah Reva on July 8, shortly after its bottling in June. The 2019 is particularly elegant, with notable detail and vibrancy. "I’ve been more curious about the reaction of consumers to the 2019 Reva than I have in a long time," winemaker John Alban explains. "Will they like it? The Reva is very different in 2019." It’s a touch aromatically coiled from its recent bottling, taking plenty of time and air to unfold scents of blackcurrants, peppermint patty, charcuterie, coffee beans and brown sugar. The full-bodied palate has a strong spine of refreshing acidity and plush, velvety tannins to balance its depth of flavor, and it offers a beautiful flourish of spice and floral tones that fan across the long finish. It’s less ripe and hedonistic than in some vintages yet just as enjoyable! This will be released in the fall of 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

The 2020 Syrah Il Padrino Bien Nacido Vineyard also saw a touch of stems (5%) and was aged 19 months in two-thirds new French oak. Coming from a cooler site, it has a deep ruby/plum color as well as a great nose of ripe blackberry and mulberry fruits, notes of charred meat, iron, and baking spices, full-bodied richness, ripe and integrated tannins, and a great, great finish. Out of the two Syrahs, this beauty is a touch more balanced and elegant, and also has slightly more mid-palate density. Regardless, both are brilliant, singular wines that readers will love.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2020 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Il Padrino is a brute. Most of the wines in this range are quite racy, but the Padrino is simply impenetrable as this stage. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mocha, gravel, dried herbs and menthol are some of the many notes that develop. There is some whole cluster influence, which adds complexity.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

Displaying a deep magenta core, the 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was made with 4% Viognier. The nose is spicy, focused and firm with hints of reduction, savory herbs, black and green peppercorn, bitter black tea, dark cherry skin and wilted flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays a firm tannic edge that grows in amplitude before showing subtle flavors of stewed cherries, roasted almonds and hints of vanilla. It ends with a food-friendly and generous finish. The wine rested for 18 months in about 20% new French oak barrels...Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Savory, smokey and dusty, the 2020 Syrah en Cerise is firm, mineral-driven and expressive with potpourri and dark red fruit aromas, hints of pink and green peppercorns and a spicy and mineral essence. Medium-bodied, the palate gives way to a balanced and spicy core of dark red fruit with savory flavors of sage and wild brush before offering notes of umami and dusty flowers across the mid-palate. The wine continues to open and evolve, revealing more spicy and savory notes before ending with a soft hint of iodine and leather. Enjoy with food.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A blend of 89% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, and 2% Viognier, the 2020 No 9 was 50% destemmed and will see 22 months in 65% new French oak. Full-bodied and powerful, with lots of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, and assorted meatiness, it hits the palate with a ripe, lush texture, solid tannins, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2020 No. 9, still in barrel, is a blend of 89% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier, made with 50% whole clusters. Fruit comes from several vineyards throughout the Central Coast including Slide Hill, White Hawk, Larner, Harrison-Clarke, Kimsey and Alta Mesa. It will mature for 22 months in 65% new and 35% used French barriques. Opaque ruby-purple in color, it features aromas of black olives, ground coffee, turned earth and forest floor, before unfolding to pure blueberry liqueur, cassis, licorice and violet—what alluring aromas! Full-bodied, the palate is grainy and seamless, with concentrated, floral fruits and a very long, nuanced finish. Around 850 cases and a few magnums of this powerful Syrah will be made. It will be sold as part of a three-bottle set ($330), while magnums will be sold as a box set with the 2020 Andremily Mourvèdre.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2020 Andremily No. 9 is a dense, full-throttle wine. Inky, black fruit, blackberry jam, espresso, mocha, licorice and spice blast across the palate. There’s not a ton of subtlety here. It will be interesting to see if this heady, potent Syrah develops over the next year.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM

Coming from higher density plantings just beside the estate, the 2020 Syrah Armada Vineyard is one of the standouts in the vintage and has a beautiful core of fruit as well as mid-palate density. Ripe black cherries, blackberries, ground pepper, iodine, rose petals, and crushed stone define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a broad, layered mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. This unquestionably competes with the top wines in the vintage. Give bottles 2-4 years in the cellar and enjoy through 2040.Jeb Dunnuuck | 98 JDPerhaps the most put-together and complete wine of the range this year, the 2020 Syrah Armada Vineyard has classic notes of potpourri, savory herbs, black olive, hints of green and black peppercorns and dusty cherry blossoms that sway with a delightful mineral essence. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is balanced on the palate, with a fine mineral tension, precision, focus and a lingering, food-friendly, savory finish with a tight tannic edge. The wine rested for 21 months in about 20% new French oak. 7,656 bottle produced. Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2020 Syrah Armada Vineyard is darkly floral. Dusty violet and lavender tones give way to musky black currants and blood orange aromas. Soft and enveloping, this possesses racy acidity that enlivens its tart wild berry fruits, taking on an almost-crunchy sensation toward the close, as nuances of sour citrus add contrast. This finishes with incredible energy and length, leaving a subtle balsamic twang yet remaining remarkably fresh. Impressive, to say the least, the 2020 Armada will win many hearts. This is about 80% whole-cluster fermentation and 10% new oak. This really sneaks up on the taster, and the nose prepares you for a bruiser, but the palate melts your heart.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlackcurrants, black cherries, cloves, tobacco, charcoal and smoked meat on the nose. It’s full-bodied with fine-grained yet firm, broad and mouth-coating tannins. Dark and inky. Tight and tense at the end. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try in 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe Armada sails on an ocean of blackcap raspberry and smoked brisket flavors, withadditional support provided by Earl Grey tea, shortbread and spearmint. Aromatic tradewinds are filled with black cherries and lavender. Soft acidity and velvety tannins make for a smooth voyage. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Blackberry and white pepper with black tobacco and hints of iron, terra cotta and mushrooms. Medium- to full-bodied with a solid core of tannins and earthy, spicy, meaty and chocolaty undertones. Very complex and layered with a tightly wound ball of cashmere. It’s so textural, plush and gorgeous. Drinkable but better in three or four years,James Suckling | 100 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2021 IX Estate Syrah is a jaw-dropper from first sniff! Violets, forest floor, and fragrant dried leaves notes leap from the glass, leading to a core of juicy plums, fresh blackberries, and blueberries. The full-bodied palate is tight-knit and intense with rounded tannins and beautifully knit freshness, finishing long and spicy.The Wine Independent | 99 TWIAll destemmed and aged in Burgundy pièces from the likes of Damy, François Frères and Ermitage, the 2021 Syrah IX Estate boasts considerable floral and herbal nuances on the nose, along with something akin to rust, corroded iron or blood and layers of black cherry and plum fruit. Full-bodied, rich and velvety in texture, it lacks the finesse and elegance of the 2018, but it pales only in comparison to that beauty, finishing long, with echoes of espresso, licorice and peppery spice.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2021 Syrah is another incredible Syrah here and I d put it up against any Syrah out there. Inky-hued with a La Landonne-like nose of ripe black and blue fruits, smoked game, chocolate, and graphite, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a dense, powerful, compact mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following decade or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2021 Syrah IX Estate impresses with its fruit purity and freshness. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and dried herbs are beautifully articulated in this vibrant, mid-weight Syrah. There’s a bit of new oak today, but that will subside over time. This is an exceptionally beautiful vintage for the Syrah, a wine that is as much a wine of IX Estate as it is of varietal character. Seamless, polished tannins wrap up the finish.Vinous Media | 97 VMHandsomely structured and elegantly dynamic, with rich flavors of blackberry, fruitcake spices, mocha espresso and savory pepper that build richness and tension toward big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2033. 566 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

One of the bigger, richer wines in the lineup, the 2021 Syrah Armada Vineyard comes from a high-density vineyard located just beside the cellar and was brought up all in demi-muids. This deeper ruby/plum-hued Syrah boasts a big, masculine bouquet of smoked red and black fruits, sauteed mushrooms, cured meats, iron, and cold fireplace nuances (it almost has a Graves-like character) that flows to a medium to full-bodied, rich, concentrated Syrah with terrific overall balance, ripe tannins, and a great finish. As with the other 2021s here, it needs lots of air to show at its best and will ideally be given 4-5 years in the cellar. It’s going to hit its 20th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDDisplaying a lighter color with a medium ruby hue, the 2021 Syrah Armada Vineyard has a spicy, complex, broad and structured nose, with fresh aromas of black cherries, blackberry skin, violets and rose blossoms. The palate, firm and food friendly, features a distinctive tannic edge that’s meant for red meats. Unmistakably Syrah from Walla Walla Valley, this is a gorgeous beauty, and I’m going back to finish the glass. The wine spent 21 months aging in a combination of new and used French oak. 7,632 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPVery structured and firmly tannic, this muscular wine comes from tightly spaced vines that give a low yield and lots of concentration. Floral and spicy aromas lead to rich, dark cocoa, blackberry and baked blueberry flavors restrained by the sandy, full tannins. From biodynamically grown grapes. Best from 2029.James Suckling | 95 JSThe Armada sails into port behind a tailwind of black cherry, wet terra-cotta, cumin and smoked pork-belly aromas. The wine’s mouthfeel is seamless and slick, allowing dried cherry, espresso and roasted red-pepper flavors to glide along. Elevated acidity keeps everything lively. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is a perfumed powerhouse! Opaque ruby-purple, it has a concentrated core of cassis with touches of tar, thyme, grilled meats, menthol and bitter chocolate. The full-bodied palate is ripe and concentrated with surprising freshness for its style. It has a pleasantly chalky frame and a very long finish replete with violet perfume. This hedonistic Syrah could use another 5+ years in bottle to unwind and will be long-lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is one of the highlights among the 2021s I tasted from Joey Tensley. Vibrant and driving in feel, the Colson Syrah is endowed with tremendous character. Blue/purplish fruit, gravel, incense, menthol and lavender all take shape as the 2021 shows off its striking beauty. There is so much to look forward to.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMFrom a site located in the hills above Los Olivos, the 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard gives up a dense purple hue as well as notes of jammy blueberries, black cherry liqueur, candied violets, and black pepper. This is a concentrated, medium to full-bodied, powerful Syrah that has terrific tannins as well as good acidity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95+ JD

A cool vintage in Washington State, the 2002 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was harvested on October 10 and saw roughly 25% new French barriques during its élevage. Full-bodied, savory, layered and seamless, it has lots of iodine, olive brine, dried herbs and sweet black raspberry fruit to go with good overall freshness, plenty of texture and great finish. It will continue to drink nicely through 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 2023 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is one of the greatest wines I have tasted from Pax Mahle. The Hillsides is a blend of the best sites in the range, fermented in cement with whole clusters and also aged in cement. The long growing season resulted in a rich, heady wine with intense fruit and perfectly ripe tannins. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 98 VMVery pure and perfumed aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, plums, cured meat, dried herbs and violets. The palate is supple, with seamlessly integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving flavors of mulberries, graphite, black olives and mocha. A serious northern Rhone-inspired syrah with a soft touch. Excellent. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS