Crushed red cherries, spiced plums and exotic dark spices including clove and cardamom highlight this deeply aromatic wine. The palate follows the aromas with fresh tart cherries, plums and cinnamon laced fruit. Soft tannins give the wine structure and length while the NegroAmaro fruit stands out for its distinctive bite. This is a dead ringer for a rustic southern Italian Red. A perfect compliment to a classic red sauce pasta or roasted fatty meats.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Fox Hill Vineyard is a special place. Located just outside of Hopland in Mendocino County, this vineyard is an oasis of unique and distinct Italian grape varieties. Our 2013 Fox Hill Vineyard Red Wine utilizes just three of those Italian grape varieties. The NegroAmaro, Nero dā Avola & Dolcetto were all harvested and fermented separately as well as a single tank fermented as a blend of all three. These three grape varieties all grow in different parts of Italy, so a blend of all three is a
uniquely California experience. The earthy and rustic NegroAmaro blends perfectly with āthe little sweet oneā Dolcetto, while the plumy and peppery Nero dā Avola fleshes the blend out completely.
āPax Mahle is best known for his award-winning, 90+ rated wines from Sonoma under his own Pax label. He has also made the Agartha and Wind Gap labels. Formerly a sommelier and a wine buyer at Dean & DeLuca, he started making wine in 2002. His specialty is Syrah and Pinot Noir. This medium bodied and refreshing red blend should be served lightly chilled. It was bottled unfiltered.ā Greg Martellotto, One Vine Wines
Appellation: Mendocino County
100% Whole-Cluster
50% Carbonic Fermentation
Aged in Neutral French Oak barrels
pH: 3.55
Alcohol: 12.5%
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
4x 2013 Wind Gap Wines Red Blend, Fox Hill Vineyard, Mendocino County
Case:
12x 2013 Wind Gap Wines Red Blend, Fox Hill Vineyard, Mendocino County
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $420/MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Wind Gap Wines
Founded: 2006
Wind Gap Wines was founded in 2006. Grapes are sourced from vineyards throughout California, most of which are planted along or are directly influenced by one wind gap or another. These geological breaks in the coastal hills funnel wind inland and strongly influence the growing and ripening of wine grapes. The name, Wind Gap, celebrates this force of nature that shapes the wines.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Iāve quite enjoyed all the Wind Gap wines Iāve had, except one Chardonnay that was merely āfineā. The interesting blend and Mendocino origin make me want in.
Anybody in socal for splitting?
Letās get the Santa Cruz Pinot next time!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Wind Gap Wines Fox Hill Vineyard Red Blend - $35 = 21.20%
@chipgreen I agree! Blend sounds unique and something that I never had. Shoutout thanks to the 'Mates that posted links. CT shows a community price of $17.67 with 14 btls listed (10 consumed, 4 in inventory and no tasting notes). Based on the info in the links, my thinking is that this might be a sell off of Paxās wine by the new owners. I only saw one state on the map lit up. Looks like RJ stated that we may see something tonight!
On a side note, there were interesting links in the Casemate links that talked about EU and US tariffs on wine and booze along with US excise tax relief expiring at the end of the year. Not sure if that was Fiscal or Calendar Year. Iāve been noticing wine prices going up this past year and thought it was because of the dry weather and fires in CA, now Iām thinking tariffs may be playing a part. The US and EU tariffs were for wines under 14% or 14.5%. Wondering if the wineries in all the countries will try to produce their wines on the non-taxing side of the tariffs?
Sure glad I have a basement full of cases bought before the above scenario! Now my SIWBM may even take a greater effort on my part!
Wind Gap Wines Fox Hill Vineyard Red Blend
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
These Wind Gap wines have been showing up all over. The Syrahs and Pinots I have had were well made but certainly very lean. I suspect that is a hallmark of Pax Mahle.
Very unique blend however. Would love to see some rats.
@kaolis@rlmanzo Really nice WS article and Paxās wines sound very intriguing. Maybe @winedavid49 could scratch us up 6 or 12 bottle case of Paxās current wines. Something that would break everyoneās SIWBMās!!
@kaolis@rlmanzo@Winedavid49 Just visited Paxās website. Seems like most of his wines are allocated or sold out, with only 2 syrahs available. I doubt if weāll every see his PAX wines here. If it happened, it would be an ULTRA FRIDAY offer!
Although technically I guess the Wind Gap label exists, they are no longer making wines and Pax sold all of his interest in the winery including inventory last year. A little more info here:
@kaolis Yeah, Iāve gotten a bunch of Syrah, Pinot, and Nebbiolo (Luna Matta Vineyard) from Garagiste, and a few bottles from K&L. All at quite nice pricing, especially given I like the leaner style of this label.
Pax has always made interesting wines, with a pretty major style shift after the original āPaxā had name change to Donelan Family and Pax started Wind Gap. These wines tend to be leaner in style. As others have pointed out, he is no longer involved with the Wind Gap label and the wines have been being sold off in lots of places. The original Pax label has been relaunched by him and heās continuing to do some interesting things. Iām curious why there is no rattage on this wine - it seems that some wines on Casemates have multiple lab rats and some have none or very few - interesting . . .
