Served blind. Out of glass, it felt like an intense chardonnay. With half a day of air, the high alcohol and herbal white stone fruits pointed me towards roussanne with suspiciously high acidity. Oak pointed new world. An intense white wine with the acidity to back it up.
This was certainly a fun wine to blind, and an enjoyable wine to drink, especially with sufficient time to air.
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This Chard (44%)/ Roussanne (40%) dominated blend evidences the Chard more at this stage, and it may well stay that way through full maturity. On attack it comes across as a Cali Chard with white peaches and tropical fruits (not too ripe) followed with creamy Oak, but after some air there are additional notes of white stone, sunflower seeds, a nice touch of acidity that extends rather than shortens the finish, which goes on for over 30 seconds. It will be interesting to see how this wine further evolves.
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agree with others. huge wine. its 15.2% alc, drinks as mid 14s%. balanced tropical chard notes predominate over rhone varietals. oak treatment was a tad heavy handed. Went well with charcuterie. not sure if worth Price of admission 93 pts
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40% Chardonnay is where the majority of nose is, surprisingly quite sharp, but the structure and high alcohol content are evident that they come from the other Rhone varietals. 92-93
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Bright dark golden color, with a perfume of apricot, peach, banana, and fresh herbs lifting from the glass. Concentrated layers of marmalade, honey lemon, and caramel apple show immediately on the palate. I get a secondary, grounding note of light spice and a hint of roasted nuts. The fruit shows through, with a very nice weight, balance, and richness to the mouth feel. Long finish.
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Rich, creamy, a touch sweet with good spine, ripeness; pineapple, mellon, apricot, fruit forward but graceful and carries the weight well. Cotsens blind night
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Lovely little white with a great funky nose. Good purity of fruit, this stood up to numerous apps that we had and some aggressively spiced chicken. Happy I had this in my cellar but not paying the prices I'm seeing for this these days. Citrus, lanolin, some funky earth notes.
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An interesting wine that paired well with a number of pasta dishes. Still prefer 100% chard over this blend as I can find equally good wines at 1/3 price.
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Served blind. Opened by Allred. 42% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 7$ Viognier, 7% Petite Manseng and 4% Marsanne. A little skunkiness and light petrol on the nose. Medium yellow color. Notes of sesame seeds, orange peel and lemon curd. A big and hefty white with good aging potential. Long finish. I have one in the cellar and there does not appear to be a rush to open it. 93 points.
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This is the most unique white I have ever drank. Out of the bottle, the very dark yellow color catches your attention. On the nose, one could be faked into think they are sniffing a aged red bordeaux. I loved it for its uniqueness, I liked it on the palate.
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Just rounding into form, rich, glycerined and complex, with layers of tropical, pit and orchard fruit, almond paste and spice. Haters gonna hate but I really like some of these whites once they have aged a few years. I think what throws people is the dizzying array of flavor notes, juxtaposed with such a dense texture and level of concentration.
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[Tasted double blind at Kevin's] Very heavy handed and alcohol levels taking over the balance of the wine. 15.2% (tasting even higher) overpowering what's left of the fruit. Ended up tasting flabby, hot, and dull. Was a resounding miss among the blind tasting group this time around, Umar ultimately guessed it was SQN. Please note that I have nothing against SQN (I have many SQN bottles in my collection), but this one seemed to be a miss in terms of balance and finesse. Could be an off-bottle, who knows.
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Drank 40 minutes after decanting. HUGE nose of toast, with vanilla and marzipan. Really open and fragrant after 1½ hours in the decanter, showing toasty corn and toasted nuts and buttery notes. A little straw, too. Just beautiful!
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Not for everyone, but if you are looking for a different kind of wine, try this.
Spicy, tangy and very rich. Showing great complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
This 6 year old is very unique. Not my style necessarily, but interesting enough for me to enjoy it.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 44% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 8% Viognier and 8% Petit Manseng. Aged for 19 months, mostly French oak barrels and some in concrete and stainless steel.
15.2% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$200.
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The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Rich and ripe yet showing good mineral expression and acidity. Slightly coiled white fruit, beeswax, honey and steely mineral. Excellent concentration, rich and opulent but also good balance and precision. Although ripe, cool overall impression.
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Similar to my previous experience with this wine over 2 years ago, the wine finishes hot. Great orange, pear, stone fruit, white flowers, and a velvety smooth profile. It's intense with a hot finish which gets in the way for me personally.
