Contact A Wine Expert: info@brix26.com | 866.427.4926
Sine Qua Non 2018 (Ziehharmonika) "Squeezebox"" Syrah, California
4875089117266
$399.00
100 points - limited
Limited new Syrah from cult producer Sine Qua Non.
98-100 Points Robert Parker: Manfred Krankl did point out that the name of this wine is not definitely but probably going to be “Squeezebox.” There are still a bunch of hoops to jump through before the label is signed, sealed and delivered. He shared the artwork for the label with me, again probably final but not yet definite, but which I think fans of are going to love. Who knew Mr. K played the squeezebox? Turns out they changed the label to "Ziehharmonika."
The vineyard sources for this wine are 51% The Third Twin, 43% Eleven Confessions and 6% Cumulus—all estate-owned vineyards. The 2018 Syrah Squeezebox is composed of 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvèdre, 5% Petite Sirah, 2.3% Grenache, 2.7% Viognier and 1.3% Muscat. “I think Muscat is the number one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred said. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The wine is due to be bottled in August 2020, very soon after I tasted it, and after 23 months of aging. It was reared in 51% new French oak, 46% in used barrels and 3% in terracotta. (The terracotta is only used for whites.) Very deep garnet-purple colored, the nose kicks off with bright, vivacious scents of freshly cracked black pepper, licorice, baker’s chocolate and menthol before opening out to a core just singing of Black Forest cake, wild blueberries and ripe blackberries with wafts of smoky bacon and garrigue. Full-bodied, firm and beautifully textured with perfectly ripe, velvety tannins, it has invigorating freshness and a very long, multi-layered finish. Its rock-solid structure and intensity suggest this wine will be very long lived indeed.
"There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic."
You May Also Like
Sine Qua Non 2020 "Distenta II" White, California
$250.00
100 points - limited
Limited new white release from cult producer Sine Qua Non. SQN 2019 "Distenta 1" White now available.
previous vintage 100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Starting with the white, the Sine Qua Non Distenta I White is pure perfection, and there's not a finer white coming out of California today. Coming from a final blend of 41% Roussanne, 26% Chardonnay, 14% Petit Manseng, 12% Viognier, and the rest Gelber Muskateller, it spent 23 months in 64% new French oak. It offers a heavenly bouquet of caramelized oranges, toasted bread, honeyed citrus, and almond paste. This carries to a full-bodied, deep, concentrated white with incredible intensity and depth, yet it’s never heavy or overbearing and is flawlessly balanced. These have a great track record of aging brilliantly, but you can’t go wrong drinking them in their youth, either. I know Krankl’s reds get all the attention, but he continues to produce brilliant, brilliant dry whites. There were 824 cases produced....
...I’ve been visiting with Sine Qua Non for a decade now, and I never cease to be amazed at the quality consistently coming from this address. In addition, Krankl somehow manages to deliver brilliance with just about any variety out there, and whether it’s Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional, Roussanne, or even Petit Manseng, you can expect a truly riveting wine, as well as a wine with singular characteristics. Unfortunately, it’s all too common, particularly for those who don’t drink the wines often, to assume all California cult wines are over-ripe or heavy. The reality, however, couldn’t be more different, and great wines deliver intensity and depth while staying light on their feet and elegant. And these latest releases from Sine Qua Non are great wines."
99 Points Robert Parker: "The 2019 White Wine Distenta 1 is a stunning—and unique—blend of 41% Roussanne, 26% Chardonnay, 14% Petit Manseng, 12% Viognier and 7% Gelber Muskateller. Fruit comes mostly from estate vineyards, with 46% from Eleven Confessions, 32% from Cumulus and 7% from The Third Twin. Just 15% Chardonnay from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria Valley is included-—2019 is the last vintage that any non-estate fruit will be included in the blend. It was fermented in barrel and matured on its lees for about 23 months in 64% new French oak barrels, puncheons and demi-muids and was racked just once prior to bottling. Manfred Krankl especially likes the 150+-year-old wood that the Austrian cooper Stockinger uses to craft its staves. The 2019 white offers high intensity aromatics, with layers of peach, kiwi, candle smoke, petrol and green herbs. The full-bodied palate is concentrated, savory and layered, with loads of alluring, spicy accents. What really sets this wine apart is its broad, satiny texture as it glides through the mouth into a tremendously long finish. Krankl notes that the lees-stirring regimen for this wine helps to build texture, and the buildup of lees on the inside of the barrels better integrates its new oak character. "Petite Manseng berries are very small and the skins are very thick," he adds, "so that also contributes to the texture." It was bottled on August 18, 2021, and tasted May 24, 2022. 824 cases and 150 magnums will be released in November of 2022."
Sine Qua Non 2019 "Distenta I" Grenache , California
$350.00
98 points - limited
Limited new wine from cult producer Sine Qua Non.
98 Points Robert Parker: "The 2019 Grenache Distenta I is composed of 76% Grenache, 8% Mourvèdre, 9.3% Syrah, 4.3% Petite Sirah and 2.4% Viognier. The vineyard sources are 11% Cumulus Estate, 39% The Third Twin Estate, 32% Eleven Confessions Estate, 3% Molly Aida and 15% Bien Nacido vineyard. Around 43% whole cluster was performed, predominately on the Grenache. The small proportion of Viognier was co-fermented with red grapes, but interestingly, because it ripens earlier than the reds, the white berries were frozen and added to the reds at the time of fermentation. As an added bonus, these frozen grapes help to cool and, therefore, slow the fermentation. The wine was aged for around 23 months in 26.5% new French oak, 66.7% used oak and 6.8% concrete. It was bottled June 21, 2021...Medium to deep garnet-purple it bursts with profound perfume of black raspberries, boysenberries and cherry preserves, leading to an undercurrent of charcuterie, charcoal, bouquet garni and aniseed. Notions of red roses and garrigue reward patient swirling and coaxing. The full-on full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, its intensity offset by fantastic freshness, finishing long with a savory dried herb-laced lift."
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Tasted from barrel, the 2019 Grenache Détente is magnificent. Rich, explosive and full of energy, the 2019 possesses tremendous aromatic intensity and remarkable presence. The 2019 is vibrant, fresh and full of life. The 43% whole clusters lend captivating aromatic intensity. Dollops of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah and Viognier round out the blend"
"There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic."
Sine Qua Non 2020 "Distenta II" Syrah, California
$350.00
100 points - limited
Limited new wine from cult producer Sine Qua Non.
99 Points Robert Parker: "Still in barrel, the 2020 Syrah Distenta 11 is a blend of 82.9% Syrah, 7.5% Grenache, 3.9% Mourvèdre, 3.4% Petite Sirah and 2.3% white (1.5% Muskat and 0.8% Petit Manseng, to be precise). It comes entirely from estate vineyards: The Third Twin (43%), Eleven Confessions (32%), Cumulus (21%) and Molly Aïda (3%). It was fermented with 16% whole clusters and matured for about 23 months in 66% new French oak. "I like whole cluster less on Syrah," Manfred Krankl explains. "It can be more herbal. But these 2020s are much more fleshy and unctuous, so it shows better." Opaque purple black in color, it features aromas of cassis and blueberries, charcuterie, lavender and coffee beans, changing continually as it spends time in the glass. The full-bodied palate boasts tremendous floral perfume, a frame of rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. I tasted this on May 24, 2022; it is due to be bottled in August of 2022."
98 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The Syrah Distente 1 is a powerhouse. Blackberry jam, chocolate, gravel, spice and leather build in a deep, brooding Syrah that will require a number of years in bottle. Interestingly, the Grenache is so sensual in 2019, while the Syrah is a tannic behemoth"
"There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic."
© 2023 Brix26 Wines | San Francisco, CA 94103 | (415) 409-4295 | info@brix26.com
Legal Disclaimer
Title to, and ownership of, all wine passes from seller to buyer in the State of California, and buyer takes all responsibility for shipping the wine from California to his or her home state. By placing an order, buyer authorizes seller to act on buyer’s behalf in arranging for transportation of the wine at buyer’s direction. Alternatively, buyer may choose to pick up the wine at seller’s location, or make independent shipping arrangements. For all wine sales, sales tax will be applied based on the selling retailer’s location. Seller makes no representation as to the legal rights of anyone to ship or import any wines, alcoholic beverages or other goods into any state. The buyer is solely responsible for the shipment of wine and other goods purchased and for determining the legality and the tax/duty consequences of having the wine and other goods shipped to the applicable destination.
