Nose: smoked bacon, blackcurrant, cinnamon, baked biscuit, clove, star anise, roasted tomato Notes: 15.6% ABV. The SQN is a bulky and serious Syrah that punches you in the face. Drank after opening for 2.5 hours. Very fruit jam like texture with lots of cured meat and bacon aroma. Although I must confess that it doesn't feel very much like a 15.6% wine but in essence it is really powerful and probably a bit too strong for my palate. Although I am a great admirer of the artistic presentation of SQN, I cannot say I feel the same for the winemaking style and taste. Also I believe that the drinking window predicted by critics from Wine Advocate - 2013-2024, is quite far from the truth. I would argue that likely 2024 would be the beginning of the drinking window rather than the end. I personally feel that the lifespan of this wine should last till at least mid 2030s. To some extent I feel the power of this wine can be a bit overwhelming and I don't think it's that easy to differentiate this wine to a well made Barossa Shiraz which clearly should not be used as a comparison as they belong to a different status or price bucket, therefore for me although I do not dislike the wine but I can't help to feel a bit underwhelmed. Drink: now - 2035 Rating: 90
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Great depth of dark fruit, mollified with floral aromatics from white wine blending. Strong, yet tempered, smooth with gentle tannins. Balanced, nuanced, long finish and delightful to drink and enjoy.
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A massive wine that after a couple hours barely budged. Syrah is so thick, rich and smooth it reminds me of some Velvet Gloves. Not my favorite SQN Syrah, but a wonderful wine nonetheless and it might be better years from now.
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Fun to taste the SQN 09,10,11 in a flight. Close call and only the Stockholm Syndrome had a point advantage of the others. So balanced to drink now but will improve even further - all three
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Tasted non blind. Decanted for about 90 minutes before serving. Followed over 3 hours.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of smoke, currants, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries and plums. Bright acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. I do not recommend popping and pouring this wine right now. Decant or hold.
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Kleur: Opvallend paarsig-rood. Aroma / bouquet: Kenmerkend bouquet voor SQN… Een explosie van vooral donker fruit. Bramen, zwarte bessen en vooral (de meer lactische zoetigheid van bramen). Smaak / Afdronk: Gekoeld tot 15 graden: Een beknopte frisheid. Mondvullend en extreem geconcentreerd, fluwelige tannines. Boordevol donker fruit, verfijnd hout, een hint van caramel Een fijne rondeur en een serieus lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Indrukwekkende SQN-Syrah, maar zeker niet de meest complexe die ik geproef hebt…. Desondanks: elke keer weer een voorrecht om SQN te drinken! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 93/100
Colour: Striking purplish-red. Aroma / bouquet: Characteristic bouquet for SQN… An explosion of mainly dark fruit. Blackberries, blackcurrants and most importantly (the more lactic sweetness of blackberries). Taste / Aftertaste: Cooled to 15 degrees: A concise freshness. Mouth-filling and extremely concentrated, velvety tannins. Packed with dark fruit, refined wood, a hint of caramel. A fine roundness and a seriously long finish. General / potential: Impressive SQN-Syrah, but certainly not the most complex I've tasted…. Nevertheless: every time it's a privilege to drink SQN! 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 13 + Taste / Aftertaste: 16 + General / Potential: 9 = 93/100
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Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Expressive nose displaying very ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, fruitcake, dark caramel, sweet spices and earth. Exceptional concentration, packed concentrated black fruit, rich and chewy, good acidity and mineral, and a long ripe black fruit driven finish. There is a hint of heat at the end.
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Popped and poured. This is a dark purple wine. There is marked sediment in the bottle, which is matched only by the teeth-staining capacity of the wine. On the nose, I get blackberries, blueberries, meat, espresso, and ash. In the mouth, this is rich, thick, and fully-loaded, leaving a long finish trimmed by fully-ripe black fruit. Overall, this is friendlier than the last time I had the wine (in March 2019), but it is still a slight slog through the bottle. This wine showcases a distinctly American form of excess; I can think of nothing better for the July 4 holiday in 2020 (where chaos reigns supreme). 94 points.
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You expect something different with an SQN and this one does not disappoint in that regard. 3 hr decant. Very heady blast of vanilla, cherry, red currant, clove, white pepper on the nose. Blueberry and kirsch on the palate. When you recover from the initial onslaught intriguing scents of fresh cut grass, nutmeg, and cola appear. I found the finish to be noticeably long. The high alcohol makes it a bit of a bruiser. No fear of cracking up. A wild ride. Score: 95. Relative to expectations: +
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Very closed down when opened but really started singing after about 2 hours in the decanter. Stunning texture, incredibly long. Perfectly ripe but not over ripe. Oak is incredibly well integrated. Rockstar stuff!!
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This was poured with minimal decanting at a local Italian restaurant. Clear and garnet red in colour with quite a peppery nose. The wine had flavours of dark berries, blueberries, and a mixture of white and black pepper. The tannins and acidity on this bottle were quite pronounced and it did not have a particularly long finish.
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Dark, vivid ruby color. Nose had some Northern Rhone characteristics when first drinking (earth and savory), evolving into cherry, blueberry, floral/violet, smoke. Rich palate of dark berries, cherry/chocolate, licorice, spices, vanilla and floral notes. Has a sweetness and persistence through the mid palate. Tannins are smoothed, full bodied and long finish.
Really excellent on this evening, nice way to finish the evening. At this point, the decant helped, it was tight when opened. Showing well after being open almost 2 hours. Not the fruit bomb I thought it might be from the reviews. In a great place but still on the young side (IMO), should continue to evolve and drink well for another 10+ years.
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Acker Auction - May 2019 (Zuma in NYC): Part III of the rocket fuel series. This is again quite intense. Amazing to think it's 10 years old - you can't tell the age here at all. It's got darker fruits and spice and a lot of intensity. Here again I hope that with some time it will start to mellow out a bit and then all of the crazy flavors that make it so interesting will be a bit more in balance.
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Popped and poured. This is a medium-red wine that is highly-concentrated (creating the Skeletor mouth) with some modest sediment at the end of the bottle. On the nose, this is wonderfully fragrant, with notes of berries, charcoal, some vanilla, a cast-iron pan, and ash. In the mouth, this is rich and layered; it is still young with a huge, dark core that remains to be explored over many years. The finish is very long; it is chewy, with dark fruits and olive brine, all lasting several minutes. Overall, this is a bad-ass wine. It probably needs some time, but wow is it great already! This is a beautiful beast. 94 points.
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Opened 6 hours+. Nose of black fruit. Opaque. Great texture on the palate. Consensus was this is a super slutty wine...not unusual for SQN. Rich and chewwwy stuff. Tannins are resolved for the most part. The brilliant acid is what saves it from becoming cloying. So much going on here upon first tasting it and then the acid kicks in about mid palate and lightens it up. Bright finish that just goes on and on. Day 2 (stored w argon in the fridge) - even better. The over the top fruit is now in the background allowing this to become a bit lighter and more complex. Give it plenty of time and you'll be rewarded.
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Wine Spectator newbies; 10/18/2018-10/20/2018 (Marriott Marquis): Another baby killing in a weekend of baby killing. At least we did decant for a few hours before rebottling. This wine is not for the faint of heart and on the heels of an hommage that is one of the more refined versions of that wine it takes a bit of readjustment. Still, this is very well done. Yes, it's slutty and a bit hedonistic and 'yummy' (as the owner of Booker would say). It's also got a certain charm and midpalate acidity and just wealth of flavors that makes it a rockstar. Not for everyone for sure, but I do like these.
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Drank from a magnum. Nose was singing from the start with baked redfruit and wintergreen in the foreground. The palate came around at hour 3 with loads of ripe fruit, glycerin, extracted vanilla... Needs several more years in bottle as decanting opened it up but diminished the intensity on the finish. Held its own again a the 09 Chave Hermitage.
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BYO - US wines (Trio): Sweet and very intense black currant/plum fruit with an impeccable balance. There are some hints of chocolate and vanilla but not in an overdone fashion. There is so much lightness and freshness that together with the intensity, makes this such an impressive wine. Simply, this is just a beautiful wine!
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This wine was drank at a local restaurant with minimal decanting. I've made the mistake tons of times by having SQN wines without proper decanting and that happened tonight. That being said, this bottle was stunning from the get go. Clear and deep purple in colour with a nose a cherries, vanilla and some spices. In the glass those cherries were mixed with dark berries and more mixed spices. The tannins and acidity were surprisingly light and perfectly balanced. The finish on this bottle was long and the flavours were wonderful.
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We made a classic bad mistake. We had a Syrah night and compared the SQN to 2006 Two Hands Ares, 2005 Guigal Ampuis and a 2006 Cayuse Cailloux. Don't get me wrong, we are really lucky to have these and ALL the wines were fantastic. But the Guigal proved the wine of the night because it was the odd man out compared with the new world wines. On any other night, these wines drank separately would have eulogies written about them. Anyone, the SQN was a huge full bodied wine, with amazing complexity and already leather and tertiary notes coming in. I have one more that I'm going to keep for a while. It will get better...
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A very good Syrah, well-built and balanced in all respects. I just looked through other tasting notes here and they definitely capture the wine's profile. It's just not an exciting wine. It's a good, prototypical Syrah, but an experience I can have at about one-fifth the price, so awful QPR. I decanted it carefully and kept tasting it over the course of 5 hours. I don't think time or any more air will change the experience much.
I am always looking for opulence and while there is none in this wine, it does have very ripe fruit and lovely tannins. Do yourself a favor and have it with something rich and fatty, like a nice ribeye steak and baked potato with the works.
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This bottle was opened and drank with a short 15 minute decant at a local steakhouse. The wine was clear and a deep hue of garnet red in colour and had a nose of ripe cherries and actually a noticeable amount of caramel. There were flavours of these same ripe cherries mixed with some butterscotch and a quite light amount of spices. I'm not even quite sure that I would have picked this out as a syrah. The wine had a very long finish as well. Next time I check one of these out, it will be with a longer decanting time.
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A balanced BEAST of a wine...like an elephant on a tight rope! Dark and concentrated liqueured berry fruit(ALL of them!)...with a firm dusty white peppery wall of structure that keeps the ripe fruit at attention like a Soldier! Licorice extract, dried currants, chocolate covered blueberries, white flowers florals....it's ALL there! The amazement is....it's as silky smoooooth and seamless as a first growth bordeaux! Friggin amazing juice these EBA's!
