This was the last of a 4 bottle dinner with friends from Bandon. Medium bodied; multiple subtle but evocative flavors of apricot, citrus, sweet spices, rose floral notes that was refreshing and alluring to the last sip. Not quite "absolutely indispensable" but close enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rating "I liked it" didn't mean I thought it was great. I love Rhone-style wines, so this was a disappointment. This was my second bottle, and it fared no better than the first, which I drank last year. I just didn't experience the acidity that other reviewers found. Rather I thought this flabby and dull. Maybe I need to wait a few years for the next one. A lovely bottle and label. Ridiculous price for what's inside. I prefer previous efforts featuring more Roussanne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rich, smoky, oily, intense. Consumed across 4 hours. Keep it cool, but this is delicious. The alcohol is high, but there is enough acidity and complexity to keep this balanced.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
These are definitely interesting wines - much more intense and deep and very hedonistic. You can taste the heat (15.9%) on this. It's honey and fleshy white fruit and it feels like it could use a decant for some of the intensity to fade down a bit but at the hear they are very well made wines and actually the blanc is a great food wine for certain seafood dishes like a king crab and grapes dish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Small SQN Dinner with Friends (Eagle Brook CC): Bright straw yellow color- looks rather youthful. Aromas of quince, pear, lemon and florals. Full-bodied. Abundant fruit on the palate; lingering finish. Drinking well. 93+ pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
rich lemon color, burnt caramel on the nose, roasted apples, on the palate a wine of enormous scale and depth, fully loaded rich overripe creamy fruit with a dessert wine level of concentration, moderately sweet on the midpalate leading into a long dry finish, even by SQN standards this really challenges everything even an experienced taster knows about wine, for all its excesses- at the core this is actually quite disciplined with a grand structure that holds it all together perfectly, with time a glorious fragrant aftertaste and a dense rounded mineral component, stone textures as well, after an hour in glass this begins to resemble a great Montrachet with its massive stony structure and fiery fruit, the most exciting white SQN wine I have ever tasted and both a grand puzzle and pleasure for this AFWE palate, the lack of fruit details in this tasting note is a testament to my complete fascination with how this evolved at a high level.
*****, ready to go but time in hand
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Like a Blanc CDP on steroids, this was an powerful, distinctive wine. Really lush, with almost oily notes of apricot, honeysuckle, and almond - this was a real treat. Drank without food, and might have been a loss for what to pair it with.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mixed WTDS: AKA "Bring a Nice Bottle" (Tilia, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank a glass side by side with a white burg and a Cali chard - done because of menu limitations. Tropical, full bodied, ripe, green and leafy, lychee, mango, very tropical, vanilla, creamy texture, herbaceous and flashy with ripe sweet toned fruit. Reminds me of the lyric, "not really sure how I feel about you, but something in the way you move". Well maybe, but it does get your attention while perhaps trying to be a little too needy. I had to leave this to the end of the flight to stay out of the way of the chards. This bottle was more impressive than the previous one.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Luis' "Bring a very good bottle" event (Tilia): This is a fairly large-style white Rhone. It has a heavy mouthfeel and seems dense while remaining lively. Super spicy and vibrant. Go big or go home I guess.... This bottle performed better than one a year ago. I think at this stage the wine opens up nicely with an hour of air. Maybe another year or two will help as well, but I'm not going to push it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Luis Rides Again @ Tilia!: PnP - Nose showed white flowers, white pepper, honeydew melon and limestone. Palate took a while to open up (served a tad too cold), but then assaulted you with creamy pear, honeycomb, lemon lime and an array of tropical fruits. The wine kept improving with time in the glass, unfortunately, I think I finished my glass before it peaked! Excellent, full mouthfeel. A very nice white blend! 93-94+ points (and that is likely conservative because the wine kept improving in the glass). The wine maintained an interest through the last drop!