@tercerowines Yeah, I donāt know why that happens. I suspect itās because some of these are being sold off by people who are just dumping inventory and so donāt care how well they do or if they form relationships with new customers.
I know youād agree thatās a mistake, even if it is dumping inventory.
@klezman this was a pretty specific situation. Terroir needed to divest in all of their wine related operations since their CEO was indicted for some āquestionableā investment advice and you cannot own any liquor related business if you are convicted of a felony. He also had to sell off his share of Mayacamas. I have no idea who āownsā the label anymore but I do not think they are still making any wines . . . but perhaps @winedavid49 can jump in here and provide more info?
Iāve been enjoying mixed reds lately so Iām tempted, but Iād really like for someone (somerat) to provide feedback. Very few purchases as of this comment.
If you like lighter, more acid driven red wines, you will probably be happy with this one. My guess is that this is a relatively high acid red that will be a perfect accompaniment to pizza, pasta or burgers . . . and the price seems right.
@rjquillin probably a buyer as long as this is still showing life which I suspect it is. Iāve enjoyed Paxās wines all along, still hanging on to some older Keltie/Griffinās Lair/Lauterbach/Kristine etc. Of course those are different animal from this wine
@tercerowines Before pairing with dinner tonight, I would have thought not. This is not a forceful bottle and I think could be easily overwhelmed, despite the acid/tannins.
@tercerowines Iād not expect, based on history here, any participation on close-out bottles. At times, itās all we can do to get participation from the larger houses where they represent multiple labels.
Itās the small producers that make this site work.
Wind Gap 2013 fox Hill Vineyard Mendocino County Red Wine
Tardy Rat here, with a bit of a storyā¦
Received this last Friday, should be plenty of time for a decent, thoughtful rat one would think,;
but it didnāt work out quite as planned.
Arriving home latish, 21:00 or so, I did the unimaginable; pulled a cork on a just received red to pour a small taste. After all, it can settle for a couple days, and the air just may be beneficial.
Lovely natural, intact cork extracted nicely, but whatās that sludge in my glass?
Ahh, must be unfiltered and stored properly, inverted. Some tartrate crystals as well; good start.
Wipe neck, repour, sniff, taste.
Pour: itās turbid, a rather pale to medium garnet.
Not much on the nose, some distant fruits, something sharp, no alcohol
Sip; what is this? Seems, kinda, offā¦
Expecting a Pinot, or perhaps a Syrah, this is not that, not even close.
Room temp, ~24 or so, doesnāt seem friendly. I hope this isnāt a bum bottle.
What do I have?
Will have to wait, itās late.
Saturday evening, after the wine and food thing here in San Diego.
No way Iāll be objective, but, I canā¦
Scour web, site down. Of course, sold. Internet archive for the site over the years; no mention of a āred wineā. Blind tasting can be humbling, even when you have the bottle right there to look at.
Sunday.
Pull it out of the fridge, pour a decent sample, let it and the bottle sit.
Too cold, nothing there.
More than a handful of hours later itās too warm again; a hot day here, quick chill.
I have no idea what Iām drinking.
Itās quite restrained regarding fruit, nothing bright, dark; definitely has an acidic kick, a bit of tannic structure and a tinge of bitter.
About 7 or 8 hours in, this became more interesting.
I canāt really describe the fruits. Not any of the common tree fruits, not tropical or citrus. Berry, thatās about all thatās left, but not a bright berry. Spice, clove perhaps some pepper. Earth too. Not forest and mushrooms, just, dirt/dust. All this while still being restraned, but not timid or flabby; seems this could last for some time, given how long it took to sort itself out.
I still have no idea what Iām drinking, but itās growing on me, I think I could like this.
Monday.
Read the notes.
What a strange, to me, brew; two grapes Iāve never heard of, and an old friend Dolcetto.
Would not have guessed.
But given the blend it all begins to make sense.
Pulled it out and poured a glass from the final 1/3.
Some leftover Flannery, Brussels sprouts, korokke and kabucha; yeah a strange mix, but a nice pairing.
Rather surprised how the Wind Gap held up to the stronger flavors, but it did. I think the spice and somewhat drying tannins helped a lot, and the crisp acidity cleaned up the steak.
But when it comes to fruit, this is still a restrained blend from all the Dolcetto. The other two really lift this and add dimension to make it work.
So I went from āis this a spoiled bottleā to āI think Iāll get some of thisā
Iād never have thunk.
Thanks WD and Ariana,
with apologies for being a day late.
@rjquillin Not easy being a Rat is it? Ok, so Iām familiar with Nero dāAvola and Negroamaro however didnāt know there was any in California. I did have to google korokke and kabucha though
Nice write-up, thanks!
Carbonic maceration can soften a wine some, but you mention crisp acidity. Seems this still has the legs to go some. But Iām not smart enough to know the ins and outs of the effects of the process.
@kaolis Can a bottle be both crisp and soft at the same time? This is the closest Iāve been to thinking itās possible.
Not sure how long this may go. Some of the Pavi Dolcetto bottles have made it way past what most sites suggest is the norm for Dolcetto. Adding in the two additional blends complicated it for me.
This does not taste fresh and vibrant, at all, itās six years after vintage but does appear to have been well stored. I like bottles with some age on them and this drinks that way, but lacks the leather, tobacco and other hints weāre used to finding.
Reading a bit on carbonic maceration, and how it is suggested that process keeps the fruit fresh, and how wine produced this way may lack the structure for long-term aging, makes me think this really is a drink-sooner bottle.
For me it was additional continuing education, and no, itās not easy, at all. @tercerowines@winesmith Larry, Clark, your thoughts as winemakers?
@kaolis@rjquillin@winesmith very interesting write up indeed. Carbonic maceration wines generally are made to be consumed sooner rather than later, though this is not always the case. Pax currently makes other wines that have carbonic qualities that probably will stand the test of time, but I believe that has as much to do with variety chosen (syrah, for instance) as well as where the fruit is coming from. Iād be curious to hear Clarkās take on this as well - but my guess is that this is a wine to drink sooner rather than later . . .
You got to rat, and said you were in the for the case. Now looking for splits?
I know that is the entire point of the site, āmatesā to split, but it seems like you liked the case price but not enough for a case. So does everyone else.
That is completely fair, but I donāt have enough 'mates in CMH to negotiate a case with splits. It is always āI am buying this case, but could part with x amountā
If it happens, it happens. If it doesnāt it doesnāt. But, you kind of made it seem like it was worth the entire case in your rat, so why offering to split now? Buyers remorse?
@KNmeh7 Really annoyed when an entire reply hits the bit bucket and requires an (abbreviated) do-overā¦
Fair comment, butā¦
I donāt think either of my comments implied a case purchase to keep, and Iāve not yet made a purchase. If others show interest, it will be the case, otherwise the 4-bottle offer. Iām really curious to see where this goes in the next few+ years, and the cost to do so is quite reasonable.
Would have liked to see/read others opinions as well, but it seems I may have been the only recipient; a loss for us all.
āSo I went from āis this a spoiled bottleā to āI think Iāll get some of thisāā
I probably read more into it than I should have, but it did sound like an endorsement. Considering a few ounces of Flannery costs the entire amount of the case, I made an ass out of you and me. (Well, mostly me.)
I donāt know your preferences or tastes, but I was almost swayed by your rattage, but you havenāt even purchased yet? I think it would be best saying it is what it is. Not worth you buying.
@KNmeh7@rjquillin
Nah, thatās not how I read it. I almost never would want a whole case of a wine, and almost never(er) of the same wine. It would always be to split a case with locals, given the incentive to buy the case vs smaller lot.
@klezman@rjquillin No need to whisper. Take all the offense you want. I am not accusing you of being a shill or having special relationships or anything of the sort.
Hell, look at my posts. Nearly every single offer that I have purchased a case and would like to lessen the cost, I post it on the forums. I BEGGED, with the help of Larry, for a CMH 'mate to help me out with the tercero offering.
I donāt get PMs, texts, calls, or anything from people coordinating splits. Despite having split with many different people, and even starting a thread asking what is the proper ettiquite on costs/sharing/etc.!! Seriously. Iāve tried.
I am simply jealous of the areas where all these people seem to agree on splitting cases and getting singular bottles for the case price.
It is a jealousy thing of that, but Iāincorrectly!āread that you were in for it. Which, to those people without an awesome sharing network, assume is a case.
I donāt get PMs, texts, calls, or anything from people coordinating splits. Despite having split with many different people, and even starting a thread asking what is the proper ettiquite on costs/sharing/etc.!! Seriously. Iāve tried.
I am simply jealous of the areas where all these people seem to agree on splitting cases and getting singular bottles for the case price.
Fortunately, now I/we, are, at the case price. But the $3/btl wouldnāt have stopped me from the 4-pack.
It is a jealousy thing of that, but Iāincorrectly!āread that you were in for it. Which, to those people without an awesome sharing network, assume is a case.
With the help of @cortot and @klezman, we managed a case split, with a bottle or two still available if any are interested.
@KNmeh7@rjquillin It truly sucks that you donāt have a good crew of wine drinkers up there.
By CMH you mean Columbus, OH, right? Do you know @chipgreen? If not, you should - heās an excellent guy. Further afield, @bahwm and @ddeuddeg are in Buffalo, if you ever get out in that direction.
You may also want to check in on the NE OH gathering thread: https://casemates.com/forum/topics/cle-ne-oh-casemates
Looks like a nice sized group of people, including some names whoāve been around since the earlier days of wine woot. Let the case-splits roll!
@bahwm@chipgreen@ddeuddeg@klezman@rjquillin I have had the pleasure of meeting most, if not all, of the wonderful people you mentioned. I met them at the Scott Harvey dinner in NEO.
If there were ever a crazy black-tie offer, maybe I would ask them if I could get one next time we meet, but it doesnāt really make sense to āshareā with people 2+ hours away, with no foreseeable meet up.
@KNmeh7
FWIW, I make it to the Columbus area a couple times a year. Thanksgiving in Hocking Hills (Logan) at my BILās place, the occasional multi-day conference in downtown C-Bus for work and just last month we spent a night at the Doghouse in Canal Winchester.
So, splitting is not out of the question although I have been spoiled with half a dozen or so very reliable NE OH peeps that are usually willing to jump in on anything interesting. So you might have to shout at me and/or twist my arm a littleā¦ and then wait awhile for an actual exchange.
Also, I do some occasional swaps with @msten who is in Ashland, a possible halfway meeting point for you and I and another possible 'mate for you as well.
@KNmeh7 Casemates admin put that up there in the header, not @rjquillin. Itās called marketingā¦
No way I see his comments as finding a gem, just a wine interesting enough and off the beaten path enough to pique his curiosity. And further discussion with other mates seemed to shed a bit more light on how this was made and perhaps a guess at where it is now and longevity. I was pretty sure I was in, and Iām a case buyer by choice, seldom split, but rattage and discussion and a little homework convinced me to take a pass.
I donāt know your preferences or tastes, but I was almost swayed by your rattage, but you havenāt even purchased yet? I think it would be best saying it is what it is. Not worth you buying.
My preferences?
If I could ~just~ drink old cabs and burgs, well, I wouldnāt, but I sure would enjoy them. I do like older, more classically styled wine. I donāt at all care for the higher AbV and extraction that is so common of late. If itās a well structured cab, 10~15 years after vintage is a good starting point. Iāve got Pedroncelli (and other) cabs (some purchased here) from the 60ās, 70ās and 80ās that are doing just fine.
Those Ardente offers here were outstanding.
At a tour supper in '13, Ty Caton poured a 2001 Merlot that was terrific. He had a case left, I got half. Well structured, low AbV, unlike many of his more current offers.
Wellington Syrah? Absolutely, but others as well.
Chard, IH, unoaked and estate, quite different from one another, both have their place.
Pinot; forest floor, mushrooms are great, but some bright cherry will do as well.
Recent vintages? Yes, they absolutely have their place as well. I donāt drink all the wine I buy, and others visiting wouldnāt touch some bottles I open.
I need cellar savers and crowd pleasers tooā¦
I like to try different things, and this offer really rang that bell.
Is it a stellar bottle Iāll keep for another 10 years?
Highly unlikely. As I said before, at first I didnāt know what to think of it. It was that different and had varietals I was unfamiliar with. Not my thing, but interesting. After reading the posted notes from the Vintner I got interested. This is something different I can learn from. This wonāt be a bottle for everybody, and not one, I think, for long term holding. Not only in the grapes but how it was produced.
Not worth [you] buying?
Absolutely not, as in untrue.
But do I want a case? Nope, no personal interest in that many.
Do I want a few bottles to follow along with for a few years? Absolutely.
With two other 'mates chiming in we all benefit.
I appreciate these āoffbeatā offers @winedavid49 sometimes provides. There have been some real gems, and a few misses. Itās a shame we didnāt have Vintner participation with this one; we all would have benefited. Thanks to Larry for his comments, and I wish Clark wasnāt so busy and could have given us his perspective as well.
We visited winery and liked their wines nothing fabulous, compared to others and price in area. When Wind Gap changed owners we received an email offer. Bought a case mixed Pinot Noir, liked it ok. The case of Syrah, 8 of the 12 got dumped. We tried 4 times per all friends undrinkable. Couldāve been a one off just wanted to share.
@ChiWineOne Thanks for the feedback. What do you mean by āundrinkableā? Iām always interested to get a bit more āobjectiveā info as to why a wine may be not good to someone. Cheers
@tercerowines very bad taste, seemed as if every bottle opened was corked. This was across a good size of individuals sampling. From discerning palates to not so discerning, all concluded the same. We recycle so I sampled each bottle before dumping all the same. Our lose $.
@ChiWineOne if every bottle is corked, you should have returned them. Itās one thing if you donāt like the taste of a wine. If it is truly corked, though, you should be able to get your money back.
Tasting Notes
Crushed red cherries, spiced plums and exotic dark spices including clove and cardamom highlight this deeply aromatic wine. The palate follows the aromas with fresh tart cherries, plums and cinnamon laced fruit. Soft tannins give the wine structure and length while the NegroAmaro fruit stands out for its distinctive bite. This is a dead ringer for a rustic southern Italian Red. A perfect compliment to a classic red sauce pasta or roasted fatty meats.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Fox Hill Vineyard is a special place. Located just outside of Hopland in Mendocino County, this vineyard is an oasis of unique and distinct Italian grape varieties. Our 2013 Fox Hill Vineyard Red Wine utilizes just three of those Italian grape varieties. The NegroAmaro, Nero dā Avola & Dolcetto were all harvested and fermented separately as well as a single tank fermented as a blend of all three. These three grape varieties all grow in different parts of Italy, so a blend of all three is a
uniquely California experience. The earthy and rustic NegroAmaro blends perfectly with āthe little sweet oneā Dolcetto, while the plumy and peppery Nero dā Avola fleshes the blend out completely.
