Sine Qua Syrah Capo Dei Putti 2014 1x75cl - 3 bottles in the case

99 points | Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the reds, the extended barrel-aged 2014 Syrah Capo Dei Putti boasts an insane bouquet of cedarwood, white chocolate, caramelized meats, candle way, and assorted red and black fruits. With full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and an incredible elegance, it changed every time I came back to the glass and is a multi-dimensional, riveting red wine from California. A blend of 90% Syrah and the balance Viognier, Petite Sirah, and Grenache, partially destemmed and aged 38 months in 94% new French oak, give this beauty 2-3 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 10-15 years.

Sine Qua Non Grenache Testa Dei Cherubini 2014 1x75cl - 3 bottles in the case

99 points | Jeb Dunnuck
As with the extended aged Syrah release, the 2014 Grenache Testa Dei Cherubini (80% Grenache, 15.5% Syrah, and the rest Petite Sirah and Viognier) comes all from the estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and spent just under 38 months in 25% new French oak, with the balance in neutral barrels (varying sizes). Layers of black raspberry, cassis, white chocolate, white flowers, and Asian spices flow to a full-bodied, supple, powerful Grenache that has silky, silky tannins, a seamless texture, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s already approachable, yet in my experience, this extended élevage results in a very stable wine, and I suspect this beauty will have another two decades of longevity.

Wine Advocate (100)

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. This wine was bottled at the end of July 2021, after 23 months in French oak, 43% new. 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!

Every case contains 3 bottles of each Sine Qua Non Grenache E 2015 and Sine Qua Non Syrah M 2015

 

Sine Qua Non Grenache E 2015

 

100 points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)

  “This is a single-vineyard Grenache-dominated, barrel-selection blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Elaine Krankl’s initial and a portrait Manfred made of Elaine on the label. The blend is 82% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah and 1% Viognier, and 56% was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 28% new.

 

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Grenache E slides beguilingly out of the glass with a powerfully evocative, earthy/meaty nose of wood smoke, grilled meats, fragrant soil, truffles and iron ore with a core of kirsch, blackberry pie, Black Forest cake and aniseed plus touches of wild sage, rose hip tea and Indian spices. The palate is full-bodied, surprisingly muscular and built like a brick house with an unbelievable structure of very fine, densely pixilated tannins supporting the generous, multi-faceted layers, finishing with epic length, jaw-dropping texture and tons of cerebral mineral and spice nuances. WOW! 900 cases, 228 magnums and 30 double magnums were made.” Drinking Window: 2020 – 2035

 

 

Sine Qua Non Syrah M 2015

 

99 points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)

“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.

 

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Syrah M starts off a little closed, slowly unfurling to show layer upon layer of savory notes: peppered salami, woodsmoke, marmite and black olives, beneath a profound core of preserved plums, blueberry coulis and Chinese five spice with fragrant touches of fenugreek, Sichuan pepper, crushed rocks and mossy bark. Exquisitely textured with firm, rounded tannins, the taut, full-bodied, muscular fruit is laced with seamless freshness, finishing with fantastic persistence. This is a Syrah for the long haul! 913 cases, 228 magnums and 30 double magnums were made.” Drinking Window: 2021 – 2050

Wine Advocate (97+)

(The Third Twin Graciano 2014) A blend of 90% Graciano and 10% Mourvèdre, completely destemmed and then aged all in used oak barrels for around 27 months, the 2014 The Third Twin Graciano sports a very deep garnet-purple color and beguiling nose of espresso, tapenade, preserved plums and Indian spices with earth and licorice nuances. The densely packed, full-bodied palate has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and lovely freshness, with loads of earthy layers and fantastic length, which features buckets of exotic spices. This is the first edition of this single vineyard wine, coming entirely from The Third Twin Vineyard in Los Alamos, showcasing not only the potential of this amazing site but of this grape variety in the region. Manfred Krankl commented, “Of course I realize this is a Spanish variety, but I think God...or someone...made a slight mistake along the way, as the grape very much reminds me of the Rhône.” Positively the finest example of this grape I have ever tasted, move over Spain, Graciano has found a new spiritual home in California’s Central Coast! 65 cases were made. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 30 Sep 2017) (The Third Twin Graciano 2015) Graciano is a low-yielding Spanish variety grown primarily in Rioja, but Krankl contends that its spiritual home is the Rhône Valley: it reminds him of Mourvèdre in so far as it needs to be very ripe to show all its character, he says. And it's certainly a striking addition to his winemaking palate, with a character quite distinct to any of the other red varieties he works with. Offering up aromas of cherry pit and balsamic cherries, subtly framed by creamy new oak, the 2015 The Third Twin Graciano is amazingly saturated in color. On the palate, it's velvety, full-bodied and richly tannic, almost preternaturally concentrated in character, but remarkably supple and expansive despite its formidable levels of extract and structure. It's a singular wine, even by Krankl's standards. (William Kelley, ,23 Aug 2018)

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Checking in as 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvèdre, and the rest Petite Sirah and Grenache, the 2018 Syrah Ziehharmonika was largely destemmed and brought up in 51% new French oak. Gorgeous crème de cassis, smoked game, bacon fat, and spring flower notes all soar from the glass of this beauty, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and a rare mix of richness and freshness. Unquestionably made in a more restrained, elegant style compared to a decade ago, it nevertheless is flawlessly balanced, has awesome tannins, and is just another magical wine from this address that's going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

Vinous (98)

The 2018 Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo is based on Petite Sirah this year. Rich and ample and explosive, the 2018 is wonderfully exotic, dense and full-throttle. Blackberry jam, chocolate, spice, menthol and licorice are some of the notes that literally explode out of the glass. The 2018 was just bottled, but is already dazzling. In the 2018, the wine is far more Petite Sirah-dominant than it has been in the past.