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Similar to prior note after a 2 hour SO; delicious, but still seemed a little tight & I think it needs another year or 2 to fully open up (prefer the 13 version)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Meetup at Eddie Ishaq's (Eddie's Crib): Rich and spicy. Depth of flavor was there but acidity as a whole was lacking. Some phenolic bitterness provided some positive notes on the finish but as a whole I was a touch let down.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Virtual Tasting: Open Something You've Been Saving (Home): Light medium gold color. Drank a small glass blind over 30 minutes plus. This was "interesting". On just opening the jar and taking a brief whiff, I thought, hmm, young domestic chard with some oak. Then I poured into glass and didn't get back to it for 20 minutes. Next smell was completely different, floral, pungently aromatic with bold tropical fruit, kiwi, tangerine and grapefruit and bold peppery spices. Clearly this was more of a Rhone profile, but still somewhat wonky and ostentacious. Guessed this is a Rhoen blend, and I would argue that is basically what it is. I'm not sure that the Chardonnay enhances this in any way, but maybe it actually tames it to a certain extent. The palate is bold, ripe, tropical, stone fruits, unctuous, full bodied though sort of leanish in some ways, with a little minerality and honey. The word I wrote down is schizophrenic. I like it most of the time, but then it becomes a bit much. Not what I would gravitate to. "Interesting"
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the occasion to open up that red or white you were waiting for an occasion to open (Zoom): This was presented as a mystery starter white. The wine has that rubbery poofy quality that viognier usually exhibits, along with the spiciness of Rousanne. The overall profile is of a white rhone, but there's some wild wacky flavors in it as well. Once it was revealed to be a Sine Qua Non, it totally made sense, as the wine is big, bold and trying to make a statement.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The following wines were featured in this showdown, and all performed admirably:
2008 La Grand Dame (Starter) 2016 SQN Deux Grenouilles (Starter) 1991 Spottswood Cabernet 2000 Pichon Lalande 1995 Ch. Margaux 2001 Shafer Hillside 2009 Smith Madrone Cook Flats Res.
Wine Prep: Margaux decanted at 3 pm, Smith Madrone opened and splashed at 3 pm. All other wines PnP at 4:pm into jars for transport, and transferred to wine glasses for consumption beginning at 6:30 pm.
Voting: 2000 Pichon Lalande was unanimous WOTN, 1995 Margaux was #2, and 2001 Shafer was #3. My voting was in line with the group.
2016 SQN Deux Grenouilles: This was my first white SQN, and it was a treat! I especially enjoyed the rich, coating mouthfeel of this wine. The nose showed mostly Chardonnnay characteristics, including rich stone fruit, honeyed oak and some saline, giving way to wild flowers, lemon and bees wax. On the palate, it was clear this was not a Chardonnay (although it had a fair amount of Chardonnay in it), and most guessed Viognier. First impressions after drinking were a Northern Rhone blend (which was fairly accurate, plus the addition of Chardonnay). The consensus was everyone liked the wine, and thought the flavors worked together. I thought the taste and mouthfeel were simply amazing. Worth the price? For me, worth the price to taste this wine, but not sure I would buy more.....very good wine, but also not cheap. In this case, I think you get what you pay for, certainly not a bargain, but certainly not a bust either. I score this 94, with probably an extra point in there for the "wow" or "surprise" factor!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ravinia at Home (The Krengels - Bannockburn IL): Tasted two days ago, note is from memory. I fully understand how/ why many people enjoy this wine, but I just find it too rich and viscous with some sweet hints that didn't thrill me, ending with a long finish I found slightly hot.
Similar to the first bottle with a yellow color and a bouquet and flavor of pear, honey, and citrus. Creamy feel in the mouth. Quite intense with very good depth, nuance, and balance, and a long finish. SQN continues to make intriguing whites.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of honeysuckle, yellow pears and brown spices. Flavors of apricot core and quince. Medium acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
Upon opening, I was worried that the bottle was flawed, as the initial nose was a cacophony of sulfur and earth with some lemon.
But after 60 minutes of air (simple decant), this was a totally different and wonderful wine. A lovely combination of floral and honey and sweet citrus with tremendous weight and a rich, creamy (oily? but in a good way) texture.
Versus bottles I had opened a year ago, a huge leap forward, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st sip of a SQN from my cellar!! Waited 15 years on the waiting list and it was well worth it. Agree that that first sip is shocking. There is so much going on that it is initially overwhelming. The sign of it's greatness is how it calls you back. Fantastic as a one off treat w honey and lemon chasing other flavors around the glass. Man that is some wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine was chilled and poured over the course of 90 minutes. It was quite deep gold in colour with a nose of orange citrus. Surprisingly, the predominant flavour that I found with the wine was honey and this was mixed nicely with a touch of lemons. I don't recall ever having the honey before in a dry Sine Qua Non white wine before but I also found this to be quite a bit sweeter than their other white wines. The level of acidity was very balanced as well. This was a lovely bottle and I look forward to seeing how these evolve over time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
For some wines younger is better and this is one. Bright, clean, bold and fresh. The Roussane (40%) dominates the Chardonnay (44%), there’s plenty of that oily iodine note. The Petit Manseng (8%) and Viognier (8%) add to the exoticism. It’s a bit of a shock on first sip but after a while you get accustomed to it and grow to like it more. Still, it’s better as an occasional change of scenery than a daily tipple.
Brunello's with Mid-Week Wine Group (Casa Tomek): Exotic nose with white flowers, butterscotch and Meyer lemon. On the palate, medium to full bodied but not over-bearing with great acidity and lift. No noticeable oak. So impressive for its scale and complexity. Absolutely delicious!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of pear, honey, and citrus. Very creamy mouth feel with wonderful intensity. Good balance with a long finish. Another lovely wine from SQN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow. Simply wow. I haven't been this impressed by a white wine in a long time. Dark, golden yellow. Waxy and... feral. It's an untamed wine that's racy, viscous and heavy. It's.. doing... stuff... in my mouth. The texture is waxy and fluid, it's multidimensional and thought provoking. I can't remember the last time a bottle of wine left me searching for words. Simply impressive juice.
It started off showing a little heat. Went back to it 3 hours later and it took off like a rocket. The finish doesn't finish; it goes on and on. I have no idea how this will age, but it's a f'n rock star right now. This wine should be enjoyed with a beautiful woman in bed. And she probably doesn't deserve it. And if she does, she's a keeper.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
36% Roussanne, 29% Chardonnay, 23% Viognier, 9% Petite Manseng, 3% Muscat. Open in bottle for 2hrs...starts out slow and muted, really puzzling at first...but after another hour it opens...showing wonderful rich fruits of apricot, peach, sautéed apples...waxy and viscous, yet crisp and fresh with citrus acidity and crushed geology. Plenty complexities and amazing florals...exotic honey butter, peach blossom, orange zest, lychee, flower bouquet, Muscat florals are evident. A restrained(for sqn) style, geared more towards the florals...sneaky chalk, smoked vanilla bean, and spice on the lingering, mouth coating finish. Another fantastic SQN white!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner with Friends: Various 2000s: Well, tonight's theme was 2000, but it is also Friendsgiving and for the last few years I have opened the most recent SQN white, and so here we are. Decanted for a couple of hours +\-. The viognier really shines-loads of florals with white fruit and quince underneath. A bit of heat too. Typical SQN- big and rich but balanced. This vintage is perhaps "prettier" than other vintages at this stage. I like it. 93+ pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened by Allred. Decanted a couple hours before drinking. 36% Roussanne, 29% Chardonnay, 23% Viognier, 9% Petite Manseng and 3% Muscat. Very aromatic with floral nuances. Creamy texture with peach, apple spice and chamomile notes. Full bodied and big but without any overtly alcoholic notes. Drunk very early in it's life but still very enjoyable. 93 points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nectarine skin, marmalade, yellow citrus, lamp oil, lemongrass, and cashew notes. A great drop on the mid-palate in terms of intensity and depth, with a decent Chardonnay-freshness that kept the speed of flavor-delivery exacting and on-point. An off-dry (almost dry Riesling-like) finish framed-out the fruit nicely. A slight oxidative note added interest without distracting from the core fruit. Not as fresh or spirited as the Lightmotif, for example, this Deux Grenouilles whispers on the back end with an undercurrent of Jura-like flavors. The slightest push of grilled unripe pineapple and sherry notes injected their ways into the yellow core fruit.
An enticing wine that is certainly accessible now. However, more patient souls will likely postulate this should be cellared for a year or two more in order to balance-out the overall seamlessness of this wine's delivery. Best after 2020.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/6/2024 - MonacoMik wrote:
upon opening it was tight and opaque in taste, but changed pretty early on .... think it needs a decant in bottle 30mins on ice ..
pour sip and let it unfold as the temp rises ever so slightly.
End result over many various unfurls - orange peal, lemon drop, brioche apricot honeydew - just goodness
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2024 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was the last of a 4 bottle dinner with friends from Bandon. Medium bodied; multiple subtle but evocative flavors of apricot, citrus, sweet spices, rose floral notes that was refreshing and alluring to the last sip. Not quite "absolutely indispensable" but close enough.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2023 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great aromas and intense lychee, pear and tropical flavors
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2023 - tcarter Likes this wine: 94 Points
Awesome stuff. Not my favorite SQN white vintage, but great stuff nonetheless.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2023 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to prior notes after PNP, except seems to be at peak drinking; delicious, drink or hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2023 - Gary N Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rating "I liked it" didn't mean I thought it was great. I love Rhone-style wines, so this was a disappointment. This was my second bottle, and it fared no better than the first, which I drank last year. I just didn't experience the acidity that other reviewers found. Rather I thought this flabby and dull. Maybe I need to wait a few years for the next one. A lovely bottle and label. Ridiculous price for what's inside. I prefer previous efforts featuring more Roussanne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/21/2023 - Eric wrote:
Rich, smoky, oily, intense. Consumed across 4 hours. Keep it cool, but this is delicious. The alcohol is high, but there is enough acidity and complexity to keep this balanced.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2022 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
These are definitely interesting wines - much more intense and deep and very hedonistic. You can taste the heat (15.9%) on this. It's honey and fleshy white fruit and it feels like it could use a decant for some of the intensity to fade down a bit but at the hear they are very well made wines and actually the blanc is a great food wine for certain seafood dishes like a king crab and grapes dish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2022 - RRon Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great wine 2 hours to open up the long finish
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/1/2022 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful Rhone style wine with multiple layers of flavors, medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel with great balance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2022 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Small SQN Dinner with Friends (Eagle Brook CC): Bright straw yellow color- looks rather youthful. Aromas of quince, pear, lemon and florals. Full-bodied. Abundant fruit on the palate; lingering finish. Drinking well. 93+ pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2022 - G_H wrote: 94 Points
Dense, opulent and viscous. Already drinking perfectly now.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2022 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exquisite. Creamy yet light. Candied apricots, lemon, starfruit.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2022 - mblatino wrote: 89 Points
Light golden in the glass.
Nose of candied tropical fruit, yellow fruit, Almond and citrus.
We had it blind and my guess was white rhône. Close enough.
Fat and lingering taste. It really opened up after about an hour in the glass. Lots of herbs, greens, nutty aromas and yellow fruit.
Great and powerful white.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2021 - Elpaninaro Likes this wine:
rich lemon color, burnt caramel on the nose, roasted apples, on the palate a wine of enormous scale and depth, fully loaded rich overripe creamy fruit with a dessert wine level of concentration, moderately sweet on the midpalate leading into a long dry finish, even by SQN standards this really challenges everything even an experienced taster knows about wine, for all its excesses- at the core this is actually quite disciplined with a grand structure that holds it all together perfectly, with time a glorious fragrant aftertaste and a dense rounded mineral component, stone textures as well, after an hour in glass this begins to resemble a great Montrachet with its massive stony structure and fiery fruit, the most exciting white SQN wine I have ever tasted and both a grand puzzle and pleasure for this AFWE palate, the lack of fruit details in this tasting note is a testament to my complete fascination with how this evolved at a high level.
