Absolute perfection. Decanted for three hours. Very Côte Rotie with smoked meat, black pepper and blueberry capote; along with brown spices and slight lilacs. Tertiary nuances abound, and nay a hard edge. The body is full and yet very agile at the same time. Finishes exceptionally long and is a very masculine Syrah from start to finish. A very complete and round middle palate, with slight silky tannins. Black as night, with a gorgeous garnet rim. Up there with Stockholm Syndrome (2010) and the 2019 Eleven Confessions, which were also perfect to my senses. This will evolve for many years, yet will not improve. If you have this, no harm in opening a bottle now…then study for many a year. Drink now -.
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This was a taste offered by a friend. I don't have much experience with Syrah, especially new world with some age. This is simply a massive wine. Dark color. Nose erupts from the glass with dense dark fruit and spice a little smoke and the flavors are huge chocolate covered blackberry in a stone glass. Amazingly opulent but soft mouthfeel. Finish almost endless. 97+ easy.
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5 hour decant. Drank blind vs. 2002 Grange & beat by Grange. Different than other younger SQN's i've had. Less viscous & smooth, more Cote Rotie & Rocks characteristics. Not worth the price point and I enjoy other younger SQNs more.
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Too big, creamy and chewy for my palate. Didn't take notes and don't remember much, unfortunately. Heritage Wine Blind Tasting Finals after-party at Jean-George Las Vegas
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What better wine to open for Christmas? This continues to shine, still so youthful. Some black olive notes showing on nose. Great peppery profile with dark fruit notes — blackberry, black cherry. The herbal character on this adds interest. So intense, it is unreal this is almost 15 years old now. My last bottle, but hope not my last chance to taste this spectacular wine.
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, White Burg, DRC, La La and SQN (Officina - Washington D.C.): Still impenetrable color. Incredibly youthful expressive nose displaying intense jammy black fruit, blackberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, strong licorice, liquid smoke, ink, coffee ice cream, sweet spices and earth. Unbelievable concentration, layers upon layers of explosive jammy black fruit, unctuous and deeply toned yet silky and polished, good acidity, earthy mineral and an incredibly long black fruit driven finish with ink and licorice at the end. Once again, this wine will outlive all of us.
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Lots of ripe black plum, cherry and berry with sweet spice. Very good concentration, power and complexity, just not quite as balanced or elegant as the Naked Truth in the next glass.
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97. Dark, rich and brooding. Primary and super powerful. Finish with a definite note of Rhone.
Drank when moving into my mansion though rather than celebrating, it quite literally felt like the 17th nail, having endured at least a dozen this month, the worst of my life. I keep thinking of a Jim Carroll poem where he says "I love this mansion though it has too many windows ... to open half way each morning... to close half way each night".
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SQN free-for-all Nomad. Once again proving out as my favorite SQN of all time. Rich, ripe, smooth, seduction. Pure dense lush wine that is a guilty pleasure of epic proportions. A hedonistic wine that also has wonderful balance, length and a sophisticated edge. Simply outstanding.
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Wow - this beauty is pure proof Sine Qua Nons are in it for the looooong haul. The 2005 17th Nail In My Head is massive, yet elegant and plays on so many strings it sounds like a full orchestra. The wine comes across as "youngish" but of course shows some sign of age too - after about 19 years in bottles. The nose offers up rich creamy fruit full of profound velvety berries - after almost 15 years! After that a crescendo of lovely cacao, sweet licorice, mint, flowers and saddle leather emerge. As usual with SQN, I personally think nothing over the top . Everything is just remarkably well balanced but still massive and dominantly elegant. As expected, there is not a hard edge to be found. Thick deep velvet is the best way to describe the the whole experience. Everything is in place and I see no reason this wine should not keep for many years to come. Perhaps needless to say, the length on the finish just goes on and on. No flaws found = perfect score! Bravo!
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, DRC, Yquem, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Expressive nose displaying intense jammy black fruit, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke, anise, ink, dark milk chocolate, caramel, sweet spices, a hint of black pepper and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and an incredibly long opulent black fruit and sweet spices driven finish. Pretty much a sensory overload. It hasn’t budged much and remains incredibly youthful. This can easily last another fifty years or more. It will be fascinating to drink in another decade. It is certainly a very divisive wine. If you are a SQN fanatic, your score will be even higher.
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Is this the best wine ever produced from Sine Qua Non? Perhaps. At the minimum, it's certainly a candidate for consideration, and for good reason. There is so much intensity and concentration here, yet the wine is balanced, fresh and in harmony. Thick, dense, polished, packed and stacked with layers of black and blue fruit, jam, black cherry liqueur, campfire smoke, licorice and dark chocolate, made from 100% pure cocoa, the wine coats your palate, teeth and gums. The finish breaks the 60 second mark!
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The Athens Wine Event to put all the others to shame (Paleo Reastaurant, Piraeus): Tasted blind and followed a line up of superb wines ( see link). However it shown, it sang and was an instant topic of conversation. We guessed mid 2000s Napa Syrah and although went back n forth if this was Alban/SQN/Saxum the delicate side of it made us choose SQN. We guessed this was a non EBA though.. SQNs can be a hit or a miss but in cases like this it's a clear hit. It had what we usually like in SQNs an elevated balance, everything is amplified but unlike lessens Napa cousins everything here is elevated and thus in tune which makes the wine elegant in its OTT. Very good density of fruit, nice acidity, well assimilated oak ( had 38 month of it too...) and just in perfect harmony. The wine is big but not heavy and the nose of it is a mesmerising experience. Andreas 100 / Nicol 98
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Bad boy wine night - mostly high octane wines with a surprise or two. (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Wine 6 - There is a hint of pepper. Very ripe nose displaying jammy black fruit, blackberry jam, caramel, strong mint, milk chocolate and dark spices. Incredible concentration, opulent jammy black fruit and caramel driven palate impression, thick and oily, nicely layered and a long finish with a hint of alcohol at the end. The blind tasting is tricky as I am thinking there can’t be more than one Syrah. Strong mint makes me to guess as a high end Malbec!
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First time trying the 17th Nail and it did not disappoint. Utterly insane texture. So, so smooth. Booming nose and flavors. Black fruit, violets, lavender, kirsch, spice/pepper, minerals. I can go on and on. Decanted for a 3 hours and it was just singing all night.
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An insane wine with a texture that is absolutely to-die-for. Slightly salty, cherries, sour cherries. Really nice sweet-sour-salt play here. Just amazing!
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Annual Chicago winos visit - Dugat Py Chambertins, DRC RSVs, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Expressive mature domestic Syrah nose displaying blueberry jam, blueberry liqueur, milke chocolate, medium caramel, a hint of black pepper, nutmeg and other sweet spices and earth. Incredibly concentration, 10W40 without being cloying, perfect amount of acidity, opulent incredibly layered fruit masks the tannins and incredibly long sweet finish. Really big scale mature Syrah with very good balance.
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Holy shit nose of chocolate and blueberries. The palate is big and sweet with some ripe blueberries and soft oak. Cinnamon and dark chocolate. Long and amazing.
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Nearly 5 years later, revisit my HOLYSHIT wine of all time thanks to a friend's early birthday celebration for me in Hong Kong. The weight of lofty expectation and lack of time for decanting has pulled back on the wine, still nothing short of spectacular. Nose of perfumed candy, cola, black pepper, crushed flowers, super intense perfume. Palate is incredibly balanced, wrapped in sweet soft tannin with full intense flavours. Long finish that's smooth but lasts for minutes. This wine seemed to be in a very closed stage now, like a mesmerizing beauty being asleep, woke up a few times thru the night to smile at us with her glamour but goes right back into dream....trying to access everything within the wine is as tough as taking a glimpse into her dreams thru her smile.......hard to say 97+++ is an underwhelming score but it is what it is...look forward to trying this again in 5 yrs...
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SQN - Legends: What an impressive wine!!!! The flavors are just stunningly beautiful and expressive. Packed with sweet blackberry fruit, coal and smoked meats but also a refreshing note of fresh flowers. The aromatics in this wine is just insane. For me this most likely one of the best SQN wine ever made. Even though it has some many different facets and flavors in, it still has that magic balance which makes the wine true perfection. An incredible wine and a true legend.
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Wine Dinner Extravaganza (North Lincoln Avenue Loft - Chicago IL): Absolutely wonderful. Very ripe, very rich with sensational spice. What makes this so great is its balance all the way through a harmonious finish. Great now, and I think this might still be getting better.
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Probably needed some more time to breathe otherwise score would have been even higher. Dark, dark wine with berries and pepper. Amazing long finish. I think it will still get better over the next 10 years.
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Decanted 2 hours. Very intense dark purple-blue fruit with licorice, meat and coffee notes. enough acid to keep it from becoming cloying. I am surprising myself with the score. Could be the bottle or my plate last night but it just needed most acid to balance out the fruit. A very slight bit monolithic.
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Chicago Wine Flock..."Top Central Coast Syrah from Rich" (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Open 5 hours before serving, with a quick double decant when opened. I found this slightly reductive to start, and despite good fruit and spice, this wine never resolved (over 3+ hours in glass) into anything like it has been the other 2 or 3 times I've tried it. Off bottle?
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Sine Qua Non Night @ Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): By far the best wine of the night. Despite being served in a flight that we were told was 100% Grenache, it was clear as day that this was Syrah. Tons of meats, sausage, and floral notes, this was certainly darker and sexier than any of the Grenaches. The palate was a bit prickly, but had great depth and complexity.
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Sine Qua Non Dinner, volume II (Maloney & Porcelli, NYC): dark, brooding, beautiful... there was actually a tiny bit of TCA on this bottle (I'm not that sensitive, but others picked it up) -- but this wine was good enough to battle back and the quality showed through. lots of pepper on this. black fruit. a finish that doesn't quit. i dont know how this always comes out on top in almost any lineup, but it is simply a stunning wine.
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Such a beautiful wine. Enjoyed over two days, and it just kept getting better and better. Ultra-complex nose that takes you on a journey of Syrah-inspired pleasures: one moment it hints at the aromatic heights of Cote Rotie, the next it touches on the dark-fruited depths of classic Hermitage, then it builds in fruit intensity (borderline port-like at times, but always with enough restraint to stay balanced) all the while displaying distinctly cool climate spice. This level of intensity and harmony is so hard to come by. Delicious. Still young, with a hint of reduction, and barely any secondary character.
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Upon popping this beauty the wine initially gave off aromas of deep black fruit followed by notes of espresso, spice and a touch of heat. After we let this sit in the decanter for an hour or so, the heat blew off completely. What we were left with was an absolute stunning wine! On the palate I was immediately hit with loads of blackberry fruit that was followed by notes of chocolate covered espresso beans, licorice, charcoal, black tar and some mild black pepper. What struck me about this wine was how beautifully integrated all these flavors and aromas were. It was like beautiful soft velvet blanket dancing all over my palate. The finish went on for 60+ seconds. This is how perfection is done! Wish I had a lot more of it:)
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Decanted at 10AM with stopper. Incredible nose, rich, spicy, fruity and flowery. Wow!! Dark and dense looking, very clear, almost luminescent. Very dark flavors, tar, asphalt but with sweet dark fruit. Very spicy and delicious. With the grilled rib-eye it got even sweeter and more delicious. Best wine in the past two years. Can't give it anything but 100 points.
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drank at crush. Decanted for 30 before first glass. Muted at first, becoming more powerful as night went on. Dark berries, some definite oak spice, but mostly in balance. Dense wine, staining, but never heavy or syrupy. Somehow seems to avoid being ott.
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SQN vs Rhone Dinner (BLT Steak, DC): Clearly an exceptional wine. I could smell this in the glass from 5 feet. Briny, spices, brown sugar, creme brule, red fruits, dark fruits. Wow. More of the same on the palate - very pure and focused fruit - cherry/raz/strawberry, blueberry. Then the layers kick in - brown sugar, spicy pepper. The only thing to note is that it did come across a tad hot on the finish, but .... who cares? World class.
New World Dinner (Hughes House - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Clearly and immediately sensational. Black currant and black cherry with black pepper, licorice, then floral hints. Slightly sweet fruit with massive spice and really incredible balance, length and textures.
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The wait staff was somewhat green and initially could not tell the table whether the glass served was the da capo or the sqn. Well, the expensive oak gave away the location if not the terroir of this wine immediately. Northern Rhone with a slather of vanilla. Smoky and tobacco. Hedonistic and sweet. Perhaps the terroir will come through in 10 to 20 years after the oak gets soaked up. Drink now for curiosity and only if you got it at opening price.
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very sexy nose of sweet baking spices and ripe black and blueberries. some black pepper and smoke. the palate is full and mouthcoating but thete is great fruity acid that keeps it moving. great finish. up there w heart chorea.and tge other hand as my favorite sqns
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huge ripe nose of grilled meats pork rinds and blackberries. lots of white pepper. medium palate full of ripe blackberries beef and cooking spices. long ripe finish. awesome
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Tasted at a charity event (GGFAGC/11). This is another outstanding SQN wine. A dark, deep purple in colour with a very strong nose of berries. Lots of gum in the taste with a very good balance of alcohol and tannins. No bitter aftertaste that I get on some syrahs. I love this wine.
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Lugeresque 2011 (Peter Pratt's Inn): Decadence doesn't begin to cover what this wine brings to the table, Caligula himself would be jealous of the pleasure this brings to bare. Sinfully loaded with fruits of every spectrum, a virtual spice rack, freshly ground espresso beans, melted Belgian chocolate and fresh laid tar. While is is punching you in the gut with these huge notes and flavors, it lulls you to sleep with it's soft and willowy embrace. This wine is seamless and absolutely pure. Stunning wine in every way.
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This bottle was our second wine drank this evening. It was decanted fro 4 hours prior to drinking and once again, this bottle was fabulous. Very well balanced with lots of vanilla and jammy goodness in it. The syrah spiciness edge was smoothed out perfectly. I don't know if this was by the winemaker, the time decanted or a combination of both. Great bottle.
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Popped and poured. Deep, brooding purple hue. Initially, the pronounced nose features aromas of dark fruits, smoked spices (clove, allspice), burning charcoal embers, scorched bacon, and an intriguing note of clay; continually evolving, the smokey elements mellow which allows the blackberry fruit to shine with further notes of black olive tapenade, fresh herbs, and even a touch of cedar. Medium-plus body; while quite dense and concentrated, the overall profile is amazingly plush and elegantly refined. On the palate, the fruit is simply awesome...an amazingly pure expression of fresh blackberries, black raspberries, & fresh currant. For all the intense fruit density this never comes off as over-ripe or heavy handed; if anything, with aeration it gains in freshness and finesse...truly profound. The tannins are round and smooth on the close...which seemingly lasts forever and ends with a tinge of minerals. While this could evolve, it's hard to imagine significant improvement over all it currently is; either way there's no doubt it has the bones to age for at least 5-10+ years. A wine that possesses every quality we continually seek out yet rarely find in a single bottle and perhaps one of the best expressions of Syrah one can ever hope to taste. An epic experience!
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Actually 86-89 as experienced last night, but I'll give this the benefit of the doubt. If there's such a thing as a complex, elegant wine, this is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY not it. However, as all the other tasters here and ST, and RP all love it, I'd like to see how this develops. I think the emperor has some clothes, but they may be rags. We'll see. Alcoholic, and over the top, and with an unusual burnt rubber nose and core of fruit. Not my thing.
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Wow, wow, wow. Big, black, burly but with an amazingly vibrant, slightly red-fruited profile as well. So silky, not a trace of heat, easily carrying its 15.8% weight without the slightest difficulty. Just a baby at this point but such a pure albeit very intense expression of Syrah.
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An absolutely incredible wine that is tasting so good now it's hard to believe that it will improve but I bet it will. This is definitely one of the best SQN syrahs I've ever had the opportunity to drink. That is saying a lot. A wonderful effort.
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A transcendent experience that lasts for years in my mind....beyond my perception and comprehension at the time... nose of PERFUME...not flowers, fruits, spices, woods of nature, but the exotic blend of the extractions of their essences....massive structure with laser precision on the elements on the palate, goes on and on wave and wave above one another, a finish that never ends, extremely dynamic. This is a wine that should exceed the score of 100 but instead be replaced with a score of !!!!!...
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Sine Qua Non Dinner: the Younger Wines (Custom House Tavern - Chicago IL): Sensational nose with lots of pepper, anise, blackberry, black cherry, with rose petals in deep background. Dense, powerful slightly sweet fruit with superb pepper and savory Asian spice. incredibly dense and concentrated, but balanced and almost weightless at the same time. Really just a spectacular wine. Perhaps my favorite SQN ever.
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I wish I could remember all of the descriptors and tasting notes on this wine, but all I can remember from last night is that it is one of the best wines I ever had, and the best Sine Qua Non I've had. Nose was intoxicating and finish literally went forever. Incredible.
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Drank at Redd in Yountville. Awesome wine. Decanted for about 30 minutes, and enjoyed over the course of 3 hours. Kept getting better, but, like many of the longer barrel-aged wines, this seems to show better out of the bottle than the "regular" bottlings from the same vintage. Charred meats, black fruits, gobs of structure and acid, this went really well with pork, duck, lamb, and beef (two ways), and the fat in the meat helped tame the tannins. Really special wine. (PE: 99)
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at Campagnile with grilled cheese. lives up to the hype. endless finish. top ten list. buy hand over fist...i was pretty toasted so no specifics here;)
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Tasted at a charity event (GGFAGC/10). This was my number 3 wine of the night. Wow, was this great. This wine had a very deep purple colour to it and huge legs in the glass. Very smooth tastes all around and light and dry in the alcohol department. A wonderful balance. This wine may reach a 100 point score in my books in a few years.
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Decanted for 2 hours, poured back into the bottle, traveled 1/2 hour, re-decanted for 1/2 hour, and it was more than ready to go. Very dark color, but crimson/red - not so purple in tone. The nose shows a remarkable maturity for such a young wine, with complex and exotic combinations of sauvage notes, beef blood, anise, pepper, char, dark chocolate, and blackberry cobbler - utterly intoxicating just to smell! The palate is already layered and deep, with grilled meat and coffee that are at least equal to the blackberry/creme de cassis fruit. Rather smooth tannins, but fairly lively acidity, and a finish that goes and goes. Unanimous WOTN in some tough company, this needed less decanting than I expected and seems far more approachable than I dreamed it would be. Drink now or hold.
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Rhone Rangers tasting (Vinens verden, Odense): Black color with a thin purple rim. Exciting and nuanced aromas of black cherries, blackberries, olives, bacon, air dried meats, smoke, licorice, minerals, blood and ink. On the palate it is packed with similar notes as the nose. Wildly sexy and inviting, while at once a monster of primary fruit and oak, it has the freshness and purity to make the overall impression elegant and refined. Every single nuance seems clearly distinct from the others making it an adventure to unravel each and everyone. This wine is absolutely stunning and left me amazed. Prior to this Guigals LaLaLa wines in top vintages has been top of the line, the ten out of ten on the scale of reference, but this wine somehow seems to have all that plus an extra dimension – probably best described by the following quote from This Is Spinal Tap: “These go to eleven.”
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The good stuff, 100pt tour da force, what ever that means. Just simple clean fruit on the nose, crisp clean example of what syrah is supposed to taste like, perfection is always a combination of what is supposed to be there, and the elimination of what should not. Calibrate your pallet with this, the perfect syrah, no more no less
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Purchased and consumed at PassionFish 11/25/2009 Very dark purple. Complex nose of very dark fruits, nothing red about it. Massive. Slightly disjointed on the palate, its elements weren't quite in harmony (bottle shock?). Tastes like it smells, chock full of blue and black fruits. Very long finish. Not as good as Ode to E was at a similar stage last year. Would rate 90 on the night, with 95+ potential. Great potential, but hold!
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3/25/2024 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 100 Points
Absolute perfection. Decanted for three hours. Very Côte Rotie with smoked meat, black pepper and blueberry capote; along with brown spices and slight lilacs. Tertiary nuances abound, and nay a hard edge. The body is full and yet very agile at the same time. Finishes exceptionally long and is a very masculine Syrah from start to finish. A very complete and round middle palate, with slight silky tannins. Black as night, with a gorgeous garnet rim. Up there with Stockholm Syndrome (2010) and the 2019 Eleven Confessions, which were also perfect to my senses. This will evolve for many years, yet will not improve. If you have this, no harm in opening a bottle now…then study for many a year. Drink now -.
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1/21/2023 - Triforwine Likes this wine: 97 Points
This was a taste offered by a friend. I don't have much experience with Syrah, especially new world with some age. This is simply a massive wine. Dark color. Nose erupts from the glass with dense dark fruit and spice a little smoke and the flavors are huge chocolate covered blackberry in a stone glass. Amazingly opulent but soft mouthfeel. Finish almost endless. 97+ easy.
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7/12/2021 - BROpus One Likes this wine: 99 Points
Still drinking very well and still the best SQN I've had.
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5/7/2021 - wineguy75 Likes this wine: 95 Points
5 hour decant. Drank blind vs. 2002 Grange & beat by Grange. Different than other younger SQN's i've had. Less viscous & smooth, more Cote Rotie & Rocks characteristics. Not worth the price point and I enjoy other younger SQNs more.
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10/28/2020 - Peech Likes this wine: 96 Points
Served 4½ hours after opening. Really ripe and jammy, with metallic notes. A really big wine.
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1/31/2020 - peternelson wrote:
Too big, creamy and chewy for my palate. Didn't take notes and don't remember much, unfortunately. Heritage Wine Blind Tasting Finals after-party at Jean-George Las Vegas
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12/25/2019 - ews3 wrote: 98 Points
What better wine to open for Christmas? This continues to shine, still so youthful. Some black olive notes showing on nose. Great peppery profile with dark fruit notes — blackberry, black cherry. The herbal character on this adds interest. So intense, it is unreal this is almost 15 years old now. My last bottle, but hope not my last chance to taste this spectacular wine.
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10/18/2019 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, White Burg, DRC, La La and SQN (Officina - Washington D.C.): Still impenetrable color. Incredibly youthful expressive nose displaying intense jammy black fruit, blackberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, strong licorice, liquid smoke, ink, coffee ice cream, sweet spices and earth. Unbelievable concentration, layers upon layers of explosive jammy black fruit, unctuous and deeply toned yet silky and polished, good acidity, earthy mineral and an incredibly long black fruit driven finish with ink and licorice at the end. Once again, this wine will outlive all of us.
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10/18/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Lots of ripe black plum, cherry and berry with sweet spice. Very good concentration, power and complexity, just not quite as balanced or elegant as the Naked Truth in the next glass.
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7/7/2019 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 97 Points
97. Dark, rich and brooding. Primary and super powerful. Finish with a definite note of Rhone.
Drank when moving into my mansion though rather than celebrating, it quite literally felt like the 17th nail, having endured at least a dozen this month, the worst of my life. I keep thinking of a Jim Carroll poem where he says "I love this mansion though it has too many windows ... to open half way each morning... to close half way each night".
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5/14/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 100 Points
Acker SQN Dinner (NoMad Rooftop): Wow! I cannot describe how much I love this wine.
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5/14/2019 - KenK Likes this wine: 98 Points
SQN free-for-all Nomad. Once again proving out as my favorite SQN of all time. Rich, ripe, smooth, seduction. Pure dense lush wine that is a guilty pleasure of epic proportions. A hedonistic wine that also has wonderful balance, length and a sophisticated edge. Simply outstanding.
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3/21/2019 - tacman wrote: 99 Points
crazy good ... rich, hint of cassis sweetness w/ a bit of graphite and tar ... give me more
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2/15/2019 - Topper wrote: 97 Points
Drank on my birthday this year. Nothing to add that hasn't been said by others. Superb winemaking on display.
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11/24/2018 - Naplesgolfer Likes this wine: 96 Points
lovely balanced wine. Very unique taste fir SQN.
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11/16/2018 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 100 Points
Wow - this beauty is pure proof Sine Qua Nons are in it for the looooong haul. The 2005 17th Nail In My Head is massive, yet elegant and plays on so many strings it sounds like a full orchestra. The wine comes across as "youngish" but of course shows some sign of age too - after about 19 years in bottles. The nose offers up rich creamy fruit full of profound velvety berries - after almost 15 years! After that a crescendo of lovely cacao, sweet licorice, mint, flowers and saddle leather emerge. As usual with SQN, I personally think nothing over the top . Everything is just remarkably well balanced but still massive and dominantly elegant. As expected, there is not a hard edge to be found. Thick deep velvet is the best way to describe the the whole experience. Everything is in place and I see no reason this wine should not keep for many years to come. Perhaps needless to say, the length on the finish just goes on and on. No flaws found = perfect score! Bravo!
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10/6/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Rosewood Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): Incredibly rich and concentrated black berries and plum, with cloves, black pepper and espresso. Intense and powerful, but this manages to retain exceptional balance. Wonderful now, and no signs of any decline.
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10/6/2018 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Champagne, DRC, Yquem, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC): Expressive nose displaying intense jammy black fruit, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke, anise, ink, dark milk chocolate, caramel, sweet spices, a hint of black pepper and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and an incredibly long opulent black fruit and sweet spices driven finish. Pretty much a sensory overload. It hasn’t budged much and remains incredibly youthful. This can easily last another fifty years or more. It will be fascinating to drink in another decade. It is certainly a very divisive wine. If you are a SQN fanatic, your score will be even higher.
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9/30/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 100 Points
Is this the best wine ever produced from Sine Qua Non? Perhaps. At the minimum, it's certainly a candidate for consideration, and for good reason. There is so much intensity and concentration here, yet the wine is balanced, fresh and in harmony. Thick, dense, polished, packed and stacked with layers of black and blue fruit, jam, black cherry liqueur, campfire smoke, licorice and dark chocolate, made from 100% pure cocoa, the wine coats your palate, teeth and gums. The finish breaks the 60 second mark!
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5/27/2017 - Papies wrote: 99 Points
The Athens Wine Event to put all the others to shame (Paleo Reastaurant, Piraeus): Tasted blind and followed a line up of superb wines ( see link). However it shown, it sang and was an instant topic of conversation. We guessed mid 2000s Napa Syrah and although went back n forth if this was Alban/SQN/Saxum the delicate side of it made us choose SQN. We guessed this was a non EBA though..
SQNs can be a hit or a miss but in cases like this it's a clear hit. It had what we usually like in SQNs an elevated balance, everything is amplified but unlike lessens Napa cousins everything here is elevated and thus in tune which makes the wine elegant in its OTT. Very good density of fruit, nice acidity, well assimilated oak ( had 38 month of it too...) and just in perfect harmony. The wine is big but not heavy and the nose of it is a mesmerising experience. Andreas 100 / Nicol 98
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5/25/2017 - dcwino wrote: 94 Points
Bad boy wine night - mostly high octane wines with a surprise or two. (The Grill Room at Rosewood DC): Wine 6 - There is a hint of pepper. Very ripe nose displaying jammy black fruit, blackberry jam, caramel, strong mint, milk chocolate and dark spices. Incredible concentration, opulent jammy black fruit and caramel driven palate impression, thick and oily, nicely layered and a long finish with a hint of alcohol at the end. The blind tasting is tricky as I am thinking there can’t be more than one Syrah. Strong mint makes me to guess as a high end Malbec!
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2/26/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 97 Points
First time trying the 17th Nail and it did not disappoint. Utterly insane texture. So, so smooth. Booming nose and flavors. Black fruit, violets, lavender, kirsch, spice/pepper, minerals. I can go on and on. Decanted for a 3 hours and it was just singing all night.
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2/6/2016 - G_H wrote: 98 Points
An insane wine with a texture that is absolutely to-die-for. Slightly salty, cherries, sour cherries. Really nice sweet-sour-salt play here. Just amazing!
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12/3/2015 - LongViewCellars Likes this wine: 99 Points
Just about flawless.
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10/1/2015 - dcwino wrote: 96 Points
Annual Chicago winos visit - Dugat Py Chambertins, DRC RSVs, SQN and etc. (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): Expressive mature domestic Syrah nose displaying blueberry jam, blueberry liqueur, milke chocolate, medium caramel, a hint of black pepper, nutmeg and other sweet spices and earth. Incredibly concentration, 10W40 without being cloying, perfect amount of acidity, opulent incredibly layered fruit masks the tannins and incredibly long sweet finish. Really big scale mature Syrah with very good balance.
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10/1/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Capella Hotel Dining Room - Washington DC): Another great showing for this wine. Blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate with great spice, overall intensity, while retaining great balance. Great wine.
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10/1/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Holy shit nose of chocolate and blueberries. The palate is big and sweet with some ripe blueberries and soft oak. Cinnamon and dark chocolate. Long and amazing.
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8/28/2015 - bacchuszuo Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nearly 5 years later, revisit my HOLYSHIT wine of all time thanks to a friend's early birthday celebration for me in Hong Kong. The weight of lofty expectation and lack of time for decanting has pulled back on the wine, still nothing short of spectacular. Nose of perfumed candy, cola, black pepper, crushed flowers, super intense perfume. Palate is incredibly balanced, wrapped in sweet soft tannin with full intense flavours. Long finish that's smooth but lasts for minutes. This wine seemed to be in a very closed stage now, like a mesmerizing beauty being asleep, woke up a few times thru the night to smile at us with her glamour but goes right back into dream....trying to access everything within the wine is as tough as taking a glimpse into her dreams thru her smile.......hard to say 97+++ is an underwhelming score but it is what it is...look forward to trying this again in 5 yrs...
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6/16/2015 - PopularCar Likes this wine: 98 Points
Phenomenal wine at this stage. Rich, full, complex, balanced. Lives up to the hype - drank from friends cellar
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5/9/2015 - canan wrote: 100 Points
SQN - Legends: What an impressive wine!!!! The flavors are just stunningly beautiful and expressive.
Packed with sweet blackberry fruit, coal and smoked meats but also a refreshing note of fresh flowers.
The aromatics in this wine is just insane. For me this most likely one of the best SQN wine ever made.
Even though it has some many different facets and flavors in, it still has that magic balance which makes the wine true perfection.
An incredible wine and a true legend.
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4/24/2015 - Burgundy Al wrote: 97 Points
Wine Dinner Extravaganza (North Lincoln Avenue Loft - Chicago IL): Absolutely wonderful. Very ripe, very rich with sensational spice. What makes this so great is its balance all the way through a harmonious finish. Great now, and I think this might still be getting better.
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3/12/2015 - hongkongtom Likes this wine: 96 Points
Probably needed some more time to breathe otherwise score would have been even higher. Dark, dark wine with berries and pepper. Amazing long finish. I think it will still get better over the next 10 years.
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1/27/2015 - Naplesgolfer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Very intense dark purple-blue fruit with licorice, meat and coffee notes. enough acid to keep it from becoming cloying. I am surprising myself with the score. Could be the bottle or my plate last night but it just needed most acid to balance out the fruit. A very slight bit monolithic.
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12/7/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 97 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): This seemed slightly shut down since release. It is a great bottle of wine, but needed air (it was pop and pour). Black raspberries, black pepper, toast, slight floral notes. Great texture (maybe the best Syrah of the night in that matter). Tight layering as it unwinds in the glass. Long finish. A long life ahead.
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3/22/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 95 Points
Another Casual Burgundy Dinner...Followed by Sine Qua Non (Paris Club - Chicago IL): Tasted late, brief note. Stunningly powerful fresh, lush black fruit with great intensity to start, followed by very helpful, sneaky structure that keeps this in great balance.
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1/23/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine Flock - Central Coast Syrah Intro/Retro (My Place - Chicago, IL): Wow aromas. Big, ripe red fruit and exotic spice. Amazing depth on the palate. Delicious with layers and layers of spiced fruit. Very long and presistent. Good freshness and balance. My 3/12. Group 6/12.
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1/23/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Chicago Wine Flock..."Top Central Coast Syrah from Rich" (House of Nanda - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Open 5 hours before serving, with a quick double decant when opened. I found this slightly reductive to start, and despite good fruit and spice, this wine never resolved (over 3+ hours in glass) into anything like it has been the other 2 or 3 times I've tried it. Off bottle?
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11/6/2013 - jwolniak Likes this wine: 96 Points
Sine Qua Non Tasting - Domaine Wine Storage Chicago - Nov 2013 (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago): Elegance rides with a long mid run. Finishes long, brushing the palate with darkness. This barely lost out to 2005 Naked Truth as my WOTN, however writing this note the next day I'm finding myself thinking more of The 17th than Truth. Outstanding wine.
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11/6/2013 - tooch wrote: 94 Points
Sine Qua Non Night @ Domaine (Domaine Wine Storage - Chicago, IL): By far the best wine of the night. Despite being served in a flight that we were told was 100% Grenache, it was clear as day that this was Syrah. Tons of meats, sausage, and floral notes, this was certainly darker and sexier than any of the Grenaches. The palate was a bit prickly, but had great depth and complexity.
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5/3/2013 - ews3 wrote: 97 Points
Sine Qua Non Dinner, volume II (Maloney & Porcelli, NYC): dark, brooding, beautiful... there was actually a tiny bit of TCA on this bottle (I'm not that sensitive, but others picked it up) -- but this wine was good enough to battle back and the quality showed through. lots of pepper on this. black fruit. a finish that doesn't quit. i dont know how this always comes out on top in almost any lineup, but it is simply a stunning wine.
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2/24/2013 - Brandon Sparks-Gillis Likes this wine:
Such a beautiful wine. Enjoyed over two days, and it just kept getting better and better. Ultra-complex nose that takes you on a journey of Syrah-inspired pleasures: one moment it hints at the aromatic heights of Cote Rotie, the next it touches on the dark-fruited depths of classic Hermitage, then it builds in fruit intensity (borderline port-like at times, but always with enough restraint to stay balanced) all the while displaying distinctly cool climate spice. This level of intensity and harmony is so hard to come by. Delicious. Still young, with a hint of reduction, and barely any secondary character.
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5/26/2012 - jce733 wrote: 100 Points
Upon popping this beauty the wine initially gave off aromas of deep black fruit followed by notes of espresso, spice and a touch of heat. After we let this sit in the decanter for an hour or so, the heat blew off completely. What we were left with was an absolute stunning wine! On the palate I was immediately hit with loads of blackberry fruit that was followed by notes of chocolate covered espresso beans, licorice, charcoal, black tar and some mild black pepper. What struck me about this wine was how beautifully integrated all these flavors and aromas were. It was like beautiful soft velvet blanket dancing all over my palate. The finish went on for 60+ seconds. This is how perfection is done! Wish I had a lot more of it:)
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5/12/2012 - Knicksfan wrote: 98 Points
Don't have the words - decanted 3+hours. Spectacular example of syrah....layers of complexity, soft tannins and super long finish.....fabulous.
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3/25/2012 - phenricsson wrote: 100 Points
Decanted at 10AM with stopper. Incredible nose, rich, spicy, fruity and flowery. Wow!! Dark and dense looking, very clear, almost luminescent. Very dark flavors, tar, asphalt but with sweet dark fruit. Very spicy and delicious. With the grilled rib-eye it got even sweeter and more delicious. Best wine in the past two years. Can't give it anything but 100 points.
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2/12/2012 - ScottG wrote: 96 Points
drank at crush. Decanted for 30 before first glass. Muted at first, becoming more powerful as night went on. Dark berries, some definite oak spice, but mostly in balance. Dense wine, staining, but never heavy or syrupy. Somehow seems to avoid being ott.
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11/10/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 98 Points
SQN vs Rhone Dinner (BLT Steak, DC): Clearly an exceptional wine. I could smell this in the glass from 5 feet. Briny, spices, brown sugar, creme brule, red fruits, dark fruits. Wow. More of the same on the palate - very pure and focused fruit - cherry/raz/strawberry, blueberry. Then the layers kick in - brown sugar, spicy pepper. The only thing to note is that it did come across a tad hot on the finish, but .... who cares? World class.
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11/5/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
New World Dinner (Hughes House - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Clearly and immediately sensational. Black currant and black cherry with black pepper, licorice, then floral hints. Slightly sweet fruit with massive spice and really incredible balance, length and textures.
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10/21/2011 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
The wait staff was somewhat green and initially could not tell the table whether the glass served was the da capo or the sqn. Well, the expensive oak gave away the location if not the terroir of this wine immediately. Northern Rhone with a slather of vanilla. Smoky and tobacco. Hedonistic and sweet. Perhaps the terroir will come through in 10 to 20 years after the oak gets soaked up. Drink now for curiosity and only if you got it at opening price.
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8/8/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
very sexy nose of sweet baking spices and ripe black and blueberries. some black pepper and smoke. the palate is full and mouthcoating but thete is great fruity acid that keeps it moving. great finish. up there w heart chorea.and tge other hand as my favorite sqns
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7/30/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
huge ripe nose of grilled meats pork rinds and blackberries. lots of white pepper. medium palate full of ripe blackberries beef and cooking spices. long ripe finish. awesome
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6/18/2011 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
Great Grapes for a Great Cause SQN Tasting -- 4th Annual; 6/17/2011-6/18/2011 (Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC): steak, black pepper, mint, and plum. medium(+) finish was shorter than many of the others.
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6/18/2011 - Rosengoo Likes this wine: 97 Points
Tasted at a charity event (GGFAGC/11). This is another outstanding SQN wine. A dark, deep purple in colour with a very strong nose of berries. Lots of gum in the taste with a very good balance of alcohol and tannins. No bitter aftertaste that I get on some syrahs. I love this wine.
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4/17/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
Freaking corked!!! There were some flashes of white pepper and oak...nothing more.
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3/25/2011 - pakabear Likes this wine: 97 Points
Great extraction and elegance. No formal not just amazing first impression.
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1/30/2011 - Vinomarcus wrote: 99 Points
Lugeresque 2011 (Peter Pratt's Inn): Decadence doesn't begin to cover what this wine brings to the table, Caligula himself would be jealous of the pleasure this brings to bare. Sinfully loaded with fruits of every spectrum, a virtual spice rack, freshly ground espresso beans, melted Belgian chocolate and fresh laid tar. While is is punching you in the gut with these huge notes and flavors, it lulls you to sleep with it's soft and willowy embrace. This wine is seamless and absolutely pure. Stunning wine in every way.
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12/31/2010 - Rosengoo wrote: 98 Points
This bottle was our second wine drank this evening. It was decanted fro 4 hours prior to drinking and once again, this bottle was fabulous. Very well balanced with lots of vanilla and jammy goodness in it. The syrah spiciness edge was smoothed out perfectly. I don't know if this was by the winemaker, the time decanted or a combination of both. Great bottle.
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12/25/2010 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and poured. Deep, brooding purple hue. Initially, the pronounced nose features aromas of dark fruits, smoked spices (clove, allspice), burning charcoal embers, scorched bacon, and an intriguing note of clay; continually evolving, the smokey elements mellow which allows the blackberry fruit to shine with further notes of black olive tapenade, fresh herbs, and even a touch of cedar. Medium-plus body; while quite dense and concentrated, the overall profile is amazingly plush and elegantly refined. On the palate, the fruit is simply awesome...an amazingly pure expression of fresh blackberries, black raspberries, & fresh currant. For all the intense fruit density this never comes off as over-ripe or heavy handed; if anything, with aeration it gains in freshness and finesse...truly profound. The tannins are round and smooth on the close...which seemingly lasts forever and ends with a tinge of minerals. While this could evolve, it's hard to imagine significant improvement over all it currently is; either way there's no doubt it has the bones to age for at least 5-10+ years.
A wine that possesses every quality we continually seek out yet rarely find in a single bottle and perhaps one of the best expressions of Syrah one can ever hope to taste. An epic experience!
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12/12/2010 - essconsults wrote: 91 Points
Actually 86-89 as experienced last night, but I'll give this the benefit of the doubt. If there's such a thing as a complex, elegant wine, this is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY not it. However, as all the other tasters here and ST, and RP all love it, I'd like to see how this develops. I think the emperor has some clothes, but they may be rags. We'll see. Alcoholic, and over the top, and with an unusual burnt rubber nose and core of fruit. Not my thing.
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11/19/2010 - Eric wrote:
Wow, wow, wow. Big, black, burly but with an amazingly vibrant, slightly red-fruited profile as well. So silky, not a trace of heat, easily carrying its 15.8% weight without the slightest difficulty. Just a baby at this point but such a pure albeit very intense expression of Syrah.
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11/5/2010 - Screameagle wrote: 98 Points
An absolutely incredible wine that is tasting so good now it's hard to believe that it will improve but I bet it will. This is definitely one of the best SQN syrahs I've ever had the opportunity to drink. That is saying a lot. A wonderful effort.
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10/29/2010 - bacchuszuo Likes this wine: 100 Points
A transcendent experience that lasts for years in my mind....beyond my perception and comprehension at the time... nose of PERFUME...not flowers, fruits, spices, woods of nature, but the exotic blend of the extractions of their essences....massive structure with laser precision on the elements on the palate, goes on and on wave and wave above one another, a finish that never ends, extremely dynamic. This is a wine that should exceed the score of 100 but instead be replaced with a score of !!!!!...
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10/23/2010 - Burgundy Al wrote: 97 Points
Sine Qua Non Dinner: the Younger Wines (Custom House Tavern - Chicago IL): Sensational nose with lots of pepper, anise, blackberry, black cherry, with rose petals in deep background. Dense, powerful slightly sweet fruit with superb pepper and savory Asian spice. incredibly dense and concentrated, but balanced and almost weightless at the same time. Really just a spectacular wine. Perhaps my favorite SQN ever.
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10/2/2010 - dmoritz wrote: 100 Points
I wish I could remember all of the descriptors and tasting notes on this wine, but all I can remember from last night is that it is one of the best wines I ever had, and the best Sine Qua Non I've had. Nose was intoxicating and finish literally went forever. Incredible.
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8/13/2010 - MarkC Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank at Redd in Yountville. Awesome wine. Decanted for about 30 minutes, and enjoyed over the course of 3 hours. Kept getting better, but, like many of the longer barrel-aged wines, this seems to show better out of the bottle than the "regular" bottlings from the same vintage. Charred meats, black fruits, gobs of structure and acid, this went really well with pork, duck, lamb, and beef (two ways), and the fat in the meat helped tame the tannins. Really special wine. (PE: 99)
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5/23/2010 - DavidF90210 wrote: 100 Points
at Campagnile with grilled cheese. lives up to the hype. endless finish. top ten list. buy hand over fist...i was pretty toasted so no specifics here;)
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5/8/2010 - Rosengoo Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted at a charity event (GGFAGC/10). This was my number 3 wine of the night. Wow, was this great. This wine had a very deep purple colour to it and huge legs in the glass. Very smooth tastes all around and light and dry in the alcohol department. A wonderful balance. This wine may reach a 100 point score in my books in a few years.
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5/8/2010 - ews3 wrote: 97 Points
Great Grapes for a Great Cause SQN Tasting -- 3rd Annual; 5/7/2010-5/8/2010 (Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC): Loads upon loads of fruit come pouring out of the glass. Black fruit is the most primary, with blackberry and cherry. Some fresh steak and black pepper notes -- like a ready to cook Steak au Poivre. Intense tannins that will need some time to round out. Long fruit driven finish. Paired with pan roasted dakota ranch bison.
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4/13/2010 - O>-< wrote: 99 Points
Decanted for 2 hours, poured back into the bottle, traveled 1/2 hour, re-decanted for 1/2 hour, and it was more than ready to go. Very dark color, but crimson/red - not so purple in tone. The nose shows a remarkable maturity for such a young wine, with complex and exotic combinations of sauvage notes, beef blood, anise, pepper, char, dark chocolate, and blackberry cobbler - utterly intoxicating just to smell! The palate is already layered and deep, with grilled meat and coffee that are at least equal to the blackberry/creme de cassis fruit. Rather smooth tannins, but fairly lively acidity, and a finish that goes and goes. Unanimous WOTN in some tough company, this needed less decanting than I expected and seems far more approachable than I dreamed it would be. Drink now or hold.
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4/6/2010 - markcvino wrote: 99 Points
Darn near perfect Shiraz!
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2/26/2010 - Terkel wrote: 100 Points
Rhone Rangers tasting (Vinens verden, Odense): Black color with a thin purple rim. Exciting and nuanced aromas of black cherries, blackberries, olives, bacon, air dried meats, smoke, licorice, minerals, blood and ink. On the palate it is packed with similar notes as the nose. Wildly sexy and inviting, while at once a monster of primary fruit and oak, it has the freshness and purity to make the overall impression elegant and refined. Every single nuance seems clearly distinct from the others making it an adventure to unravel each and everyone. This wine is absolutely stunning and left me amazed. Prior to this Guigals LaLaLa wines in top vintages has been top of the line, the ten out of ten on the scale of reference, but this wine somehow seems to have all that plus an extra dimension – probably best described by the following quote from This Is Spinal Tap: “These go to eleven.”
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1/31/2010 - CMCLR wrote: 100 Points
Amazing.
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1/27/2010 - burgcamel wrote: 99 Points
This is the best syrah I have ever tasted! I'm amazed how well balanced this wine is. It will be fun to see how it evolves.
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12/25/2009 - shadow wrote: 100 Points
The good stuff, 100pt tour da force, what ever that means. Just simple clean fruit on the nose, crisp clean example of what syrah is supposed to taste like, perfection is always a combination of what is supposed to be there, and the elimination of what should not. Calibrate your pallet with this, the perfect syrah, no more no less
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11/25/2009 - Brady D wrote: 95 Points
Purchased and consumed at PassionFish 11/25/2009 Very dark purple. Complex nose of very dark fruits, nothing red about it. Massive. Slightly disjointed on the palate, its elements weren't quite in harmony (bottle shock?). Tastes like it smells, chock full of blue and black fruits. Very long finish. Not as good as Ode to E was at a similar stage last year. Would rate 90 on the night, with 95+ potential. Great potential, but hold!
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