.jpg?w=1)
Above 19 bottles and 1 half-bottle per lot
Details
INSTANTLY WITHOUT EQUAL
A partner at Campanile restaurant, Manfred Krankl made his first wine, Black and Blue, in 1992 under the larger Havens label as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Sine Qua Non, which could alternatively mean, without equal or something indispensable could both apply to the wine and the appreciation held for it by its fans as there is now a waiting list for the waiting list to acquire the freshest grape concoction. Sine Qua Non officially hit the scene in the mid 1990s, with heavy, odd-shaped bottles, gaudy labels and ostentatious proprietary names such as Omadhaun Poltron, Imposter McCoy and The Other Hand. Brilliant pieces of marketing, there are often serial like stories attached to each. Yields are incredibly miniscule often under one ton per acre from a combination of old vines, canopy management and shoot thinning. In the winery, processes utilitized include indigenous yeasts, lengthy cold soak, traditional open top fermenters, several punch downs, extended skin contact, malolactic fermentation in new oak casks, and just one racking prior to bottling. The wines are outrageously rich yet have subtlety and definition of flavor. Not only just a different moniker each year it is a different wine each year as the wine is sourced from the usual vineyards in the proportion for which they are producing. Originally, the Rhône varieties were sourced from the Alban, Bien Nacido, and Stolpman vineyards with the pinot juice being sourced from the famed Shea Vineyard of Oregon. Although each year there is an increasing emphasis to use fruit solely from the Santa Rita Hills, particularly the Eleven Confessions estate vineyard. With artisanal practices and acute attention to detail in the vineyard, winery and canvas, production is exceedingly minute with most cuvées hovering around 500 cases a year and even less for the late-harvest wines. Each vintage, the Krankls fully invest their heart, soul and personality into the art of each bottle.
JC
Sine Qua Non
Against The Wall--Vintage 1996(1)
"Sine Qua Non has produced some spectacular Syrahs, buying fruit from the best sources in Santa Barbara - the Alban, Stolpman, and Bien Nacido vineyards. The 1996 Against The Wall Syrah is cut from the same mold as the 1997. The color is opaque black/purple, and the nose offers a combination of cassis/blackberry jamminess intermixed with tar, pepper, and spice. Thick, massively full, yet wonderfully rich and expansive, with admirable purity and mouth-staining levels of glycerin and extract, this full-bodied, silky-smooth Syrah is deceptively easy to drink, but I suspect it will age effortlessly for 15-20 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #120 (December 1998)
Omadhaun and Poltron--Vintage 1996(1)
"The blockbuster whites Sine Qua Non is now producing are a blend of Roussanne and Chardonnay, with the former varietal dominating the blend in both 1996 and 1997. The massive, dry 1996 Omadhaun Poltron's 15.2 alcohol is well-concealed beneath this full-bodied wine's glycerin and unctuous texture." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #120 (December 1998)
Imposter McCoy--Vintage 1997(1)
"The funky artwork on the bottle emerges from Manfred Krankl's artistic side, but as the label says, "the truth is in the inside."
I have already wolfed down two bottles of the 1997 Imposter McCoy (529 cases) with equally voracious friends. A thick, juicy, massive Syrah, it gushes copious quantities of licorice-infused blackberry fruit offering smoke, coffee, and meaty notes. The wine is mouth-filling, teeth-staining, and loaded." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
Backward & Forward--Vintage 1998(1)
"The 1998 Roussanne and Chardonnay Backward and Forward is a blend of 30 Roussanne, 40 Chardonnay, and 30 Viognier. This effort is almost over the top, but I suspect when it is put together it will be sumptuous. The color is evolved, but the wine has surprisingly lively acidity for its richness and massive power." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
E-Raised--Vintage 1998(1)
"It is black-colored, jammy and super-intense with awesome concentration, terrific, chewy, explosive flavors of blackberries, cherries, and cassis interfused with creosote, pepper, and vanillin. All the cuvees are gorgeously pure, thick, and rich. As they sit in the glass, notes of roasted coffee, licorice, smoke, and barbecue spices emerge, giving them another dimension of complexity. It is hard to make a prediction at this point, given how sensational previous vintages have been, but it would not surprise me to see the 1998 Syrah turn out to be the finest yet from Sine Qua Non." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
The Antagonists--Vintage 1998(1)
Vieled--Vintage 1998(1)
Icarus--Vintage 1999(1)
"The 1999 Icarus (a blend of 80 Grenache, 18 Syrah, and 2 Viognier, three-fourths from the Alban Vineyard and one-fourth from the Stolpman) was closed on the two occasions I tasted it. Its deep ruby color is accompanied by sweet black cherry and kirsch-like aromas with an underlying peppery earthiness. Full-bodied and moderately tannic, it is an austere and tightly knit offering. It should be decanted 45 minutes prior to consumption as these wines beg for aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2015." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002)
Tarantella--Vintage 1999(1)
"Krankl's 1999 Tarantella is one of the finest white wines he has made. It possesses outstanding underlying acidity, a terrific, citrusy, honeyed perfume (flower, mango, and tangerine aromas dominate) that roars from the glass, full body, and brilliant balance. Given past examples of this blend of Roussanne, Viognier, and Chardonnay, the 1999 should age nicely for 7-8 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002)
The Marauder--Vintage 1999(1)
"The outrageously rich 1999 The Marauder (100 Syrah from the Alban, Stolpman, and Bien Nacido vineyards) is tightly-structured, but crammed with blackberry and cassis fruit infused with subtle notes of camphor and licorice. Full and rich, it is a candidate for 14-18 years of graceful evolution." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002) A Capella--Vintage 2000(1)
In Flagrante--Vintage 2000(1)
"The 2000 In Flagrante (a 725-case blend of 86 Syrah, 10 Grenache, and 4 Viognier) is a world-class, provocative effort. It reveals many of the same aromatic and flavor components found in the 2001 Midnight Oil and 2002 Syrah-dominated, unnamed offering. A black color is followed by a seamless effort loaded with blackberry, honey, and flower aromas, and an extraordinarily long, concentrated finish. As with all great wines, tasting notes/descriptors just can't do it justice. Among the recent SQN Syrahs, it is a strikingly elegant and powerful wine that has a decidedly French flair to it." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
The Boot--Vintage 2000(1)
Albino--Vintage 2000(1)
Midnight Oil--Vintage 2001(1)
"The impeccable 2001 Midnight Oil (95.5 Syrah, 3 Grenache, and 1.5 Viognier) is a product of four vineyards, Alban, Stolpman, Bien Nacido, and White Hawk. The good news is there are 950 cases of this compelling effort. With a "midnight" black color, and the viscosity of 10-W-40 oil, its aromas of violet/acacia flowers, melted licorice, camphor, blackberries, creme de cassis, and subtle toasty new oak are accompanied by a wine boasting terrific texture, good underlying acidity, ripe tannin, and a 60-second plus finish. This stunning effort competes with the 2000, and what looks to be Krankl's greatest Syrah-based wine to date, the 2002." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
Pagan Poetry--Vintage 2001half (1)
Ventriloquist--Vintage 2001(1)
"The 2001 Ventriloquist is a blend of 82 Grenache and 18 Syrah. Sixty percent of the fruit came from the Alban Vineyard, 32 from the Stolpman Vineyard, and 8 from the Shadow Canyon Vineyard. There are approximately 400 cases of this nectar. While it may not hit the surreal prodigiousness of the 2000 Incognito, it is a spectacular effort from a cooler growing season." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
Hollerin' M--Vintage 2002(1)
"The 2002 Hollerin' M Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir (704 cases) is absolutely mind-blowing Pinot, one of the most compelling examples I have ever tasted from Oregon. Deep plum/ruby/purple to the rim, with a glorious perfume of forest floor intermixed with acacia flowers, sweet cherries and plums, as well as hints of pomegranate and blackberries, it cuts a broad swath across the palate. The texture inundates the palate, and it finishes with tremendous voluptuousness and purity. A great hedonistic treat for all the senses, it will provide immense pleasure over the next decade." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Just for the Love of it--Vintage 2002(1)
"A dead-ringer (at least aromatically) for Guigal's single vineyard Cote Rotie La Mouline, the 2002 Just For The Love of It is the greatest California Syrah I have yet tasted." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Whisperin' E--Vintage 2002(1)
"The 2002 Proprietary White called Whisperin' E is a concoction of 50 Roussanne, 31 Viognier, and 19 Chardonnay, most from the Alban Vineyard with a tiny dollop of Stolpman fruit. There are 524 cases of this light gold-colored 2002. A superb perfume of smoky hazelnuts intermixed with exotic lychee, honeysuckle, peach, and beeswax notes is followed by a full-bodied wine with a multilayered texture that pulls back in the finish to reveal surprising uplift, acidity, and lightness ... an amazing feat given a wine of this power, dimension, and intensity. It should drink well for another 5-7 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Above 19 bottles and 1 half-bottle per lot
A partner at Campanile restaurant, Manfred Krankl made his first wine, Black and Blue, in 1992 under the larger Havens label as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Sine Qua Non, which could alternatively mean, without equal or something indispensable could both apply to the wine and the appreciation held for it by its fans as there is now a waiting list for the waiting list to acquire the freshest grape concoction. Sine Qua Non officially hit the scene in the mid 1990s, with heavy, odd-shaped bottles, gaudy labels and ostentatious proprietary names such as Omadhaun Poltron, Imposter McCoy and The Other Hand. Brilliant pieces of marketing, there are often serial like stories attached to each. Yields are incredibly miniscule often under one ton per acre from a combination of old vines, canopy management and shoot thinning. In the winery, processes utilitized include indigenous yeasts, lengthy cold soak, traditional open top fermenters, several punch downs, extended skin contact, malolactic fermentation in new oak casks, and just one racking prior to bottling. The wines are outrageously rich yet have subtlety and definition of flavor. Not only just a different moniker each year it is a different wine each year as the wine is sourced from the usual vineyards in the proportion for which they are producing. Originally, the Rhône varieties were sourced from the Alban, Bien Nacido, and Stolpman vineyards with the pinot juice being sourced from the famed Shea Vineyard of Oregon. Although each year there is an increasing emphasis to use fruit solely from the Santa Rita Hills, particularly the Eleven Confessions estate vineyard. With artisanal practices and acute attention to detail in the vineyard, winery and canvas, production is exceedingly minute with most cuvées hovering around 500 cases a year and even less for the late-harvest wines. Each vintage, the Krankls fully invest their heart, soul and personality into the art of each bottle.
JC
Sine Qua Non
Against The Wall--Vintage 1996(1)
"Sine Qua Non has produced some spectacular Syrahs, buying fruit from the best sources in Santa Barbara - the Alban, Stolpman, and Bien Nacido vineyards. The 1996 Against The Wall Syrah is cut from the same mold as the 1997. The color is opaque black/purple, and the nose offers a combination of cassis/blackberry jamminess intermixed with tar, pepper, and spice. Thick, massively full, yet wonderfully rich and expansive, with admirable purity and mouth-staining levels of glycerin and extract, this full-bodied, silky-smooth Syrah is deceptively easy to drink, but I suspect it will age effortlessly for 15-20 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #120 (December 1998)
Omadhaun and Poltron--Vintage 1996(1)
"The blockbuster whites Sine Qua Non is now producing are a blend of Roussanne and Chardonnay, with the former varietal dominating the blend in both 1996 and 1997. The massive, dry 1996 Omadhaun Poltron's 15.2 alcohol is well-concealed beneath this full-bodied wine's glycerin and unctuous texture." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #120 (December 1998)
Imposter McCoy--Vintage 1997(1)
"The funky artwork on the bottle emerges from Manfred Krankl's artistic side, but as the label says, "the truth is in the inside."
I have already wolfed down two bottles of the 1997 Imposter McCoy (529 cases) with equally voracious friends. A thick, juicy, massive Syrah, it gushes copious quantities of licorice-infused blackberry fruit offering smoke, coffee, and meaty notes. The wine is mouth-filling, teeth-staining, and loaded." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
Backward & Forward--Vintage 1998(1)
"The 1998 Roussanne and Chardonnay Backward and Forward is a blend of 30 Roussanne, 40 Chardonnay, and 30 Viognier. This effort is almost over the top, but I suspect when it is put together it will be sumptuous. The color is evolved, but the wine has surprisingly lively acidity for its richness and massive power." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
E-Raised--Vintage 1998(1)
"It is black-colored, jammy and super-intense with awesome concentration, terrific, chewy, explosive flavors of blackberries, cherries, and cassis interfused with creosote, pepper, and vanillin. All the cuvees are gorgeously pure, thick, and rich. As they sit in the glass, notes of roasted coffee, licorice, smoke, and barbecue spices emerge, giving them another dimension of complexity. It is hard to make a prediction at this point, given how sensational previous vintages have been, but it would not surprise me to see the 1998 Syrah turn out to be the finest yet from Sine Qua Non." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #127 (February 2000)
The Antagonists--Vintage 1998(1)
Vieled--Vintage 1998(1)
Icarus--Vintage 1999(1)
"The 1999 Icarus (a blend of 80 Grenache, 18 Syrah, and 2 Viognier, three-fourths from the Alban Vineyard and one-fourth from the Stolpman) was closed on the two occasions I tasted it. Its deep ruby color is accompanied by sweet black cherry and kirsch-like aromas with an underlying peppery earthiness. Full-bodied and moderately tannic, it is an austere and tightly knit offering. It should be decanted 45 minutes prior to consumption as these wines beg for aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2015." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002)
Tarantella--Vintage 1999(1)
"Krankl's 1999 Tarantella is one of the finest white wines he has made. It possesses outstanding underlying acidity, a terrific, citrusy, honeyed perfume (flower, mango, and tangerine aromas dominate) that roars from the glass, full body, and brilliant balance. Given past examples of this blend of Roussanne, Viognier, and Chardonnay, the 1999 should age nicely for 7-8 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002)
The Marauder--Vintage 1999(1)
"The outrageously rich 1999 The Marauder (100 Syrah from the Alban, Stolpman, and Bien Nacido vineyards) is tightly-structured, but crammed with blackberry and cassis fruit infused with subtle notes of camphor and licorice. Full and rich, it is a candidate for 14-18 years of graceful evolution." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #139 (February 2002) A Capella--Vintage 2000(1)
In Flagrante--Vintage 2000(1)
"The 2000 In Flagrante (a 725-case blend of 86 Syrah, 10 Grenache, and 4 Viognier) is a world-class, provocative effort. It reveals many of the same aromatic and flavor components found in the 2001 Midnight Oil and 2002 Syrah-dominated, unnamed offering. A black color is followed by a seamless effort loaded with blackberry, honey, and flower aromas, and an extraordinarily long, concentrated finish. As with all great wines, tasting notes/descriptors just can't do it justice. Among the recent SQN Syrahs, it is a strikingly elegant and powerful wine that has a decidedly French flair to it." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
The Boot--Vintage 2000(1)
Albino--Vintage 2000(1)
Midnight Oil--Vintage 2001(1)
"The impeccable 2001 Midnight Oil (95.5 Syrah, 3 Grenache, and 1.5 Viognier) is a product of four vineyards, Alban, Stolpman, Bien Nacido, and White Hawk. The good news is there are 950 cases of this compelling effort. With a "midnight" black color, and the viscosity of 10-W-40 oil, its aromas of violet/acacia flowers, melted licorice, camphor, blackberries, creme de cassis, and subtle toasty new oak are accompanied by a wine boasting terrific texture, good underlying acidity, ripe tannin, and a 60-second plus finish. This stunning effort competes with the 2000, and what looks to be Krankl's greatest Syrah-based wine to date, the 2002." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
Pagan Poetry--Vintage 2001half (1)
Ventriloquist--Vintage 2001(1)
"The 2001 Ventriloquist is a blend of 82 Grenache and 18 Syrah. Sixty percent of the fruit came from the Alban Vineyard, 32 from the Stolpman Vineyard, and 8 from the Shadow Canyon Vineyard. There are approximately 400 cases of this nectar. While it may not hit the surreal prodigiousness of the 2000 Incognito, it is a spectacular effort from a cooler growing season." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #148 (August 2003)
Hollerin' M--Vintage 2002(1)
"The 2002 Hollerin' M Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir (704 cases) is absolutely mind-blowing Pinot, one of the most compelling examples I have ever tasted from Oregon. Deep plum/ruby/purple to the rim, with a glorious perfume of forest floor intermixed with acacia flowers, sweet cherries and plums, as well as hints of pomegranate and blackberries, it cuts a broad swath across the palate. The texture inundates the palate, and it finishes with tremendous voluptuousness and purity. A great hedonistic treat for all the senses, it will provide immense pleasure over the next decade." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Just for the Love of it--Vintage 2002(1)
"A dead-ringer (at least aromatically) for Guigal's single vineyard Cote Rotie La Mouline, the 2002 Just For The Love of It is the greatest California Syrah I have yet tasted." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Whisperin' E--Vintage 2002(1)
"The 2002 Proprietary White called Whisperin' E is a concoction of 50 Roussanne, 31 Viognier, and 19 Chardonnay, most from the Alban Vineyard with a tiny dollop of Stolpman fruit. There are 524 cases of this light gold-colored 2002. A superb perfume of smoky hazelnuts intermixed with exotic lychee, honeysuckle, peach, and beeswax notes is followed by a full-bodied wine with a multilayered texture that pulls back in the finish to reveal surprising uplift, acidity, and lightness ... an amazing feat given a wine of this power, dimension, and intensity. It should drink well for another 5-7 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #154 (August 2004)
Above 19 bottles and 1 half-bottle per lot
Provenance
Purchased upon release property of a New Jersey gentleman removed from temperature controlled home storage.