Where does one begin here . Impressive and explosive nose , rich , red fruit bright and albeit the oak is noticeable still blends effortlessly well with the wine. Young but also ever so beautiful now in its elevated state. A superb wine and another dimension of Grenache . 96 for now and with a lot more capacity.
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Oversized ?port? bottle. Muted nose of savory grape juice. On taste, it starts off like muddled grape juice. Then accelerates off the tongue with lightness, freshness and evaporates, leaving a persistence of flavor with an intensely long finish - and no heaviness. I never had a wine like this. It was akin to my first time in a Tesla Plaid where I had no idea it could go to 100mph in 2 seconds. 15.9% will leave you smashed if you aren’t paying attention. Not for drinking everyday as that novelty will probably wear off… but till then.. ZW96+. Is it wine or Gummi Juice?
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The most elegant Grenache to ever be released with the Eleven Confessions vineyard designate from both Manfred and Elaine: truly pure perfection along every single step. Decanted for four hours. There’s muscle, yet this is also diaphanous. One cannot help but to appreciate how this unfolds unlike anything else. There’s huckleberry, elderberry, black walnut, char-siu pork, ripe raspberries, ponzu, furikake and a medley of ground rock. I also get a little anise on both the nose and palate. The finish glides on rails for over a minute - the fruit is absolutely prodigious. A very evident weightlessness: this is a pure goddess, with a full, agile body. I would decant or wait, yet this is so delicious. Ostensibly an EBA that will age exceptionally well. Is there a better vineyard for Grenache in the US? Powerline in Walla Walla and Rossi in the Sonoma Valley are epic, but nothing can touch this in the new world. Drink 2026 -.
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No formal note taken. Pop and pour with no decant. Feral, deep and dark. Lots of dark fruit and structure. I'm sure if I gave it the good treatment and let it breath it would have benefitted the wine, but it was incredible on it's own.
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@Ocean44 Birthday Dinner. Nose Intensity mild. Palate medium. This Grenache was gorgeous after a 1 hour decant. Just starting to show its depth. Candied cherries, touch of cigar , dry earth, clove. Well integrated and very mild tannins. Balance was impeccable. Despite its very high 15.9% ETOH it was drinking much milder because of its energetic lift and character of fruit.
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Raspberry and açaí, amazing nose, just all bright powerful modern fruit. So condensed. Just knock your socks off. Blueberry compote, touch of tobacco but not super earthy. Dried herbs, chocolate. Just incredible. Needs time, the decant really helped as did using Zaltos bot restaurant glasses. Hold for 10 more years? 2030-2045+
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PnP chilled bottle. Opaque in the glass with a translucent rim. So gentle on the nose, found myself chasing the aromatics. First sip was a surprise; viscous on the tip of my tongue then cloud-like it melted away mid-palate with just a hint of spice on the backend. Surprisingly delicate for a Grenache with a finish that lingered on and on. Stems up!
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Huge wine with massive structure. Rather dark fruited and dense. Lovely pepper notes mixed in. I wish it was a little brighter but an excellent wine in the style.
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Early birthday celebration with family, the first time visiting since before the pandemic. Drank it before the Syrah. I opened the bottle for a couple of hours, and then I decanted it for a couple of hours. Lots of spices; special and unique wine.
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Young and tight, but still great. Five hour decant, then double decanted for another 1-2 hour slow ox. The aromas attack the nose on opening with crushed ripe strawberries, and when tasted about 6-7 hours later these had smoothed out a bit. Flavors carried through on the palate but still felt restrained, like there was more to be had down the road. Young for an SQN, but still enjoyable.
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Vice Versa weekend and dinner: In a sea of top-shelf Napa Cabernet Sauvignons, this SQN was able to wedge its way into the crowd and make a fine showing. However, two things about that. Firstly, there was an obvious profile difference that made evaluation (at least, MY evaluation) of it a little difficult. Having a 2012 Harlan side by side with a 2016 SQN is an acrobatic palate-bender that can pull me in different directions. Second, like its older sister the 2015 SQN “E,” this Pajarito needs time. It desperately wants to flaunt deeper berry and darker fruit flavors, but it stays primarily in the upper register (air helped but it obviously didn’t get it to extraordinary heights given its youth). Notes of anise, unsmoked cigar, and candied cherry notes rose to the top, but again, they stopped short of fully thriving. An alcoholic finish aided in keeping the texture and flavors at bay. A wine of power and charisma that needs to soften and deepen its character with time. Hold until 2027+. A budding champ without a doubt… with proper patience.