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DIY Holiday BYO Dinner (Amali in NYC): Pnp'ed. Very classic SQN and such a treat to drink. It's young and so I'd say the all over the place flavors you sometimes find in an SQN are a bit tamped down although the fruit/spice cabinet are full force and the balancing acidity that Manfred does so well is there. We have a few of these and looking forward to sitting them down for more years.
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This wine was drank with minimal decanting at a local steakhouse. It was clear and very deep purple in colour. The nose had a strong amount of ripe cherries and some butterscotch. These same cherries were in the glass mixes with a wonderfully light level of peppery spices. Although the alcohol level is typically high on this SQN, you would never know as the balance was just right. The tannins were quite strong while the acidity was mid level on this bottle. I'm looking forward to trying another bottle with proper opening time.
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Gorgeous wine but lacked a bit of the wow factor for me. Beautiful raspberry fruit in an ultra smooth package. Tannins were barely noticeable at all. Great depth of flavors but the body was very light. The finish was a bit shorter than I'd hoped.
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Johnny's Bachelor Weekend. Dinner at Press. Somewhat muted on the nose until the end of dinner. Dark fruit, molasses and toasty qualities. Caramel, coffee beans, exotic spices. At this point in life, not quite as expressive as other SQN I've tasted.
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Very impressive, but youth, youth, youth. I can't wait to try this again in 5-10 years. Decanted for 2 hrs. Tons of fruit, more pepper and spice than I expected, loads of tannin, extremely long finish. I expect another 5 yrs will soften the tannin and let the fruit and spice dominate the show. Another excellent wine from SQN.
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Opaque purple - no red here. Wow - there is a lot of perfectly pure fruit on the nose. Big and intense on the palate but somehow not too much for me. This is not a style I gravitate towards but I cannot think of a better example. What the heck - this is kind of fun every now and then. Glad to have a supply. Will be fun to follow. Hard to see how this and the La Chapelle come from the same grape. That's ok - I like them both. Lots of tannin - still needs time. (94)
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I was surprised to find this still too young. I had hoped it would be time but it is still showing its youthful uncertainty and was tannic. I suspect about another 2-3 years will round this one off. ��That said, it did not appear to have as much depth as I hoped but this is undoubtedly clouded by its tannic structure. I'll revisit this in 2017. By then, I hope it's true character will be reviewed. And, I suspect I will discover its depth we more subtle and gentle, but present.
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A great friend, Winedog1 made a visit to us so we decided to open some bottles to celebrate the occasion. At my request, Winedog1 agreed to select the rating and prepare tasting notes for this wine.
unexpectedly pleasant; strawberry; jam; maybe a little beef; blueberry; blackberry; umami; excellent
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Memphis SQN Dinner (Erling Jensen, Memphis, TN): 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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A big, full bodied bruiser of a wine. Meaty and fruity nose. The palette was inky and concentrated with bright red fruit and just a little hint of spice box. Quite a bit of grip (almost too much), and a lengthy finish. Top notch wine, but a little too young to drink (compared to what it will become). 9-18-9-9
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Lovely purple color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by plums with a touch of vanilla oak. Didn't find any pepper, but drank within an hour of decanting. Very nice balance and definition with a good finish. Another win for SQN. Some tasters put their entire cupboard and some of their refrigerator (plus the yard), into their impression of this wine. Imagination is wonderful, but succinctness and accuracy make the best descriptions. You might say that they are sine qua non.
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Decanted at the table for 30 minutes...boom...open for business, but we waited just a big longer before pouring...expressive nose of spice/pepper, dark and blue fruit...just so silky smooth...great balance in this wine, a quality that makes SQN so special...finding that perfect symmetry of power and elegance...the finish went on forever...I gave small pours to 6-7 people, eliciting a smiling face each time...saved a small pour for day two and not nearly as good...will make sure to drink the entire bottle in one night next time...won't be hard.
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This note is from day 2….giving up much more than with the 3hr decant on day one. Glad I had some left…..80% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 7% Roussanne and 1% Viognier that saw 41.5 months in 65% new French oak. Inky dark liqueured berry fruit…yada yada yada….broken record same old silky smooth rich extracted perfect sqn fruit! ;-) Kirsch liqueur, dusty cocoa/coffee bean, chocolate covered blueberries, licorice extract, dried currants, florals galore, well integrated white pepper and exotic spices. Smoooooth and seamless as a silky Bordeaux…..the bigness balanced well, like and elephant on a tightrope! Super tasty…as always….not an epiphany like the Dangerous Birds was, but still in the same vein. Always a treat to drink these!
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Luscious and lovely. Compared to an '89 Jaboulet La Chapelle I recently had this was vastly superior. Double decanted 90m before serving. Wonderful black fruit flavors on the nose and palette. I would've give a higher score if it had more structure and complexity.
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A blend of 80% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 7% Roussanne and 1% Viognier. Blind I would have guessed Grenache maybe Domaine de la Vieille Julienne. Deep ruby color with a syrupy but not overly concentrated texture. Expressive layers of blackberry, cloves, and cola on the nose. A sweet palate of candied cherries, licorice, chocolate and baking spices. Finish is long but slightly harsh. Opened in bottle 5 hours and decanted 5 more.
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A masterpiece and utterly brilliant, the 2009 This is Not An Exit Syrah is one of those wines from master winemaker Manfred Krankl that leaves very little to wish for, simply because you have it all in the glass... Of course this wine is brutally young but it still delivers a profound drinking experience. The nose offers up rich fruit, sweet liquorice, a lovely spiciness, cinnamon, wet stone and the type of complexity you normally find only in Rhône wines. I am confident the nose will develop as time passes by, this wine is very young and right now the nose seems to be infused with the above crescendo of impressions. With time the different components will get more visible - but integration and balance cannot get any better. The palate is profound and perfectly balanced. Tannins, acidity and fruit speak with one voice. Despite a considerable alcohol content, there is absolutely no heat at all. The overall impression is one of youth, but also of silkiness, balance and elegance. When tasting wines from this producer, I am always amazed by how such powerful wines can give such an elegant and impeccable impression. The 2009 This is Not An Exit Syrah is certainly proof of concept - and no exception to the rule!
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Not your typical SQN, even the nose is subdued, reminds me of a good Chave Hermitage. Not to sweet, more like dry smoked walnuts, leather is present, but dry and sun baked, not typical SQN again comes to mind. Another sip, really liking this, dry, tannins are making my mouth like fly paper, but you want more. One more sip, bold brisk, like that perfect cup of coffee you can remember but never duplicate. Fruit but not some smelly smashed Syrah grape, more like a hot Italian super model dripping juice from her dainty grape glistening toes.
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Big brawny and young. The oak was pronounced, but not overpowering. Chocolate, smoke, dark berries. Good balance, though. Not as a boozy as some SQNs that I've tasted. This has good potential to soften up and become a nicely aged and balanced wine.
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Deep dark purple color, a very expressive nose of chocolate , coffee and sweet boysenberry. Not as concentrated as some of the SQN's but well balanced and sweet lush fruit. Long length and very well balanced. It got better and better In the glass and went down really easy
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Lacking the concentration found in the best vintages, the wine exploded with a coffee bean, chocolate, ripe boysenberry, black cherry liqueur and mocha perfume. Voluptuous, rich and forward, the texture felt like deep rich silk, finishing with dark chocolate, spice and boysenberry. Elegance and power were perfectly combined, making this easy for the two of us to finish the bottle with a couple of rare, grilled steaks.
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So I got to emailing back and forth with Elaine Krankel about SQN drinking windows. She suggested that the estate wines were drinkable either within one year after release or well thereafter. She suggested that the wines were "generous," a term I like, and that they needed at least six hours of air. Since my son was returning to law school, I decided to open this and test the "first year after release" hypothesis. Take one for the team and all that. I decanted at 6 am and left it in the cellar. we drank it at 8 pm. Outstanding wine, great balance, red fruit and light smooth white pepper. Sexy smooth without being sweet. No oakiness. There is a tremendous amount here and a few more years in the bottle will generate an exceptional wine, but I do not regret opening it now.
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12/5/2023 - TWSA wrote: 90 Points
Nose: smoked bacon, blackcurrant, cinnamon, baked biscuit, clove, star anise, roasted tomato
Notes: 15.6% ABV. The SQN is a bulky and serious Syrah that punches you in the face. Drank after opening for 2.5 hours. Very fruit jam like texture with lots of cured meat and bacon aroma. Although I must confess that it doesn't feel very much like a 15.6% wine but in essence it is really powerful and probably a bit too strong for my palate. Although I am a great admirer of the artistic presentation of SQN, I cannot say I feel the same for the winemaking style and taste. Also I believe that the drinking window predicted by critics from Wine Advocate - 2013-2024, is quite far from the truth. I would argue that likely 2024 would be the beginning of the drinking window rather than the end. I personally feel that the lifespan of this wine should last till at least mid 2030s. To some extent I feel the power of this wine can be a bit overwhelming and I don't think it's that easy to differentiate this wine to a well made Barossa Shiraz which clearly should not be used as a comparison as they belong to a different status or price bucket, therefore for me although I do not dislike the wine but I can't help to feel a bit underwhelmed.
Drink: now - 2035
Rating: 90
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12/3/2023 - englishman's claret wrote:
Biggish black plum, liqueuer, full, oaky, round, intense. The alcohol isn't overpowering here, as is sometimes the case with the other SQNs. on show.
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12/2/2023 - RockinCabs wrote:
California Wine Weekend; 12/1/2023-12/3/2023 (Mos Eisley Cantina & Waterhouse Restaurant): Ripe Plum, fresh berries, bacon, vanilla, cola and licorice notes. Not really showing markers of syrah yet, but the coiled tannin suggests there is more to come. Difficult to judge today, but the abv seemed in check.
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11/3/2023 - Geoff Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great depth of dark fruit, mollified with floral aromatics from white wine blending. Strong, yet tempered, smooth with gentle tannins. Balanced, nuanced, long finish and delightful to drink and enjoy.
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4/7/2023 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
A massive wine that after a couple hours barely budged. Syrah is so thick, rich and smooth it reminds me of some Velvet Gloves. Not my favorite SQN Syrah, but a wonderful wine nonetheless and it might be better years from now.
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12/17/2022 - robertek wrote: 96 Points
Fun to taste the SQN 09,10,11 in a flight. Close call and only the Stockholm Syndrome had a point advantage of the others. So balanced to drink now but will improve even further - all three
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5/4/2022 - wineismylife wrote: 96 Points
WIML96
Tasted non blind. Decanted for about 90 minutes before serving. Followed over 3 hours.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of smoke, currants, black berries and black cherries. Flavors of black cherries, black raspberries and plums. Bright acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold. I do not recommend popping and pouring this wine right now. Decant or hold.
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5/1/2022 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Kleur: Opvallend paarsig-rood. Aroma / bouquet: Kenmerkend bouquet voor SQN… Een explosie van vooral donker fruit. Bramen, zwarte bessen en vooral (de meer lactische zoetigheid van bramen). Smaak / Afdronk: Gekoeld tot 15 graden: Een beknopte frisheid. Mondvullend en extreem geconcentreerd, fluwelige tannines. Boordevol donker fruit, verfijnd hout, een hint van caramel Een fijne rondeur en een serieus lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Indrukwekkende SQN-Syrah, maar zeker niet de meest complexe die ik geproef hebt…. Desondanks: elke keer weer een voorrecht om SQN te drinken! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 16 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 93/100
Colour: Striking purplish-red. Aroma / bouquet: Characteristic bouquet for SQN… An explosion of mainly dark fruit. Blackberries, blackcurrants and most importantly (the more lactic sweetness of blackberries). Taste / Aftertaste: Cooled to 15 degrees: A concise freshness. Mouth-filling and extremely concentrated, velvety tannins. Packed with dark fruit, refined wood, a hint of caramel. A fine roundness and a seriously long finish. General / potential: Impressive SQN-Syrah, but certainly not the most complex I've tasted…. Nevertheless: every time it's a privilege to drink SQN! 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 13 + Taste / Aftertaste: 16 + General / Potential: 9 = 93/100
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7/16/2021 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Expressive nose displaying very ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, fruitcake, dark caramel, sweet spices and earth. Exceptional concentration, packed concentrated black fruit, rich and chewy, good acidity and mineral, and a long ripe black fruit driven finish. There is a hint of heat at the end.
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7/16/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Ultra rich throughout with sweet spice and impressive concentration. Less complex notes coming through than I expected, but overall good balance and depth.
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5/8/2021 - lesz Likes this wine: 95 Points
it was fairly balanced and very enjoyable. I was concerned that it would be more massive and glad i was wrong.
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7/4/2020 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. This is a dark purple wine. There is marked sediment in the bottle, which is matched only by the teeth-staining capacity of the wine. On the nose, I get blackberries, blueberries, meat, espresso, and ash. In the mouth, this is rich, thick, and fully-loaded, leaving a long finish trimmed by fully-ripe black fruit. Overall, this is friendlier than the last time I had the wine (in March 2019), but it is still a slight slog through the bottle. This wine showcases a distinctly American form of excess; I can think of nothing better for the July 4 holiday in 2020 (where chaos reigns supreme). 94 points.
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5/2/2020 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 95 Points
You expect something different with an SQN and this one does not disappoint in that regard. 3 hr decant. Very heady blast of vanilla, cherry, red currant, clove, white pepper on the nose. Blueberry and kirsch on the palate. When you recover from the initial onslaught intriguing scents of fresh cut grass, nutmeg, and cola appear. I found the finish to be noticeably long. The high alcohol makes it a bit of a bruiser. No fear of cracking up. A wild ride.
Score: 95. Relative to expectations: +
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7/19/2019 - G_H wrote: 97 Points
Very closed down when opened but really started singing after about 2 hours in the decanter. Stunning texture, incredibly long. Perfectly ripe but not over ripe. Oak is incredibly well integrated. Rockstar stuff!!
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6/29/2019 - Rosengoo wrote: 91 Points
This was poured with minimal decanting at a local Italian restaurant. Clear and garnet red in colour with quite a peppery nose. The wine had flavours of dark berries, blueberries, and a mixture of white and black pepper. The tannins and acidity on this bottle were quite pronounced and it did not have a particularly long finish.
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6/21/2019 - zinnut wrote: 95 Points
This is a very good wine but I am not sure it's worth the dough.
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6/4/2019 - walkerjfw wrote: 95 Points
Zurich Supper Club in London (W/CVA and Andrew)- great start to Summer '19 (HIDE Restaurant - London, UK): Last wine of the evening, had been open 2+ hours by the time we got to it. One of my contributions, had to include a Syrah when drinking with Andrew.
Dark, vivid ruby color. Nose had some Northern Rhone characteristics when first drinking (earth and savory), evolving into cherry, blueberry, floral/violet, smoke. Rich palate of dark berries, cherry/chocolate, licorice, spices, vanilla and floral notes. Has a sweetness and persistence through the mid palate. Tannins are smoothed, full bodied and long finish.
Really excellent on this evening, nice way to finish the evening. At this point, the decant helped, it was tight when opened. Showing well after being open almost 2 hours. Not the fruit bomb I thought it might be from the reviews. In a great place but still on the young side (IMO), should continue to evolve and drink well for another 10+ years.
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5/15/2019 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Acker Auction - May 2019 (Zuma in NYC): Part III of the rocket fuel series. This is again quite intense. Amazing to think it's 10 years old - you can't tell the age here at all. It's got darker fruits and spice and a lot of intensity. Here again I hope that with some time it will start to mellow out a bit and then all of the crazy flavors that make it so interesting will be a bit more in balance.
