Pax Mahle, Chenin Blanc 2021 Lyman Ranch Vineyards, Amador County, Sierra Nevada, CA

A ripe and luscious Californian Chenin Blanc, this one’s full of tropical fruit, ginger, and spice. It’s lush and juicy on the palate, with citrus and honey.

COUNTRY: USA

STATE: California

APPELLATION (AVA): Amador County

REGION: Sierra Foothills

VINEYARD: Lyman Ranch

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: 100% Chenin Blanc

SOIL: Red granitic Sierra series

PRACTICE: Organic, sustainable

VINIFICATION: Whole-cluster pressed, fermented with indigenous yeast in concrete eggs and neutral barrels. Aged on the lees in neutral barrels for 8 months. Lightly filtered.

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Light coppery gold

BODY: Light bodied

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Dry mango, ginger, plantain, orange blossom, honey, lemon peel

FLAVOR:  Juicy tropical fruit, spice, honey

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 12.5%

SERVICE AND FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTION: Serve chilled. Pair with grilled white fish with a tropical fruit chutney. 

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Pax and Pam Mahle

“Pax and Pam moved to wine country in 1997 to create a lifestyle that involved working with wine. After a few years of tasting and sourcing wine from all over California, Pax finally found a vineyard in which he felt a kismet connection. Alder Springs Vineyard was the site and subsequently led to the launch of the PAX brand in 2000.

“Their entire lineup of wines came from cool climate vineyards in  Sonoma County and Mendocino.

“At Pax Wines winemaking is approached holistically. This is done by taking care to use only grapes that are grown without the use of chemicals and by hand making their wines with as little intervention as possible. As a result, all of their wines are crushed by foot and hand, and fermented using only natural yeasts.” (paxwine.com)