Pax Mahle 'Dazed & Carbonic' 2018

This mahoosively chillable, spritzy red is one of the best things we’ve put in our gobs for under £20 this year. It’s not all grouse and Grand Crus at Rotter Towers – sometimes only JUICE will cut it.

2014 saw the return of Pax Mahle’s eponymous wine label, which had (re)grown out of Pax and his wife Pam’s Wind Gap project – an exploration of cooler vineyard sites across California that incorporated gentler winemaking and minimal intervention techniques to craft fresher and brighter wines.

Known previously for his powerful Syrah bottlings, Pax has since demonstrated California’s potential for cool climate varieties and downright delicious (and – importantly – clean) natural wines that don’t cost a bomb.

Inspired by the Lez Zeppelin classic, ‘Dazed & Carbonic’ is a Syrah, Viognier, and Trousseau Gris blend, all whole-cluster and carbonically fermented. It’s tart like that first morning glass of Ocean Spray, yet juicy as a ripe peach, and comes in at a chuggable 11.5% ABV. Whack a few in your basket and thank us later.