Sine Qua Non

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... Read More

I wasn’t able to taste this wine last year, because the Krankl’s didn’t believe it was ready. “I held this white back longer in barrel,” Manfred said. “The more I saw it in barrel on the lees,... Read More

The 2014 Syrah Capo dei Putti saw an amazing 38 months in fully 94% new oak, and it was showing superbly when I tasted it, unfurling in the glass with brooding aromas of blackberry preserve, cherries, bay leaf and a remarkably... Read More

The 2014 Syrah Capo dei Putti saw an amazing 38 months in fully 94% new oak, and it was showing superbly when I tasted it, unfurling in the glass with brooding aromas of blackberry preserve, cherries, bay leaf and a remarkably... Read More

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... Read More

The 2006 Syrah Raven Series (93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier) is primarily from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard with small quantities from the Bien Nacido and White Hawk vineyards. It will be bottled after spending 22... Read More

2007 Grenache Dangerous Birds: This wine, which is scheduled to be released in several months, is 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier (36% whole clusters utilized), all from the 11 Confessions Vineyard. A whopper at 15.6%... Read More

The 2007 Syrah Dangerous Birds, from Eleven Confessions, includes 4.5% Grenache and 2.5% Viognier, all fully destemmed. It is a seamless, show stopper of the highest level. The fruit is decidedly opulent in the 2007, while the... Read More

The 2011 Grenache Dark Blossom is probably the best Grenache-based blend in the vintage. A blend of 75% Grenache, 12.5% Syrah, 11.5% Mourvedre and a splash of Roussanne (fermented with 11% whole clusters), it has a perfumed, complex... Read More

The 2011 Syrah Dark Blossom showed even better from bottle than barrel. A blend of 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah and the rest Roussanne and Petite Manseng, this beauty was fermented with 17% whole clusters and aged in... Read More

The 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular wafts from the glass with heady aromas of kirsch, plums and Griotte cherries that mingle with nuances of sweet spice, rose petals and pepper. It saw 34% new oak (along with 53% used oak and 9%... Read More

The 2019 Grenache Distenta I is composed of 76% Grenache, 9.3% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, 4.3% Petite Sirah and 2.4% Viognier. It was fermented with 43.5% whole clusters (predominantly Grenache) and matured for 23 months in 26.5%... Read More

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... Read More

The 2019 Syrah Distenta I is composed of 83.6% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre, 5.2% Petite Sirah, 6.2% Grenache, 1.4% Muscat and 0.6% Petit Manseng. “I think Muscat is the number-one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred... Read More

Still in barrel, the 2020 Grenache Distenta 11 is a blend of 77.9% Grenache, 9.4% Mourvèdre, 7.9% Syrah, 4.3% Petite Sirah and 0.5% Viognier. Fruit comes entirely from the Krankls' estate vineyards: Eleven Confessions... Read More

Still in barrel, the 2020 Grenache Distenta 11 is a blend of 77.9% Grenache, 9.4% Mourvèdre, 7.9% Syrah, 4.3% Petite Sirah and 0.5% Viognier. Fruit comes entirely from the Krankls' estate vineyards: Eleven Confessions... Read More

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:... Read More

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:... Read More