2011 | Sine Qua Non | Blossom Grenache

Deep ruby. Highly aromatic scents of black raspberry, dried cherry, smoky minerals and potpourri. Dense, lush and sweet, with spicy dark berry, bitter chocolate, herb and licorice flavors complemented by candied violet. Impressively rich but shows plenty of energy thanks to intense minerality and spiciness. Finishes very long, with firm but ripe tannins and echoing florality. The majority of the fruit here was grown in the Krankls' Cumulus and Krankls' Eleven Confessions vineyards; 3% of the Grenache came from the Bien Nacido vineyard.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: 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 style, with notions of black raspberry, cassis, dried flowers, white pepper and licorice giving way to a full-bodied, layered and seamless mouthfeel. There’s no shortage of fruit here, and while it’s hard to resist now, it has enough tannin to warrant short-term cellaring.

• Vinous: The 2011 Grenache Dark Blossom emerges from the glass with darker tonalities of fruit and firmer tannin compared to the 2012. Vivid, complex and nuanced, the 2011 is flat-out stunning today. Grilled herbs, smoke, sage, mint and black cherries linger on the explosive, structured finish.

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.

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