Andremily California Cult Rhone Wine Offering - The Next Sine Qua Non?
“I pray you, do not fall in love with me, for I am falser than vows made in wine.”
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
We never make vows with wine unless it is over 16% alcohol…. There are only a few grape varietals that can handle that level of heat without being out of balance with Syrah and Grenache being two of them.
Syrah or Shiraz is one of the few red grape varietals that can by itself be made into a world class wine that can be cellared for decades. Although the names are not identical the grape varietal is the same.
Grenache is another one of the most prominent Rhone varietals and although it is fairly different from Shiraz the wine drinking people that enjoy Shiraz also seem to enjoy Grenache.
Andremily Wines has quickly earned the respect and now sits alongside some of the greatest producers of Rhône-varietal blends in California’s Central Coast. This should not come as a surprise as owner and winemaker Jim Binns earned his winemaker wings during his 12 years as assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non (2006-2017). During his tenure at Sine Qua Non they achieved an amazing 27×100 points scores! Jim continues to add to his fame with every vintage as his stunning line-up at Andremily seems to just get better and better every year, balancing hedonism and elegance to near perfection every year.
Jim and his wife Rachel’s work hand and hand with their two children which were the inspiration of the winery name. Andremily was inspired by, their son Andrew, and daughter Emily. When thinking of names for their new brand, they wanted their new venture to express a sense of family, which was accomplished by combining both of their children’s first names. In 2012, Andremily was born and Jim decided to moved on from Sine Qua Non in 2017 in an effort to dedicate 100% all of his time and efforts to Andremily Wines. The winery is located in the coastal city of Ventura, where they bring their rare elixirs through elevage.
Manfred Krankl was very supportive from day one, and literally gifted Jim SQN’s contracts for two of his prized blocks of the White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara’s Cat Canyon. Jim then started looking for other sources to compliment White Hawk, and luckily was able to secure a few great blocks at the Larner Vineyard in Ballard Canyon and then Alta Mesa Vineyard in the Cuyama Valley. Thus the foundation of Andremily winery was firmly in place and the debut 2012 vintage of ‘Andremily No.1’ was released to huge critical acclaim. A few more sources have been added to the tool box since, including the purchase of the Slide Vineyard in Edna Valley, which marks the beginning of Andremily Estate Vineyard.
Jim like most wine producers considers the vineyards and his team to be farmers first and therefor everything starts in the vineyards. They work tirelessly to control the yields and to ensure a uniform balanced vineyard. The fruit must be picked at optimal ripeness, then it goes through a series of sorting tables before it finally reaches the fermentation vessels. Then before fermentation the grapes undergo a period of cold soaking before fermentation takes place. The whole process from vineyard to winery at Andremily is very hands-on: They monitor each fermentation closely, and work to optimize extraction at every point in the process. After the fermentation is complete the finished wine goes into French oak barrels of which 60%-70% are new. Andremily wines usually spend 22- 28 months in barrel before bottling but every vintage demands a slightly different regime at the winery.
Andremily Wines – The Latest Thing from the California Rhone Rangers
2021 ANDREMILY WINES ROSE CALIFORNIA
Price: $84.00 Your Price: $73.92 Quantity in Stock: 12
This is the first vintage of Rose from Andremily that we have received and although there seems to be no information on this wine in the past it has been a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache.
2021 ANDREMILY WINES SYRAH #10 SANTA BARBARA MAGNUM
Price: $300.00 Your Price: $264.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2021 ANDREMILY WINES SYRAH #10 SANTA BARBARA
Price: $144.00 Your Price: $126.72 Quantity in Stock: 12
(97+ Points) The 2021 No. 10 is a blend of 93% Syrah 5% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier. Grapes come from several vineyards including Andremily's new Slide Hill estate in Edna Valley White Hawk Larner Harrison-Clarke Kimsey and Alta Mesa Vineyards in Santa Barbara County. It was vinified with 50% whole clusters and matured for around 22 months in 65% new French barriques. Bottled August 12 and tasted October 25 it boasts a supermassive black hole of dark perfumed fruit at the core. With time in the glass it reveals pure accents of mint chocolate vanilla bean olives lilac tar and botanical nuances. The palate is incredibly concentrated its graphite-laced fruit waiting to explode. All that depth of fruit is balanced by fireworks of fresh acidity and velvety tannins and it has a highly latent finish. 900 cases were made which will be sold as part of a three-bottle box set for $330. A few magnums were also made which will be sold as part of a two-bottle set with the 2021 Mourvèdre. Published: Nov 16 2023 Wine Advocate
2021 ANDREMILY WINES MOURVEDRE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MAGNUM
Price: $300.00 Your Price: $264.0 Quantity in Stock: 1
2021 ANDREMILY WINES MOURVEDRE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Price: $144.00 Your Price: $126.72 Quantity in Stock: 12
(100 Points) Jim Binns manages to polish what can be a naturally rustic variety into a shining sapphire-like expression. Bottled on August 26 and tasted on October 25 it shows the elegance and juiciness that is characteristic of a cooler growing season. It's explosive and electrically blue on the nose with incredibly pure aromas of blueberry candy violet juniper and accents of coffee beans warm chocolate aniseed and grilled Wagyu beef?it continually unfurls to reveal new scents with each return to the glass. The palate is just as impressive with its balance of concentrated fragrant fruit fireworks of fresh acidity and finely chalky tannins and it has a tremendously long perfumed finish. The 2021 is blended with 12% Syrah and fruit comes from Andremily's new Slide Hill estate vineyard plus the Alta Mesa Vineyard and White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. It was vinified using 75% whole clusters and matured around 21 months in 50% new French barriques and 600-liter demi-muids. 500 cases were made which will be sold as part of a three-bottle box set for $330. A few magnums were also made which will be sold as part of a two-bottle set with the 2021 No. 10 Syrah. Published: Nov 16 2023. Wine Advocate
2020 ANDREMILY WINES SYRAH SLIDE HILL EDNA VALLEY
Price: $295.00 Your Price: $259.60 Quantity in Stock: 11
Slide Hill Vineyard consists of 3 rolling hills and a meadow with a variety of slopes, orientations, and soils. The vineyard consists of 39 planted acres in total. Counting Syrah and Grenache as its primary offering, there are also small blocks of Chardonnay, Viognier, Marsanne, Albarino, and Tempranillo. We are very thrilled to have Slide Hill Vineyard as a major component to the Andremily Wines. Only 12 bottles of this Syrah came to Florida and it was a ringer at our last Sine Qua Non tasting and came in second place overall that night with our group of Sine Qua Non lovers!!
2020 ANDREMILY WINES SYRAH No 9 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Price: $145.00 Your Price: $127.60 Quantity in Stock: 7
(99 Points) "The 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."- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
2020 ANDREMILY WINES MOURVEDRE, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Price: $145.00 Your Price: $127.60 Quantity in Stock: 5
(97-99 Points) "Not yet bottled, the 2020 Mourvèdre, blended with 12% Syrah and 2% Viognier, is already offering incredible varietal character and expression. Made using 75% whole clusters, fruit comes from several Central Coast vineyards including Alta Mesa (Santa Barbara County), G2 (Paso Robles), Larner (Ballard Canyon) and Slide Hill (Edna Valley). It will be matured for about 21 months, with 50% in new French barriques and 600-liter demi-muids and 50% in used barriques. Deep purple-ruby in color, the nose opens slowly to loamy earth, dried lavender, mint leaves and a pure, concentrated core of cassis and baked blueberries. (EB)" (05/2022) Wine Advocate
2019 ANDREMILY WINES EABA, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Price: $145.00 Your Price: $127.60 Quantity in Stock: 3
The 2019 is an enticing blend of 61% Syrah, 24% Mourvedre, 13% Grenache and is finished off with a splash of Viognier. The 2019 jumps from the glass offering loads of rich ripe blackberries, violets, charcuterie, pepper, and olive notes, possessing a rich full texture, super fine tannins, and a finish that goes on and on. This wine begs to be enjoyed now, but will certainly reward those who wait, as this beaty has just begun to show her true potential.
AND then there is the master…
A bit about Sine Qua Non from their web page:
"an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary."
Our wines were born of pure passion and a wishful dream – to make something that is so distinctive and so delicious as to make it indispensable to wine lovers the world over. Clearly a rather lofty, even unrealistic notion, but one we decided to pursue anyway. And so with the 1994 vintage started Sine Qua Non, made a whopping four and a half barrels of Syrah that we called “Queen of Spades.”
That first wine was a much greater hit than we could have ever imagined and it literally changed our life. What started as a hobby, more or less on a whim, has become not only our full time occupation, but indeed our life. It is now a part of just about everything we do.
These first four and a half barrels have grown into four different vineyard sites (see our Vineyards section please), a good number of wonderfully dedicated and hard working employees, a new winery building and a simply amazing number of loyal wine lovers the world over. In fact there are so very many lovely folks interested in our wines that we don’t have enough to go around and instead had to create something as annoying as a waiting list.
We are humbled by all the positive feedback we continuously receive by people like you as well as critics and journalists from all corners of the earth. We take that as our mandate to forever strive to get better, to never compromise and to stay true to ourselves and by extension to all those who have supported us and believed in us since those first 100+ cases of wine left our cellar…now so many years ago.
Although at heart we are a Rhone (Ranger) house where Syrah and Grenache play top fiddle… supported by Mourvedre, Rousanne and Viognier, we have an aversion to labels and dogmas or mindless ritual that are sometimes called tradition. And so we also grow non-Rhone-origin grapes such as Petite Manseng, Touriga Nacional, Graciano and Petite Sirah. Varieties we believe can work well on a Rhone canvas.
We are not working on a grape growing or winemaking THESIS. Instead we want all of our efforts to be reflected in every glass of SQN. And so our goal has been and always will be to understand Mother Nature’s often oblique ways and (re)act accordingly so that we may create wines that express all that Nature has so generously given us. And all that this beautifully warm and sunny place called California has to offer. Wines that speak to the heart and the mind both. Wines that are ripe and flavorful, but also graceful and balanced. Wines that are perfectly enjoyable and delicious young, but that will age and show a new and interesting personality with each passing year. Wines that surprise with each sip and where the last drop – not the first sip – was the best one. Wines that make you smile and happy and appreciate all that is lovely.
Wines that make you sense they were crafted by people who loved making them.
With that we hope you’ll join our vinous family and thanks again for looking us up.
In vino veritas,
Elaine & Manfred Krankl
All the Sine Qua Non in the Store on SALE!
2007 Sine Qua Non "To The Rescue" Grenache Vin de Paille California (375ml)
Price: $195.00 Sale $171.60
(96 points) Totally thrilling stuff that’s made from dried Grenache grapes, the 2007 Sine Qua Non Grenache To The Rescue Vin de Paille boasts staggering purity and focus, with decadently sweet notes of crème de cassis, raspberry ganache, and spice aromas that just soar from the glass. Full bodied, impeccably built, and tasting like a top Bussola Recioto, with thrilling sweetness and richness yet no weight, this unctuous dessert wine should not be missed. While youthful now, and perhaps lacking some complexity, it’s so well done, it’s hard not to gulp down and search around frantically for the bottle. So, I think it will age, but I say drink up. (3/2012) Jeb Dunnuck
2007 Sine Qua Non "Body & Soul" Roussanne-Viognier
Price: $435.00 Sale $382.80
(96 points) The new cuvee of white wine, the 2007 Body and Soul, a 475-case blend of 71% Roussanne and 29% Viognier, is primarily from the 11 Confessions Vineyard. Krankl has dropped Chardonnay from the blend, and the resulting wine is a beacon for what can be achieved by blending two white Rhone varietals. About one-third new French oak is used. Honeysuckle, orange blossom, lemon oil, tropical fruit, and floral notes are found in this unctuously-textured white. Full-bodied and dry, with good underlying minerality, crispness, and an alluring freshness, it is impossible to know how such a wine will age. I just finished my last bottle of the 2001 Albino, which is aging fabulously well, and seems capable of lasting another 4-5 years. These wines are so spectacularly perfumed and intense in their youth that they are hard to resist. (RP) (8/2009) Wine Advocate
2007 Sine Qua Non "Stripes & Stars" California Rosé
Price: $150.00 Sale $132.00
SQN's 2007 rosé is a blend of 55% Syrah and 45% Grenache. Darker in color than a typical rosé, it also has the potential to age for longer than lighter-bodied wines. Jeb Dunnuck writes: "About as good as it gets across the board, these singular, incredible wines are the result of an obsessive attention to detail at all stages of the wine making process. There is no secret or hidden magic going on here. The incredibly talented and down-to-earth Manfred Krankl simply walks the walk as opposed to only talking about attention to detail or offering up the standard, 'wine is made in the vineyard' comments."
2010 SINE QUA NON FIVE SHOOTER GRENACHE, CALIFORNIA, USA
Price: $460.00 Your Price: $404.80 Quantity in Stock: 4
(98 points) A similar blend (75% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 2.5% Mourvedre, 4.5% Roussanne and 2% Viognier) and also a brilliant bottle of wine, the 2010 Grenache Five Shooter spent 20 months in 75% used barrels, with the balance in concrete and new French oak. Seamless and elegant, with the house richness and texture, it gives up thrilling, floral-tinged aromas and flavors of red berry fruit, flower oil, spice, white pepper and licorice to go with a full-bodied, layered mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. (JD) (8/2013) Wine Advocate
2013 SINE QUA NON ESTATE SYRAH LE SUPPLÉMENT ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD SANTA RITA HILLS
Price: $795.00 Sale Price: $650.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
The 2013 Estate Syrah Le Supplément is a model SQN wine if there ever was one. Its orchestra consists of 89% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache and 2% Viognier. Most of that fruit was destemmed and only 28% was whole cluster. It too is all Eleven Confessions. Here 83% new French oak was splurged on, the rest was used barrels. Don’t know if calling it a beauty is fair because it is more masculine, but it IS something to savor...no doubt about it. I could go on and on and on describing a peacock’s tail of aromas and the almost regal cloak this toned Majesty is wearing, but so as to not bore you to death and exhaust / expose my embarrassing vocabulary satchel, I’ll just say this “extra” just bursts and sings and draws from everywhere imaginable in the wilderness to express its impressive power and sophisticated stance. It is supple and refined with a nearly intimidating body, but the dainty personality of a humming bird with a Stephen Hawking mind. Don’t miss it. I have to implore - don’t miss it!!
2014 SINE QUA NON CAPO DEI PUTTI SYRAH ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD SANTA RITA HILLS
Price: $550.00 Sale Price: $450.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(96 Points) The 2014 Syrah Capo dei Putti saw an amazing 38 months in fully 94% new oak, and it was showing superbly when I tasted it, unfurling in the glass with brooding aromas of blackberry preserve, cherries, bay leaf and a remarkably integrated framing of smoky new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, hyper-concentrated and deep, with an incredibly dense core of fruit that's definitely ripe but avoids overt sucrosity—and is complemented by an impressive degree of savory nuance. It's a blocky, dense Syrah that will merit some time in bottle, but it is sure to make a considerable impact whenever it's opened. 896 cases, 228 magnums and 30 double magnums were produced. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2015 SINE QUA NON ELEVEN CONFESSIONS SYRAH "M” ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD SANTA RITA HILLS
Price: $595.00 Sale Price: $500.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(99 Points) This is a single-vineyard Syrah-dominant blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Manfred Krankl’s initial and a provocative self-portrait on the label. The blend is 90.6% Syrah, 4.4% Petite Syrah, 2.6% Grenache and 2.4% Viognier. Forty-three percent was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 66% new. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2015 SINE QUA NON SYRAH TROUVER L’ARÈNE
Price: $475.00 Your Price: $418.00 Quantity in Stock: 6
The 2015 Syrah Trouver l’arène states “finding the arena.” If you re-read the burgundy portion of T.R.’s manifesto you’ll quickly see the connection. This supermodel of a wine, if nothing else, is an orgy of the palate. The partners in that orgy are 80.5% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Mourvedre, 2% Grenache and an aroma lifting, sexy, co-fermented 3.5% Viognier. All of the fruit was tenderly grown at three of our Estate vineyards.?36% at Eleven Confessions, 37% at The Third Twin... some +/- 15 miles northeast of there and 27% at the home vineyard Cumulus. Here only 34% whole clusters (of course meaning the stems also) were employed in the fermentation. For 22 months we taught this black beauty manners in barrels, 48% of which were new and all French. Like it’s Grenache sibling, this temptress was never fined or filtered, but rather left to it’s gorgeous own devices. My tasting notes from right before the bottling read – impossibly SQN dark with an almost lacquer sheen to it. There is a slightly peppery, savory, saddle leather nose that is quite pronounced.
2016 SINE QUA NON DIRT VERNACULAR GRENACHE
Price: $450.00 Sale Price: $350.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(96 Points) The 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular wafts from the glass with heady aromas of kirsch, plums and Griotte cherries that mingle with nuances of sweet spice, rose petals and pepper. It saw 34% new oak (along with 53% used oak and 9% concrete), but it's hardly noticeable—much less so than in some of Sine Qua Non's debut Grenache bottlings. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, rich and chewy, with tangy acids despite its considerable power and ripeness, with a deep, layered mid-palate and a long, lusty finish. It's an eclectic blend of 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional and 2.5% Petite Sirah that was fermented with 43% whole cluster—whole cluster being largely reserved for the Grenache component. The blend is dominated by estate fruit, but some 9% came from the Krankl's blocks at Bien Nacido Vineyard that are farmed to their specifications. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2016 SINE QUA NON SYRAH RATSEL
Price: $375.00 Your Price: $330.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
(96+ points) Produced entirely from estate fruit, the 2016 Syrah Rätsel 16 offers up a brooding bouquet of smoky blackberries, French roast, cassis liqueur and subtle grilled meat, with only hints of all the savory complexity it will show down the line. On the palate, it's full-bodied, layered and chewy, with a rich chassis of velvety structuring tannins, a deep, super concentrated core of fruit and a long, sapid finish. Like the Grenache Dirt Vernacular, it's quite expressive and giving in profile by comparison with the firmer, more structural 2015s from Sine Qua Non, but its more brooding profile makes me suspect it has more potential upside with some time in bottle. It's a blend of 81% Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, 5% Petite Sirah, 2.5% Grenache and 4.5% Viognier that was fermented with 47% whole cluster. 1791 cases and 600 magnums were produced. William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Issue # Interim - Aug 2018)
2017 SINE QUA NON NEXT OF KYN RED WINE CALIFORNIA
Price: $959.00 Your Price: $843.92 Quantity in Stock: 2
(98+ Points) Next of Kyn Touriga Nacional 2017: This cuvée comes entirely from the Krankl’s “home” vineyard—the Cumulus vineyard—from a small, one-acre 2008 planting. The 2017 Touriga Nacional Numero Tres is a blend of 80% Touriga Nacional, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah and 6% Grenache using 44% whole clusters. It spent around 33 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Very deep garnet-purple, the nose is a little reticent to begin, offering broody tar, new leather and fertile loam suggestions before giving way to come-hither scents of baked black plums, blackberry pie, dark chocolate, candied violets, pencil lead, menthol and dried roses. The first thing that hits you on the decadent, full-bodied palate is the texture—like stroking a kitten in your mouth. Wonderful freshness electrifies the bright, crunchy black fruits, developing into a long-lingering perfumed finish. Stunning! While it is delicious and certainly approachable right now, I would recommend laying this down for 4-5 years at least, to allow all the tightly wound nuances to emerge. It should continue to give pleasure for the next 20-25+ years. 89 cases and 223 magnums were made Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2018 SINE QUA NON ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD SYRAH STA RITA HILLS USA
Price: $550.00 Your Price: $484.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(97-99 points) The 2018 Grenache Profuga is composed of 77.5% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 8.3% Syrah, 3.3% Petite Sirah and 0.9% Viognier. The vineyard sources are 38% Cumulus Estate, 35% The Third Twin Estate, 23% Eleven Confessions Estate and 4% Bien Nacido Vineyard. Forty-one percent whole cluster was performed, predominately on the Grenache. The small proportion of Viognier was co-fermented with red grapes, but interestingly, because it ripens earlier than the reds, the white berries were frozen and added to the reds at the time of fermentation. As an added bonus, these frozen grapes help to cool and, therefore, slow the fermentation. The wine was aged for around 23 months in 37% new French oak, 57.8% used oak and 5.2% concrete. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine does bedazzling pirouettes out of the glass with the most gorgeous rose oil, kirsch, licorice and fragrant earth scents, leading into a powerful core of black raspberries, redcurrant jelly and powdered cinnamon plus a waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is incredibly fresh, elegant and polished, yet make no mistake—there is a lot of power and energy on the mid-palate. This is all beautifully framed by tightly knit, very finely grained tannins, and the finish holds this provocative, lingering siren’s note, delivering exotic spices and rose-laced accents. Beguiling. 1,350 cases and 600 magnums were made. This wine was tasted as a tank sample to be bottled in two days, so this is pretty much “it.” With regard to name, according to Elaine and Manfred Krankl, Profuga is "the Latin female version of refugee, fugitive, deserter, exiled, eluding one's grasp." Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Issue # 250 - Aug 2020)
2018 SINE QUA NON ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD GRENACHE STA RITA HILLS USA
Price: $525.00 Your Price: $462.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(99 points) The 2018 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is a barrel selection and is composed of 83.7% Grenache, 9.1% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah and 1.2% Viognier. It was fermented with 45% whole clusters and matured for about 38 months in 52% new French oak barrels and demi-muids. It has a deep ruby-purple color and slowly opening scents of Morello cherries, coffee beans, licorice, thyme, tea leaves and forest floor. The full-bodied palate is powerful yet energetic, offering bursts of juicy acidity and grainy tannins to counter its concentrated fruits. After spending some time in the glass, the long finish blossoms to a kaleidoscope of spicy, floral accents, suggesting this may require more bottle time than some of the other wines in this lineup before reaching its peak. (EB) (5/2022) Wine Advocate
2018 SINE QUA NON SYRAH ZIEHHARMONIKA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA MAGNUM 1.5L
Price: $975.00 Your Price: $858.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
2018 SINE QUA NON SYRAH ZIEHHARMONIKA CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA
Price: $420.00 Sale Price: $350.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(98-100 Points) Manfred Krankl did point out that the name of this wine is not definitely but probably going to be “Squeezebox.” There are still a bunch of hoops to jump through before the label is signed, sealed and delivered. He shared the artwork for the label with me, again probably final but not yet definite, but which I think fans of are going to love. Who knew Mr. K played the squeezebox? The vineyard sources for this wine are 51% The Third Twin, 43% Eleven Confessions and 6% Cumulus—all estate-owned vineyards. The 2018 Syrah Squeezebox is composed of 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvèdre, 5% Petite Sirah, 2.3% Grenache, 2.7% Viognier and 1.3% Muscat. “I think Muscat is the number one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred said. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The wine is due to be bottled in August 2020, very soon after I tasted it, and after 23 months of aging. It was reared in 51% new French oak, 46% in used barrels and 3% in terracotta. (The terracotta is only used for whites.) Very deep garnet-purple colored, the nose kicks off with bright, vivacious scents of freshly cracked black pepper, licorice, baker’s chocolate and menthol before opening out to a core just singing of Black Forest cake, wild blueberries and ripe blackberries with wafts of smoky bacon and garrigue. Full-bodied, firm and beautifully textured with perfectly ripe, velvety tannins, it has invigorating freshness and a very long, multi-layered finish. Its rock-solid structure and intensity suggest this wine will be very long lived indeed. Final name Ziehharmonika instead of Squeezebox. Issue 250 End of August 2020, The Wine Advocate
2018 SINE QUA NON GRENACHE PROFUGA CALIFORNIA MAGNUM 1.5 L
Price: $975.00 Your Price: $858.00 Quantity in Stock: 2
2018 SINE QUA NON GRENACHE PROFUGA CALIFORNIA
Price: $420.00 Sale Price: $350.00 Quantity in Stock: 7
(99-97 Points) The 2018 Grenache Profuga is composed of 77.5% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 8.3% Syrah, 3.3% Petite Sirah and 0.9% Viognier. The vineyard sources are 38% Cumulus Estate, 35% The Third Twin Estate, 23% Eleven Confessions Estate and 4% Bien Nacido Vineyard. Forty-one percent whole cluster was performed, predominately on the Grenache. The small proportion of Viognier was co-fermented with red grapes, but interestingly, because it ripens earlier than the reds, the white berries were frozen and added to the reds at the time of fermentation. As an added bonus, these frozen grapes help to cool and, therefore, slow the fermentation. The wine was aged for around 23 months in 37% new French oak, 57.8% used oak and 5.2% concrete. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine does bedazzling pirouettes out of the glass with the most gorgeous rose oil, kirsch, licorice and fragrant earth scents, leading into a powerful core of black raspberries, redcurrant jelly and powdered cinnamon plus a waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is incredibly fresh, elegant and polished, yet make no mistake—there is a lot of power and energy on the mid-palate. This is all beautifully framed by tightly knit, very finely grained tannins, and the finish holds this provocative, lingering siren’s note, delivering exotic spices and rose-laced accents. Beguiling. 1,350 cases and 600 magnums were made. This wine was tasted as a tank sample to be bottled in two days, so this is pretty much “it.” With regard to name, according to Elaine and Manfred Krankl, Profuga is "the Latin female version of refugee, fugitive, deserter, exiled, eluding one's grasp." Issue 250 End of August 2020, The Wine Advocate
2019 SINE QUA NON CUMULUS VINEYARD 'NEXT OF KYN' CENTRAL COAST USA
Price: $550.00 Your Price: $484.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(99 Points) Still in barrel, the 2019 Cumulus Vineyard No. 13 also contains less Syrah than in the past—this iteration is composed of 29% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre, 24.5% Syrah, 8% Touriga Nacional, 7.5% Petite Sirah and 2% Petit Manseng. It was made using 22% whole clusters and matured for about 32 months in 62% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple in the glass, it has a core of blackberry jam and Morello cherries, unfolding slowly to nuances of violet and loamy earth. Full-bodied and concentrated, its super-fine tannins and juicy acidity balance the expression, and it has a tremendously long finish with loads of floral perfume. It's showing fantastically despite its recent bottling on May 11, 2022—I tasted it on May 24, 2022. 369 cases and 222 magnums will be released in the fall of 2022. It will be sold as part of a four-bottle set that will include one bottle of Next of Kyn Touriga Nacional.-EB Wine Advocate:
2019 SINE QUA NON ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD SYRAH STA RITA HILLS USA
Price: $495.00 Your Price: $435.60 Quantity in Stock: 3
(99 points) The 2019 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard is elegant and perfumed and includes 13.1% Grenache, 3.3% Petite Sirah and just a splash—0.8%—each of Viognier and Muskateller (a.k.a Muscat). It was crafted with 13% whole clusters, matured in 66% new French oak for around 39 months and was bottled in January 2022. This gorgeous Syrah opens over several days and never seems to diminish. It offers pure aromas of crème de cassis, tar, salami and ringing tones of violet. The full-bodied palate is incredibly velvety in texture, and despite its concentration and powerful style, it manages noticeable freshness and detail, with that magical violet perfume echoing across the long finish. This will develop gracefully in the cellar over the next two decades or more. (EB) (6/2023) Wine Advocate
2019 SINE QUA NON ELEVEN CONFESSIONS VINEYARD GRENACHE, STA RITA HILLS, USA
Price: $495.00 Your Price: $435.60 Quantity in Stock: 3
(100 points) The late bottled 2019 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is another undeniably great wine from this incredible estate and it tops out my scale. Based on 89% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, and the balance Gelber Muskateller (Muscat Blanc), all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, it spent 39 months in 50% new French oak, with the balance in 2- to 5-year-old barrels. It's a powerful, full-bodied, opulent Grenache that brings to mind a great vintage of Domaine de Marcoux's Vieilles Vignes with its gorgeous red and black fruits, smoked herbs, leather, and assorted spicy, sandalwood, and peppery nuances. Full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, a deep, layered mid-palate, and velvety tannins. It brings that rare mix of richness and elegance that only Grenache can. (8/2023) Jeb Dunnuck
2019 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I GRENACHE CALIFORNIA MAGNUM
Price: $995.00 Your Price: $875.60 Quantity in Stock: 1
2019 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I GRENACHE CALIFORNIA
Price: $425.00 Your Price: $374.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
(98 Points) The 2019 Grenache Distenta I is composed of 76% Grenache, 8% Mourvèdre, 9.3% Syrah, 4.3% Petite Sirah and 2.4% Viognier. The vineyard sources are 11% Cumulus Estate, 39% The Third Twin Estate, 32% Eleven Confessions Estate, 3% Molly Aida and 15% Bien Nacido vineyard. Around 43% whole cluster was performed, predominately on the Grenache. The small proportion of Viognier was co-fermented with red grapes, but interestingly, because it ripens earlier than the reds, the white berries were frozen and added to the reds at the time of fermentation. As an added bonus, these frozen grapes help to cool and, therefore, slow the fermentation. The wine was aged for around 23 months in 26.5% new French oak, 66.7% used oak and 6.8% concrete. It was bottled June 21, 2021. Medium to deep garnet-purple it bursts with profound perfume of black raspberries, boysenberries and cherry preserves, leading to an undercurrent of charcuterie, charcoal, bouquet garni and aniseed. Notions of red roses and garrigue reward patient swirling and coaxing. The full-on full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, its intensity offset by fantastic freshness, finishing long with a savory dried herb-laced lift. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2019 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I SYRAH CENTRAL COAST MAGNUM
Price: $1150.00 Your Price: $1012.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2019 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I SYRAH CENTRAL COAST
