Popped and pour! Early notes. Wow! Powerful and elegant! Nose of dark cherry, spice, persimmon. Full and balanced palate and mouthfeel. Creamy and smooth.
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California wines but not from Napa: I don't think this was decanted. Drank a small glass over an hour. It didn't appear tannic, but the oak was incredibly evident. The fruit also huge. At this stage it's a cocktail wine for sure and I'll have to fall back on my belief that SQN reds need 12 years minimum from vintage.
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Party with some 100 pointers: As was before when I sampled this last year, the Profuga is a wonderfully deep and unctuous outpouring of dark berry, black spice, and fresh earth goodness. Darker than the 2019 Distenta I Grenache and much more hedonistic than a 2012 Eleven Confessions Rattrapante Grenache served next to it, the Profuga continues to be the most “right now” of the most recent vintages of SQN over the last couple of years (though the mighty Ziehharmonika Syrah is next-next-level and continues to show amazingly well). The Profuga is the typical Krankl textural dream and reminds me why, when I’m in the right mood, I reach for these sorts of luxuriously profuse and sumptuous beauties. The mouthfeel here is pretty darn impressive, especially for such a young wine.
Drink or hold the Profuga. It shows no signs of letting up and is a fun ride even now. If you’re more of a stickler with your SQN poppings, try holding for a few more years minimum to allow the oak to integrate and the power to subside. This is currently one of those wines that pairs best with bacon-mustard pulled pork sliders. Definitely not one of those “Burgundian” Grenaches. If you’re searching for that in the SQN staple, reach for 2012 Rattrapante…though you’ll want to reach for that in a few years.
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Opened left to rest for like 10mins and served. No decanting needed but won’t affect in any way the wine at this stage. Grenache in the hands of Manfred Krankl is always a special result and this did not fail us . Bright , energetic , better described as explosive with a massive 15.9% alc that it actually carries very well to the point that the wine feels also soft and harmonious albeit the level. The usual result of SQN elevated across the system but elevated in harmony and balance . Juicy ripe fruit and a glorious nose. 95 and frankly just drink it now!
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No notes taken. Super intense on the nose and palate with loads of ripe but not too ripe red berries, mostly sour cherries and raspberries, loads and loads of spices, fresh herbs and mineral backbone. Very complex and highly precise. The highlight is that despite all that intensity the wine is weightless. Ultra fine tannins, high put perfect integrated acidity, a slightly creamy texture, long finish. The 15.9% alcohol is completely masked. This is an outstanding wine but not for the faint hearted with all the ripeness, intensity and especially so much spiciness. But I love these Central Cali Grenache wines (more so than the Syrahs) from time to time.
Decanting: Good from the go, no extensive decanting necessary but maybe more air would have made it a tad less wild.
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I decided to decant for about 3-4 hours and it really helped the wine open up! Initially it was somewhat muted but after decanting the wine just exploded from the glass. Packed with candied raspberry/cranberry fruit in a translucent style. It has a lovely finish with flowers and spices combined with a piercing acidity. The alcohol shines through and is present but not in a disturbing way and is kept in a good balance with the acidity and fruit. Despite being a somewhat dense wine, there is just this amazing SQN balance shining everything in the wine. It is another stunning wine from SQN and perhaps one of the best young SQN Grenache wines I have tasted. Over time, this will just improve and add more complexity but it taste amazing already. Stunning.. 97-98p right now and could easily go to 99-100p over time.
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Decanted for three hours. Incredibly fresh and feminine, with so much body and depth. Dried cranberries, violets, cured ham, lavender, earthy elements and saline. Extremely long and panoramic, there’s this unfolding quality that tantalizes. So different than The Gorgeous Victim, and is closer to Stein. I enjoy the fibrous, almost feathery tannins. More open than one would think. Decant or wait a couple of years as this is quite haunting. Drink 2023 - 2038.
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Smells hot - not ready - with lots of body odor. Also scents of game and salt. Very savory. Strong red meat. White pepper. Chili peppers. Chili pepper. Cumin. That is just the nose. Subtle candied fruits and nuts. Black pepper.
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SQN Grenache very well may be my favorite wine. This one may need a little more time. I popped and poured at 65 degrees. I know, I did not follow the directions. However, I still drank it over three days. To me, the best sips of SQN Grenache are the first and those about an hour or two into the bottle. The Christmas spices are the trademark.
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With an instant outpouring of savory and succulent black and red raspberry, cassis, purple plum, licorice, Christmas spices, soft soppressata, and hints of white pepper notes, the Profuga is a launchpad of ripe berry fruit slathering the palate with a textural superiority that pumps undulating waves of instant flavor expansion from front to back. This sneaks in a faint puff of alcohol on the tail, but the tons of fruit push past any perception of would-be distracting booze. The chewiness morphs into a melting finish that provides the perfect textural crescendo. Ah yes, the texture. It must be SQN...
This is like drinking a puffy cumulus cloud covered in berry syrup. I’m 6 years old at Swensen’s and am stopped short of burying my entire face in a colossal marshmallow and raspberry ice cream sundae topped with maraschino cherries as my cross-armed mother leers at me to behave.
These 2018s from SQN are quite compelling. Hard to believe an awkward phase is looming here, but sometimes these babies dip into a pause where they need 8-10 years from vintage to truly come into form. Well, like many-a-CdP, enjoy this now for the fun and flavor, or hold for a few years and hope to skip past any potential bumps of adolescence (if they even rise up at all).
Nevertheless, if ya wanna live for the moment, bust the cork on this and see what’s cookin’. Sure it’s young and all that, but it’s just so crazy good right now. Everyone’s got an opinion, so here’s mine: I’m a fan. This was a straight PnP that I didn’t have to baby at all. Surprisingly accessible. 97-98+ points.
Helpful hint: keep this at a cooler temperature. I was loving it best at around 50°.
Pop, decant and pour on the back deck with two clients, smoked brisket, homemade sourdough bread and a hot spinach artichoke dip appetizer. The first thought that popped into my mind was Rayas. No, not as smooth as the 1999 Rayas that I had a few years ago, but the flavor profile was very similar. Smooth Grenache raspberry filled the front and side of the palate, with spicy pepper at the back. It still had some roughness from youth and some of the others thought the alcohol was a bit too prominent, but an outstanding effort with exceptional quality and winemaking. This ranks up there with my two favorite Grenache wines, the 1999 Rayas and the 2006 Aquillon. The good news is that I have more of this. The bad news is that I am unlikely to save any of it until it has 15 to 20 years of age on it.
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I finally made the SQN mailing list after 11 years and decided to Coravin taste this wine and the 2018 Syrah with my wife on a pleasant May evening. I let the wines breath in Riedel glasses for about 45 minutes. To me the Grenache had a much more interesting nose but the tannins and alcohol were felt on finish. While the Syrah seemed much more laid back for such a young wine this Grenache was more tightly wound and needs years in the cellar. All in all an excellent introduction to the wines from Elaine & Manfred Krankl, brilliant winemakers.
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Opened in the bottle for 5 hours plus. Actually seemed more open/vibrant right after opening versus near the end. Obviously ripe but sharing the stage with with plenty of savory elements. Red berries, vanilla, leather, charcuterie and herbs. Not overly acidic or tannic but still needs time in bottle to come together.
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Of course young and should not have opened, but had to have along with the Syrah. Very nice. Rich, smooth, deep dark fruit. Of course not much to say yet. Should be excellent. Needs many years I think.
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4/28/2024 - dlcass Likes this wine: 98 Points
Popped and pour! Early notes. Wow! Powerful and elegant! Nose of dark cherry, spice, persimmon. Full and balanced palate and mouthfeel. Creamy and smooth.
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4/24/2024 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
California wines but not from Napa: I don't think this was decanted. Drank a small glass over an hour. It didn't appear tannic, but the oak was incredibly evident. The fruit also huge. At this stage it's a cocktail wine for sure and I'll have to fall back on my belief that SQN reds need 12 years minimum from vintage.
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4/21/2024 - rocknroller wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group: California: Anything but Napa (BLVD Kitchen & Bar, Wayzata, MN): Small taste. A ripe mix of red and black fruits, lots of glycerin, bold, oak, firm, some alcohol. Needs time (or air). Score reserved.
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10/11/2023 - popasq Likes this wine: 98 Points
This has improved since last year, I did open the bottle over 6 hours before drinking, this may have contributed to how amazing this wine is.
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6/18/2023 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 93 Points
Method: pop and pour; Cab glass; cellar temp
Nose: black cherry, pencil shavings, candied violets
Palate: Black cherry, baking spices, graphite; dry; medium superfine silky tannins; medium adicty
Overall thoughts: Not complex, but very tasty with an incredible tannins and mouthfeel. Very polished. Great wine!
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1/28/2023 - hanasowner wrote: 95 Points
Popped and poured...very dark...explosive fruit with smooth tannins and long finish.
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10/24/2022 - popasq Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 4+ hours, was exceptional.
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7/24/2022 - Arch57 wrote: 94 Points
Intense yet easy to drink. Lingering finish.
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7/4/2022 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 98 Points
Outstanding! Thick, smooth, intense; some charcoal; pencil shavings; not hard edged even with the intensity. A great 4th wine!
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6/9/2022 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Party with some 100 pointers: As was before when I sampled this last year, the Profuga is a wonderfully deep and unctuous outpouring of dark berry, black spice, and fresh earth goodness. Darker than the 2019 Distenta I Grenache and much more hedonistic than a 2012 Eleven Confessions Rattrapante Grenache served next to it, the Profuga continues to be the most “right now” of the most recent vintages of SQN over the last couple of years (though the mighty Ziehharmonika Syrah is next-next-level and continues to show amazingly well). The Profuga is the typical Krankl textural dream and reminds me why, when I’m in the right mood, I reach for these sorts of luxuriously profuse and sumptuous beauties. The mouthfeel here is pretty darn impressive, especially for such a young wine.
Drink or hold the Profuga. It shows no signs of letting up and is a fun ride even now. If you’re more of a stickler with your SQN poppings, try holding for a few more years minimum to allow the oak to integrate and the power to subside. This is currently one of those wines that pairs best with bacon-mustard pulled pork sliders. Definitely not one of those “Burgundian” Grenaches. If you’re searching for that in the SQN staple, reach for 2012 Rattrapante…though you’ll want to reach for that in a few years.
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12/27/2021 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Delicious. Soft, decent acidity. All about the fruit. And the fruit is quite glorious. Hides the alcohol well. Better with an hour or two of air.
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11/2/2021 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Opened left to rest for like 10mins and served. No decanting needed but won’t affect in any way the wine at this stage.
Grenache in the hands of Manfred Krankl is always a special result and this did not fail us . Bright , energetic , better described as explosive with a massive 15.9% alc that it actually carries very well to the point that the wine feels also soft and harmonious albeit the level. The usual result of SQN elevated across the system but elevated in harmony and balance . Juicy ripe fruit and a glorious nose. 95 and frankly just drink it now!
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10/15/2021 - Cailles wrote: 95 Points
No notes taken. Super intense on the nose and palate with loads of ripe but not too ripe red berries, mostly sour cherries and raspberries, loads and loads of spices, fresh herbs and mineral backbone. Very complex and highly precise. The highlight is that despite all that intensity the wine is weightless. Ultra fine tannins, high put perfect integrated acidity, a slightly creamy texture, long finish. The 15.9% alcohol is completely masked. This is an outstanding wine but not for the faint hearted with all the ripeness, intensity and especially so much spiciness. But I love these Central Cali Grenache wines (more so than the Syrahs) from time to time.
Decanting: Good from the go, no extensive decanting necessary but maybe more air would have made it a tad less wild.
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10/8/2021 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
See previous note.
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9/1/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exquisite! Yet still seemingly a bit closed. I will hold out for a couple of years before opening the next. 95+
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8/21/2021 - canan wrote: 97 Points
I decided to decant for about 3-4 hours and it really helped the wine open up!
Initially it was somewhat muted but after decanting the wine just exploded from the glass.
Packed with candied raspberry/cranberry fruit in a translucent style. It has a lovely finish with flowers and spices combined with a piercing acidity.
The alcohol shines through and is present but not in a disturbing way and is kept in a good balance with the acidity and fruit.
Despite being a somewhat dense wine, there is just this amazing SQN balance shining everything in the wine. It is another stunning wine from SQN and perhaps one of the best young SQN Grenache wines I have tasted. Over time, this will just improve and add more complexity but it taste amazing already. Stunning.. 97-98p right now and could easily go to 99-100p over time.
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7/24/2021 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for three hours. Incredibly fresh and feminine, with so much body and depth. Dried cranberries, violets, cured ham, lavender, earthy elements and saline. Extremely long and panoramic, there’s this unfolding quality that tantalizes. So different than The Gorgeous Victim, and is closer to Stein. I enjoy the fibrous, almost feathery tannins. More open than one would think. Decant or wait a couple of years as this is quite haunting. Drink 2023 - 2038.
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7/24/2021 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Smells hot - not ready - with lots of body odor. Also scents of game and salt. Very savory. Strong red meat. White pepper. Chili peppers. Chili pepper. Cumin. That is just the nose. Subtle candied fruits and nuts. Black pepper.
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7/13/2021 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Big but balanced, everything one expects. Abundant red and black fruit with underlying spice.
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7/3/2021 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
SQN Grenache very well may be my favorite wine. This one may need a little more time. I popped and poured at 65 degrees. I know, I did not follow the directions. However, I still drank it over three days. To me, the best sips of SQN Grenache are the first and those about an hour or two into the bottle. The Christmas spices are the trademark.
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6/23/2021 - csimm wrote: 98 Points
With an instant outpouring of savory and succulent black and red raspberry, cassis, purple plum, licorice, Christmas spices, soft soppressata, and hints of white pepper notes, the Profuga is a launchpad of ripe berry fruit slathering the palate with a textural superiority that pumps undulating waves of instant flavor expansion from front to back. This sneaks in a faint puff of alcohol on the tail, but the tons of fruit push past any perception of would-be distracting booze. The chewiness morphs into a melting finish that provides the perfect textural crescendo. Ah yes, the texture. It must be SQN...
This is like drinking a puffy cumulus cloud covered in berry syrup. I’m 6 years old at Swensen’s and am stopped short of burying my entire face in a colossal marshmallow and raspberry ice cream sundae topped with maraschino cherries as my cross-armed mother leers at me to behave.
These 2018s from SQN are quite compelling. Hard to believe an awkward phase is looming here, but sometimes these babies dip into a pause where they need 8-10 years from vintage to truly come into form. Well, like many-a-CdP, enjoy this now for the fun and flavor, or hold for a few years and hope to skip past any potential bumps of adolescence (if they even rise up at all).
Nevertheless, if ya wanna live for the moment, bust the cork on this and see what’s cookin’. Sure it’s young and all that, but it’s just so crazy good right now. Everyone’s got an opinion, so here’s mine: I’m a fan. This was a straight PnP that I didn’t have to baby at all. Surprisingly accessible. 97-98+ points.
Helpful hint: keep this at a cooler temperature. I was loving it best at around 50°.
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5/25/2021 - Jay Hack Likes this wine: 96 Points
Pop, decant and pour on the back deck with two clients, smoked brisket, homemade sourdough bread and a hot spinach artichoke dip appetizer. The first thought that popped into my mind was Rayas. No, not as smooth as the 1999 Rayas that I had a few years ago, but the flavor profile was very similar. Smooth Grenache raspberry filled the front and side of the palate, with spicy pepper at the back. It still had some roughness from youth and some of the others thought the alcohol was a bit too prominent, but an outstanding effort with exceptional quality and winemaking. This ranks up there with my two favorite Grenache wines, the 1999 Rayas and the 2006 Aquillon. The good news is that I have more of this. The bad news is that I am unlikely to save any of it until it has 15 to 20 years of age on it.
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5/16/2021 - Arch57 wrote: 95 Points
I finally made the SQN mailing list after 11 years and decided to Coravin taste this wine and the 2018 Syrah with my wife on a pleasant May evening. I let the wines breath in Riedel glasses for about 45 minutes. To me the Grenache had a much more interesting nose but the tannins and alcohol were felt on finish. While the Syrah seemed much more laid back for such a young wine this Grenache was more tightly wound and needs years in the cellar. All in all an excellent introduction to the wines from Elaine & Manfred Krankl, brilliant winemakers.
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5/8/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Opened in the bottle for 5 hours plus. Actually seemed more open/vibrant right after opening versus near the end. Obviously ripe but sharing the stage with with plenty of savory elements. Red berries, vanilla, leather, charcuterie and herbs. Not overly acidic or tannic but still needs time in bottle to come together.
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4/22/2021 - iar wrote: 100 Points
Unbelievably good. Rich and big nose, but very smooth. Best young wine ever!
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4/18/2021 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Way to early to drink, give this some years to come together. Very full bodied but the flavor felt
Like it was hiding behind the curtains still
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4/10/2021 - pdemaio Likes this wine: 96 Points
fresh, powerful, and fruit forward. a rollercoaster of flavors. Great backbone, midpalate and finish.
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2/21/2021 - cadamson Likes this wine:
Of course young and should not have opened, but had to have along with the Syrah. Very nice. Rich, smooth, deep dark fruit. Of course not much to say yet. Should be excellent. Needs many years I think.
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2/10/2021 - CMCLR Likes this wine: 99 Points
Ethereal
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