2013 | Sine Qua Non | Male Syrah

Blackberry jam, mocha, chocolate and dark spices give the 2013 Syrah Male much of its deep, powerful personality.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Like with the 2013 Grenache, I was thrilled to be able to taste the 2013 Syrah Male again (twist my arm), and it continues to impress. Giving up fabulous blackberry, bouquet garni, peppery herbs and minerality, this full-bodied, beautifully textured, concentrated and layered Syrah has ultra-fine tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish.

• Vinous: Blackberry jam, mocha, chocolate and dark spices give the 2013 Syrah Male much of its deep, powerful personality. This is an especially large-scaled, ample Syrah. Today, though, the 2013 is a bit monolithic. Time in the glass helps, but patience and time in bottle are absolutely essential here. The blend is 80% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre, 3.5% Touriga Nacional and 3.5% Viognier, done with 28% whole clusters. Interestingly, the 2013 Syrah is more expressive than the Grenache at this stage.

Producer Information

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 specialises 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. The brand has become a cult favorite since its beginnings. Small volumes mean that demand has consistently outstripped supply and, like many top Californian producers, Sine Qua Non has employed a mailing list to sell wines directly to customers. The wines fetch top prices on the secondary market, often reaching more than $1000, and occasionally much higher: in 2014, a single bottle of Sine Qua Non rosé from the 1995 vintage fetched $42,780 at auction.

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