Price: $425.00 Your Price: $374.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(100 Points) The 2019 Syrah Distenta I is composed of 83.6% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre, 5.2% Petite Sirah, 6.2% Grenache, 1.4% Muscat and 0.6% Petit Manseng. “I think Muscat is the number-one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred told me last year. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The red winemaking included 33% whole cluster. The vineyard sources for this wine are 35% The Third Twin, 33% Eleven Confessions, 31% Cumulus and 1% Molly Aida—all estate-owned vineyards. Deep garnet-purple colored, it erupts from the glass with a powerfully fragrant nose of red roses, Morello cherries, boysenberries and juicy blueberries, followed by hints of mocha, star anise, cardamom and cassia. The concentrated, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with bright, crunchy black, blue and red fruits. It has a rock-solid structure of firm, finely-grained tannins and seamless freshness lifting the shimmering layers to a long, energetic finish. The complexity and vivacity of this Syrah are simply jaw-dropping! Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2020 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I GRENACHE CALIFORNIA USA MAGNUM
Price: $1150.00 Your Price: $1012.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2020 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I GRENACHE CALIFORNIA USA
Price: $350.00 Your Price: $308.00 Quantity in Stock: 6
77.9% Grenache, 9.4% Mourvedre 7.9% Syrah 4.3% Petite Sirah and 0.5% Viognier
(97-100 points) ... ...It's a ripe, sexy, insanely good barrel sample that has remarkable purity, tons of black raspberry and cassis fruits, perfect balance, full-bodied richness, and an already complex bouquet of violets, spice, and flowers. I continue to be blown away by what this estate seems to achieve with Grenache in just about every vintage. | Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com
2020 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I SYRAH CALIFORNIA USA MAGNUM
Price: $1150.00 Your Price: $1012.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2020 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA I SYRAH CALIFORNIA, USA
Price: $350.00 Your Price: $308.00 Quantity in Stock: 4
82.9% Syrah, 7.5% Grenache, 3.9% Mourvedre 3.4% Petite Sirah 2.3% Whites (Petite Manseng & Muscat)
This royal majesticity is a palace dance group comprised of nothing less than a wild 82.9% Syrah...Here only 16% of the fruit was whole cluster fermented. For some reason, one I don't really fully understand, Syrah is more quickly or more strongly impacted by the stems...I am super happy to report that here too all of the fruit was ESTATE grown. What a pleasure it was to write that. | Manfred Krankl for Sine Qua Non
2021 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA SYRAH, CALIFORNIA, USA MAGNUM
Price: $1050.00 Your Price: $924.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2021 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA SYRAH, CALIFORNIA, USA
Price: $350.00 Your Price: $308.00 Quantity in Stock: 3
(98-100 Points) "I tasted the 2021 Syrah Distenta III as a precise blend from barrel on July 6—it's due to be bottled in August. It comes from three estate vineyards: The Third Twin (51%), Cumulus (26%) and 23% Eleven Confessions (23%). The Syrah is blended with 11.3% Grenache, 3.3% Mourvèdre, 2.1% Petite Sirah, 0.9% Petit Manseng and 0.7% Muscat and was vinified using 21% whole clusters. It matured around 23 months in 53% new French oak, 43% one- to three-year-old barrels and 4% concrete. Opaque ruby-purple in the glass, the Distenta III's aromatic complexity requires plenty of patience, as a singular truffle, earth and coffee bean character gives way to electric streaks of crème de violette, blueberry liqueur and peppermint patty. The palate is medium to full-bodied and exceptionally light on its feet. It glides silkily through the mouth with fireworks of freshness, and its floral fruit is tempered by graphite tones. Around 1,880 cases and 600 magnums are projected to be released in January of 2024." The Wine Advocate
2021 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA GRENACHE, CALIFORNIA, USA MAGNUM
Price: $1050.00 Your Price: $924.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
2021 SINE QUA NON DISTENTA GRENACHE, CALIFORNIA, USA
Price: $350.00 Your Price: $308.00 Quantity in Stock: 1
(98 Points) "Because my visit was scheduled for July 6, just two weeks after bottling on June 22, I tasted the 2021 Grenache Distenta III as a precise blend from barrel. It comes mostly from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard (71%) and The Third Twin (23%) with the balance from the Cumulus Vineyard. It is a blend of 79% Grenache, 8.4% Syrah, 7.4% Mourvèdre, 3.2% Petite Sirah, 1.6% Petit Manseng and 0.4% Muscat. The Distenta III was vinified using about 35% whole Grenache clusters, and it matured in 42% new French oak of various sizes for around 23 months. It has a medium to deep ruby color and is incredibly fragrant at this stage. Wild berry jam aromas are accented by tones of wildflower, tar, tangerine and coffee beans. The full-bodied palate is concentrated yet lively, bursting with crunchy, floral fruit and surprisingly energetic acidity. It has detailed, grainy tannins and a long, lifted finish that wears its alcohol well. 1,459 cases and 600 magnums are projected, to be released in the spring of 2024."
"There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic." The Wine Advocate
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