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5/15/2019 - hprphf wrote: 95 Points
Acker 2019/05 (Zuma): Lovely dark fruit and detailed complexity. 95
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5/14/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 98 Points
Acker SQN Dinner (NoMad Rooftop): Tasted next to Poker Face and 17th Nail - you know it's a good flight when 98 points barely gets you second place
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3/16/2019 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured. This is a medium-red wine that is highly-concentrated (creating the Skeletor mouth) with some modest sediment at the end of the bottle. On the nose, this is wonderfully fragrant, with notes of berries, charcoal, some vanilla, a cast-iron pan, and ash. In the mouth, this is rich and layered; it is still young with a huge, dark core that remains to be explored over many years. The finish is very long; it is chewy, with dark fruits and olive brine, all lasting several minutes. Overall, this is a bad-ass wine. It probably needs some time, but wow is it great already! This is a beautiful beast. 94 points.
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1/19/2019 - bablues wrote:
8th Annual Holiday Dinner and Cellar Raid - A Month Late (Naperville, IL): Part of wine dinner and cellar raid so did not take detailed notes. Things were really foggy at this point. Don't remember much of this, although I received amazing feedback from others.
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10/21/2018 - Rackit Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened 6 hours+. Nose of black fruit. Opaque. Great texture on the palate. Consensus was this is a super slutty wine...not unusual for SQN. Rich and chewwwy stuff. Tannins are resolved for the most part. The brilliant acid is what saves it from becoming cloying. So much going on here upon first tasting it and then the acid kicks in about mid palate and lightens it up. Bright finish that just goes on and on.
Day 2 (stored w argon in the fridge) - even better. The over the top fruit is now in the background allowing this to become a bit lighter and more complex. Give it plenty of time and you'll be rewarded.
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10/20/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Spectator newbies; 10/18/2018-10/20/2018 (Marriott Marquis): Another baby killing in a weekend of baby killing. At least we did decant for a few hours before rebottling. This wine is not for the faint of heart and on the heels of an hommage that is one of the more refined versions of that wine it takes a bit of readjustment. Still, this is very well done. Yes, it's slutty and a bit hedonistic and 'yummy' (as the owner of Booker would say). It's also got a certain charm and midpalate acidity and just wealth of flavors that makes it a rockstar. Not for everyone for sure, but I do like these.
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4/28/2018 - G_H wrote: 96 Points
Stunning wine, such a great richness and texture. Incredibly long and opulent. A joy!
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12/24/2017 - MarkC wrote:
Needs at least 2-3 hours of decanting right now.
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11/30/2017 - bengti Likes this wine: 97 Points
HK Wine Society Tasting and Dinner JW Marriott HK
Just explosive combos of raspberry, popcorn, game, coffee, leather, spice, superb.
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11/23/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Drank from a magnum. Nose was singing from the start with baked redfruit and wintergreen in the foreground. The palate came around at hour 3 with loads of ripe fruit, glycerin, extracted vanilla... Needs several more years in bottle as decanting opened it up but diminished the intensity on the finish. Held its own again a the 09 Chave Hermitage.
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10/28/2017 - canan wrote: 99 Points
BYO - US wines (Trio): Sweet and very intense black currant/plum fruit with an impeccable balance. There are some hints of chocolate and vanilla but not in an overdone fashion.
There is so much lightness and freshness that together with the intensity, makes this such an impressive wine. Simply, this is just a beautiful wine!
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9/1/2017 - Rosengoo wrote: 97 Points
This wine was drank at a local restaurant with minimal decanting. I've made the mistake tons of times by having SQN wines without proper decanting and that happened tonight. That being said, this bottle was stunning from the get go. Clear and deep purple in colour with a nose a cherries, vanilla and some spices. In the glass those cherries were mixed with dark berries and more mixed spices. The tannins and acidity were surprisingly light and perfectly balanced. The finish on this bottle was long and the flavours were wonderful.
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4/22/2017 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 95 Points
We made a classic bad mistake. We had a Syrah night and compared the SQN to 2006 Two Hands Ares, 2005 Guigal Ampuis and a 2006 Cayuse Cailloux. Don't get me wrong, we are really lucky to have these and ALL the wines were fantastic. But the Guigal proved the wine of the night because it was the odd man out compared with the new world wines. On any other night, these wines drank separately would have eulogies written about them. Anyone, the SQN was a huge full bodied wine, with amazing complexity and already leather and tertiary notes coming in. I have one more that I'm going to keep for a while. It will get better...
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3/8/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very good Syrah, well-built and balanced in all respects. I just looked through other tasting notes here and they definitely capture the wine's profile. It's just not an exciting wine. It's a good, prototypical Syrah, but an experience I can have at about one-fifth the price, so awful QPR. I decanted it carefully and kept tasting it over the course of 5 hours. I don't think time or any more air will change the experience much.
I am always looking for opulence and while there is none in this wine, it does have very ripe fruit and lovely tannins. Do yourself a favor and have it with something rich and fatty, like a nice ribeye steak and baked potato with the works.
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2/15/2017 - Rosengoo wrote: 95 Points
This bottle was opened and drank with a short 15 minute decant at a local steakhouse. The wine was clear and a deep hue of garnet red in colour and had a nose of ripe cherries and actually a noticeable amount of caramel. There were flavours of these same ripe cherries mixed with some butterscotch and a quite light amount of spices. I'm not even quite sure that I would have picked this out as a syrah. The wine had a very long finish as well. Next time I check one of these out, it will be with a longer decanting time.
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2/15/2017 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 97 Points
A balanced BEAST of a wine...like an elephant on a tight rope! Dark and concentrated liqueured berry fruit(ALL of them!)...with a firm dusty white peppery wall of structure that keeps the ripe fruit at attention like a Soldier! Licorice extract, dried currants, chocolate covered blueberries, white flowers florals....it's ALL there! The amazement is....it's as silky smoooooth and seamless as a first growth bordeaux! Friggin amazing juice these EBA's!
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2/11/2017 - phenricsson wrote: 99 Points
Great bottle. Very dark. Savory. rich. Licorice, Chocolate. Huge, long aftertaste. Almost perfect.
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12/22/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
DIY Holiday BYO Dinner (Amali in NYC): Pnp'ed. Very classic SQN and such a treat to drink. It's young and so I'd say the all over the place flavors you sometimes find in an SQN are a bit tamped down although the fruit/spice cabinet are full force and the balancing acidity that Manfred does so well is there. We have a few of these and looking forward to sitting them down for more years.
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12/9/2016 - Rosengoo wrote: 95 Points
This wine was drank with minimal decanting at a local steakhouse. It was clear and very deep purple in colour. The nose had a strong amount of ripe cherries and some butterscotch. These same cherries were in the glass mixes with a wonderfully light level of peppery spices. Although the alcohol level is typically high on this SQN, you would never know as the balance was just right. The tannins were quite strong while the acidity was mid level on this bottle. I'm looking forward to trying another bottle with proper opening time.
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12/8/2016 - nywine68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gorgeous wine but lacked a bit of the wow factor for me. Beautiful raspberry fruit in an ultra smooth package. Tannins were barely noticeable at all. Great depth of flavors but the body was very light. The finish was a bit shorter than I'd hoped.
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6/5/2016 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Johnny's Bachelor Weekend.
Dinner at Press.
Somewhat muted on the nose until the end of dinner.
Dark fruit, molasses and toasty qualities.
Caramel, coffee beans, exotic spices.
At this point in life, not quite as expressive as other SQN I've tasted.
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4/9/2016 - patespo1 wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful potential, but needs a minimum of 5 more years to age.
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3/25/2016 - parkerbj Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very impressive, but youth, youth, youth. I can't wait to try this again in 5-10 years. Decanted for 2 hrs. Tons of fruit, more pepper and spice than I expected, loads of tannin, extremely long finish. I expect another 5 yrs will soften the tannin and let the fruit and spice dominate the show. Another excellent wine from SQN.
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2/9/2016 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
Opaque purple - no red here. Wow - there is a lot of perfectly pure fruit on the nose. Big and intense on the palate but somehow not too much for me. This is not a style I gravitate towards but I cannot think of a better example. What the heck - this is kind of fun every now and then. Glad to have a supply. Will be fun to follow. Hard to see how this and the La Chapelle come from the same grape. That's ok - I like them both. Lots of tannin - still needs time. (94)
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12/24/2015 - FranklinSix Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was surprised to find this still too young. I had hoped it would be time but it is still showing its youthful uncertainty and was tannic. I suspect about another 2-3 years will round this one off. ��That said, it did not appear to have as much depth as I hoped but this is undoubtedly clouded by its tannic structure. I'll revisit this in 2017. By then, I hope it's true character will be reviewed. And, I suspect I will discover its depth we more subtle and gentle, but present.
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12/6/2015 - birdeaux Likes this wine: 98 Points
A great friend, Winedog1 made a visit to us so we decided to open some bottles to celebrate the occasion. At my request, Winedog1 agreed to select the rating and prepare tasting notes for this wine.
unexpectedly pleasant; strawberry; jam; maybe a little beef; blueberry; blackberry; umami; excellent
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10/15/2015 - CMCLR wrote: 93 Points
Needs more time, more tannic than typical SQN. Also, more muted nose
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10/10/2015 - AllRed wrote:
Memphis SQN Dinner (Erling Jensen, Memphis, TN): 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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10/10/2015 - CO_Roots13 wrote: 95 Points
A big, full bodied bruiser of a wine. Meaty and fruity nose. The palette was inky and concentrated with bright red fruit and just a little hint of spice box. Quite a bit of grip (almost too much), and a lengthy finish. Top notch wine, but a little too young to drink (compared to what it will become).
9-18-9-9
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9/13/2015 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lovely purple color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by plums with a touch of vanilla oak. Didn't find any pepper, but drank within an hour of decanting. Very nice balance and definition with a good finish. Another win for SQN. Some tasters put their entire cupboard and some of their refrigerator (plus the yard), into their impression of this wine. Imagination is wonderful, but succinctness and accuracy make the best descriptions. You might say that they are sine qua non.
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8/7/2015 - bonedocnine Likes this wine:
Mmmmmmm. yummy! definitely a hit.
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5/10/2015 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOTN up against 08 Abreu, 08 Maya and 10 cayuse implusivo. Stunningly good
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2/28/2015 - hanasowner wrote: 98 Points
Decanted at the table for 30 minutes...boom...open for business, but we waited just a big longer before pouring...expressive nose of spice/pepper, dark and blue fruit...just so silky smooth...great balance in this wine, a quality that makes SQN so special...finding that perfect symmetry of power and elegance...the finish went on forever...I gave small pours to 6-7 people, eliciting a smiling face each time...saved a small pour for day two and not nearly as good...will make sure to drink the entire bottle in one night next time...won't be hard.
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1/1/2015 - corkcork wrote: 96 Points
Fun
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12/22/2014 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 97 Points
This note is from day 2….giving up much more than with the 3hr decant on day one. Glad I had some left…..80% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 7% Roussanne and 1% Viognier that saw 41.5 months in 65% new French oak. Inky dark liqueured berry fruit…yada yada yada….broken record same old silky smooth rich extracted perfect sqn fruit! ;-) Kirsch liqueur, dusty cocoa/coffee bean, chocolate covered blueberries, licorice extract, dried currants, florals galore, well integrated white pepper and exotic spices. Smoooooth and seamless as a silky Bordeaux…..the bigness balanced well, like and elephant on a tightrope! Super tasty…as always….not an epiphany like the Dangerous Birds was, but still in the same vein. Always a treat to drink these!
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12/13/2014 - Peliot wrote: 94 Points
Luscious and lovely. Compared to an '89 Jaboulet La Chapelle I recently had this was vastly superior. Double decanted 90m before serving. Wonderful black fruit flavors on the nose and palette. I would've give a higher score if it had more structure and complexity.
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11/16/2014 - Knicksfan wrote: 98 Points
Big and beautiful. About 1 hr in the decanter and then down the hatch. So elegant and nuanced yet powerful. HOw do they do that?
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11/9/2014 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 Points
A blend of 80% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 7% Roussanne and 1% Viognier. Blind I would have guessed Grenache maybe Domaine de la Vieille Julienne. Deep ruby color with a syrupy but not overly concentrated texture. Expressive layers of blackberry, cloves, and cola on the nose. A sweet palate of candied cherries, licorice, chocolate and baking spices. Finish is long but slightly harsh. Opened in bottle 5 hours and decanted 5 more.
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10/17/2014 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 98 Points
A masterpiece and utterly brilliant, the 2009 This is Not An Exit Syrah is one of those wines from master winemaker Manfred Krankl that leaves very little to wish for, simply because you have it all in the glass... Of course this wine is brutally young but it still delivers a profound drinking experience. The nose offers up rich fruit, sweet liquorice, a lovely spiciness, cinnamon, wet stone and the type of complexity you normally find only in Rhône wines. I am confident the nose will develop as time passes by, this wine is very young and right now the nose seems to be infused with the above crescendo of impressions. With time the different components will get more visible - but integration and balance cannot get any better. The palate is profound and perfectly balanced. Tannins, acidity and fruit speak with one voice. Despite a considerable alcohol content, there is absolutely no heat at all. The overall impression is one of youth, but also of silkiness, balance and elegance. When tasting wines from this producer, I am always amazed by how such powerful wines can give such an elegant and impeccable impression. The 2009 This is Not An Exit Syrah is certainly proof of concept - and no exception to the rule!
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9/27/2014 - shadow wrote: 99 Points
Not your typical SQN, even the nose is subdued, reminds me of a good Chave Hermitage.
Not to sweet, more like dry smoked walnuts, leather is present, but dry and sun baked, not typical SQN again comes to mind.
Another sip, really liking this, dry, tannins are making my mouth like fly paper, but you want more.
One more sip, bold brisk, like that perfect cup of coffee you can remember but never duplicate.
Fruit but not some smelly smashed Syrah grape, more like a hot Italian super model dripping juice from her dainty grape glistening toes.
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8/31/2014 - jrobs7777 wrote:
Big brawny and young. The oak was pronounced, but not overpowering. Chocolate, smoke, dark berries. Good balance, though. Not as a boozy as some SQNs that I've tasted. This has good potential to soften up and become a nicely aged and balanced wine.
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8/18/2014 - reichken wrote: 94 Points
Deep dark purple color, a very expressive nose of chocolate , coffee and sweet boysenberry. Not as concentrated as some of the SQN's but well balanced and sweet lush fruit. Long length and very well balanced. It got better and better In the glass and went down really easy
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8/17/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Lacking the concentration found in the best vintages, the wine exploded with a coffee bean, chocolate, ripe boysenberry, black cherry liqueur and mocha perfume. Voluptuous, rich and forward, the texture felt like deep rich silk, finishing with dark chocolate, spice and boysenberry. Elegance and power were perfectly combined, making this easy for the two of us to finish the bottle with a couple of rare, grilled steaks.
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1/9/2014 - Jay Hack Likes this wine: 95 Points
So I got to emailing back and forth with Elaine Krankel about SQN drinking windows. She suggested that the estate wines were drinkable either within one year after release or well thereafter. She suggested that the wines were "generous," a term I like, and that they needed at least six hours of air. Since my son was returning to law school, I decided to open this and test the "first year after release" hypothesis. Take one for the team and all that. I decanted at 6 am and left it in the cellar. we drank it at 8 pm. Outstanding wine, great balance, red fruit and light smooth white pepper. Sexy smooth without being sweet. No oakiness. There is a tremendous amount here and a few more years in the bottle will generate an exceptional wine, but I do not regret opening it now.
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