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Sine Qua Non is one of California's most famous wine producers. Based just north of Los Angeles in Ventura County, and with most of its vineyards in Santa Barbara, it eschews the usual image of top California wine as being only from Napa Valley. That is not the only thing eschewed at Sine Qua Non – the same wine is rarely made more than once, turning the idea of the American icon wine on its head.
The cult winery specializes in Rhône grape varieties, with most of the red wines based on Syrah and Grenache. White wines are typically based on Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier and are also modelled after Rhône wines. While most of Sine Qua Non's vineyards are located in Santa Barbara, the home vineyard (and the winery) is located in Oak View. Many of the wines are labeled under the more generic California and Central Coast AVAs, rather than the specific AVAs the vineyards are located in, giving more freedom when it comes to blending.
Sine Qua Non's first vintage was 1994, as Austrian-born winemaker Manfred Krankl released three barrels of Syrah as "Queen of Spades" with a label he had designed himself. Previously, Krankl had made wines with other winemakers – including the "Black and Blue" wine with Havens Cellars and several wines with John Alban of Alban Vineyards. After releasing Queen of Spades, Krankl sent a bottle to Robert Parker, who promptly gave the wine 95 points – then the highest he'd given any American wine based on a Rhône variety
| Varietal | Syrah |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2006 |
| Rating | 96 RP |
| Bottle Size | 2 x 1500ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 2 |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Location | Central Coast |
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Rating | 96 RP - 2006 Sine Qua Non Raven Series Syrah & Grenache Magnum Set - 96 pts! The 2006 Raven Series Syrah, a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier that spends just under two years in French oak. Offering a dense purple color, gorgeous fruit, and a sweet perfume of graphite, blackberries, blueberries, charcoal, licorice, tar, and new oak, it is a dense, full-bodied, well-endowed, beautifully layered, pure Syrah that should drink well for 10-15 years. The 2006 Raven Series Grenache (a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah with 25% whole clusters used) comes largely from the 11 Confessions Vineyard with a tiny dollop of Bien Nacido Syrah added to the blend. Having spent 21 months in barrel, it is a prodigious effort, but is not quite at the level of the brilliant Naked Truth. Meaty, bouquet garni, licorice, and pepper notes as well as loads of black cherry and blackberry fruit are present in this beauty. Silky tannins along with good structure, density, and firmness suggest another year or two of aging will be beneficial. It should evolve for 10-15+ years. |
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| Wine Spectator |
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| Burghound |
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| Varietal | Syrah |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2006 |
| Rating | 96 RP |
| Bottle Size | 2 x 1500ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 2 |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Location | Central Coast |
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Varietal | Syrah |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2006 |
| Rating | 96 RP |
| Bottle Size | 2 x 1500ml |
| Bottle Quantity | 2 |
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Location | Central Coast |
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Color | Red |
| Wine Type | Table |
| Varietal | Syrah |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2006 |
| Rating | 96 RP |
| Barrels |
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| Style |
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| Owners |
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| Region | California |
| Location | Central Coast |
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Winemaker |
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| Production |
| Robert Parker Rating | 96 RP - 2006 Sine Qua Non Raven Series Syrah & Grenache Magnum Set - 96 pts! The 2006 Raven Series Syrah, a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier that spends just under two years in French oak. Offering a dense purple color, gorgeous fruit, and a sweet perfume of graphite, blackberries, blueberries, charcoal, licorice, tar, and new oak, it is a dense, full-bodied, well-endowed, beautifully layered, pure Syrah that should drink well for 10-15 years. The 2006 Raven Series Grenache (a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah with 25% whole clusters used) comes largely from the 11 Confessions Vineyard with a tiny dollop of Bien Nacido Syrah added to the blend. Having spent 21 months in barrel, it is a prodigious effort, but is not quite at the level of the brilliant Naked Truth. Meaty, bouquet garni, licorice, and pepper notes as well as loads of black cherry and blackberry fruit are present in this beauty. Silky tannins along with good structure, density, and firmness suggest another year or two of aging will be beneficial. It should evolve for 10-15+ years. |
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