100 Pt Syrah - SQN and Northern Rhone

This was a really fun night. Dan and Amanda are gracious hosts and fantastic hosts. How gracious? Two of us spilled wine on their chair and rug and they didn't flinch! I was one of them, unfortunately :( Awesome menu. Truffle cheese, mushroom soup, pasta bolognese, Flannery prime rib, cheesecake and cookies. I hope to recreate the bolognese. Outstanding. I also got to see their wine closet in person and the pictures don't do it justice!!

The wines were outstanding. I've never had northern rhones. Two were nice and two were phenomenal. La Chapelle and La Turque. Wow. The SQNs were really good, but didn't blow me away. I couldn't get the price of the wines out of my head and I think that made me slightly more critical. With the French wines, I have a sense of the pricing, of course, but I don't follow them at all, I have no awareness of any French wine and I think it made it easier just to focus on what was in the glass. With the SQN, I am aware of so much of the mystique about it, as well as the prices, and I think as I tasted it, my brain got caught up in that. Nonetheless, the Atlantis and Poker Face were great wines, but until I make the list, I don't think I'll pay the premium for them.

• 1992 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Pear and honey tastes. Nice. I wish I'd spent a little more time with it.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1983 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon

  France, Champagne

  Dark golden color, not a lot of fruit, very nutty, it didn't taste like champagne to me,

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2006 Sine Qua Non The Hoodoo Man

  USA, California

  Very nice. This is a big, big wine and stood up to being tasted after the SQN reds (as well as before, of course). I loved it. I got lemon, straw, acid. Great mouthfeel.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Okay, not great. It was a bit thin on the finish, not a lot of blackberry, not bad, but disappointing. Others called it rustic, I'd call it French.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Bacon, lovely, after 10 minutes in the glass I wrote down "awesome". This was fantastic. My WOTN.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Gorgeous wine. Long finish. Very nice.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Big and fruity. Lots of alcohol on the nose and heat on the finish. Nice, but the 98 La Turque in this flight was my clear winner.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2002 Sine Qua Non Syrah Just For the Love of It

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Glad to try this, big with lots of blackberry, some iron, but my least favorite of the SQNs. I'd call this interesting, but not good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2003 Sine Qua Non Syrah The Inaugural Eleven Confessions Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Lots of wood and oak. Too much, in fact. Don't get me wrong - it was really enjoyable, but not special.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2005 Sine Qua Non Syrah Atlantis Fe2O3~1a, b & c

  USA, California, Central Coast

  This was my favorite of the SQNs. I had it at FF1 and liked it, but enjoyed it even more last night. It was fantastic. I still think I'd rather have the Atlantis Grenache, though.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2004 Sine Qua Non Syrah Poker Face

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Really nice. I think I liked this more than other people did. It was big, but bright and fresh. Loads of fruit, I don't recall a lot of alcohol. Tasty.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue