Sine Qua Non – California Cult Rhone Wine Tasting Saturday, February 22nd 7:30pm and all the Sine Qua Non in the store on SALE!!

Image result for thomas jefferson drinking wine


"I think it is a great error to consider a heavy tax on wines as a tax on luxury.  On the contrary, it is a tax on the health of our citizens." - Thomas Jefferson


If only a modern-day politician could contribute as much to the quality of our life as the late great Thomas Jefferson.  He was one of the first advocates of wine in the United States and he is one of the reasons why we have the greatest selection of wines from all around the world in the U.S. today.  So, remember...no matter how bad it gets, we still have great wines here in the U.S. of A.


In a few weeks we will be continuing the party with some GREAT wines from the U.S.A…. I need a few good men or women to help me drink some really fine wine on this occasion- our annual Sine Qua Non California Cult Rhone wine tasting.


What makes a "cult wine"? Do the producers pick the grapes at night under the full moon? Do they make it under a secret oath or while sacrificing a small farm animal? These ultra expensive, hard to find wines from California, Oregon and Washington State just have more customers than they do bottles to go around.  The simplest factor in the economy kicks in with these wines, good old supply and demand.  


This evening you can taste 9 different wines from Sine Qua Non for less than the cost of a single bottle in most cases!  And the price of this event includes dinner!!  The fee for this tasting is $395 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.


Sine Qua Non Collectible Wines | Angry ...

Sine Qua Non California Cult Rhone Tasting

Saturday, February 22nd

7:30 PM


2021 Sine Qua Non Distenta III White California


2010 Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Grenache, California, USA

2014 Sine Qua Non Capo Dei Putti Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard Santa Rita Hills

2015 Sine Qua Non Syrah Trouver l’arène

2016 Sine Qua Non Dirt Vernacular Grenache

2018 Sine Qua Non Grenache Profuga California

2020 Sine Qua Non Distenta I Grenache California

2020 Sine Qua Non Distenta I Syrah California, USA

2022 Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Syrah California


Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Sauteed Wild Mushrooms and Grilled Brioche Toast

Seared Ancho BBQ King Salmon Served over Black Bean Puree with Roasted Pepper Salsa

Colorado Rack of Lamb with Mongolian BBQ and Sweet Potato Au Gratin

Dark Chocolate Creme Brulee with Raspberry Coulis


The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $395 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have issues and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.


A bit about Sine Qua Non from their web page:

Image result for 2001 Sine Qua Non Ventriloquist Grenache

"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!!!!


2021 Sine Qua Non Distenta III White California USA

Price: $225.00                    Your Price: $198.00          Quantity in Stock: 2

(93 Points) The 2021 White Wine Distenta III blends 33% Chardonnay, 27% Viognier, 24% Gelber Muskateller, 12% Roussanne and 4% Petit Manseng, the latter pair co-fermented. It hails mainly from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard, with inclusions from The Third Twin and Cumulus. It spent 23 months in 52% new French puncheon and demi-muids. The nose is extremely floral and exuberant, with honeyed, exotic aromas of stone fruit, citrus oil, pine needles, mint and noticeable alcohol after increased aeration. The palate is weighty and oily, centered around a decedent core of polished stone fruit flavors underpinned by tangy acidity. The finish is texturally clean and focused but gradually develops to reveal distracting, spirituous sensations. (ML) Wine Advocate Review Date: 08/2024


2022 Sine Qua Non Distenta IV Syrah California

Price: $285.00                    Your Price: $250.80          Quantity in Stock: 5

(94+ Points) The 2022 Syrah Distenta IV contains 6% Grenache, 5% Petite Sirah, 3.3% Mourvèdre and a small amount of Petit Manseng and Muscat. It was aged 23 months in 56% new French oak and fermented with 31% whole clusters. The nose opens with weighty, smoldering, blue-fruited aromas with pleasantly lifted notes of fennel, anise and white pepper quickly building in intensity. The palate is plush, opulent and immensely extracted, wrapped in a suave, precise texture that gives way to a taut, inward finish that unfolds similarly to the nose. While I suspect this will gain additional depth and complexity after a year or two, the style of these wines makes their youthful hedonism quite tempting—and there will be more than enough of that to make this enjoyable from its release in January 2025 on.