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my 2nd time drinking Entre Chien et Loup, still have the same feeling, that is too much oak and too much flavor on the nose. on the palate lack of fruity and floral flavor. finish is quite short. the whole experience can be described as boring.
2016 Deux Grenouilles is much better.
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Flavors popped especially at 68F. Medium bodied yet dense satin like texture. Stone fruit, grapefruit, honeycomb, spice. Very alluring and savory. So grateful to be able to acquire this.
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Only had a few SQN whites though have a number ageing. This one was excellent. Initially has oak on nose and a real zing of lime and face puckering acidity on finish. Normally this may require more bottle time but the huge frame and viscosity with the Roussanne addition (40%) really makes sense. It’s big and makes your face tingle initially (15% abv) but has a real sharpness and balance despite all this. Top stuff
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A broad-shouldered Rhone-inspired white that carries enough energy and brightness (thanks to the 44% Chardonnay and 8% Viognier) to counterbalance the otherwise fuller-throttled richness of the 40% Roussanne. Perhaps just a sliver less vibrant than the last bottle I had back in May, but similar in that its viscosity offers both a pleasing mouthfeel and added weight in the delivery. Tropical yellow fruit and dried apricot flavors compete with lemon curd notes. Slight booze on the tail, but it is quickly absorbed by the condensed fruit. As has been the case the last couple of times I’ve had this wine, it’s more about density and upper-arm savory flex than it is about spritely vitality and electric vigor. Drink now and within the next year or so (if you value freshness and tension in your white Rhones). Hovers in that 94-95 point range for me (once the perception of alcohol on the finish wanes).
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SLDS December 2020: 44% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 8% Petite Manseng and 8% Viognier. Apricot, lemon, peach and a smoky/peaty character. Rich with plenty of persistence and a little alcohol burn at the finish. Idiosyncratic wine, quite the experience.
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Apricot, cream lemon, honey and vanillin. Medium to large-scaled on the palate, with a very long spicy finish. Drinking very well now and not quite at its peak, may improve a point or 2 with time in the bottle.
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Straw to Golden color. Nose shows the buttery notes of malolactic fermentation but it is wrapped with pineapple, floral notes, and stone fruits. Expressive and round body has a beautiful balance of peach and acidity with a lingering finish. Wonderful wine and interesting application of Rhône whites to California Chardonnay. A group favorite if the night in a night of great whites from a Guigal La Dorienne to a 2011 Aubert.
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Packed with smoke and white peach fruit but also some pineapple and mango. A lovely viscosity but still with a core of acidity that really makes this a beautiful and mouthwatering wine. Highly balanced and a very long aftertaste. Could easily have reached 97-98p on a good day. Loved it!
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Another Covid wine that I didn't intend to drink so young, but WOW, I am glad that i did. Decanted for 1 hour. Drank with non-white drinkers that absolutely adored this wine. The interesting blend of grapes worked perfectly. The nose was a smorgasbord of ripe but fresh fruit. The texture was velvet. This was my first SQN white, and boy, did it deliver.. Drink now or hold.
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Brilliant - the first of our Fathers Day wines. I opened it tasted it and then hid it so that it did not disappear before my wife and daughter could try it but I wasnt being too selfish as my guests were drinking Saxum White James Berry and were truly enjoying it. The flavors are spectacular with apricot, mango and tangerine dominating a palate that just coats your mouth like honey. A long finish made it the perfect start of the evening.
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A slight step up from last year. In a great spot right now with about two hours in the decanter at just below cellar temperature. A little gummy on the back end, but the viscosity is what makes for a more mouthwatering experience. Yellow citrus and tropical fruit notes. Very well balanced. A white Rhône with a bit of CA flair. More heady than zippy. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
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Aromas of guava, wet stone, quince, flowers and hint of honey. Flavors of guava, mineral, lime, star fruit and touch of papaya. Ends with a great finish of40-45 seconds with mineral and guava notes. Kind of a cross between a White Bordeaux and a white Rhône. Sounds kind of weird but it’s a great wine.
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MixedTape Chef: 1st SQN white ever - Buttery, white flowers, autumn leaves. Warm white peach, apricots, grapefruits, apples, with tinges of mango and melon at the end. Spiced ginger finish. Well structured with nice acidity. Fresh and vibrant. Complex and playful on the palate. This should be the best white for me in 2019!
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Decanted 1 hour, left in a bed of ice for that time, so the wine was not too cold. This is a monster of a wine, it makes me want to drink more whites from Manfred. we had this as a starter for our 11 Confessions evening with 7 bottles and a MG of "Just for the love of it". Incredible night.
Back to this wine, it is already now nice and round, will benefit from another few years and hold for ages I believe. Honey, light citrus, a bit of mango. And very long.
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Deep yellow color with a bouquet and flavor or melons, mushrooms, and toasty oak. Very rich and full with a long finish. Balance only slightly off at the end. Intriguing if not as good as some of my previous SQNs.
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Beautiful wine which benefitted from air. Yellow/golden color, Nose of Honeyysuckle, beeswax, fresh, glorious fruit, nice acidity and yet balance. Very nice, indeed.
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Deep yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of melons giving it a bit of mustiness, citrus, and quite a bit of buttery oak, reflecting the Chardonnay in the wine. Nice mouthfeel with generally good balance, nuance, and depth. Another very good SQN, and almost a wow.
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Certainly a worthy comparison to a strong white Rhone, with a deeply pitched and viscous mouthfeel that makes for a full-throttle (at times, a bit heavy) delivery. It's a weighty white to be sure, with some slight lamp oil/oxidized tropical (grilled pineapple and citrus notes) playing pingpong with more traditional Chardonnay notes of ripe lemon and subtle marzipan. Not much minerality to speak of here. Certainly flavorful and interesting, but take away the SQN label, and you have a fairly mid-range Rhone white type of beverage. I enjoyed it without a doubt, but there is a bit of a "but" here, mostly related to some missing pizzaz/verve and energy. Finishes a little gummy and heavy. Paired very well with spicy dishes (grilled habanero and turmeric spiced prawns). Drink now and over the next few years.
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Acker SQN Dinner (NoMad Rooftop): Served next to Deux Grenouilles. Similar profile - just a little less of everything (in comparison). Improved nicely with time in glass - moved up a point or two from the initial pour, while the D.G. was more steady throughout
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An interesting blend of rhone varieties and chardonnay. Floral, bright and firm but also tight and not yet at full speed. Big wine but not massive albeit at times felt heavy. Very enjoyable for sure but not up to speed with the price tag. Super pretty bottle though. 91-92
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This delicious wine has powerful aromatics and is floral on the nose. There are notes of butterscotch, citrus, saline, and orange zest. Heavy body and finishes with length and subtle spice.
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Winorama: A winter in Wineland III; 1/4/2019-1/13/2019 (Portland/Willamette, Eureka, Napa): Generally I think this is often a blend of many whites and for some reason with this bottle or this year the chard was just dominant. And I'm not a chard person. Also seems to be missing that mid-late palate acid that I really love that makes this a bit more structured and less over the top. Not my favorite of the SQN whites, but so it goes.
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Medium to dark yellow with some gold. Not crazy on the nose, gave it about 15-20 in the glass and discovered notes of over ripe cantaloupe, Bartlett pear, burnt honey. 15.1% not what I thought it would be. Nice acidity but with a bit of olive oil mouth feel. Honeydew, jasmine flower, kumquat, orange peel flavors. Have another bottle I’ll keep for another 2-3 years at least.
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always approaching SQN with skepticism. to my pleasant surprise this was very nice, and I daresay my WOTN nose - peach, pit fruit mouth - smoky, minerally, clean, pit fruit, white pepper, anise. rich but sleek
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Excellent white, Chardonnay style, though not as golden hued. Excellent aromatics, needs to be chilled little more than I had ~ 60 degrees. Trying one in 6 months, see how it ages
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This clear and mid golden wine was drank without decanting. The nose on it was somewhat muted with some melon and a tinge of petrol. In the glass was a very silky wine with flavours of cantelope, citrus, honey and enough butter that I might have mistaken it for a strongly chardonnay based wine. The only unfortunate circumstance with this bottle was that it required a bit more chilling but that was my fault as it was so good to consume it quickly.
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Rich and full-bodied. Tropical and honey notes and it is creamy in the mouth. I think I like this better than prior SQN whites I’ve had. I’ll hold my other bottle for a bit to see where it goes.
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Crisp, nose of clover honey. Full body, silky smooth long clean finish. Some citrus, lots of honey flavors.
I generally don't like whites, because of the in your face acidic taste. This was all silky and clean, no off acidic flavors. Nothing over the top and very well balanced.
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This bottle was poured at a local restaurant after being chilled. It was clear and dark golden in colour with a nose of light lemon, some almonds and a bit of caramel. These same flavours were in the glass as well as honey and quite a bit of upfront butter flavor. I might have even picked this out to be a mostly Chardonnay based bottle if I didn't know better (it's 40%). This was a very nice wine that only improved with time in the glass and especially chilling.
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42% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 7% Petite Manseng and 7% Viognier, 4% Marsanne...Explosive nose of flowers, hay bale/herbs, honey, buttered rum spice, apricot marmalade...RICH and full-bodied in the mouth...creamy with olive oil viscosity, yet lifted with ample citrus acidity and crushed granite and limestone chalk. The wine just cascades over the palate in a balanced calm matter. No alc heat at all, classic sqn balance. Once again, the depth and complexity are out of this world...that dried hay/herb note on the nose and palate is intriguing...some flint smoke, honeycomb wax, and tropical marmalade...a finish of refreshing citrus and spice, lasting for minutes. Another amazing white from the K's!
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A lot of wine here. Very complex, but clearly still in its infancy. Notes of apricot, beeswax, meyer lemon and some orange rind on the nose. Large scaled in the mouth with abundant acidity to balance out the fruit. Long finish with some spice. Need to hold to reach its full potential, but very tasty now in its youth.
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Ken’s Birthday Celebration (Morton's Steakhouse - Northbrook IL): I am rarely a fan of young SQN whites, but this impressed. Rich start with plenty of ripe stone fruit and honeycomb. Easily enough structure and restraint so that stays vibrant from beginning to end. Engaging and interesting already now,with upside.
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Very interesting wine as all of Manfred's creations are. A very different nose of honey, wax, beeswax, dark yellow fruits and some orange. A big wine but wine with balance and grace. Just a puppy. Really nice and signature texture. 15.2% alcohol but you wouldnt know it. Great balance of fruit, structure and alcohol.
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Duck Four Ways at The Spread in Norwalk (The Spread in South Norwalk): Wow what a wine! My wine of the night! This had such an awesome nose of smoke, honeysuckle, pineapple and mineral. Really quite unique. Reminds me of a le meal I had a while back. Flavors of melon, star fruit, saline, sea salt and tangerine. The finish is like a wall of flavors that never seems to let up, lasting at least 50 seconds. This is truly some impressive stuff.
Day 2: Gun flint, white flowers, pear, liche, blue stone and loads of minerals. Similar to day 1, a little off balance with a good amount of heat on the finish. I'd wait a while to drink up.
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2/3/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Served blind. Out of glass, it felt like an intense chardonnay. With half a day of air, the high alcohol and herbal white stone fruits pointed me towards roussanne with suspiciously high acidity. Oak pointed new world. An intense white wine with the acidity to back it up.
This was certainly a fun wine to blind, and an enjoyable wine to drink, especially with sufficient time to air.
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1/13/2024 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
This Chard (44%)/ Roussanne (40%) dominated blend evidences the Chard more at this stage, and it may well stay that way through full maturity. On attack it comes across as a Cali Chard with white peaches and tropical fruits (not too ripe) followed with creamy Oak, but after some air there are additional notes of white stone, sunflower seeds, a nice touch of acidity that extends rather than shortens the finish, which goes on for over 30 seconds. It will be interesting to see how this wine further evolves.
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12/26/2023 - VinoGeeko Likes this wine: 92 Points
agree with others. huge wine. its 15.2% alc, drinks as mid 14s%. balanced tropical chard notes predominate over rhone varietals. oak treatment was a tad heavy handed. Went well with charcuterie. not sure if worth Price of admission
93 pts
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12/24/2023 - overkloud wrote: 94 Points
A massive white with bursted stone fruits and tropical fruit notes, with hints of white pepper. The chard note is in the foreground.
On the palate the acidity is well balanced with the body. very full body, borderline oily but the acidity and fruits is pulling it back.
It is a wine that is hard to enjoy in style these days especially with foods but I think it is a great wine nevertheless.
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12/22/2023 - hprphf wrote: 93 Points
40% Chardonnay is where the majority of nose is, surprisingly quite sharp, but the structure and high alcohol content are evident that they come from the other Rhone varietals. 92-93
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11/27/2023 - scott davis wrote: 94 Points
Bright dark golden color, with a perfume of apricot, peach, banana, and fresh herbs lifting from the glass. Concentrated layers of marmalade, honey lemon, and caramel apple show immediately on the palate. I get a secondary, grounding note of light spice and a hint of roasted nuts. The fruit shows through, with a very nice weight, balance, and richness to the mouth feel. Long finish.
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11/14/2023 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, creamy, a touch sweet with good spine, ripeness; pineapple, mellon, apricot, fruit forward but graceful and carries the weight well.
Cotsens blind night
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10/27/2023 - tcarter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Ojai Food + Wine Festival; 10/26/2023-10/29/2023 (Ojai Valley Inn): Yes, yes, YES! Spectacular! What I have come to expect from one of my favorite white wine makers.
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9/1/2023 - HRT wrote:
Luscious golden color. A lovely nose of stone and tropical fruits which carries to the palate. Full bodied but nicely balanced.
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7/16/2023 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 93 Points
Lovely little white with a great funky nose. Good purity of fruit, this stood up to numerous apps that we had and some aggressively spiced chicken. Happy I had this in my cellar but not paying the prices I'm seeing for this these days. Citrus, lanolin, some funky earth notes.
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6/26/2023 - Rbtrage wrote: 92 Points
An interesting wine that paired well with a number of pasta dishes. Still prefer 100% chard over this blend as I can find equally good wines at 1/3 price.
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5/1/2023 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Served blind. Opened by Allred. 42% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 7$ Viognier, 7% Petite Manseng and 4% Marsanne. A little skunkiness and light petrol on the nose. Medium yellow color. Notes of sesame seeds, orange peel and lemon curd. A big and hefty white with good aging potential. Long finish. I have one in the cellar and there does not appear to be a rush to open it. 93 points.
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4/29/2023 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Deep color. Smoky, with tangerine, citrus and toasted sesame notes. Citrus dominates the palate.
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1/14/2023 - ipp Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is the most unique white I have ever drank. Out of the bottle, the very dark yellow color catches your attention. On the nose, one could be faked into think they are sniffing a aged red bordeaux. I loved it for its uniqueness, I liked it on the palate.
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8/26/2022 - JonnyG Likes this wine:
Just rounding into form, rich, glycerined and complex, with layers of tropical, pit and orchard fruit, almond paste and spice. Haters gonna hate but I really like some of these whites once they have aged a few years. I think what throws people is the dizzying array of flavor notes, juxtaposed with such a dense texture and level of concentration.
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8/24/2022 - Michael Hung Does not like this wine:
[Tasted double blind at Kevin's]
Very heavy handed and alcohol levels taking over the balance of the wine. 15.2% (tasting even higher) overpowering what's left of the fruit. Ended up tasting flabby, hot, and dull. Was a resounding miss among the blind tasting group this time around, Umar ultimately guessed it was SQN. Please note that I have nothing against SQN (I have many SQN bottles in my collection), but this one seemed to be a miss in terms of balance and finesse. Could be an off-bottle, who knows.
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8/24/2022 - kstoddard wrote:
Ughhh. Undrinkable.
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7/15/2022 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 90 Points
Rich and tasty, not overdone, but a bit simple overall.
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7/7/2022 - Mike V wrote: 93 Points
Perfect complement to lemon and asparagus risotto for the birthday girl perfect
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4/21/2022 - Peech Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank 40 minutes after decanting. HUGE nose of toast, with vanilla and marzipan. Really open and fragrant after 1½ hours in the decanter, showing toasty corn and toasted nuts and buttery notes. A little straw, too. Just beautiful!
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9/22/2021 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a very interesting Chardonnay based white blend from California.
Full bodied and bold with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate and fruit forward.
Showing citrus, ripen apples, spices, melons, light tropical fruits, oak, sea salt, mangoes, honey, bitter herbs and peppercorn.
Not for everyone, but if you are looking for a different kind of wine, try this.
Spicy, tangy and very rich. Showing great complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
This 6 year old is very unique. Not my style necessarily, but interesting enough for me to enjoy it.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 44% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 8% Viognier and 8% Petit Manseng. Aged for 19 months, mostly French oak barrels and some in concrete and stainless steel.
15.2% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$200.
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5/6/2021 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
The first indoor gathering since Covid (Clarity - Vienna, Virginia): Rich and ripe yet showing good mineral expression and acidity. Slightly coiled white fruit, beeswax, honey and steely mineral. Excellent concentration, rich and opulent but also good balance and precision. Although ripe, cool overall impression.
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5/6/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Similar to my previous experience with this wine over 2 years ago, the wine finishes hot. Great orange, pear, stone fruit, white flowers, and a velvety smooth profile. It's intense with a hot finish which gets in the way for me personally.
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4/11/2021 - vetty wrote: 90 Points
my 2nd time drinking Entre Chien et Loup, still have the same feeling, that is too much oak and too much flavor on the nose.
on the palate lack of fruity and floral flavor. finish is quite short. the whole experience can be described as boring.
2016 Deux Grenouilles is much better.
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2/22/2021 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 96 Points
Flavors popped especially at 68F. Medium bodied yet dense satin like texture. Stone fruit, grapefruit, honeycomb, spice. Very alluring and savory. So grateful to be able to acquire this.
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1/24/2021 - Mbad77 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Only had a few SQN whites though have a number ageing. This one was excellent. Initially has oak on nose and a real zing of lime and face puckering acidity on finish. Normally this may require more bottle time but the huge frame and viscosity with the Roussanne addition (40%) really makes sense.
It’s big and makes your face tingle initially (15% abv) but has a real sharpness and balance despite all this.
Top stuff
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12/29/2020 - csimm wrote:
A broad-shouldered Rhone-inspired white that carries enough energy and brightness (thanks to the 44% Chardonnay and 8% Viognier) to counterbalance the otherwise fuller-throttled richness of the 40% Roussanne. Perhaps just a sliver less vibrant than the last bottle I had back in May, but similar in that its viscosity offers both a pleasing mouthfeel and added weight in the delivery. Tropical yellow fruit and dried apricot flavors compete with lemon curd notes. Slight booze on the tail, but it is quickly absorbed by the condensed fruit. As has been the case the last couple of times I’ve had this wine, it’s more about density and upper-arm savory flex than it is about spritely vitality and electric vigor. Drink now and within the next year or so (if you value freshness and tension in your white Rhones). Hovers in that 94-95 point range for me (once the perception of alcohol on the finish wanes).
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12/18/2020 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
SLDS December 2020: 44% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 8% Petite Manseng and 8% Viognier. Apricot, lemon, peach and a smoky/peaty character. Rich with plenty of persistence and a little alcohol burn at the finish. Idiosyncratic wine, quite the experience.
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9/26/2020 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Apricot, cream lemon, honey and vanillin. Medium to large-scaled on the palate, with a very long spicy finish. Drinking very well now and not quite at its peak, may improve a point or 2 with time in the bottle.
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7/26/2020 - jaumealaska Likes this wine: 97 Points
Straw to Golden color. Nose shows the buttery notes of malolactic fermentation but it is wrapped with pineapple, floral notes, and stone fruits. Expressive and round body has a beautiful balance of peach and acidity with a lingering finish. Wonderful wine and interesting application of Rhône whites to California Chardonnay. A group favorite if the night in a night of great whites from a Guigal La Dorienne to a 2011 Aubert.
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7/22/2020 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Packed with smoke and white peach fruit but also some pineapple and mango.
A lovely viscosity but still with a core of acidity that really makes this a beautiful and mouthwatering wine.
Highly balanced and a very long aftertaste. Could easily have reached 97-98p on a good day.
Loved it!
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6/23/2020 - DJPremierCru Likes this wine: 98 Points
Another Covid wine that I didn't intend to drink so young, but WOW, I am glad that i did. Decanted for 1 hour. Drank with non-white drinkers that absolutely adored this wine. The interesting blend of grapes worked perfectly. The nose was a smorgasbord of ripe but fresh fruit. The texture was velvet. This was my first SQN white, and boy, did it deliver.. Drink now or hold.
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6/21/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 96 Points
Brilliant - the first of our Fathers Day wines. I opened it tasted it and then hid it so that it did not disappear before my wife and daughter could try it but I wasnt being too selfish as my guests were drinking Saxum White James Berry and were truly enjoying it. The flavors are spectacular with apricot, mango and tangerine dominating a palate that just coats your mouth like honey. A long finish made it the perfect start of the evening.
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5/17/2020 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
A slight step up from last year. In a great spot right now with about two hours in the decanter at just below cellar temperature. A little gummy on the back end, but the viscosity is what makes for a more mouthwatering experience. Yellow citrus and tropical fruit notes. Very well balanced. A white Rhône with a bit of CA flair. More heady than zippy. Drink now and over the next couple of years.
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5/13/2020 - eschuldt wrote: 97 Points
White burg on steroids
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4/12/2020 - slywka7 wrote: 97 Points
Aromas of guava, wet stone, quince, flowers and hint of honey. Flavors of guava, mineral, lime, star fruit and touch of papaya. Ends with a great finish of40-45 seconds with mineral and guava notes. Kind of a cross between a
White Bordeaux and a white Rhône. Sounds kind of weird but it’s a great wine.
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4/5/2020 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Excellent. Waxy, oily, tropical, chewy. Lots of spice.
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12/28/2019 - dnnk88 Likes this wine: 95 Points
MixedTape Chef: 1st SQN white ever - Buttery, white flowers, autumn leaves. Warm white peach, apricots, grapefruits, apples, with tinges of mango and melon at the end. Spiced ginger finish. Well structured with nice acidity. Fresh and vibrant. Complex and playful on the palate. This should be the best white for me in 2019!
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12/14/2019 - lion@corewines.com wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 1 hour, left in a bed of ice for that time, so the wine was not too cold. This is a monster of a wine, it makes me want to drink more whites from Manfred. we had this as a starter for our 11 Confessions evening with 7 bottles and a MG of "Just for the love of it". Incredible night.
Back to this wine, it is already now nice and round, will benefit from another few years and hold for ages I believe. Honey, light citrus, a bit of mango. And very long.
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10/20/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
exotic, expressive and lush... tropical fruit flavors of mango and papaya, apricot, toasted oak and vanilla.
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10/18/2019 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep yellow color with a bouquet and flavor or melons, mushrooms, and toasty oak. Very rich and full with a long finish. Balance only slightly off at the end. Intriguing if not as good as some of my previous SQNs.
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8/14/2019 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful wine which benefitted from air. Yellow/golden color, Nose of Honeyysuckle, beeswax, fresh, glorious fruit, nice acidity and yet balance. Very nice, indeed.
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8/2/2019 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of melons giving it a bit of mustiness, citrus, and quite a bit of buttery oak, reflecting the Chardonnay in the wine. Nice mouthfeel with generally good balance, nuance, and depth. Another very good SQN, and almost a wow.
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7/13/2019 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Certainly a worthy comparison to a strong white Rhone, with a deeply pitched and viscous mouthfeel that makes for a full-throttle (at times, a bit heavy) delivery. It's a weighty white to be sure, with some slight lamp oil/oxidized tropical (grilled pineapple and citrus notes) playing pingpong with more traditional Chardonnay notes of ripe lemon and subtle marzipan. Not much minerality to speak of here. Certainly flavorful and interesting, but take away the SQN label, and you have a fairly mid-range Rhone white type of beverage. I enjoyed it without a doubt, but there is a bit of a "but" here, mostly related to some missing pizzaz/verve and energy. Finishes a little gummy and heavy. Paired very well with spicy dishes (grilled habanero and turmeric spiced prawns). Drink now and over the next few years.
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5/14/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 95 Points
Acker SQN Dinner (NoMad Rooftop): Served next to Deux Grenouilles. Similar profile - just a little less of everything (in comparison). Improved nicely with time in glass - moved up a point or two from the initial pour, while the D.G. was more steady throughout
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3/19/2019 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
An interesting blend of rhone varieties and chardonnay. Floral, bright and firm but also tight and not yet at full speed. Big wine but not massive albeit at times felt heavy. Very enjoyable for sure but not up to speed with the price tag. Super pretty bottle though. 91-92
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1/13/2019 - hackey37 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This delicious wine has powerful aromatics and is floral on the nose. There are notes of butterscotch, citrus, saline, and orange zest. Heavy body and finishes with length and subtle spice.
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1/6/2019 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Winorama: A winter in Wineland III; 1/4/2019-1/13/2019 (Portland/Willamette, Eureka, Napa): Generally I think this is often a blend of many whites and for some reason with this bottle or this year the chard was just dominant. And I'm not a chard person. Also seems to be missing that mid-late palate acid that I really love that makes this a bit more structured and less over the top. Not my favorite of the SQN whites, but so it goes.
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11/21/2018 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium to dark yellow with some gold. Not crazy on the nose, gave it about 15-20 in the glass and discovered notes of over ripe cantaloupe, Bartlett pear, burnt honey. 15.1% not what I thought it would be. Nice acidity but with a bit of olive oil mouth feel. Honeydew, jasmine flower, kumquat, orange peel flavors.
Have another bottle I’ll keep for another 2-3 years at least.
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9/28/2018 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine:
I barely got a taste. My son gulped it down.
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9/15/2018 - soyhead wrote:
always approaching SQN with skepticism. to my pleasant surprise this was very nice, and I daresay my WOTN
nose - peach, pit fruit
mouth - smoky, minerally, clean, pit fruit, white pepper, anise. rich but sleek
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7/16/2018 - Pquaker wrote: 94 Points
Excellent white, Chardonnay style, though not as golden hued. Excellent aromatics, needs to be chilled little more than I had ~ 60 degrees. Trying one in 6 months, see how it ages
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5/25/2018 - Rosengoo wrote: 95 Points
This clear and mid golden wine was drank without decanting. The nose on it was somewhat muted with some melon and a tinge of petrol. In the glass was a very silky wine with flavours of cantelope, citrus, honey and enough butter that I might have mistaken it for a strongly chardonnay based wine. The only unfortunate circumstance with this bottle was that it required a bit more chilling but that was my fault as it was so good to consume it quickly.
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4/28/2018 - B Paul wrote:
Rich and full-bodied. Tropical and honey notes and it is creamy in the mouth. I think I like this better than prior SQN whites I’ve had. I’ll hold my other bottle for a bit to see where it goes.
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3/31/2018 - rogerr Likes this wine: 92 Points
It's a lovely wine but did not dazzle my palate as much as other notes here seem to infer. Will cellar my other bottle for a couple years.
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3/30/2018 - redpine42 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Crisp, nose of clover honey. Full body, silky smooth long clean finish. Some citrus, lots of honey flavors.
I generally don't like whites, because of the in your face acidic taste. This was all silky and clean, no off acidic flavors. Nothing over the top and very well balanced.
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2/28/2018 - rhalbert wrote: 94 Points
With Mr. Wallis
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2/28/2018 - rhalbert wrote: 94 Points
At Mama's Fish House
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2/10/2018 - Rosengoo wrote: 94 Points
This bottle was poured at a local restaurant after being chilled. It was clear and dark golden in colour with a nose of light lemon, some almonds and a bit of caramel. These same flavours were in the glass as well as honey and quite a bit of upfront butter flavor. I might have even picked this out to be a mostly Chardonnay based bottle if I didn't know better (it's 40%). This was a very nice wine that only improved with time in the glass and especially chilling.
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2/5/2018 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 97 Points
42% Chardonnay, 40% Roussanne, 7% Petite Manseng and 7% Viognier, 4% Marsanne...Explosive nose of flowers, hay bale/herbs, honey, buttered rum spice, apricot marmalade...RICH and full-bodied in the mouth...creamy with olive oil viscosity, yet lifted with ample citrus acidity and crushed granite and limestone chalk. The wine just cascades over the palate in a balanced calm matter. No alc heat at all, classic sqn balance. Once again, the depth and complexity are out of this world...that dried hay/herb note on the nose and palate is intriguing...some flint smoke, honeycomb wax, and tropical marmalade...a finish of refreshing citrus and spice, lasting for minutes. Another amazing white from the K's!
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2/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Small glass, brief note. Peach and ripe apple. Very good density and length. Borderline elegant for SQN white. Quite nice now.
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1/26/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
A lot of wine here. Very complex, but clearly still in its infancy. Notes of apricot, beeswax, meyer lemon and some orange rind on the nose. Large scaled in the mouth with abundant acidity to balance out the fruit. Long finish with some spice. Need to hold to reach its full potential, but very tasty now in its youth.
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12/6/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Ken’s Birthday Celebration (Morton's Steakhouse - Northbrook IL): I am rarely a fan of young SQN whites, but this impressed. Rich start with plenty of ripe stone fruit and honeycomb. Easily enough structure and restraint so that stays vibrant from beginning to end. Engaging and interesting already now,with upside.
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12/3/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very interesting wine as all of Manfred's creations are. A very different nose of honey, wax, beeswax, dark yellow fruits and some orange. A big wine but wine with balance and grace. Just a puppy. Really nice and signature texture. 15.2% alcohol but you wouldnt know it. Great balance of fruit, structure and alcohol.
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11/12/2017 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Duck Four Ways at The Spread in Norwalk (The Spread in South Norwalk): Wow what a wine! My wine of the night! This had such an awesome nose of smoke, honeysuckle, pineapple and mineral. Really quite unique. Reminds me of a le meal I had a while back. Flavors of melon, star fruit, saline, sea salt and tangerine. The finish is like a wall of flavors that never seems to let up, lasting at least 50 seconds. This is truly some impressive stuff.
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11/10/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Day 2: Gun flint, white flowers, pear, liche, blue stone and loads of minerals. Similar to day 1, a little off balance with a good amount of heat on the finish. I'd wait a while to drink up.
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11/9/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar style to previous SQN's, quit hot on the finish, needs some time but shows promise. Will try on day 2.
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