*****, ready to go but time in hand
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2021 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by AllRed again. No formal notes but I did like this better the In The Abstract that we drank next to it. 92 points.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2021 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Quince, honeysuckle, pear and lemon notes abound. Good underlying acidity. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Like a Blanc CDP on steroids, this was an powerful, distinctive wine. Really lush, with almost oily notes of apricot, honeysuckle, and almond - this was a real treat. Drank without food, and might have been a loss for what to pair it with.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2021 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Mixed WTDS: AKA "Bring a Nice Bottle" (Tilia, Mpls): Light gold color. Drank a glass side by side with a white burg and a Cali chard - done because of menu limitations. Tropical, full bodied, ripe, green and leafy, lychee, mango, very tropical, vanilla, creamy texture, herbaceous and flashy with ripe sweet toned fruit. Reminds me of the lyric, "not really sure how I feel about you, but something in the way you move". Well maybe, but it does get your attention while perhaps trying to be a little too needy. I had to leave this to the end of the flight to stay out of the way of the chards. This bottle was more impressive than the previous one.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2021 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Luis' "Bring a very good bottle" event (Tilia): This is a fairly large-style white Rhone. It has a heavy mouthfeel and seems dense while remaining lively. Super spicy and vibrant. Go big or go home I guess.... This bottle performed better than one a year ago. I think at this stage the wine opens up nicely with an hour of air. Maybe another year or two will help as well, but I'm not going to push it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2021 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Luis Rides Again @ Tilia!: PnP - Nose showed white flowers, white pepper, honeydew melon and limestone. Palate took a while to open up (served a tad too cold), but then assaulted you with creamy pear, honeycomb, lemon lime and an array of tropical fruits. The wine kept improving with time in the glass, unfortunately, I think I finished my glass before it peaked! Excellent, full mouthfeel. A very nice white blend! 93-94+ points (and that is likely conservative because the wine kept improving in the glass). The wine maintained an interest through the last drop!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2021 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
Needs about 2 hours to open up. Overall delicious but a touch of heat on the finish. No need to hold this any longer. It’s a sexy beast.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2021 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Floral and melon notes, rich, unctuous, smooth mouthfeel, balanced acidity. Just a wonderful wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to prior note after a 2 hour SO; delicious, but still seemed a little tight & I think it needs another year or 2 to fully open up (prefer the 13 version)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2021 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Meetup at Eddie Ishaq's (Eddie's Crib): Rich and spicy. Depth of flavor was there but acidity as a whole was lacking.
Some phenolic bitterness provided some positive notes on the finish but as a whole I was a touch let down.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
50th Birthday Celebration...COVID Delayed (Northbrook, IL): Rich and powerful, dominated by ultra ripe and unctuous stone abs orchard fruit with floral notes. Not my preferred style of wine, but well made.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Virtual Tasting: Open Something You've Been Saving (Home): Light medium gold color. Drank a small glass blind over 30 minutes plus. This was "interesting". On just opening the jar and taking a brief whiff, I thought, hmm, young domestic chard with some oak. Then I poured into glass and didn't get back to it for 20 minutes. Next smell was completely different, floral, pungently aromatic with bold tropical fruit, kiwi, tangerine and grapefruit and bold peppery spices. Clearly this was more of a Rhone profile, but still somewhat wonky and ostentacious. Guessed this is a Rhoen blend, and I would argue that is basically what it is. I'm not sure that the Chardonnay enhances this in any way, but maybe it actually tames it to a certain extent. The palate is bold, ripe, tropical, stone fruits, unctuous, full bodied though sort of leanish in some ways, with a little minerality and honey. The word I wrote down is schizophrenic. I like it most of the time, but then it becomes a bit much. Not what I would gravitate to. "Interesting"
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2020 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
This is the occasion to open up that red or white you were waiting for an occasion to open (Zoom): This was presented as a mystery starter white. The wine has that rubbery poofy quality that viognier usually exhibits, along with the spiciness of Rousanne. The overall profile is of a white rhone, but there's some wild wacky flavors in it as well. Once it was revealed to be a Sine Qua Non, it totally made sense, as the wine is big, bold and trying to make a statement.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Zoom Tasting: Bring It On!: Bring It On! Zoom Tasting.
The following wines were featured in this showdown, and all performed admirably:
2008 La Grand Dame (Starter)
2016 SQN Deux Grenouilles (Starter)
1991 Spottswood Cabernet
2000 Pichon Lalande
1995 Ch. Margaux
2001 Shafer Hillside
2009 Smith Madrone Cook Flats Res.
Wine Prep: Margaux decanted at 3 pm, Smith Madrone opened and splashed at 3 pm. All other wines PnP at 4:pm into jars for transport, and transferred to wine glasses for consumption beginning at 6:30 pm.
Voting: 2000 Pichon Lalande was unanimous WOTN, 1995 Margaux was #2, and 2001 Shafer was #3. My voting was in line with the group.