The recent and upcoming releases from Sine Qua Non, Next of Kyn and The Third Twin will no doubt delight fans of these wines, and I wholeheartedly recommend devotees seek them out or purchase as much of their hard-won allocations as possible. That said, while the wines are exactingly made and generally impressive on a technical level, their larger-than-life scale and, at times, lofty alcohol levels limit the harmony and complexity they currently deliver or will ever attain. A few premises are essential to keep in focus while reviewing wines of this style so as not to allow sheer size and density to run away with the show: more does not necessarily equal better, and bold but simple flavors cannot match the dimension of many more nuanced ones. The originality of these wines is palpable throughout every aspect of the project, however, and readers who enjoy pyrotechnically impressive blockbuster wines will find them in spades.  Wine Advocate


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: 1

(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


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: 5

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 Eleven Confessions Vineyard Syrah

Price: $487.50                    Your Price: $429.00          Quantity in Stock: 3

(99 Points)  One of those singular, powerhouse wines that will stop anyone in their tracks (well, its stopped me anyways), the 2020 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard offers an insane nose of bloody red and blue fruits, ground pepper, graphite, cured meats, and baking spices, with some classic Sta. Rita Hills marine/salty sea breeze-like nuances. With a dense, powerful mouthfeel, full-bodied aromas and flavors, massive fruit, and building tannins, this beauty is going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and blow you away over the following two decades. It reminds me of the 2005 Nail in my Cranium with its massive, powerful, yet flawlessly balanced style, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this evolve along the same trajectory as that wine. The 2020 is 84% Syrah, 12% Grenache, and the rest Petite Sirah and white varieties, fermented with one quarter whole clusters and aged 38 months in 58% new oak.  Review Date: 08/2024 Jeb Dunnuck


2020 Sine Qua Non Eleven Confessions Grenache

Price: $487.50                    Your Price: $429.00                          Quantity in Stock: 3

(100 Points) The 2020 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is another absolutely heavenly wine from this estate, and it's easily one of the top wines from California in 2020. Darker berries, tapenade, roasted herbs, and a bloody, iron-like character define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. It reminds me of a Châteauneuf du Pape from the likes of Jean-Paul Daumen and is a tour de force in Grenache that I wish every reader could taste. Coming from a hot growing season, this beauty is powerful and full throttle, yet like all of Manfred's wines, it holds onto a sense of purity, balance, and elegance that's something to behold. Drink bottles any time over the coming two decades. The blend is 82% Grenache, 13% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, and the rest Gelber Muskateller, fermented with 27% whole clusters, and aged 38 months in 41% new French oak.  Review Date: 08/2024, Jeb Dunnuck


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: 3

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


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 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 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 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 DISTENTA I SYRAH CENTRAL COAST Magnum

Price: $1150.00                  Your Price: $1012.00        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


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: 5

(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


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 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 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: $350.0             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


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 mad  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate


2016 Sine Qua Non Syrah Ratsel

Price: $375.00                    Your Price: $330.00          Quantity in Stock: 2

(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)


2016 Sine Qua Non Dirt Vernacular Grenache

Price: $450.00                    Sale Price: $350.00                           Quantity in Stock: 2

(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


2015 Sine Qua Non Syrah Trouver l’arène

Price: $475.00                    Your Price: $418.00          Quantity in Stock: 5

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.


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


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!!


2010 Sine Qua Non Five Shooter Grenache, California, USA

Price: $460.00                    Your Price: $404.80          Quantity in Stock: 3

(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


 

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