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Slow ox for 3 hours, wow this is so rich, velvety and intense. Dark blue and black fruit, cinnamon, massive amounts of creamy milk chocolate, asphalt, licorice, anise, and crazy long length and velvety texture. Drinking VERY well right now, I’m not sure if it will even get better. It drinks well as a PnP as I had a glass, but got much better with a few hours of air in the bottle. GREAT wine if you like this very new world in your face style.
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Wowsa! This was out of this world good. Everything turned up to 11 here, but it works. Massive rich chocolate covered cherry fruit bursting with yummy candied flavors with creamy milky texture that hides nearly any sense of heat. This is a hedonistic dream. Extremely impressive.
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A Multi Birthday Celebration (Tocco - Winnetka IL): My first time trying this SQN cuvee, and it is another great success despite its very high level of alcohol (as indicated on the label). Very rich and dense black cherry, plum everywhere, with espresso, orange peel, candied almonds, cloves and so much more coming through at various points with perfectly balancing tannins and enough acidity for brightness. So well done and so easy to enjoy.
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Really great stuff, with a ton of potential. For now, give it a few hours at least to open up and the smooth ripe flavors will come out from hiding. For me, it was best on day 3 after I put the cork back in after having a glass each night. I get the sense that secondary flavors will show more and the finish will lengthen with more age.
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As expected, tight and alcoholic upon opening, but this is an infant. After several hours in bottle, this was amazing, pure silky cherry, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, anise, milk chocolate, cedar, amazing balance and purity. This will get better with a few years, but I had to try one.
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8/18/2023 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really incredible. Obviously big flavors but so well balanced and soft luscious mouthfeel.
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5/24/2023 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
Where does one begin here . Impressive and explosive nose , rich , red fruit bright and albeit the oak is noticeable still blends effortlessly well with the wine. Young but also ever so beautiful now in its elevated state. A superb wine and another dimension of Grenache . 96 for now and with a lot more capacity.
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3/8/2023 - SARED Likes this wine: 96 Points
Oversized ?port? bottle. Muted nose of savory grape juice. On taste, it starts off like muddled grape juice. Then accelerates off the tongue with lightness, freshness and evaporates, leaving a persistence of flavor with an intensely long finish - and no heaviness. I never had a wine like this. It was akin to my first time in a Tesla Plaid where I had no idea it could go to 100mph in 2 seconds. 15.9% will leave you smashed if you aren’t paying attention. Not for drinking everyday as that novelty will probably wear off… but till then.. ZW96+. Is it wine or Gummi Juice?
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11/21/2022 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 100 Points
The most elegant Grenache to ever be released with the Eleven Confessions vineyard designate from both Manfred and Elaine: truly pure perfection along every single step. Decanted for four hours. There’s muscle, yet this is also diaphanous. One cannot help but to appreciate how this unfolds unlike anything else. There’s huckleberry, elderberry, black walnut, char-siu pork, ripe raspberries, ponzu, furikake and a medley of ground rock. I also get a little anise on both the nose and palate. The finish glides on rails for over a minute - the fruit is absolutely prodigious. A very evident weightlessness: this is a pure goddess, with a full, agile body. I would decant or wait, yet this is so delicious. Ostensibly an EBA that will age exceptionally well. Is there a better vineyard for Grenache in the US? Powerline in Walla Walla and Rossi in the Sonoma Valley are epic, but nothing can touch this in the new world. Drink 2026 -.
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11/19/2022 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
No formal note taken. Pop and pour with no decant. Feral, deep and dark. Lots of dark fruit and structure. I'm sure if I gave it the good treatment and let it breath it would have benefitted the wine, but it was incredible on it's own.
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10/13/2022 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 93 Points
@Ocean44 Birthday Dinner.
Nose Intensity mild. Palate medium. This Grenache was gorgeous after a 1 hour decant. Just starting to show its depth. Candied cherries, touch of cigar , dry earth, clove. Well integrated and very mild tannins. Balance was impeccable. Despite its very high 15.9% ETOH it was drinking much milder because of its energetic lift and character of fruit.
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7/26/2022 - cadamson Likes this wine:
A fantastic bottle, drinking relatively young but wow. Burgundy Al’s note from June 2021 is spot on.
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5/21/2022 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 98 Points
Very aromatic, took to Curate, dynamite nose
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5/21/2022 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Raspberry and açaí, amazing nose, just all bright powerful modern fruit. So condensed. Just knock your socks off. Blueberry compote, touch of tobacco but not super earthy. Dried herbs, chocolate. Just incredible. Needs time, the decant really helped as did using Zaltos bot restaurant glasses. Hold for 10 more years? 2030-2045+
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3/25/2022 - Hppr Cellar Likes this wine: 100 Points
Magnificent Needs about a 2 hr decant. It could age longer but perfect now.
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1/29/2022 - pocchia Likes this wine: 96 Points
PnP chilled bottle. Opaque in the glass with a translucent rim. So gentle on the nose, found myself chasing the aromatics. First sip was a surprise; viscous on the tip of my tongue then cloud-like it melted away mid-palate with just a hint of spice on the backend. Surprisingly delicate for a Grenache with a finish that lingered on and on. Stems up!
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1/22/2022 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 96 Points
Stunning wine. Deep dark fruit with long finish. Anxious to try the syrah as well.
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12/30/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine:
No note, served at holidays, it was fantastic as usual.
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12/19/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Huge wine with massive structure. Rather dark fruited and dense. Lovely pepper notes mixed in. I wish it was a little brighter but an excellent wine in the style.
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12/18/2021 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Early birthday celebration with family, the first time visiting since before the pandemic. Drank it before the Syrah. I opened the bottle for a couple of hours, and then I decanted it for a couple of hours. Lots of spices; special and unique wine.
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10/29/2021 - ageverett Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perfection in a glass. Also had a 2017 MacDonald and a 2014 Carter Grand Daddy open.
This was slow ox'd for about 4 hours. Incredible nose; crushed violets and garrigue. The balance, the long harmonious finish . . . just fabulous.
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8/30/2021 - RedLoverJim Likes this wine: 96 Points
Young and tight, but still great. Five hour decant, then double decanted for another 1-2 hour slow ox. The aromas attack the nose on opening with crushed ripe strawberries, and when tasted about 6-7 hours later these had smoothed out a bit. Flavors carried through on the palate but still felt restrained, like there was more to be had down the road. Young for an SQN, but still enjoyable.
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7/27/2021 - csimm wrote: 96 Points
Vice Versa weekend and dinner: In a sea of top-shelf Napa Cabernet Sauvignons, this SQN was able to wedge its way into the crowd and make a fine showing. However, two things about that. Firstly, there was an obvious profile difference that made evaluation (at least, MY evaluation) of it a little difficult. Having a 2012 Harlan side by side with a 2016 SQN is an acrobatic palate-bender that can pull me in different directions. Second, like its older sister the 2015 SQN “E,” this Pajarito needs time. It desperately wants to flaunt deeper berry and darker fruit flavors, but it stays primarily in the upper register (air helped but it obviously didn’t get it to extraordinary heights given its youth). Notes of anise, unsmoked cigar, and candied cherry notes rose to the top, but again, they stopped short of fully thriving. An alcoholic finish aided in keeping the texture and flavors at bay. A wine of power and charisma that needs to soften and deepen its character with time. Hold until 2027+. A budding champ without a doubt… with proper patience.
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7/24/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 98 Points
Slow ox for 3 hours, wow this is so rich, velvety and intense. Dark blue and black fruit, cinnamon, massive amounts of creamy milk chocolate, asphalt, licorice, anise, and crazy long length and velvety texture. Drinking VERY well right now, I’m not sure if it will even get better. It drinks well as a PnP as I had a glass, but got much better with a few hours of air in the bottle. GREAT wine if you like this very new world in your face style.
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6/30/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wowsa! This was out of this world good. Everything turned up to 11 here, but it works. Massive rich chocolate covered cherry fruit bursting with yummy candied flavors with creamy milky texture that hides nearly any sense of heat. This is a hedonistic dream. Extremely impressive.
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6/30/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
A Multi Birthday Celebration (Tocco - Winnetka IL): My first time trying this SQN cuvee, and it is another great success despite its very high level of alcohol (as indicated on the label). Very rich and dense black cherry, plum everywhere, with espresso, orange peel, candied almonds, cloves and so much more coming through at various points with perfectly balancing tannins and enough acidity for brightness. So well done and so easy to enjoy.
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3/14/2021 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tight. Alcoholic. Firm. Macerated cherries. Luxardo liqueur. Chinese five spice.
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2/19/2021 - Justin B Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really great stuff, with a ton of potential. For now, give it a few hours at least to open up and the smooth ripe flavors will come out from hiding. For me, it was best on day 3 after I put the cork back in after having a glass each night. I get the sense that secondary flavors will show more and the finish will lengthen with more age.
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12/31/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine:
First bottle was so good, I had to have another one. Great stuff!
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11/27/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 98 Points
As expected, tight and alcoholic upon opening, but this is an infant. After several hours in bottle, this was amazing, pure silky cherry, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, anise, milk chocolate, cedar, amazing balance and purity. This will get better with a few years, but I had to try one.
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