Community Tasting Note

Jonathan T Likes this wine:

Monday, August 5, 2013 - This is one of the most fascinating SQN's I've ever had. Some (Poker Face) have been more decadent, others (JFTLOI) more luxurious. This one is the most exotic of the SQN syrahs I've had. It is elegant, sophisticated, and somewhat delicate. It is by no means lightweight though. The nose starts with familiar syrah components of creamy red fruits, but then unexpectedly arrives floral notes of jasmine and lavender. No doubt this comes from the splash of viognier in the blend. On the palate, there are sweet and tart fruits and savory charred grilled meats, counterbalanced with a vegetable garden with fresh herbs, spices (maybe sumac?), celery root, and peppery greens (arugula?). After all the years of drinking SQN, this is the one that really opened my eyes to Manfred Krankl's talent as a winemaker. His equivalent in the culinary world wouldn't be an up-and-coming rockstar chef as one might expect. It would be a chef like Eric Ripert, whose plates are forward-thinking but rooted in French tradition and technique. Each of Krankl's wines, like Eric's dishes, are unique and thoughtfully composed plates. The people who have established their prejudices against SQN, believing that they are over-extracted, over-worked, over-alcoholic Parker-ized wines, simply have not tasted SQN. And that's a shame. To conclude, the fact that no one's tasting notes on this wine sound the same speaks to how interesting it will be to track the evolution of this wine. My WOTY at the 3/4 mark of 2013. This is going to be tough to top. Consumed at Flemings in Newport Beach.

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