2016 SQN Deux Grenouilles: This was my first white SQN, and it was a treat! I especially enjoyed the rich, coating mouthfeel of this wine. The nose showed mostly Chardonnnay characteristics, including rich stone fruit, honeyed oak and some saline, giving way to wild flowers, lemon and bees wax. On the palate, it was clear this was not a Chardonnay (although it had a fair amount of Chardonnay in it), and most guessed Viognier. First impressions after drinking were a Northern Rhone blend (which was fairly accurate, plus the addition of Chardonnay). The consensus was everyone liked the wine, and thought the flavors worked together. I thought the taste and mouthfeel were simply amazing. Worth the price? For me, worth the price to taste this wine, but not sure I would buy more.....very good wine, but also not cheap. In this case, I think you get what you pay for, certainly not a bargain, but certainly not a bust either. I score this 94, with probably an extra point in there for the "wow" or "surprise" factor!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Ravinia at Home (The Krengels - Bannockburn IL): Tasted two days ago, note is from memory. I fully understand how/ why many people enjoy this wine, but I just find it too rich and viscous with some sweet hints that didn't thrill me, ending with a long finish I found slightly hot.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (8)
8/2/2020 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to the first bottle with a yellow color and a bouquet and flavor of pear, honey, and citrus. Creamy feel in the mouth. Quite intense with very good depth, nuance, and balance, and a long finish. SQN continues to make intriguing whites.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2020 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over about two hours.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of honeysuckle, yellow pears and brown spices. Flavors of apricot core and quince. Medium acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
6/15/2020 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:
can't store um...so drink um! last bottle...yum!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/15/2020 - OG-Wino Likes this wine: 95 Points
Upon opening, I was worried that the bottle was flawed, as the initial nose was a cacophony of sulfur and earth with some lemon.
But after 60 minutes of air (simple decant), this was a totally different and wonderful wine. A lovely combination of floral and honey and sweet citrus with tremendous weight and a rich, creamy (oily? but in a good way) texture.
Versus bottles I had opened a year ago, a huge leap forward, and I'm excited to see where it goes next.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2020 - Badgerwino wrote:
1st sip of a SQN from my cellar!! Waited 15 years on the waiting list and it was well worth it. Agree that that first sip is shocking. There is so much going on that it is initially overwhelming. The sign of it's greatness is how it calls you back. Fantastic as a one off treat w honey and lemon chasing other flavors around the glass. Man that is some wine.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2020 - Rosengoo wrote: 94 Points
This wine was chilled and poured over the course of 90 minutes. It was quite deep gold in colour with a nose of orange citrus. Surprisingly, the predominant flavour that I found with the wine was honey and this was mixed nicely with a touch of lemons. I don't recall ever having the honey before in a dry Sine Qua Non white wine before but I also found this to be quite a bit sweeter than their other white wines. The level of acidity was very balanced as well. This was a lovely bottle and I look forward to seeing how these evolve over time.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2019 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very nice fruit, acidity, balance. Very enjoyable with lobster.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Splash double decanted, beautiful, exotic, creamy lemon nose & palate, a unique experience; delicious, drink or preferably hold
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2019 - sdr Likes this wine: 92 Points
For some wines younger is better and this is one. Bright, clean, bold and fresh. The Roussane (40%) dominates the Chardonnay (44%), there’s plenty of that oily iodine note. The Petit Manseng (8%) and Viognier (8%) add to the exoticism. It’s a bit of a shock on first sip but after a while you get accustomed to it and grow to like it more. Still, it’s better as an occasional change of scenery than a daily tipple.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
7/1/2019 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and full bodied with lots of great aromatics and Meyer Lemon, lychee and peach notes
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2019 - bubbachumps wrote: 96 Points
Brunello's with Mid-Week Wine Group (Casa Tomek): Exotic nose with white flowers, butterscotch and Meyer lemon. On the palate, medium to full bodied but not over-bearing with great acidity and lift. No noticeable oak. So impressive for its scale and complexity. Absolutely delicious!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 96 Points
Acker SQN Dinner (NoMad Rooftop): Opened next to Entre Chien et Loup. This is bigger and more fruit-forward - simply more of everything
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2019 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yellow color with a bouquet and flavor of pear, honey, and citrus. Very creamy mouth feel with wonderful intensity. Good balance with a long finish. Another lovely wine from SQN.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2019 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Like licking a candy apple while sipping sugar free ginger ale.
