Previously tasted in 2015 and 2021. Tasted over two nights. Still dark garnet and totally opaque. Very viscous. Moderately pronounced aromas of dark cherries, plums and blackberries. Very concentrated dark fruit flavors, powerful but one-dimensional, without elegance or complexity. Tannin has softened since the prior bottles but it remains hot on the late palate and very long aftertaste. Went well with full-flavored grilled steaks. I don't think it will improve, so time to drink my remaining bottle. Ric
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Tellement massif et tellement jeune, ce vin sera éternel mais pour moi c'est beaucoup trop intense, tannique et riche. Je comprend l'enthousiame envers SQN mais ce n'est pas mon style.
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Big on fruit, acidity and balanced tannins. Great match with brie and thyme flawors Lemon and Dijon mustard match excellent. https://www.jaktojagare.se/mat/stekt-mufflonfar-med-kramig-potatisbakelse/
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Decanted briefly. Spectacular showing for my last bottle of this. Deep and balanced with thick furry tannins and savory black fruit with some tertiary notes of sous bois and herbs. Wonderful, probably at peak.
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dark blossom, drank with some home made Cheese burgers
Pop n pour, Hated myself for it, but I told people it would “blossom” with some air, sure enough, it did. Inky in color, plush modern Med aromatic intensity - ripe black plum, smoke, plush boysenberry, blackberry, topsoil, black olive, licorice, black , bay leaves, peppercorn, med+/high tannin, med+ acidity , alcohol 15.5% - legs visible, but hides the alcohol incredibly well. Well balanced (somehow!!) 93-94pts
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To set the stage, first see my TN from almost five years ago: “A hard wine to get excited about, frankly. Tannic and backward, with little typicity. Some savory dark fruit notes, pepper and oak. Maybe the vintage is showing itself, or perhaps time will reveal something more interesting.” Fast forward to 2023, and it’s an entirely different story. Popped and poured, at cellar temp (and I think it showed its best while relatively cool). The wine is just singing. Clean, savory and suave, brimming with energy. Dark fruit, pepper, sweet oak and a glycerined texture, but no evident heat. Patience rewarded. Well done.
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Another lovely, rich, expressive black pepper and smoked meat laden Syrah from SQN, Dark Blossom is not as showing or concentrated as some of the other offerings over the years, but that takes nothing away from this outstanding wine that is in a perfectiy mature spot right now and is a good deal if you can find it for <$300 in this inflated market.
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In rereading my previous note from several years ago, all comments still apply in spades with the addition of this: this is a focused, pure and profound wine with a long life still ahead.
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Five hour decant but you could drink this pnp, I just like the way it evolves and probably would prefer day 2. But this wine is in its sweet spot of perfection right now, I liked it 3 years ago but even better now and no reason to hold. Dark rich fruit, big and intense yet stays balanced. So smooth. Long finish.
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Decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, gamey meat, bramble and spice. Ripe blackberry, black plum, blueberry, gamey meat, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with waves of flavor. Full bodied. Gorgeous wine that is drinking beautifully. Served with corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and horseradish cream sauce.
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Un nez de Syrah intense, aromatique et très beau. Bouche riche, puissante, fruitée à souhait, c’est dense mais frais et tellememt facile à boire, intense et avec beaucoup de classe, tellement long. Superbe. 95-96
Gorgeous Syrah nose, great fruit, violets, rich,dense,powerful, classy, fresh, intense, nicely textured, very long.
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Second time we are lucky enough to cross path with this wine in 3 months and consistent once again. This time round from the cellar of The Ledbury in London. One of the of the treasurers in their list.
Impressive and special as always and we feel this is now drinking at its first peak, the fruit peak in a way ( frankly we have very little exposure to 20yr+ SQNs so not sure if their is a second secondary and smoky peak much like their cousins from France) , impressively energetic and albeit a big wine has that elevated harmony that only the Krankls can deliver. Even better was served to people not familiar with SQNs and it was to them as impressive as it is to us. This is a relatively early blooming SQN and a joy once again. 95
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Wonderful varietal flavors, deep color, perfect weight and nice finish, but I was expecting more arromatically (and a longer finish or something else exceptional) given the price point, scarcity and required cellaring. Very enjoyable to be sure, with enough tannins and acidity to last several more years, but this one is for the price-insensitive only.
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Wow! This is in a surprisingly great sweet spot! Drank next to the 2011 SQN EBA “Patine” and the Dark Blossom was actually far more approachable. If you have the privilege of choosing which to open, I’d pop the Dark Blossom and sit on the Patine for a few more years.
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Sleek balanced Syrah with good acidity and primary fruit on presentation. Savory tilting in style. Tannins present but tame. Alcohol well hidden in the mix. Decanted and shared over 2 hours. Still young. Exceptional!
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Tasted blind. Funnily enough when we tried blinded Alban Seymour 2014 ( Papies 94) the night before we commented that the main diff we find between the two ( Alban and SQN) is that for SQN the alcohol is never pronounced in the wine ( albeit all have big Alc ).enter this beauty and the style was textbook and with the alcohol feel a lot more refine went straight to SQN. Big wine in a way that SQN makes big but harmonious wines, amplified bit every level of it is amplified so the wine almost sits in a higher octave but still all is there. Impressive as always and this been our second time we cross paths with it ( first time in 2015 , Papies. 95) we felt the wine has a few decades ahead of it. 95 once again
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Excellent wine that will only improve with time. Still big and brawny but quite delicious. Not sure that I would have pegged this as the syrah if tasted blind.
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Purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lavender, leather, currants, black pepper and black cherries. Flavors of black raspberries, cherries and plums. Bright to tangy acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink with air or hold.
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Just an absolutely amazing bottle of wine shared with great friends. Opened and slow ox'd for 7 hours before dinner which was roasted racks of lamb with a rosemary, panko and mustard crust. The nose was a myriad of berries, plums and tobacco. The palate was swirling flavors of dark cherry, plums, figs, tobacco and spice. The finish was extremely long and smooth. Outstanding wine. 96++
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Served blind. Massive, huge wine with concentrated fruit, just the faintest amount of bricking. Heady alcohols, and fairly open on the nose. A little raisined like amarone. My first though was really SQN, but there weren’t a lot of varietal tells, no pepper, olive or florals; rather an explosion of dark fruits cloaked in rich oak, that had tasters settle on a cult cab from a warm vintage like 07 before the reveal. Fun to see how these are aging, and 11 has done better than 10 in my experience
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Dark garnet and opaque, aromas big, bold, and concentrated, with pronounced raspberry aromas and other components of syrah, although it had some zin character as well. Very concentrated flavors, quite dense, with black fruits. Plenty of tannin but did not overpower the fruit. Huge long aftertaste, again very powerful. Ric
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CT Offsite: Day 1 Tasting: Huge, smoky, roasted Syrah but with surprisingly silky and suave tannins, black cherry, quite fresh on a long finish. Amazing how well balanced such a big wine can be.
A celebration of a 64th, wines that will still be great on my 64th
Almost hate attempting to rate, because no doubt my palate had dulled much by then. Very SQN, massive black fruit, nearly impenetrable, incredible tannins, and a finish you can measure with a calendar. SQN is an experience. This wine has ages to go, will grow!
Aging 2045
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, gamey meat, licorice, vanilla and spice. Ripe black fruit, gamey meat, licorice, vanilla and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, layered finish with waves of flavor. Excellent depth. Full bodied. An outstanding wine. Served with smoked pulled pork.
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Drinking beautifully. Clean, pure fruit that is subtle and completely balanced along the entire spectrum. Blueberry and leather were the flavors I was getting. As usual with SQN, the last sip was the best.
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This is not a style of wine I understand. I found it rich, but high in alcohol and cumbersome. We tasted this to compare along with other cellar treasures such as 1988 Mouton and a 2005 Clos de la Roche which were more my style. I don’t have enough experience to say such an opulent wine will become more in balance with age.
Tasted non blind. Opened and glass decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Followed over two hours and re-tasted the following day as well.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of roasted meat, black currants, white pepper, dried plums and flowers. Rich flavors of boysenberries, raspberries, plums and cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with a little air or short decant or continue to hold. No rush here.
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Rich ripe dark red berry flavors throughout. Yummy and decadent offering up a lot of pleasure. Just a bit too straight forward to give it a higher score, but what is there is lovely. More about the amazing fruit then the nuance or spices I typically love in the best syrahs.
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PNP. Inky black. Savory nose, but surprisingly smooth for a 15.5% ABV wine. Ripe plum, black raspberry, subtle pepper and vanilla on a long finish. Sweet tannins, enough acidity, layered complexity. Everything integrated and in place, ready now but no rush on this.
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Very nice, fruity on opening. Deep rich flavors of plains, blackberries, cassis. With 4+ hours more savory notes begin to develop, more earthy, spicy, meaty. By 5 hours it was quite peppery as well. Certainly rich with layers of complexity and a long finish. With my limited SQN experience, I thought this might be a good aperitif as it would be too rich to have with our pasta dinner. But it really was well balanced and not too overbearing for the food. Still very youthful with a long life ahead.
Amazing wine. Enjoyed with a wonderful slow cooked braised short rib on my birthday.
Inky ruby color, no sign of age. Aroma is only medium intensity, ripe plums and blackberries, mint and eucalyptus, sweet spices and mocha.
The mouthfeel is wonderful, thick, plush and very full bodied but also soft and silky, but very well integrated tannins. Clearly high alcohol. Medium acid. Flavors match the nose, more emphasis on the coffee and chocolate tertiary flavors but very well balanced by the soft fruits and the eucalyptus. Very, very long finish.
Mashed potatoes, black berries, cassis, blackberries, creme de cassis, cedar, warm opulent and long but too young, should be much better with 4-5 more years...
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Very balanced and packed with black currant and dark cherry fruit. It is starting to show some development with a hint of blood and aged meat but in general, the wine is still very youthful. It does need 2-3 hours at least to show the balance and put on some weight but it is really an amazing wine and very SQN in its style. There is no indication or hint of alcohol in nose or mouth. Everything is perfectly balanced.
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SQN is a great, great wine with beautiful bottles and artwork by Manfred Krankl. So inspiring. This wine probably needs little more time in the cellar.
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Decantes 2,5 hours. Very good wine. Ready to drink now with enough air but it still has many years left. 2,5 hours in the decanter were perfect. Very intense raspberry aroma. A special wine. 94(+) pts. at the moment.
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Drank from a magnum that was open all day. Just kept getting better until it was finished. Dark brooding almost candied fruit, smoke, violets, black pepper, minerals and milk chocolate. Likely needs a few more years to come around. Surprised me how good this was.
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More similar to NOK than SQN Grenache. I am somewhat surprised although this comparison makes sense. However, I prefer the NOK. This is still a wonderful wine though. Very concentrated and intense.
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Poured at home without decanting this wine was clear and deep purple in colour. It had a nose of dark berries, some pencil shavings and quite a bit of bacon. This wine was surprisingly quite sweet with flavours of dark berries and cherries coming in at the end. The tannins and acidity were both quite strong and there was a sour note at the end of the glass but this went away after an hour or so after the bottle was opened. This bottle was slightly disjointed tonight.
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The 2011 Sine Qua Non Dark Blossom is a deep inky black color with aromatics of black fruits, chocolate, mocha, and graphite. This is a big and powerful wine as you would expect from SQN. Tannins are smooth and well integrated. Overall, a superb wine, but not a particularly good value. This is in a good spot to drink now, but will easily go another decade.
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Pnp. On the nose, licorice, herbs, pepper, charcoal, on the palate, black and blue berries, pepper, bbq smoke, and minerals. The wine was big and powerful but nicely balanced with modest acidity and various spices, herbs and minerals. The finish was long. I don’t really drink much of the new world Cab/Syrah anymore but this bottle was excellent. The blend is 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% petit Syrah.
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Tannins were harsh even on day 2. Coffee and vanilla notes more noticeable on day 2 whereas day 1 was more fruit. Alcohol level was not noticeable which is impressive. It’s good but disappointing considering the price. Will wait for another 3-5 years and hope the other bottles improve.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Deep dark red to rim. Intense nose of dark berries, cassis, spice and vanilla. Huge and powerful in the mouth but fresh and balanced, ripe lush fruit, not showing the alcohol, long finish, outstanding.
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Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (2120 Restaurant, Seattle): Decanted and served. Initially some eucalyptus on the nose that blew off and became more of a cigar box. Modern Rhone blend with medium+ approachable fruit on the palate. Long finish of dried fruit and with air, some aromatic pastille. My #2 of 4 and the group's #3.
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Extremely good. I’ve had mixed experience with SqN, sometimes it’s crazy impressive, sometimes just avg good and not worth the price. This one was worth it, definitely brought the wow factor.
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BBQ and Wine (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Rich and ripe black currant and cherry with some liqueur hints. Great spice is mostly sweet with mostly integrated new oak. Much more balanced and integrated vs when last tried in 2015, this will still most certainly get better as it softens further.
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Decanted 6 hours, then drank over next 4. Beautiful layers of dark fruit, peppery spice, dark chocolate, and dried herbs. Classsic SQN texture. Long finish does have a bit of heat.
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This bottle was opened and drank with minimal decanting over the course of 2 hours. The wine appeared to be clear but it was hard to tell as it is almost the darkest purple coloured wine that I have ever seen. With notes and flavours of very ripe cherries and peppered other spices, the tannins on this were still very strong while the acidity was at a nice level. The wine had a long finish but I found it a bit disjointed tonight. I have a feeling that a long decant would bring everything in line. Still, this was a solid drinking bottle.
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Labeled 15.5% but no signs of heat. Very dark and concentrated, no surprise there. Lots of dark fruit, cassis, vanilla, and strong minerals. Some charcoal and iodine. Good stuff.
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My first Sine Qua Non - Interesting well made juice for sure. From what I had heard this was more balanced than I expected. Dark and blue fruit. Very opaque with no noticeable bricking. Without it being printed on the label, I'm not sure I would have known this was Syrah.... we followed with a '95 Chave Hermitage - IMHO, the Sine couldn't compete.
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BYO Dinner (AOC): Another huge wine from SQN. Packed with sweet black currant fruit kept in balance with a solid acidity. Also showing nice flavors of meat and licorice. Loved this wine but could really use some more age. It is very hash and could use even more time to mellow out a little bit :-)
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Followed over 4 hours. No decant. Similar to prior bottle, though it has probably improved a bit. Drinking really great right now. Really pure fruit and a long finish. Drink or hold. 95-96 pts.
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Very dark in the glass, but medium bodied and supple in the mouth. Has a tremendous, almost liquer-like purity of fruit and intensity. Probably its most memorable feature is a second wave of power that hits you about 20 seconds into the superb finish. What a brilliant wine.
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Many of us were remarking that we had never had an SQN before, so this one was brought out. And oh mama! This wine had a dense fruit core - black and blue fruits on the nose. The nose, although very fruit dense, wasn't as powerful as I thought it was going to be given the entry, which was SUPER complex, SUPER dense. Black and blue fruits, minty, peppery. Knife and fork kind of wine. The finish was black pepper and toasted oak. The wine came back after 30 seconds on the finish to smack you across the face. NICE! This wine was probably the first or second out of the group of 15 or so that we enjoyed. 96 by my book. This wine continued to develop as it sat open for the night. Dark, complex, dense, peppery, powerful, youthful.
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Opened at Hawksmoor, Piccadilly Circus in London. P&P and enjoyed over dinner.
Very expressive nose, with black and blue fruit profiles coming through. Sweet and powerful body with high alcohol, but it was also perfectly balanced with great acidity that kept the wine fresh.
Definitely one of the better SQN's I've had. Absolutely fantastic, and the perfect accompaniment for a steak dinner with good friends.
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Brilliant on the palate but not as generous on the nose this time. The primary aromas are not flexing their muscles as much and the secondary aromas are not yet on display. But on it's way. Still a great wine.
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Absolutely delicious. Nose of violets, rich cherry liquer, cassis, red licorice and spices. In the mouth, perfectly balanced, amazingly polished tannins that diplay power and finesse. Just smooth, no hard edges with the cherry liquer flavors prominently displayed tonight and wonderful concentration. A pleasure to drink!
Beautiful wine. While being concentrated, it was less concentrated than other SQN I have had. Clean, bold, and rounded. Would benefit from another 3 years in the cellar, but it is showing nicely and when tasted blind seems much older than it is. Brilliant wine.
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Ok, perhaps this song has been heard many times from me before. But what a wine this is! There is no doubt SQN delivers pure joy and this exquisite effort is not exception to the rule. I asked the guests, which had no idea of what they had in the glass, which were the number one keywords for the wine: "Powerful elegance" was the more or less unanimous answer. This is spot on. SQN reds are always balanced, integrated, seamless and very very elegant. Still there is no doubt about the power. You are reminded of this every time you taste...
The 2011 Dark Blossom Syrah is a blend of 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah and 4% Roussanne. The Roussanne adds power and of course complexity. I would without doubt guess that the floral component found in this effort is owed to the Roussanne. The wines from this mythical producer always keep going from clarity to clarity when tasting. This effort is no exception to that rule and it is built like a solid rock, but it is also extremely well balanced and delivers an utterly elegant experience. The nose exhibits mature fruit, dark chocolate, licorice, strawberry and lovely blueberry. The palate follows through in the same way with a superb integration including a lovely but of course non vocal acidity. Tannins are present, but they are soft, silky and velvety. The length on the finish is eternal and there is of course absolutely no heat at all. This is a lovely effort from a producer where I always expect 'perfection'. Though there is one or two hard edges present tonight which makes me slightly reluctant to give a perfect score. Still, without the slightest doubt this effort deserves a 98+ tonight.
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Drinking really well right now, dark black and blue fruits, meats, sweet cooking spices, lots of mid-palate oak, really nice concentration and balance. Just an amazing wine and pleasure to drink. Sad this is my last one and pretty amazing for a 2011.
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This was the smoothest syrah i've ever tasted. I don't think this wine could get better, absolutely delicious. This is the first SQN, red, I've tried. Amazing color, smell and taste. I can't imagine how a syrah can be better!
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Ridiculous wine. Only my second 100 Pt personal ranking ever. Dark opaque purple black. Explosive aroma of blackberry and violets followed by black fruits and savory spice and a peppery note. Sublime. Such a huge wine no question but elegant, great finesse and a long decadent finish. Everyone who tried it tonight was taken aback. Rightfully so. Highest recommendation. Go drink it right now.
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Marks duckhouse – MV Krug, Bonneau CDP, Centenaire, Truchot, Pousse d'Or & etc.: There is something quite unique about the nose of SQN Syrahs. It is always unbelievably intense and concentrated yet remains cool and balanced. Incredibly intense black fruit, cassis, blackberry jam, vanilla, liquid smoke, chocolate, lavender and sweet spices. Incredibly concentrated yet silky and suave, excellent acidity, sweet tannins and a never ending finish. It really needs another two three years to fully integrate and become harmonious. If you are a SQN fan, your score will be close to three digits.
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I had this wine a couple of months ago, and really liked it. This was no exception. After a two hour decant, the wine settled down and became very approachable. Black fruits, spice, licorice, as chocolate dominated the brooding nose. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, but still well-balanced overall. A long finish completed an impressive wine experience.
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Star anise, meat, spice and dark fruit on the nose. Loved the aromatics on this. Huge but perfectly balanced. Blueberries, black currants, and ripe black cherry. Hint of black pepper on the nose but also complementing and spicing up the flavor profile. Drinking great now but has the acidity to enhance the fruit and tannins to make it last. Wine of the Labor Day holiday for me. Wow!
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My favorite wine estate for a reason. Never met a Sine Qua Non I didn't like. Dark blueberry & açaí, blackberry, light tobacco and chocolate. More pepper than other vintages. Nice acid and palate coating fruit. Amazing concentration and power, without being over the top in any respect. Aromatics to die for. As always, believe the hype.
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Wifey's bday surprise dinner, White Rabbit, Singapore. Tossing up between Into the Dark and this, and thinking wives want to stay forever young, I went with the baby. Baby indeed, a very faint nose of intense blackcurrant and berries, but not much more. Nose faded in way through the evening. Very concentrated, smooth and lush on the palette but not anywhere near its prime. No secondary characteristics I could discern. Lay down for 5 years and revisit.
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Maybe my palate was just too tired for this, but as outstanding as it was, it seemed a bit monolithic to me on this day. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, some dried leather, spice and black pepper. On the palate, it seems deep but not showing the complexity I have gotten before from this bottle. Loads of black raspberry fruit. Some peppery notes and some oak. In balance and quite delicious. I had been drinking all day to celebrate the Cavs championship and maybe my palate just could not appreciate all the nuances that are in the wine.
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Deep red, opaque color, almost like ink. Dark fruit, bacon fat, black pepper and vanilla on the nose. So much going on. Full, complex and dense body with a finish that lingers. This is fantastic. This won over the Grenache we had side by side. Wow this is delicious. Was a perfect match for a tenderloin. The table agreed that it was the WOTN.
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An eclectic group of wines with friends (Walden): This had been opened the day before but was tight. Tom and Kathy brought about half a bottle to dinner. It was really drinking well I thought. Purple in color, inky at the core. The nose has black raspberries, blueberries, black pepper, spice, tarragon and floral notes. Great texture. Very smooth and easy on the palate with lots of depth and tight layers. Obviously, this had a lot of air, but it did not hurt this in any way. Just delicious. It worked well food, not overpowering, but stimulating IMO.
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Very dark in colour - virtually black core. Slightly meaty on the nose and spicy with lots of sweet dark fruit, cherry liqueur, plums, smoke. Wonderful mouthfeel, lots of weight and concentration, but impeccably balanced. Rich, slightly sweet fruit, quite spicy, fresh. The tannins are present, but very much in the background. Impressive finish with lots of intensity and length. Drinking very well, but likely to benefit from a coupe of more years in bottle. 94-95+
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It's amazing how balanced this wine is at a young age - despite being so powerful, compact and full of primary fruit. The nose is fantastic - I just love the wines that Manfred delivers year after year. Drink now or wait for 10 years and it will be an amazing experience every time.
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So primal, dense and balanced. Black as night and lots of dark fruit, stewed meats and hints of bacon. This was decanted for 4 hours and could have been opened for a day. The balance is unique and the structure is impressive given it's youth. It is special.
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Decanted for 45 minutes but really the wine was singing from the start. Having tried the five shooter Syrah ( which is a 2010) a few days ago (Papies 95) we were very happy to contrast with this. The Dark Blossom is actually more expressive on the nose, violets, spice, leather. The fruit is of course on the rich side but once again we come across that amplified balance that we usually observe in SQNs. Very classy and elegant and even at this time the start of its drinking window ( effectively when the oak gets assimilated) this was a joyful wine. 95-96 for now but with a great future.
As always the question given this was not blind tasted is, did we underrate because it's an SQN and did we rate higher because it's an SQN?
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Johnny brought into TETE with Afghanistan Greg. Awesome juice. Limited notes. Bombastic SQN styling with some savory elements. Consistent with previous tastes.
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Young and tight at the moment, time, or a few hours of air is going to kick this wine into high gear. Clearly the abundance of fruit is high class, the wine is dense, concentrated and powerful, but in balance. The wine was produced from a blend 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah, 2% Roussanne and 2% Petite Manseng.
Nose is spice and a hint of cinnamon First sip, slides by, all the usual taste bud road signs are passed, good, nice, smooth, special, holy shit, than rings the bell. Not so easy I think, can't give a wine a hundred points just because I like it, lets get analytical. Very rich, but also very light, humm, concentrated fruit, but again, more like a scent than a flavor. I'm unsure, must take another sip, I'm in the leather store, my nose is enjoying the Italian loafers, only $800, that's the smell, I mean taste. Must take another sip, Wow, tannins like leather stilettos, there, than removed. So your reading this and thinking, should I or shouldn't I, go for it, you know you want it, glad I did.
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Great Cali Syrah, needs some time to open up completly, shows great aging potential. Very bold and dark needs a lot of time to show al its fruity flavours right now. Glad to have one last bottle in my cellar, will keep it for 5-10 more years.
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Tasted at dinner alongside a 2006 Cayuse Bionic Frog, both syrahs, but markedly different, although qualitatively comparable. This was big, bold, concentrated, with pronounced raspberry aromas and other components of syrah, although it also had some zin character as well. Very concentrated flavors, quite dense, with black fruits. Plenty of tannin but did not overpower the fruit. Huge long aftertaste, again very powerful. Bionic Frog not as big, but had five more years of age and had very Northern Rhone profile, smoky, bacon fat, toasty oak, more complex and smooth, beautifully balanced. It's more at its peak than SQN, which will benefit from several more years in the cellar. An incredible pair to compare! Ric
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Sine Qua Non's on a Saturday afternoon (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): Probably more accessible than the 2010 (5 Shooter). Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, spice, oak and licorice. On the palate, this is smooth and not as complex. There is plenty going on here, but not as tightly packed. A really nice juicy acidity. Smooth. Great black raspberry fruit. Nice finish.
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had at Rose's Luxury with Mark Soberman. Had them decant at 4 pm started drinking at 5:30 or 6. Was excellent! Needed the air. Was replete with tobacco, smoke, fruit.
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Dinner with Friends (SQN, Bevan, Greer, etc.) (home): Immense, deep, mixed berry fruit accented by toast and a smokiness that continued to increase throughout the evening. Really lovely. I think this will improve further with some more bottle age.
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Interesting contrast to the earthy and meaty 2006 Cayuse Syrah. The Dark Blossom was all about bright jammy dark cherry, dark plum fruit. The alcohol is clearly high, so if the fruit ever fades it will be unbalanced. Probably better to drink young.
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Opened this up with a group gathering to celebrate a 65th birthday and unfortunately it was only decanted for about 45 minutes. It was very closed/tight, muted nose, crushed stones, acid notes but the fruit was hiding. Not a crowd pleaser, everyone was expecting a lot more. Luckily I took some home for day two; much more open, clean "pure" fruit, neither heavy or sweet, some meatiness, currants. Real long finish with nice tannin undernotes. The 93 is based on day 2 Will be interesting to follow how this develops over time.
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Robust inky blue and black color - bright on the rim. As expected massive nose of every black berry in the English language, touch of chocolate with air and some tar. Palate was massive and berry intensive with oozing black berry compote, spice market, chocolate covered fruit and dark chocolate essence. Big structure with a long finish. Still a baby but none the less fun to drink. I often wonder how wines this big will age . . .
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Drank at a local steakhouse after 4 1/2 hours decanting, this wine showed really well tonight. Mostly purple with some ruby red to it, it was clear with a nose of red cherries and mixed spices. To taste, the wine had these same flavours but add some dark chocolate as well. Both the tannins and acidity were there but not in an overpowering way and the finish lasted quite a long time. Although these wines can be enjoyed now, I think they will have a good aging period ahead of them.
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Dark purple color with a bouquet and flavor that is "very berry," perhaps a little ollalieberry (sorry if you've never encountered this berry). Very big but well integrated, with good balance and nuance, and a nice finish. Say thank you to SQN for giving us splendid Syrahs that often outshine the vaunted Old World Syrahs.
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See previous notes. This has progressed nicely and is showing more braised meat and polish. After three hours in the decanter she actually started to shutdown again. This will cellar for a fortnight. Drink 2017-.
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from memory - starting with the inky purple color - it was youthful and vibrant in the glass. Nose was dark luscious plums - like they've been stewing on a slow fire for hours - with hints of licorice and chocolate. Fat, and round all the way through the palette which was unusually pleasant and a finish that coated my mouth for over 90 seconds. Bravo!
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Opened a couple hrs ago, needed to warm it up a little. Color, very dark, at the edge of the glass, light penetrates just at the edge. First the nose, classic SQN nose sends a chill of anticipation down my spine. First sip, I'm transported from cold chilly evening to a feeling of I rule, I'm on top of the world. Flavors, of course it also taste great, leather, licorice, dark fruit like a reduced berry jam with a dry almost tartness. Another sip, back on top of the world, better than a smoke after a great piece of, I mean the dark smoked bacon nails it. Love this shit.
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Wine Tasted at Acker Auction (Marea - New York NY): Tasting, brief note. Ultra ripe fruit dominates everything else at present, but there plenty of sweet baking spice and black pepper coming through near the end. Give this another year for better harmony to emerge.
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(decanted for 3+ hours). Yes please! What a wine! Deep purple colour. Intensely pronounced nose with deep, dark berry compote of blackberries, fresh plums, black cherries, cool blueberries, smoke from both Wood and varietal, clove spice, pine needles, roast and toast, some malo-creamyness/yoghurt but not too much, and somehow the faintest hint of reduction still, but it basically only adds to the complexity that also includes cracked Black peppercorns. Taste fully delivers, the wine is extremely rich, but very well balanced. There are lots of soft, smooth tannins and a very long finish. Incredible wine!
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Decanted for a couple of hours and then consumed over next couple of hours. Really nice and open for such a young SQN. Stylistically this is a little different from other recent vintages of the Syrah as its a little lighter in body and color - but wonderful nonetheless. Should improve with age. 95+
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Very impressive in a very California way. The very dark purple/red color suggests this wine will be very intense and that is exactly what it is. In fact, massive would better describe its enormous concentration of dark plum flavor. The Syrah origin is discernible underneath the fruit. There's some black cherry and licorice in there too. No resemblance to a Rhone but that's the way it should be.
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This wine was drank at home and decanted for 3 hours. The wine was clear and a mid level garnet red in colour. Tons of red berries and caramel on the nose and in the glass. The flavours were slightly more subdued than I expected based on the bouquet and the spices were slightly hot for my liking. I would imagine that this wine will get better over some time.
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Johnny brought this out to Kan Zaman dinner with Chris. Side by side the 2009 Rhys Swan Terrace, this actually performed just slightly less. Yes, completely different styles of wine, but still, I enjoyed the Pinot more. That is to say, it was probably the best I've had in at least six months. Lush bacon fat, blackberries, exotic olives, mint, pine and fresh herbs. Really awesomely unique nose as usual. Very complex, inky, black mineral city on the palate. Anise, molasses, coffee and tons of cured meat. Awesome wine experience.
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Everything you'd expect in a baby SQN. Lifted, black fruit, pepper and exotic spice nose. Richly fruited with nice balance and freshness. Not as complex as a Gonon St. Joseph tasted side-by-side, but close and obviously with more richness and texture.
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This wine was opened 3 hours prior to drinking. It was drank side by side the a Dark Blossom Grenache. This wine was deep red in colour with some purple tinges to it. It was clear and has a nose that was dominated by assorted spices. The wine itself tasted like dark cherries with some eathyness flavours. The spices were not overly strong and even though it is a young wine, the tannins were not overwhelming.
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Sunday Night Sine Qua Non Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago IL): I always find it challenging to taste and fully appreciate SQN this close to release. Served alongside the Grenache Dark Blossom, which I preferred to this Syrah. Both were every ripe and lush, this slightly more so and also seemingly more monolithic. Slightly less structural elegance, but I am still confident this will emerge as very exciting in another year+.
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Serverades blint och det var ju i alla fall ingen tvekan om att det var nya världen och Syrah. Ett otroligt kraftfullt vin med söt överextraherad frukt som man nästan tror har spetsats med körsbärslikör, rökiga charktoner, lakrits, örter och som tur är har vinet en väldigt ren och friskt syra. Skulle det inte varit för syran så skulle vinet bara blivit vulgärt. Visst, jag förstår kvaliteterna och att folk skriver upp det men det är verkligen inte min typ av vin. Skulle dock vara kul att prova igen om 10 år. Har aldrig druckit något äldre vin från Manfred Krankl.
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Remembering the past while imagining the future, does living in the present compare. Sharing with friends does help one pare memories with expectations. The nose does not screem SQN, the first sip does not blanket the memory banks. Easy to like, and easy to sip, smooth syrah
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Extracted and impeccably layered; she was decanted for two hours. Longer than a Zeppelin concert, this voluptuous goddess is scrumptious. Dark fig and berry leads to cherry reduction, camphor, scorched earth and baked apricots. Dense, then crystalline at the tranquil mid-palate. Luscious and designed to age. Drink 2017 - 2027.
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Omg nose of raspberries, red flowers, beef and smoke. The palate is amazingly lithe yet lasting. Soooo good. You can taste the berried 30 seconds after the swallow.
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Central Coast Syrah blind tasting: Decanted. Black violet color. Aromas of cedar, vanilla, dill, violets, cassis and cherry. Nicely polished and layered on the palate with juicy blueberry, cracked pepper, dried herb, tea and spice. Nicely balanced with big polished tannin and good acid balance. Nice depth, and a big overall finish. Didn't quite live up to the Alban 2011 Patrina in this tasting, but should be a great ager.
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Inky, dark with purple accents in color, the wine is intense, rich, concentrated and showing a beautiful purity of sweet, velvet textured fruit. The wine leaves an impression on your palate that stays put for at least 40 seconds or more. Another great wine from Manfred Krankl!
impossible to score right now. what a waste of a pulled cork. primary as all get out...decanted for 1 hour, and im not sure one week would have been enough. very unenjoyable at this point. if i didnt know better id be looking to off load the rest...thankfully i know what awaits me in a decade...
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Rich, opulent, and decidedly modern, though surprisingly balanced. Very young and primary with lush, layered dark berry fruits over smoked game, dried herbs, and spicy tobacco. Full bodied and lusciously textured, though balanced by finishing red berry acidity and firm, smooth tannins. Quite promising for the cellar. Hold.
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Drank at a local restaurant after decanting for an hour. I was curious to try this tonight even though it's such a young wine. Clear and a very deep purple in colour, this wine is very approachable now. Lots of blueberries both on the nose and in the glass. The spices are a tiny bit "hot" for my liking but I'm sure they will settle down given some time. Nice levels of tannins and acidity. If you have a few of these bottles, I suggest you try at least one in it's infancy for later comparison purposes. I think this wine will age well.
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Big wine but with very clean acidity that really lifts the wine. Dark fruit with a liqueur like intensity. White flowers, especially on the nose, some white pepper and a very long finish.
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3/8/2024 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Previously tasted in 2015 and 2021. Tasted over two nights. Still dark garnet and totally opaque. Very viscous. Moderately pronounced aromas of dark cherries, plums and blackberries. Very concentrated dark fruit flavors, powerful but one-dimensional, without elegance or complexity. Tannin has softened since the prior bottles but it remains hot on the late palate and very long aftertaste. Went well with full-flavored grilled steaks. I don't think it will improve, so time to drink my remaining bottle.
Ric
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3/4/2024 - Goodwine4ever wrote: 93 Points
Tellement massif et tellement jeune, ce vin sera éternel mais pour moi c'est beaucoup trop intense, tannique et riche. Je comprend l'enthousiame envers SQN mais ce n'est pas mon style.
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2/10/2024 - culater Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decant needed, 17C. Mufflon potatoes and sardell.
Big on fruit, acidity and balanced tannins.
Great match with brie and thyme flawors Lemon and Dijon mustard match excellent.
https://www.jaktojagare.se/mat/stekt-mufflonfar-med-kramig-potatisbakelse/
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1/31/2024 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted briefly. Spectacular showing for my last bottle of this. Deep and balanced with thick furry tannins and savory black fruit with some tertiary notes of sous bois and herbs. Wonderful, probably at peak.
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12/31/2023 - VinoGeeko Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark blossom, drank with some home made Cheese burgers
Pop n pour, Hated myself for it, but I told people it would “blossom” with some air, sure enough, it did.
Inky in color, plush modern
Med aromatic intensity - ripe black plum, smoke, plush boysenberry, blackberry, topsoil, black olive, licorice,
black , bay leaves, peppercorn, med+/high tannin, med+ acidity , alcohol 15.5% - legs visible, but hides the alcohol incredibly well. Well balanced (somehow!!)
93-94pts
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10/10/2023 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 94 Points
To set the stage, first see my TN from almost five years ago: “A hard wine to get excited about, frankly. Tannic and backward, with little typicity. Some savory dark fruit notes, pepper and oak. Maybe the vintage is showing itself, or perhaps time will reveal something more interesting.” Fast forward to 2023, and it’s an entirely different story. Popped and poured, at cellar temp (and I think it showed its best while relatively cool). The wine is just singing. Clean, savory and suave, brimming with energy. Dark fruit, pepper, sweet oak and a glycerined texture, but no evident heat. Patience rewarded. Well done.
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9/21/2023 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful dark fruit, floral notes with sweet tannins, full bodied and inviting. Hides the 15.5% alcohol well, long long finish. Very enjoyable.
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8/29/2023 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
Another lovely, rich, expressive black pepper and smoked meat laden Syrah from SQN, Dark Blossom is not as showing or concentrated as some of the other offerings over the years, but that takes nothing away from this outstanding wine that is in a perfectiy mature spot right now and is a good deal if you can find it for <$300 in this inflated market.
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7/8/2023 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Seabrook Beach Trip 2023; 7/8/2023-7/15/2023 (Seabrook Island, SC): Darker fruit than the B20. Blackberries, açaí, blueberry. Some earth and tobacco. Leather. But it’s not funky. Fresh and modern. Cooler vintage. Chocolate and black pepper.
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7/8/2023 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark purple, spicy nose, cranberry and vanilla also on the nose, well balanced, moderately intense, dark fruits
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5/26/2023 - Geoff Likes this wine: 97 Points
In rereading my previous note from several years ago, all comments still apply in spades with the addition of this: this is a focused, pure and profound wine with a long life still ahead.
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5/13/2023 - culater Likes this wine:
Deacant needed, 3h aeration. with grilled steak. 16-17C.
Dark and blue berries, herbs, newly cut green grass, white pepper.
Did not really sing tonight. Bad match, still a good wine. Next time…
Better at 18C, eat with garlic plum lamb. 1-2h decant is good.
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5/5/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Five hour decant but you could drink this pnp, I just like the way it evolves and probably would prefer day 2. But this wine is in its sweet spot of perfection right now, I liked it 3 years ago but even better now and no reason to hold. Dark rich fruit, big and intense yet stays balanced. So smooth. Long finish.
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3/18/2023 - hoservin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, gamey meat, bramble and spice. Ripe blackberry, black plum, blueberry, gamey meat, spice and fine tannins on the palate. Very long finish with waves of flavor. Full bodied. Gorgeous wine that is drinking beautifully. Served with corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and horseradish cream sauce.
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1/3/2023 - Mario17 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Un nez de Syrah intense, aromatique et très beau. Bouche riche, puissante, fruitée à souhait, c’est dense mais frais et tellememt facile à boire, intense et avec beaucoup de classe, tellement long. Superbe. 95-96
Gorgeous Syrah nose, great fruit, violets, rich,dense,powerful, classy, fresh, intense, nicely textured, very long.
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12/26/2022 - Pearboy wrote:
Solid, wish I had decanted it, was very muddy and could have used more time to open up. But I was thirsty and that’s what ultimately matters.
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12/1/2022 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Second time we are lucky enough to cross path with this wine in 3 months and consistent once again. This time round from the cellar of The Ledbury in London. One of the of the treasurers in their list.
Impressive and special as always and we feel this is now drinking at its first peak, the fruit peak in a way ( frankly we have very little exposure to 20yr+ SQNs so not sure if their is a second secondary and smoky peak much like their cousins from France) , impressively energetic and albeit a big wine has that elevated harmony that only the Krankls can deliver. Even better was served to people not familiar with SQNs and it was to them as impressive as it is to us. This is a relatively early blooming SQN and a joy once again. 95
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10/17/2022 - 2loyal Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful varietal flavors, deep color, perfect weight and nice finish, but I was expecting more arromatically (and a longer finish or something else exceptional) given the price point, scarcity and required cellaring. Very enjoyable to be sure, with enough tannins and acidity to last several more years, but this one is for the price-insensitive only.
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10/15/2022 - tcarter Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow! This is in a surprisingly great sweet spot! Drank next to the 2011 SQN EBA “Patine” and the Dark Blossom was actually far more approachable. If you have the privilege of choosing which to open, I’d pop the Dark Blossom and sit on the Patine for a few more years.
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9/19/2022 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sleek balanced Syrah with good acidity and primary fruit on presentation. Savory tilting in style. Tannins present but tame. Alcohol well hidden in the mix. Decanted and shared over 2 hours. Still young. Exceptional!
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9/4/2022 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Tasted blind. Funnily enough when we tried blinded Alban Seymour 2014 ( Papies 94) the night before we commented that the main diff we find between the two ( Alban and SQN) is that for SQN the alcohol is never pronounced in the wine ( albeit all have big Alc ).enter this beauty and the style was textbook and with the alcohol feel a lot more refine went straight to SQN.
Big wine in a way that SQN makes big but harmonious wines, amplified bit every level of it is amplified so the wine almost sits in a higher octave but still all is there. Impressive as always and this been our second time we cross paths with it ( first time in 2015 , Papies. 95) we felt the wine has a few decades ahead of it. 95 once again
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7/13/2022 - Topper wrote: 94 Points
Excellent wine that will only improve with time. Still big and brawny but quite delicious. Not sure that I would have pegged this as the syrah if tasted blind.
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6/13/2022 - wineismylife wrote: 95 Points
WIML95
Tasted non blind. Followed over about 3 hours.
Purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lavender, leather, currants, black pepper and black cherries. Flavors of black raspberries, cherries and plums. Bright to tangy acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink with air or hold.
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5/9/2022 - 100PercentArabica Likes this wine: 96 Points
A remarkable wine from a difficult vintage. Shows no sign of age. Highly recommend.
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3/27/2022 - Backdoctor wrote: 95 Points
decanted three hours. Full bodied, balanced with long finish
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3/5/2022 - markcic Likes this wine: 96 Points
Just an absolutely amazing bottle of wine shared with great friends. Opened and slow ox'd for 7 hours before dinner which was roasted racks of lamb with a rosemary, panko and mustard crust. The nose was a myriad of berries, plums and tobacco. The palate was swirling flavors of dark cherry, plums, figs, tobacco and spice. The finish was extremely long and smooth. Outstanding wine. 96++
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12/18/2021 - jviz wrote:
Served blind. Massive, huge wine with concentrated fruit, just the faintest amount of bricking. Heady alcohols, and fairly open on the nose. A little raisined like amarone. My first though was really SQN, but there weren’t a lot of varietal tells, no pepper, olive or florals; rather an explosion of dark fruits cloaked in rich oak, that had tasters settle on a cult cab from a warm vintage like 07 before the reveal. Fun to see how these are aging, and 11 has done better than 10 in my experience
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12/12/2021 - Ex-Ray wrote: 97 Points
Dark garnet and opaque, aromas big, bold, and concentrated, with pronounced raspberry aromas and other components of syrah, although it had some zin character as well. Very concentrated flavors, quite dense, with black fruits. Plenty of tannin but did not overpower the fruit. Huge long aftertaste, again very powerful.
Ric
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12/6/2021 - Eric wrote:
CT Offsite: Day 1 Tasting: Huge, smoky, roasted Syrah but with surprisingly silky and suave tannins, black cherry, quite fresh on a long finish. Amazing how well balanced such a big wine can be.
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8/2/2021 - BBinSC wrote: 96 Points
When I'm 64
Wine 8
A celebration of a 64th, wines that will still be great on my 64th
Almost hate attempting to rate, because no doubt my palate had dulled much by then. Very SQN, massive black fruit, nearly impenetrable, incredible tannins, and a finish you can measure with a calendar. SQN is an experience. This wine has ages to go, will grow!
Aging 2045
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5/25/2021 - Wineshington Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious. 3 hour decant. Drinking wonderfully.
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5/15/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of blackberry, gamey meat, licorice, vanilla and spice. Ripe black fruit, gamey meat, licorice, vanilla and fine tannins on the palate. Very long, layered finish with waves of flavor. Excellent depth. Full bodied. An outstanding wine. Served with smoked pulled pork.
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5/12/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour. Bold, silky, and dense on the palate with black fruit and gingerbread spice. Still youthful and showing beautifully.
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4/23/2021 - bablues wrote: 96 Points
Drinking beautifully. Clean, pure fruit that is subtle and completely balanced along the entire spectrum. Blueberry and leather were the flavors I was getting. As usual with SQN, the last sip was the best.
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12/28/2020 - dlduchon wrote: 88 Points
This is not a style of wine I understand. I found it rich, but high in alcohol and cumbersome. We tasted this to compare along with other cellar treasures such as 1988 Mouton and a 2005 Clos de la Roche which were more my style. I don’t have enough experience to say such an opulent wine will become more in balance with age.
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12/18/2020 - G_H wrote: 96 Points
I couldn’t help mysef and opened one up despite being too young.
Be better than me and wait for 4-5 years.
Yet this is delicious
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12/5/2020 - wineismylife wrote: 95 Points
WIML95
Tasted non blind. Opened and glass decanted about 30 minutes before serving. Followed over two hours and re-tasted the following day as well.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of roasted meat, black currants, white pepper, dried plums and flowers. Rich flavors of boysenberries, raspberries, plums and cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with a little air or short decant or continue to hold. No rush here.
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11/9/2020 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich ripe dark red berry flavors throughout. Yummy and decadent offering up a lot of pleasure. Just a bit too straight forward to give it a higher score, but what is there is lovely. More about the amazing fruit then the nuance or spices I typically love in the best syrahs.
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10/25/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:
PNP. Inky black. Savory nose, but surprisingly smooth for a 15.5% ABV wine. Ripe plum, black raspberry, subtle pepper and vanilla on a long finish. Sweet tannins, enough acidity, layered complexity. Everything integrated and in place, ready now but no rush on this.
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10/4/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice, fruity on opening. Deep rich flavors of plains, blackberries, cassis. With 4+ hours more savory notes begin to develop, more earthy, spicy, meaty. By 5 hours it was quite peppery as well. Certainly rich with layers of complexity and a long finish. With my limited SQN experience, I thought this might be a good aperitif as it would be too rich to have with our pasta dinner. But it really was well balanced and not too overbearing for the food. Still very youthful with a long life ahead.
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10/3/2020 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 98 Points
Amazing wine. Enjoyed with a wonderful slow cooked braised short rib on my birthday.
Inky ruby color, no sign of age. Aroma is only medium intensity, ripe plums and blackberries, mint and eucalyptus, sweet spices and mocha.
The mouthfeel is wonderful, thick, plush and very full bodied but also soft and silky, but very well integrated tannins. Clearly high alcohol. Medium acid. Flavors match the nose, more emphasis on the coffee and chocolate tertiary flavors but very well balanced by the soft fruits and the eucalyptus. Very, very long finish.
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8/22/2020 - RayOB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank in Scotland
Wonderful fully integrated nose and palate. Silky smooth
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7/30/2020 - G_H wrote: 96 Points
Mashed potatoes, black berries, cassis, blackberries, creme de cassis, cedar, warm opulent and long but too young, should be much better with 4-5 more years...
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7/27/2020 - canan wrote: 96 Points
Very balanced and packed with black currant and dark cherry fruit. It is starting to show some development with a hint of blood and aged meat but in general, the wine is still very youthful.
It does need 2-3 hours at least to show the balance and put on some weight but it is really an amazing wine and very SQN in its style.
There is no indication or hint of alcohol in nose or mouth. Everything is perfectly balanced.
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4/18/2020 - Larslatour wrote: 93 Points
SQN is a great, great wine with beautiful bottles and artwork by Manfred Krankl. So inspiring. This wine probably needs little more time in the cellar.
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4/3/2020 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
Love how balance Manfreds wines are - despite being much of everything there is always harmony. Respect.
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2/7/2020 - Romol Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decantes 2,5 hours. Very good wine. Ready to drink now with enough air but it still has many years left. 2,5 hours in the decanter were perfect. Very intense raspberry aroma. A special wine. 94(+) pts. at the moment.
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11/28/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Drank from a magnum that was open all day. Just kept getting better until it was finished. Dark brooding almost candied fruit, smoke, violets, black pepper, minerals and milk chocolate. Likely needs a few more years to come around. Surprised me how good this was.
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11/14/2019 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
More similar to NOK than SQN Grenache. I am somewhat surprised although this comparison makes sense. However, I prefer the NOK. This is still a wonderful wine though. Very concentrated and intense.
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10/4/2019 - BinVA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Generally like SQN Grenache more than Syrah but this was really tasty
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7/25/2019 - Rosengoo wrote: 90 Points
Poured at home without decanting this wine was clear and deep purple in colour. It had a nose of dark berries, some pencil shavings and quite a bit of bacon. This wine was surprisingly quite sweet with flavours of dark berries and cherries coming in at the end. The tannins and acidity were both quite strong and there was a sour note at the end of the glass but this went away after an hour or so after the bottle was opened. This bottle was slightly disjointed tonight.
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7/7/2019 - jgreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
The 2011 Sine Qua Non Dark Blossom is a deep inky black color with aromatics of black fruits, chocolate, mocha, and graphite. This is a big and powerful wine as you would expect from SQN. Tannins are smooth and well integrated. Overall, a superb wine, but not a particularly good value. This is in a good spot to drink now, but will easily go another decade.
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5/9/2019 - Markus IWC wrote: 91 Points
Sine Qua Non tema, vin 6:
84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite sirah och 4% Roussanne. RP100.
Egensinnig producent som lanserar nya viner varje år, nya namn, etiketter, druvkombinationer och blandningar av vingårdar.
Packad frukt, varm, brända toner, Shiraz känsla, lyx BBQ. Viol pastiller, choklad, rostade fat, cassis, bläckig, kaffe.
Riviga tanniner, mörk frukt, klumpig. Inte direkt elegant just nu, behöver mycket lagring.
BV=0
WV=0
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4/22/2019 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:
Pnp. On the nose, licorice, herbs, pepper, charcoal, on the palate, black and blue berries, pepper, bbq smoke, and minerals. The wine was big and powerful but nicely balanced with modest acidity and various spices, herbs and minerals. The finish was long. I don’t really drink much of the new world Cab/Syrah anymore but this bottle was excellent.
The blend is 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% petit Syrah.
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12/31/2018 - Geoff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark, deep inky black, full bodied, smooth, dark fruits and berries, pure and pleasing. Delicious and even better the second day.
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12/19/2018 - JonnyG wrote: 90 Points
Syrah Night with an Expanded Version of Our Tasting Group (Bear and Star, Los Olivos, CA): A hard wine to get excited about, frankly. Tannic and backward, with little typicity. Some savory dark fruit notes, pepper and oak. Maybe the vintage is showing itself, or perhaps time will reveal something more interesting.
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11/18/2018 - Tradingpiano wrote: 89 Points
Tannins were harsh even on day 2. Coffee and vanilla notes more noticeable on day 2 whereas day 1 was more fruit. Alcohol level was not noticeable which is impressive. It’s good but disappointing considering the price. Will wait for another 3-5 years and hope the other bottles improve.
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10/25/2018 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Deep dark red to rim. Intense nose of dark berries, cassis, spice and vanilla. Huge and powerful in the mouth but fresh and balanced, ripe lush fruit, not showing the alcohol, long finish, outstanding.
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10/23/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (2120 Restaurant, Seattle): Decanted and served. Initially some eucalyptus on the nose that blew off and became more of a cigar box. Modern Rhone blend with medium+ approachable fruit on the palate. Long finish of dried fruit and with air, some aromatic pastille. My #2 of 4 and the group's #3.
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8/22/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Great Wine Dinner with Friends (Sepia - Chicago IL): Black berry and currant with clove, espresso and vanilla. Very powerful, yet surprisingly lithe and charming.
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8/4/2018 - hanasowner wrote: 95 Points
Dark red and black fruit with plenty of pepper/spice…tannins have really mellowed since I last had a few years ago…long finish.
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7/21/2018 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Extremely good. I’ve had mixed experience with SqN, sometimes it’s crazy impressive, sometimes just avg good and not worth the price. This one was worth it, definitely brought the wow factor.
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5/12/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
BBQ and Wine (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Rich and ripe black currant and cherry with some liqueur hints. Great spice is mostly sweet with mostly integrated new oak. Much more balanced and integrated vs when last tried in 2015, this will still most certainly get better as it softens further.
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4/28/2018 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 6 hours, then drank over next 4. Beautiful layers of dark fruit, peppery spice, dark chocolate, and dried herbs. Classsic SQN texture. Long finish does have a bit of heat.
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4/21/2018 - Bob H wrote:
Take this for what it's worth, but this is the first Sine Qua Non I've ever liked!
Balanced, with blackberry on the nose. Good persistence, and all in, a pretty decent glass of wine.
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3/9/2018 - JR512 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Beautiful wine enjoyed with rockfish at Greek restaurant. Popped and poured. Very good.
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2/3/2018 - B Paul wrote: 94 Points
Did not decant. Popped and followed over three hours or so, but open from the start. No rush, but in a good spot and drinking well.
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12/30/2017 - Rosengoo wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was opened and drank with minimal decanting over the course of 2 hours. The wine appeared to be clear but it was hard to tell as it is almost the darkest purple coloured wine that I have ever seen. With notes and flavours of very ripe cherries and peppered other spices, the tannins on this were still very strong while the acidity was at a nice level. The wine had a long finish but I found it a bit disjointed tonight. I have a feeling that a long decant would bring everything in line. Still, this was a solid drinking bottle.
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12/8/2017 - jkoenen wrote: 95 Points
Second Evening with Sine Qua Non (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Way too young, lots of promise.
Hope to meet you again in five years time.
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10/22/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Labeled 15.5% but no signs of heat. Very dark and concentrated, no surprise there. Lots of dark fruit, cassis, vanilla, and strong minerals. Some charcoal and iodine. Good stuff.
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9/19/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
Opened by Allred. Full bodied with notes of black licorice and blackberries. Not overdone. 95 points.
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9/16/2017 - perry.tam Likes this wine: 100 Points
Very powerful and strong taste of the fruit. The first taste was sweet and blooming. No wonder it is called the dark blossom.
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8/26/2017 - AllRed wrote:
Cellar diminishment party - brief note. Dark fruit, pepper; meaty. Long finish. Terrific for the style.
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7/3/2017 - ovenmitt wrote: 90 Points
My first Sine Qua Non - Interesting well made juice for sure. From what I had heard this was more balanced than I expected. Dark and blue fruit. Very opaque with no noticeable bricking. Without it being printed on the label, I'm not sure I would have known this was Syrah.... we followed with a '95 Chave Hermitage - IMHO, the Sine couldn't compete.
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6/16/2017 - canan wrote: 97 Points
BYO Dinner (AOC): Another huge wine from SQN. Packed with sweet black currant fruit kept in balance with a solid acidity. Also showing nice flavors of meat and licorice.
Loved this wine but could really use some more age. It is very hash and could use even more time to mellow out a little bit :-)
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6/9/2017 - B Paul wrote: 95 Points
Followed over 4 hours. No decant. Similar to prior bottle, though it has probably improved a bit. Drinking really great right now. Really pure fruit and a long finish. Drink or hold. 95-96 pts.
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5/27/2017 - Hamersly wrote: 98 Points
Very dark in the glass, but medium bodied and supple in the mouth. Has a tremendous, almost liquer-like purity of fruit and intensity. Probably its most memorable feature is a second wave of power that hits you about 20 seconds into the superb finish. What a brilliant wine.
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5/27/2017 - mflesh wrote: 96 Points
Many of us were remarking that we had never had an SQN before, so this one was brought out. And oh mama! This wine had a dense fruit core - black and blue fruits on the nose. The nose, although very fruit dense, wasn't as powerful as I thought it was going to be given the entry, which was SUPER complex, SUPER dense. Black and blue fruits, minty, peppery. Knife and fork kind of wine. The finish was black pepper and toasted oak. The wine came back after 30 seconds on the finish to smack you across the face. NICE! This wine was probably the first or second out of the group of 15 or so that we enjoyed. 96 by my book. This wine continued to develop as it sat open for the night. Dark, complex, dense, peppery, powerful, youthful.
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5/12/2017 - oxwombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened at Hawksmoor, Piccadilly Circus in London. P&P and enjoyed over dinner.
Very expressive nose, with black and blue fruit profiles coming through. Sweet and powerful body with high alcohol, but it was also perfectly balanced with great acidity that kept the wine fresh.
Definitely one of the better SQN's I've had. Absolutely fantastic, and the perfect accompaniment for a steak dinner with good friends.
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4/28/2017 - robertek wrote: 94 Points
Brilliant on the palate but not as generous on the nose this time. The primary aromas are not flexing their muscles as much and the secondary aromas are not yet on display. But on it's way. Still a great wine.
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3/25/2017 - bubbachumps wrote: 96 Points
Absolutely delicious. Nose of violets, rich cherry liquer, cassis, red licorice and spices. In the mouth, perfectly balanced, amazingly polished tannins that diplay power and finesse. Just smooth, no hard edges with the cherry liquer flavors prominently displayed tonight and wonderful concentration. A pleasure to drink!
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2/27/2017 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 95 Points
LBTG. 3 hour decant. Surprisingly smooth and approachable. Another great Krankl effort.
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2/17/2017 - DrinkEverything702 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Beautiful wine. While being concentrated, it was less concentrated than other SQN I have had. Clean, bold, and rounded. Would benefit from another 3 years in the cellar, but it is showing nicely and when tasted blind seems much older than it is. Brilliant wine.
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2/3/2017 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Ok, perhaps this song has been heard many times from me before. But what a wine this is! There is no doubt SQN delivers pure joy and this exquisite effort is not exception to the rule. I asked the guests, which had no idea of what they had in the glass, which were the number one keywords for the wine: "Powerful elegance" was the more or less unanimous answer. This is spot on. SQN reds are always balanced, integrated, seamless and very very elegant. Still there is no doubt about the power. You are reminded of this every time you taste...
The 2011 Dark Blossom Syrah is a blend of 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah and 4% Roussanne. The Roussanne adds power and of course complexity. I would without doubt guess that the floral component found in this effort is owed to the Roussanne. The wines from this mythical producer always keep going from clarity to clarity when tasting. This effort is no exception to that rule and it is built like a solid rock, but it is also extremely well balanced and delivers an utterly elegant experience. The nose exhibits mature fruit, dark chocolate, licorice, strawberry and lovely blueberry. The palate follows through in the same way with a superb integration including a lovely but of course non vocal acidity. Tannins are present, but they are soft, silky and velvety. The length on the finish is eternal and there is of course absolutely no heat at all. This is a lovely effort from a producer where I always expect 'perfection'. Though there is one or two hard edges present tonight which makes me slightly reluctant to give a perfect score. Still, without the slightest doubt this effort deserves a 98+ tonight.
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1/26/2017 - pakabear wrote: 97 Points
Drinking really well right now, dark black and blue fruits, meats, sweet cooking spices, lots of mid-palate oak, really nice concentration and balance. Just an amazing wine and pleasure to drink. Sad this is my last one and pretty amazing for a 2011.
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1/22/2017 - rsrolland Likes this wine: 99 Points
This was the smoothest syrah i've ever tasted. I don't think this wine could get better, absolutely delicious. This is the first SQN, red, I've tried. Amazing color, smell and taste. I can't imagine how a syrah can be better!
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1/19/2017 - pdemaio wrote: 95 Points
PDQ95+
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1/5/2017 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 100 Points
Ridiculous wine. Only my second 100 Pt personal ranking ever. Dark opaque purple black. Explosive aroma of blackberry and violets followed by black fruits and savory spice and a peppery note. Sublime. Such a huge wine no question but elegant, great finesse and a long decadent finish. Everyone who tried it tonight was taken aback. Rightfully so. Highest recommendation. Go drink it right now.
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12/29/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
Marks duckhouse – MV Krug, Bonneau CDP, Centenaire, Truchot, Pousse d'Or & etc.: There is something quite unique about the nose of SQN Syrahs. It is always unbelievably intense and concentrated yet remains cool and balanced. Incredibly intense black fruit, cassis, blackberry jam, vanilla, liquid smoke, chocolate, lavender and sweet spices. Incredibly concentrated yet silky and suave, excellent acidity, sweet tannins and a never ending finish. It really needs another two three years to fully integrate and become harmonious. If you are a SQN fan, your score will be close to three digits.
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11/8/2016 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 94 Points
I had this wine a couple of months ago, and really liked it. This was no exception. After a two hour decant, the wine settled down and became very approachable. Black fruits, spice, licorice, as chocolate dominated the brooding nose. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, but still well-balanced overall. A long finish completed an impressive wine experience.
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11/3/2016 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
2016 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly, Alan and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/3/2016-11/12/2016 (Villa D’este, Lake Como, Piedmont, Milan and Frankfurt): Big, ripe, coconut, cocoa power and sweet spices. Also luxurious oak as some like to say. Has to be SQN. Ripe, concentrated but not heavy.
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9/6/2016 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 100 Points
Star anise, meat, spice and dark fruit on the nose. Loved the aromatics on this. Huge but perfectly balanced. Blueberries, black currants, and ripe black cherry. Hint of black pepper on the nose but also complementing and spicing up the flavor profile. Drinking great now but has the acidity to enhance the fruit and tannins to make it last. Wine of the Labor Day holiday for me. Wow!
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9/5/2016 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 100 Points
My favorite wine estate for a reason. Never met a Sine Qua Non I didn't like. Dark blueberry & açaí, blackberry, light tobacco and chocolate. More pepper than other vintages. Nice acid and palate coating fruit. Amazing concentration and power, without being over the top in any respect. Aromatics to die for. As always, believe the hype.
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7/20/2016 - bengti wrote: 91 Points
Wifey's bday surprise dinner, White Rabbit, Singapore. Tossing up between Into the Dark and this, and thinking wives want to stay forever young, I went with the baby. Baby indeed, a very faint nose of intense blackcurrant and berries, but not much more. Nose faded in way through the evening. Very concentrated, smooth and lush on the palette but not anywhere near its prime. No secondary characteristics I could discern. Lay down for 5 years and revisit.
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6/23/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Maybe my palate was just too tired for this, but as outstanding as it was, it seemed a bit monolithic to me on this day. Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, some dried leather, spice and black pepper. On the palate, it seems deep but not showing the complexity I have gotten before from this bottle. Loads of black raspberry fruit. Some peppery notes and some oak. In balance and quite delicious. I had been drinking all day to celebrate the Cavs championship and maybe my palate just could not appreciate all the nuances that are in the wine.
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6/19/2016 - WineBum wrote: 95 Points
Restrained for a SQN, but still a monster, such a joy to drink.
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6/18/2016 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep red, opaque color, almost like ink. Dark fruit, bacon fat, black pepper and vanilla on the nose. So much going on. Full, complex and dense body with a finish that lingers. This is fantastic. This won over the Grenache we had side by side. Wow this is delicious. Was a perfect match for a tenderloin. The table agreed that it was the WOTN.
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6/18/2016 - beezer6 wrote: 95 Points
Jeff Goode brought to Johnny's wedding at Wildfire Chicago.
Absolutely stunning. Limited notes.
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5/23/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
An eclectic group of wines with friends (Walden): This had been opened the day before but was tight. Tom and Kathy brought about half a bottle to dinner. It was really drinking well I thought. Purple in color, inky at the core. The nose has black raspberries, blueberries, black pepper, spice, tarragon and floral notes. Great texture. Very smooth and easy on the palate with lots of depth and tight layers. Obviously, this had a lot of air, but it did not hurt this in any way. Just delicious. It worked well food, not overpowering, but stimulating IMO.
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4/6/2016 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful deep purple color seducing you toward the hedonism that awaits. Lovelly velvet texture.
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4/2/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Very dark in colour - virtually black core. Slightly meaty on the nose and spicy with lots of sweet dark fruit, cherry liqueur, plums, smoke. Wonderful mouthfeel, lots of weight and concentration, but impeccably balanced. Rich, slightly sweet fruit, quite spicy, fresh. The tannins are present, but very much in the background. Impressive finish with lots of intensity and length. Drinking very well, but likely to benefit from a coupe of more years in bottle. 94-95+
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1/29/2016 - robertek wrote: 95 Points
It's amazing how balanced this wine is at a young age - despite being so powerful, compact and full of primary fruit. The nose is fantastic - I just love the wines that Manfred delivers year after year. Drink now or wait for 10 years and it will be an amazing experience every time.
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1/23/2016 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
So primal, dense and balanced. Black as night and lots of dark fruit, stewed meats and hints of bacon. This was decanted for 4 hours and could have been opened for a day. The balance is unique and the structure is impressive given it's youth. It is special.
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1/4/2016 - pdemaio wrote: 95 Points
Big dark fruit. Intense, powerful body. Great texture. Light tannins. Good acid. Long finish.
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12/31/2015 - Papies wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes but really the wine was singing from the start. Having tried the five shooter Syrah ( which is a 2010) a few days ago (Papies 95) we were very happy to contrast with this. The Dark Blossom is actually more expressive on the nose, violets, spice, leather. The fruit is of course on the rich side but once again we come across that amplified balance that we usually observe in SQNs. Very classy and elegant and even at this time the start of its drinking window ( effectively when the oak gets assimilated) this was a joyful wine. 95-96 for now but with a great future.
As always the question given this was not blind tasted is, did we underrate because it's an SQN and did we rate higher because it's an SQN?
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12/23/2015 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Johnny brought into TETE with Afghanistan Greg.
Awesome juice. Limited notes.
Bombastic SQN styling with some savory elements. Consistent with previous tastes.
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11/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Young and tight at the moment, time, or a few hours of air is going to kick this wine into high gear. Clearly the abundance of fruit is high class, the wine is dense, concentrated and powerful, but in balance. The wine was produced from a blend 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah, 2% Roussanne and 2% Petite Manseng.
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11/26/2015 - shadow wrote: 100 Points
Nose is spice and a hint of cinnamon
First sip, slides by, all the usual taste bud road signs are passed, good, nice, smooth, special, holy shit, than rings the bell.
Not so easy I think, can't give a wine a hundred points just because I like it, lets get analytical.
Very rich, but also very light, humm, concentrated fruit, but again, more like a scent than a flavor.
I'm unsure, must take another sip, I'm in the leather store, my nose is enjoying the Italian loafers, only $800, that's the smell, I mean taste.
Must take another sip, Wow, tannins like leather stilettos, there, than removed.
So your reading this and thinking, should I or shouldn't I, go for it, you know you want it, glad I did.
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11/10/2015 - DrZett Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great Cali Syrah, needs some time to open up completly, shows great aging potential. Very bold and dark needs a lot of time to show al its fruity flavours right now. Glad to have one last bottle in my cellar, will keep it for 5-10 more years.
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10/16/2015 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted at dinner alongside a 2006 Cayuse Bionic Frog, both syrahs, but markedly different, although qualitatively comparable. This was big, bold, concentrated, with pronounced raspberry aromas and other components of syrah, although it also had some zin character as well. Very concentrated flavors, quite dense, with black fruits. Plenty of tannin but did not overpower the fruit. Huge long aftertaste, again very powerful. Bionic Frog not as big, but had five more years of age and had very Northern Rhone profile, smoky, bacon fat, toasty oak, more complex and smooth, beautifully balanced. It's more at its peak than SQN, which will benefit from several more years in the cellar. An incredible pair to compare!
Ric
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10/14/2015 - willthethrill Likes this wine: 94 Points
So hard to find something wrong with this wine...consumed at AUGUST
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9/26/2015 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 96 Points
Sine Qua Non's on a Saturday afternoon (Loretta Paganini School fo Cooking): Probably more accessible than the 2010 (5 Shooter). Inky purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, spice, oak and licorice. On the palate, this is smooth and not as complex. There is plenty going on here, but not as tightly packed. A really nice juicy acidity. Smooth. Great black raspberry fruit. Nice finish.
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9/24/2015 - rcl1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
had at Rose's Luxury with Mark Soberman. Had them decant at 4 pm started drinking at 5:30 or 6. Was excellent! Needed the air. Was replete with tobacco, smoke, fruit.
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8/29/2015 - elamasters wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with Friends (SQN, Bevan, Greer, etc.) (home): Immense, deep, mixed berry fruit accented by toast and a smokiness that continued to increase throughout the evening. Really lovely. I think this will improve further with some more bottle age.
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6/11/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 91 Points
Interesting contrast to the earthy and meaty 2006 Cayuse Syrah. The Dark Blossom was all about bright jammy dark cherry, dark plum fruit. The alcohol is clearly high, so if the fruit ever fades it will be unbalanced. Probably better to drink young.
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5/12/2015 - G8tor80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened this up with a group gathering to celebrate a 65th birthday and unfortunately it was only decanted for about 45 minutes. It was very closed/tight, muted nose, crushed stones, acid notes but the fruit was hiding. Not a crowd pleaser, everyone was expecting a lot more.
Luckily I took some home for day two; much more open, clean "pure" fruit, neither heavy or sweet, some meatiness, currants. Real long finish with nice tannin undernotes. The 93 is based on day 2
Will be interesting to follow how this develops over time.
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4/18/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 95 Points
Robust inky blue and black color - bright on the rim. As expected massive nose of every black berry in the English language, touch of chocolate with air and some tar. Palate was massive and berry intensive with oozing black berry compote, spice market, chocolate covered fruit and dark chocolate essence. Big structure with a long finish. Still a baby but none the less fun to drink. I often wonder how wines this big will age . . .
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4/10/2015 - bonedocnine wrote:
Yummy
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3/28/2015 - Rosengoo wrote: 94 Points
Drank at a local steakhouse after 4 1/2 hours decanting, this wine showed really well tonight. Mostly purple with some ruby red to it, it was clear with a nose of red cherries and mixed spices. To taste, the wine had these same flavours but add some dark chocolate as well. Both the tannins and acidity were there but not in an overpowering way and the finish lasted quite a long time. Although these wines can be enjoyed now, I think they will have a good aging period ahead of them.
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3/25/2015 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark purple color with a bouquet and flavor that is "very berry," perhaps a little ollalieberry (sorry if you've never encountered this berry). Very big but well integrated, with good balance and nuance, and a nice finish. Say thank you to SQN for giving us splendid Syrahs that often outshine the vaunted Old World Syrahs.
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3/22/2015 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 96 Points
See previous notes. This has progressed nicely and is showing more braised meat and polish. After three hours in the decanter she actually started to shutdown again. This will cellar for a fortnight. Drink 2017-.
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3/7/2015 - Whinojb wrote: 95 Points
from memory - starting with the inky purple color - it was youthful and vibrant in the glass. Nose was dark luscious plums - like they've been stewing on a slow fire for hours - with hints of licorice and chocolate. Fat, and round all the way through the palette which was unusually pleasant and a finish that coated my mouth for over 90 seconds. Bravo!
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2/24/2015 - shadow wrote: 100 Points
Opened a couple hrs ago, needed to warm it up a little.
Color, very dark, at the edge of the glass, light penetrates just at the edge.
First the nose, classic SQN nose sends a chill of anticipation down my spine.
First sip, I'm transported from cold chilly evening to a feeling of I rule, I'm on top of the world.
Flavors, of course it also taste great, leather, licorice, dark fruit like a reduced berry jam with a dry almost tartness.
Another sip, back on top of the world, better than a smoke after a great piece of, I mean the dark smoked bacon nails it.
Love this shit.
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2/21/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wine Tasted at Acker Auction (Marea - New York NY): Tasting, brief note. Ultra ripe fruit dominates everything else at present, but there plenty of sweet baking spice and black pepper coming through near the end. Give this another year for better harmony to emerge.
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2/2/2015 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 97 Points
(decanted for 3+ hours). Yes please! What a wine! Deep purple colour. Intensely pronounced nose with deep, dark berry compote of blackberries, fresh plums, black cherries, cool blueberries, smoke from both Wood and varietal, clove spice, pine needles, roast and toast, some malo-creamyness/yoghurt but not too much, and somehow the faintest hint of reduction still, but it basically only adds to the complexity that also includes cracked Black peppercorns. Taste fully delivers, the wine is extremely rich, but very well balanced. There are lots of soft, smooth tannins and a very long finish. Incredible wine!
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2/1/2015 - B Paul wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for a couple of hours and then consumed over next couple of hours. Really nice and open for such a young SQN. Stylistically this is a little different from other recent vintages of the Syrah as its a little lighter in body and color - but wonderful nonetheless. Should improve with age. 95+
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1/31/2015 - sdr Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very impressive in a very California way. The very dark purple/red color suggests this wine will be very intense and that is exactly what it is. In fact, massive would better describe its enormous concentration of dark plum flavor. The Syrah origin is discernible underneath the fruit. There's some black cherry and licorice in there too. No resemblance to a Rhone but that's the way it should be.
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12/30/2014 - Rosengoo wrote: 92 Points
This wine was drank at home and decanted for 3 hours. The wine was clear and a mid level garnet red in colour. Tons of red berries and caramel on the nose and in the glass. The flavours were slightly more subdued than I expected based on the bouquet and the spices were slightly hot for my liking. I would imagine that this wine will get better over some time.
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12/9/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 94 Points
Johnny brought this out to Kan Zaman dinner with Chris.
Side by side the 2009 Rhys Swan Terrace, this actually performed just slightly less.
Yes, completely different styles of wine, but still, I enjoyed the Pinot more.
That is to say, it was probably the best I've had in at least six months.
Lush bacon fat, blackberries, exotic olives, mint, pine and fresh herbs. Really awesomely unique nose as usual.
Very complex, inky, black mineral city on the palate.
Anise, molasses, coffee and tons of cured meat. Awesome wine experience.
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12/7/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 99 Points
A day of lots of SQN and a few more!; 12/7/2014-12/9/2014 (Loretta Paganini School of Cooking and the Woods of Newbury): Another wow wine. Would love to revisit with more time and more wine as it just kept getting better in the glass. The nose has black raspberries, blue berries, vanilla, spice, black licorice and kirsch. On the palate, the wine just explodes with fruit and complexity with a lush texture and great acidity. Long finish. Wonderful.
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11/29/2014 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Everything you'd expect in a baby SQN. Lifted, black fruit, pepper and exotic spice nose. Richly fruited with nice balance and freshness. Not as complex as a Gonon St. Joseph tasted side-by-side, but close and obviously with more richness and texture.
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11/23/2014 - Rosengoo wrote: 94 Points
This wine was opened 3 hours prior to drinking. It was drank side by side the a Dark Blossom Grenache. This wine was deep red in colour with some purple tinges to it. It was clear and has a nose that was dominated by assorted spices. The wine itself tasted like dark cherries with some eathyness flavours. The spices were not overly strong and even though it is a young wine, the tannins were not overwhelming.
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11/22/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Beastly. Ripe black fruits dominate the nose. The palate is almost solid with dark fruit and some oak. Oh so young yet delicious.
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10/20/2014 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote:
I'd say too early to judge. Very big and still tannic wine.
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10/12/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Sunday Night Sine Qua Non Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago IL): I always find it challenging to taste and fully appreciate SQN this close to release. Served alongside the Grenache Dark Blossom, which I preferred to this Syrah. Both were every ripe and lush, this slightly more so and also seemingly more monolithic. Slightly less structural elegance, but I am still confident this will emerge as very exciting in another year+.
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10/9/2014 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 90 Points
Serverades blint och det var ju i alla fall ingen tvekan om att det var nya världen och Syrah.
Ett otroligt kraftfullt vin med söt överextraherad frukt som man nästan tror har spetsats med körsbärslikör, rökiga charktoner, lakrits, örter och som tur är har vinet en väldigt ren och friskt syra. Skulle det inte varit för syran så skulle vinet bara blivit vulgärt. Visst, jag förstår kvaliteterna och att folk skriver upp det men det är verkligen inte min typ av vin. Skulle dock vara kul att prova igen om 10 år. Har aldrig druckit något äldre vin från Manfred Krankl.
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8/23/2014 - shadow wrote: 96 Points
Remembering the past while imagining the future, does living in the present compare.
Sharing with friends does help one pare memories with expectations.
The nose does not screem SQN, the first sip does not blanket the memory banks.
Easy to like, and easy to sip, smooth syrah
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8/10/2014 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 96 Points
Extracted and impeccably layered; she was decanted for two hours. Longer than a Zeppelin concert, this voluptuous goddess is scrumptious. Dark fig and berry leads to cherry reduction, camphor, scorched earth and baked apricots. Dense, then crystalline at the tranquil mid-palate. Luscious and designed to age. Drink 2017 - 2027.
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8/8/2014 - Uglypinga wrote:
Omg nose of raspberries, red flowers, beef and smoke. The palate is amazingly lithe yet lasting. Soooo good. You can taste the berried 30 seconds after the swallow.
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8/5/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still needs a couple years, but wow this is better than expected. Huge extraction and tannin.
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8/2/2014 - CMCLR wrote: 94 Points
Too young. Big wine.
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6/20/2014 - MattMauldin wrote:
Central Coast Syrah blind tasting: Decanted. Black violet color. Aromas of cedar, vanilla, dill, violets, cassis and cherry. Nicely polished and layered on the palate with juicy blueberry, cracked pepper, dried herb, tea and spice. Nicely balanced with big polished tannin and good acid balance. Nice depth, and a big overall finish. Didn't quite live up to the Alban 2011 Patrina in this tasting, but should be a great ager.
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5/26/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Inky, dark with purple accents in color, the wine is intense, rich, concentrated and showing a beautiful purity of sweet, velvet textured fruit. The wine leaves an impression on your palate that stays put for at least 40 seconds or more. Another great wine from Manfred Krankl!
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5/20/2014 - mattjohnson_78 wrote:
impossible to score right now. what a waste of a pulled cork. primary as all get out...decanted for 1 hour, and im not sure one week would have been enough. very unenjoyable at this point. if i didnt know better id be looking to off load the rest...thankfully i know what awaits me in a decade...
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4/28/2014 - Rob and Meg wrote: 90 Points
Rich, opulent, and decidedly modern, though surprisingly balanced. Very young and primary with lush, layered dark berry fruits over smoked game, dried herbs, and spicy tobacco. Full bodied and lusciously textured, though balanced by finishing red berry acidity and firm, smooth tannins. Quite promising for the cellar. Hold.
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3/22/2014 - Rosengoo wrote: 95 Points
Drank at a local restaurant after decanting for an hour. I was curious to try this tonight even though it's such a young wine. Clear and a very deep purple in colour, this wine is very approachable now. Lots of blueberries both on the nose and in the glass. The spices are a tiny bit "hot" for my liking but I'm sure they will settle down given some time. Nice levels of tannins and acidity. If you have a few of these bottles, I suggest you try at least one in it's infancy for later comparison purposes. I think this wine will age well.
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3/11/2014 - phenricsson wrote: 96 Points
Big wine but with very clean acidity that really lifts the wine. Dark fruit with a liqueur like intensity. White flowers, especially on the nose, some white pepper and a very long finish.
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