āPax Mahle is best known for his award-winning, 90+ rated wines from Sonoma under his own Pax label. He has also made the Agartha and Wind Gap labels. Formerly a sommelier and a wine buyer at Dean & DeLuca, he started making wine in 2002. His specialty is Syrah and Pinot Noir. This medium bodied and refreshing red blend should be served lightly chilled. It was bottled unfiltered.ā Greg Martellotto, One Vine Wines
Specifications
100% Whole-Cluster
50% Carbonic Fermentation
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $420/MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Wind Gap Wines
Founded: 2006
Wind Gap Wines was founded in 2006. Grapes are sourced from vineyards throughout California, most of which are planted along or are directly influenced by one wind gap or another. These geological breaks in the coastal hills funnel wind inland and strongly influence the growing and ripening of wine grapes. The name, Wind Gap, celebrates this force of nature that shapes the wines.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, December 12th - Monday, December 16th
Iāve quite enjoyed all the Wind Gap wines Iāve had, except one Chardonnay that was merely āfineā. The interesting blend and Mendocino origin make me want in.
Anybody in socal for splitting?
Letās get the Santa Cruz Pinot next time!
@klezman I can help you out if needed.
@CorTot Waiting on the ratsā¦
@CorTot @klezman either of you two interested?
@klezman @rjquillin i can take 2-4 if that helps.
@CorTot @rjquillin Iāll take 2 or 3
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Wind Gap Wines Fox Hill Vineyard Red Blend - $35 = 21.20%
Sounds interesting. Hoping for some
@chipgreen Yes, this evening.
@chipgreen I agree! Blend sounds unique and something that I never had. Shoutout thanks to the 'Mates that posted links. CT shows a community price of $17.67 with 14 btls listed (10 consumed, 4 in inventory and no tasting notes). Based on the info in the links, my thinking is that this might be a sell off of Paxās wine by the new owners. I only saw one state on the map lit up. Looks like RJ stated that we may see something tonight!
On a side note, there were interesting links in the Casemate links that talked about EU and US tariffs on wine and booze along with US excise tax relief expiring at the end of the year. Not sure if that was Fiscal or Calendar Year. Iāve been noticing wine prices going up this past year and thought it was because of the dry weather and fires in CA, now Iām thinking tariffs may be playing a part. The US and EU tariffs were for wines under 14% or 14.5%. Wondering if the wineries in all the countries will try to produce their wines on the non-taxing side of the tariffs?
Sure glad I have a basement full of cases bought before the above scenario! Now my SIWBM may even take a greater effort on my part!
Wind Gap Wines Fox Hill Vineyard Red Blend
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2013 Wind Gap Wines Fox Hill Vineyard Red Blend
These Wind Gap wines have been showing up all over. The Syrahs and Pinots I have had were well made but certainly very lean. I suspect that is a hallmark of Pax Mahle.
Very unique blend however. Would love to see some rats.
@rlmanzo This is a few years old, but a little info on Paxās style:
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/the-evolution-of-pax-mahle-and-his-wines-50068
also hoping for a little rattage
@kaolis @rlmanzo Really nice WS article and Paxās wines sound very intriguing. Maybe @winedavid49 could scratch us up 6 or 12 bottle case of Paxās current wines. Something that would break everyoneās SIWBMās!!
@kaolis @rlmanzo @Winedavid49 Just visited Paxās website. Seems like most of his wines are allocated or sold out, with only 2 syrahs available. I doubt if weāll every see his PAX wines here. If it happened, it would be an ULTRA FRIDAY offer!
Although technically I guess the Wind Gap label exists, they are no longer making wines and Pax sold all of his interest in the winery including inventory last year. A little more info here:
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/wind-gap-wines-sold-to-charles-banks-former-wine-company
@kaolis Yeah, Iāve gotten a bunch of Syrah, Pinot, and Nebbiolo (Luna Matta Vineyard) from Garagiste, and a few bottles from K&L. All at quite nice pricing, especially given I like the leaner style of this label.
Pax has always made interesting wines, with a pretty major style shift after the original āPaxā had name change to Donelan Family and Pax started Wind Gap. These wines tend to be leaner in style. As others have pointed out, he is no longer involved with the Wind Gap label and the wines have been being sold off in lots of places. The original Pax label has been relaunched by him and heās continuing to do some interesting things. Iām curious why there is no rattage on this wine - it seems that some wines on Casemates have multiple lab rats and some have none or very few - interesting . . .
@tercerowines Yeah, I donāt know why that happens. I suspect itās because some of these are being sold off by people who are just dumping inventory and so donāt care how well they do or if they form relationships with new customers.
I know youād agree thatās a mistake, even if it is dumping inventory.
@klezman this was a pretty specific situation. Terroir needed to divest in all of their wine related operations since their CEO was indicted for some āquestionableā investment advice and you cannot own any liquor related business if you are convicted of a felony. He also had to sell off his share of Mayacamas. I have no idea who āownsā the label anymore but I do not think they are still making any wines . . . but perhaps @winedavid49 can jump in here and provide more info?
Iāve been enjoying mixed reds lately so Iām tempted, but Iād really like for someone (somerat) to provide feedback. Very few purchases as of this comment.
If you like lighter, more acid driven red wines, you will probably be happy with this one. My guess is that this is a relatively high acid red that will be a perfect accompaniment to pizza, pasta or burgers . . . and the price seems right.
@tercerowines as a āquick takeā I can confirm the higher acid, also a lighter style.
@rjquillin have you had this wine before? Sounds tasty . . .
@tercerowines Iām a (tardy) rat.
@rjquillin probably a buyer as long as this is still showing life which I suspect it is. Iāve enjoyed Paxās wines all along, still hanging on to some older Keltie/Griffinās Lair/Lauterbach/Kristine etc. Of course those are different animal from this wine
@rjquillin
Is the rat still alive??
@tercerowines Before pairing with dinner tonight, I would have thought not. This is not a forceful bottle and I think could be easily overwhelmed, despite the acid/tannins.
@tercerowines No, I had not had this before.
So quiet - and where is the winery???
@tercerowines What winery?
@rjquillin these were purchased by someone, right???
@tercerowines Iād not expect, based on history here, any participation on close-out bottles. At times, itās all we can do to get participation from the larger houses where they represent multiple labels.
Itās the small producers that make this site work.
@rjquillin then itās probably best to choose someone to represent. @winedavid49, Iām free!!!
Wind Gap 2013 fox Hill Vineyard Mendocino County Red Wine
Tardy Rat here, with a bit of a storyā¦
Received this last Friday, should be plenty of time for a decent, thoughtful rat one would think,;
but it didnāt work out quite as planned.
Arriving home latish, 21:00 or so, I did the unimaginable; pulled a cork on a just received red to pour a small taste. After all, it can settle for a couple days, and the air just may be beneficial.
Lovely natural, intact cork extracted nicely, but whatās that sludge in my glass?
Ahh, must be unfiltered and stored properly, inverted. Some tartrate crystals as well; good start.
Wipe neck, repour, sniff, taste.
Pour: itās turbid, a rather pale to medium garnet.
Not much on the nose, some distant fruits, something sharp, no alcohol
Sip; what is this? Seems, kinda, offā¦
Expecting a Pinot, or perhaps a Syrah, this is not that, not even close.
Room temp, ~24 or so, doesnāt seem friendly. I hope this isnāt a bum bottle.
What do I have?
Will have to wait, itās late.
Saturday evening, after the wine and food thing here in San Diego.
No way Iāll be objective, but, I canā¦
Scour web, site down. Of course, sold. Internet archive for the site over the years; no mention of a āred wineā. Blind tasting can be humbling, even when you have the bottle right there to look at.
Sunday.
Pull it out of the fridge, pour a decent sample, let it and the bottle sit.
Too cold, nothing there.
More than a handful of hours later itās too warm again; a hot day here, quick chill.
I have no idea what Iām drinking.
Itās quite restrained regarding fruit, nothing bright, dark; definitely has an acidic kick, a bit of tannic structure and a tinge of bitter.
About 7 or 8 hours in, this became more interesting.
I canāt really describe the fruits. Not any of the common tree fruits, not tropical or citrus. Berry, thatās about all thatās left, but not a bright berry. Spice, clove perhaps some pepper. Earth too. Not forest and mushrooms, just, dirt/dust. All this while still being restraned, but not timid or flabby; seems this could last for some time, given how long it took to sort itself out.
I still have no idea what Iām drinking, but itās growing on me, I think I could like this.
Monday.
Read the notes.
What a strange, to me, brew; two grapes Iāve never heard of, and an old friend Dolcetto.
Would not have guessed.
But given the blend it all begins to make sense.
Pulled it out and poured a glass from the final 1/3.
Some leftover Flannery, Brussels sprouts, korokke and kabucha; yeah a strange mix, but a nice pairing.
Rather surprised how the Wind Gap held up to the stronger flavors, but it did. I think the spice and somewhat drying tannins helped a lot, and the crisp acidity cleaned up the steak.
But when it comes to fruit, this is still a restrained blend from all the Dolcetto. The other two really lift this and add dimension to make it work.
So I went from āis this a spoiled bottleā to āI think Iāll get some of thisā
Iād never have thunk.
Thanks WD and Ariana,
with apologies for being a day late.
@rjquillin Not easy being a Rat is it? Ok, so Iām familiar with Nero dāAvola and Negroamaro however didnāt know there was any in California. I did have to google korokke and kabucha though
Nice write-up, thanks!
Carbonic maceration can soften a wine some, but you mention crisp acidity. Seems this still has the legs to go some. But Iām not smart enough to know the ins and outs of the effects of the process.
@kaolis Can a bottle be both crisp and soft at the same time? This is the closest Iāve been to thinking itās possible.
Not sure how long this may go. Some of the Pavi Dolcetto bottles have made it way past what most sites suggest is the norm for Dolcetto. Adding in the two additional blends complicated it for me.
This does not taste fresh and vibrant, at all, itās six years after vintage but does appear to have been well stored. I like bottles with some age on them and this drinks that way, but lacks the leather, tobacco and other hints weāre used to finding.
Reading a bit on carbonic maceration, and how it is suggested that process keeps the fruit fresh, and how wine produced this way may lack the structure for long-term aging, makes me think this really is a drink-sooner bottle.
For me it was additional continuing education, and no, itās not easy, at all.
@tercerowines @winesmith Larry, Clark, your thoughts as winemakers?
@kaolis @rjquillin @winesmith very interesting write up indeed. Carbonic maceration wines generally are made to be consumed sooner rather than later, though this is not always the case. Pax currently makes other wines that have carbonic qualities that probably will stand the test of time, but I believe that has as much to do with variety chosen (syrah, for instance) as well as where the fruit is coming from. Iād be curious to hear Clarkās take on this as well - but my guess is that this is a wine to drink sooner rather than later . . .
So quiet - and where is the winery???
SoCal splitz?
@rjquillin Little devilās advocate here:
You got to rat, and said you were in the for the case. Now looking for splits?
I know that is the entire point of the site, āmatesā to split, but it seems like you liked the case price but not enough for a case. So does everyone else.
That is completely fair, but I donāt have enough 'mates in CMH to negotiate a case with splits. It is always āI am buying this case, but could part with x amountā
If it happens, it happens. If it doesnāt it doesnāt. But, you kind of made it seem like it was worth the entire case in your rat, so why offering to split now? Buyers remorse?
@KNmeh7 Really annoyed when an entire reply hits the bit bucket and requires an (abbreviated) do-overā¦
Fair comment, butā¦
I donāt think either of my comments implied a case purchase to keep, and Iāve not yet made a purchase. If others show interest, it will be the case, otherwise the 4-bottle offer. Iām really curious to see where this goes in the next few+ years, and the cost to do so is quite reasonable.
Would have liked to see/read others opinions as well, but it seems I may have been the only recipient; a loss for us all.
@rjquillin
āSo I went from āis this a spoiled bottleā to āI think Iāll get some of thisāā
I probably read more into it than I should have, but it did sound like an endorsement. Considering a few ounces of Flannery costs the entire amount of the case, I made an ass out of you and me. (Well, mostly me.)
I donāt know your preferences or tastes, but I was almost swayed by your rattage, but you havenāt even purchased yet? I think it would be best saying it is what it is. Not worth you buying.
@KNmeh7 @rjquillin
Nah, thatās not how I read it. I almost never would want a whole case of a wine, and almost never(er) of the same wine. It would always be to split a case with locals, given the incentive to buy the case vs smaller lot.
@KNmeh7 Case ordered. 3-way split
renewed-lofty-vodka
@klezman @rjquillin Must be nice to have that kind of relationship with casemates. Here I am stuck buying cases. I guess I am doing it wrong.
@klezman @rjquillin No need to whisper. Take all the offense you want. I am not accusing you of being a shill or having special relationships or anything of the sort.
Hell, look at my posts. Nearly every single offer that I have purchased a case and would like to lessen the cost, I post it on the forums. I BEGGED, with the help of Larry, for a CMH 'mate to help me out with the tercero offering.
I donāt get PMs, texts, calls, or anything from people coordinating splits. Despite having split with many different people, and even starting a thread asking what is the proper ettiquite on costs/sharing/etc.!! Seriously. Iāve tried.
I am simply jealous of the areas where all these people seem to agree on splitting cases and getting singular bottles for the case price.
It is a jealousy thing of that, but Iāincorrectly!āread that you were in for it. Which, to those people without an awesome sharing network, assume is a case.
POPSOCKETS! SPA KITS! POLLY POCKETS! AWESOME!
@klezman @KNmeh7 @winedavid49
We need promised tools!
Fortunately, now I/we, are, at the case price. But the $3/btl wouldnāt have stopped me from the 4-pack.
With the help of @cortot and @klezman, we managed a case split, with a bottle or two still available if any are interested.
@KNmeh7 @rjquillin It truly sucks that you donāt have a good crew of wine drinkers up there.
By CMH you mean Columbus, OH, right? Do you know @chipgreen? If not, you should - heās an excellent guy. Further afield, @bahwm and @ddeuddeg are in Buffalo, if you ever get out in that direction.
You may also want to check in on the NE OH gathering thread: https://casemates.com/forum/topics/cle-ne-oh-casemates
Looks like a nice sized group of people, including some names whoāve been around since the earlier days of wine woot. Let the case-splits roll!
@bahwm @chipgreen @ddeuddeg @klezman @rjquillin I have had the pleasure of meeting most, if not all, of the wonderful people you mentioned. I met them at the Scott Harvey dinner in NEO.
If there were ever a crazy black-tie offer, maybe I would ask them if I could get one next time we meet, but it doesnāt really make sense to āshareā with people 2+ hours away, with no foreseeable meet up.
@KNmeh7
FWIW, I make it to the Columbus area a couple times a year. Thanksgiving in Hocking Hills (Logan) at my BILās place, the occasional multi-day conference in downtown C-Bus for work and just last month we spent a night at the Doghouse in Canal Winchester.
So, splitting is not out of the question although I have been spoiled with half a dozen or so very reliable NE OH peeps that are usually willing to jump in on anything interesting. So you might have to shout at me and/or twist my arm a littleā¦ and then wait awhile for an actual exchange.
Also, I do some occasional swaps with @msten who is in Ashland, a possible halfway meeting point for you and I and another possible 'mate for you as well.
@KNmeh7 I would split with you also (3-4 hrs away) but as Chip saysā¦āonly make it down a couple times a yearā to visit friends
@KNmeh7 @rjquillin How does āI THINK Iāll get SOME of thisā translate to Iām absolutely buying a full case of this for myself?
@kaolis
You really want to beat this dead horse? If you take the entire rattage, it sounds like it turned into a gem that he was getting.
It is the first thing people see when clicking on more comments.
@KNmeh7 Casemates admin put that up there in the header, not @rjquillin. Itās called marketingā¦
No way I see his comments as finding a gem, just a wine interesting enough and off the beaten path enough to pique his curiosity. And further discussion with other mates seemed to shed a bit more light on how this was made and perhaps a guess at where it is now and longevity. I was pretty sure I was in, and Iām a case buyer by choice, seldom split, but rattage and discussion and a little homework convinced me to take a pass.
And another rat or two would have been nice
@KNmeh7
My preferences?
If I could ~just~ drink old cabs and burgs, well, I wouldnāt, but I sure would enjoy them. I do like older, more classically styled wine. I donāt at all care for the higher AbV and extraction that is so common of late. If itās a well structured cab, 10~15 years after vintage is a good starting point. Iāve got Pedroncelli (and other) cabs (some purchased here) from the 60ās, 70ās and 80ās that are doing just fine.
Those Ardente offers here were outstanding.
At a tour supper in '13, Ty Caton poured a 2001 Merlot that was terrific. He had a case left, I got half. Well structured, low AbV, unlike many of his more current offers.
Wellington Syrah? Absolutely, but others as well.
Chard, IH, unoaked and estate, quite different from one another, both have their place.
Pinot; forest floor, mushrooms are great, but some bright cherry will do as well.
Recent vintages? Yes, they absolutely have their place as well. I donāt drink all the wine I buy, and others visiting wouldnāt touch some bottles I open.
I need cellar savers and crowd pleasers tooā¦
I like to try different things, and this offer really rang that bell.
Is it a stellar bottle Iāll keep for another 10 years?
Highly unlikely. As I said before, at first I didnāt know what to think of it. It was that different and had varietals I was unfamiliar with. Not my thing, but interesting. After reading the posted notes from the Vintner I got interested. This is something different I can learn from. This wonāt be a bottle for everybody, and not one, I think, for long term holding. Not only in the grapes but how it was produced.
Absolutely not, as in untrue.
But do I want a case? Nope, no personal interest in that many.
Do I want a few bottles to follow along with for a few years? Absolutely.
With two other 'mates chiming in we all benefit.
I appreciate these āoffbeatā offers @winedavid49 sometimes provides. There have been some real gems, and a few misses. Itās a shame we didnāt have Vintner participation with this one; we all would have benefited. Thanks to Larry for his comments, and I wish Clark wasnāt so busy and could have given us his perspective as well.
The specs on this wine are too interesting to ignore. Iām in for a case!!!
IA split?
We visited winery and liked their wines nothing fabulous, compared to others and price in area. When Wind Gap changed owners we received an email offer. Bought a case mixed Pinot Noir, liked it ok. The case of Syrah, 8 of the 12 got dumped. We tried 4 times per all friends undrinkable. Couldāve been a one off just wanted to share.
@ChiWineOne Thanks for the feedback. What do you mean by āundrinkableā? Iām always interested to get a bit more āobjectiveā info as to why a wine may be not good to someone. Cheers
@tercerowines very bad taste, seemed as if every bottle opened was corked. This was across a good size of individuals sampling. From discerning palates to not so discerning, all concluded the same. We recycle so I sampled each bottle before dumping all the same. Our lose $.
@ChiWineOne if every bottle is corked, you should have returned them. Itās one thing if you donāt like the taste of a wine. If it is truly corked, though, you should be able to get your money back.
@tercerowines Wind Gap was sold. Previous incarnation no one to contact, I tried.
@ChiWineOne I know that they were sold but thereās gotta be SOMEONE responsible, no?!?!?