Viscous and faint stone fruit with a pleasant cool finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2019 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Wow. Simply wow. I haven't been this impressed by a white wine in a long time. Dark, golden yellow. Waxy and... feral. It's an untamed wine that's racy, viscous and heavy. It's.. doing... stuff... in my mouth. The texture is waxy and fluid, it's multidimensional and thought provoking. I can't remember the last time a bottle of wine left me searching for words. Simply impressive juice.
It started off showing a little heat. Went back to it 3 hours later and it took off like a rocket. The finish doesn't finish; it goes on and on. I have no idea how this will age, but it's a f'n rock star right now. This wine should be enjoyed with a beautiful woman in bed. And she probably doesn't deserve it. And if she does, she's a keeper.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2019 - bubbachumps wrote: 96 Points
Mid-Week Mostly Merlot Dominated Bordeaux Blends (just organically happened that way) (Casa Billiet): Exotic nose with white flowers, butterscotch and Meyer lemon. On the palate, medium to full bodied but not over-bearing with great acidity and lift. No noticeable oak. So impressive for its scale and complexity. Absolutely delicious!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
12/9/2018 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 95 Points
36% Roussanne, 29% Chardonnay, 23% Viognier, 9% Petite Manseng, 3% Muscat. Open in bottle for 2hrs...starts out slow and muted, really puzzling at first...but after another hour it opens...showing wonderful rich fruits of apricot, peach, sautéed apples...waxy and viscous, yet crisp and fresh with citrus acidity and crushed geology. Plenty complexities and amazing florals...exotic honey butter, peach blossom, orange zest, lychee, flower bouquet, Muscat florals are evident. A restrained(for sqn) style, geared more towards the florals...sneaky chalk, smoked vanilla bean, and spice on the lingering, mouth coating finish. Another fantastic SQN white!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2018 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Dinner with Friends: Various 2000s: Well, tonight's theme was 2000, but it is also Friendsgiving and for the last few years I have opened the most recent SQN white, and so here we are. Decanted for a couple of hours +\-. The viognier really shines-loads of florals with white fruit and quince underneath. A bit of heat too. Typical SQN- big and rich but balanced. This vintage is perhaps "prettier" than other vintages at this stage. I like it. 93+ pts.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2018 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Allred. Decanted a couple hours before drinking. 36% Roussanne, 29% Chardonnay, 23% Viognier, 9% Petite Manseng and 3% Muscat. Very aromatic with floral nuances. Creamy texture with peach, apple spice and chamomile notes. Full bodied and big but without any overtly alcoholic notes. Drunk very early in it's life but still very enjoyable. 93 points
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2018 - pdemaio wrote: 94 Points
PDQ94+
Wow, what a stunner. Crisp, big, but elegant. Long finish with excellent backbone.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2018 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Nectarine skin, marmalade, yellow citrus, lamp oil, lemongrass, and cashew notes. A great drop on the mid-palate in terms of intensity and depth, with a decent Chardonnay-freshness that kept the speed of flavor-delivery exacting and on-point. An off-dry (almost dry Riesling-like) finish framed-out the fruit nicely. A slight oxidative note added interest without distracting from the core fruit. Not as fresh or spirited as the Lightmotif, for example, this Deux Grenouilles whispers on the back end with an undercurrent of Jura-like flavors. The slightest push of grilled unripe pineapple and sherry notes injected their ways into the yellow core fruit.
An enticing wine that is certainly accessible now. However, more patient souls will likely postulate this should be cellared for a year or two more in order to balance-out the overall seamlessness of this wine's delivery. Best after 2020.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2018 - 9 and 3/4 wrote: 95 Points
so we enjoy looking at this unique bottle that no one has seen before, must be something special about shape.... thank you everyone SQN
the ladies are chit chatting and loving the wine over snacks before dinner
very fragrant nose, yellow straw color like all the baked out grass around the west coast
lots of flavor, fruit reminiscent of a citrus marmalade, along some gnarly gravel and beautiful tongue coating nectar that I swallow with pleasure
if she's happy I'm happy
cheers
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment