REGION: California

Pax and Pam Mahle moved to California in 1997 to pursue wine careers. Pax started his own brand in 2000, focusing on Syrah. Known for rich Syrah, Pax later shifted to fresher, lower-alcohol wines from cooler Sonoma regions. Their wines are balanced and elegant, made with minimal intervention.

The Peay family farms organically and blends each cuvee blind. Their estate is a true definition of cool-climate meets coastal. They are located just 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean which means the grapes are occasionally picked as late as mid-October.

Sir Peter Michael founded his winery in 1982 on a square mile of rocky volcanic ridges on the western face of Mount St. Helena with a singular vision: to make wine in the terroir-driven tradition of Burgundy and Bordeaux, under the California sun.