Memphis SQN Dinner

Firstly, many thanks to max and Parcival for their efforts in setting this up and organizing everything. Thanks to all of the participants for their generous contributions and conversation. It was a pleasure to meet everyone, especially Latour67, max and CD_Roots, and I hope we can get everyone together and do this again in a few years.

It would be hard to say more good things about the venue that max selected for this event. We had a private dining room which had plenty of space for us, including a couple of tables to one side for the bottles. Stemware was replaced after each wine and the staff was friendly and efficient. We ordered off the regular menu and there were plenty of selections that paired well with the wines we were drinking. If one is in the Memphis area, Erling Jensen is a must. Many thanks to Chef Jensen and his team for a memorable dinner.

I suppose I should move on to the wines. I have often said that these are not wines I would want to drink every day (affordability of doing so aside), but they do scratch a certain itch in a way that not many other wines can. Sometimes you just want a big, lush, hedonistic, slutty- call it what you will- mouthful of wine, and these accommodate very well. I have often wondered, and prior to tonight had never been able to see for myself, how these wines will age so the most interesting and informative part of the evening for me was having the opportunity to taste a couple of older examples. If a two bottle sample size can speak to the rest, I can say they age surprisingly well- certainly better than I would have thought before tonight. The older wines showed depth and complexity, yet still had fruit and acid and anything else you could possibly want. I was pleasantly surprised and will definitely change my cellaring strategy with regards to these wines and leave a few more to make old bones.

Max took the lead and came up with the order in which the wines would be poured. I must say I enjoyed the format and appreciated the contrast with older and younger Syrahs paired up. In my opinion having the Syrahs before the Grenaches did not matter in the least bit, and considering the older bottles were both Syrahs, probably made much more sense. My palate definitely wore down a bit over the course of the evening, so I think tasting the older bottles earlier was beneficial in appreciating the subtleties they offered and I do not think the younger Grenaches suffered in the least bit.

Again, thank you to everyone involved for a truly memorable evening!

It would be wrong to start an evening without Champagne, wouldn't it? Domino and I happened to have a magnum ready to go and I was very glad that we brought it. Once again, a bottle of Launois shows excellent value.

• 2002 Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Special Club Blanc de Blancs 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  From magnum, this seemed more advanced than I'd have expected. Aromas of toasted nuts, caramel and orchard fruit with a doughy overtone. Medium bead with a rich, creamy quality and flavors of apple, dough, marzipan, marshmallow and custard.

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This was a wonderful trio to start with. The Abstract is probably my favorite of the more recent vintages, and tonight was no different.

• 2012 Sine Qua Non In the Abstract 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Tasted along side The Monkey and On the Lam. Youthful and bright, with notes of quince, white fruit, honeysuckle and flint. Orchard fruit and spice notes with a subtle toasted quality. Lingering finish. One of my favorite SQN whites, and drinking well already.

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• 2010 Sine Qua Non The Monkey 93 Points

  USA, California

  Deep color with terrific floral overtones- the Viognier really stands out at this point. Rich texture with orchard fruit, spice and floral qualities but seems just a little flat compared to the others. I revisited this at the end of the night and it had really opened up and becomes more vibrant and lively. Give this a couple of hours in a decanter.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non On The Lam 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Similar to my notes from a bottle opened six months earlier, this was drinking very well with notes of stone fruit, citrus and orchard fruit with a nice floral overtone. Rich texture with plenty of fruit and a great spice quality that lingers on the finish.

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• 2007 Sine Qua Non Syrah Labels 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Notes of blue fruit, currants and spice. Full-bodied with firm tannins and flavors of pepper, spice, black fruit and plum preserves. Lengthy finish with a good dose of oak. Needs time or a much longer decant. 92+ pts.

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• 1999 Sine Qua Non Syrah The Marauder 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Faded crimson color with aromas of pepper, cinnamon and red berry fruit. Fully-integrated and nicely balanced, this has plenty of fruit on the palate. Hints of spice, vanilla and licorice in the finish. If one was unsure how an SQN would age, as I was, the answer is- very well. This was balanced and complex, offering whatever you could want in an aged wine. 94+ pts.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non Syrah This is Not An Exit Eleven Confessions Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Inky opaque color featuring incense, black fruit, candied boysenberry and barbeque sauce aromas. Full-bodied and firm, with an abundance of dark fruit along wit vanilla and boysenberry flavors. Lengthy finish is dominated by vanilla and black fruit. This will need some time.

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• 1998 Sine Qua Non E-Raised 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  The oldest wine in tonight's lineup was by no means tired or heading down hill. Dusty faded garnet hue with aromas of spice box, rose hips and black fruits. The palate follows the bouquet in terms of red fruit and spice qualities. Balanced with a lengthy finish. Excellent; nuanced, complex and balanced. Drinking very well- I am probably underrating this at 94-95+.

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• 2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah The Duel 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Admittedly, I am partial to this particular vintage, but this inky Syrah boasts a lovely bouquet of black fruit, roasted game, cinnamon and boysenberry with a gorgeous perfumed floral overtone that oscillated from violets to lavender to potpourri and back. Gorgeous. Firm tannins with dark fruit, pepper, iron and blue fruit flavors with a long finish. 95-96 pts.

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• 2001 Sine Qua Non Midnight Oil 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  I was very much looking forward to trying this as this was the wine that made me understand why people love SQN Syrahs. Aromas of spices, red and black fruit and florals but there's also a hint of raisin which I find ever so slightly off-putting. Flavors of red and black fruits, candied cherry and cardamom. Drink now in my opinion, as I think the riper/raisined side of the fruit will become more obvious as this ages further. 93-94 pts.

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Fun to do the estate and regular side by side.

• 2009 Sine Qua Non Grenache Upside Down 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Decanted about five hours and allowed to breathe in bottle for another two+. Notes of candied red plum, spice and florals. Full-bodied with a wealth of red fruit to go along with spice, earth, blueberry and oak. Give this one some time.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non Grenache Esto No Es Una Salida Eleven Confessions Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Decanted about five hours and allowed to breathe in bottle for another two+. Deeper than the Upside Down, with blue and red fruit, spice, vanilla and chocolate notes. Cherry, red berry fruit, spice, vanilla and blue fruit flavors. Finishes nicely, but this too is quite young and needs more time. Leave until 2020+.

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• 2006 Sine Qua Non Grenache Raven Series 95 Points

  USA, California

  Dark color featuring purple and blue fruit notes with spice, underbrush, pepper and oak undertones. Given the darker/blue fruits in the bouquet the palate is surprisingly red-fruited and shows vanilla and spice cake elements. Lengthy finish. Medium tannins with a dusty edge; good length on the finish.

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• 2008 Sine Qua Non Grenache THE Line 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Vanilla, cherry and spiced currant notes with a subtle white pepper undertone followed by floral notes. Iron, red fruit, baking spices and vanilla carry through the lengthy finish.

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• 2006 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Aromas of honey, lavender, orange zest and ripe peaches. Rich and unctuous, with loads of tropical fruit on the attack and midpalate, turning to honey, pear and stone fruit as it finishes. 94-95 pts.

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• 2006 Sine Qua Non Marsanne Mr. K The Straw Man

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley

  Lighter than the Noble Man, but brighter as well. Notes of wildflower honey, citrus and white peach. Not as richly textured as the Noble Man either, but has very pretty floral and stone fruit qualities with a slight tropical fruit quality in the finish. Wonderful stuff.

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