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1997 Sine Qua Non Syrah Impostor McCoy

UNITED STATES / CALIFORNIA / SANTA BARBARA
abv 14.9%
  • 96 WA
  • 92 WS
  • 93 IWC
  • Variety
    Syrah
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SKU: 59144-1997

This item is available by the case only

Total:
$755.00

This is a final sale item

Not eligible for cancellations or refunds

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  • International Wine Cellar | Rating: 93

    Full ruby. Deep aromas of raspberry, blackberry, violet, nutmeg, cocoa powder, smoked meat and exotic woodsmoke. Super- concentrated, lush and thick, with a firm spine of acidity giving shape to the flavors. Rather strong oak tones. Explosive finish features thoroughly ripe tannins and a late burst of smoked meat.
    Author: Stephen Tanzer
    Issue: May/June 2000

  • Wine Spectator | Rating: 92

    Lots to admire--ripe, rich currant, meat and smoke flavors, hints of anise and mineral plus coffee and toffee notes. Finishes smooth and polished. Syrah, with 5 percent Grenache. 498 cases made.
    Author: James Laube

  • Wine Advocate | Rating: 96

    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. Its high alcohol (15.3%), glycerin level, and low acidity make it easy to drink, but I suspect it will age easily for 10-20+ years.
    Author: Robert Parker
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  • Self | Rating: 97

    Author: rcl

  • Self | Rating:

    Original Note - 0.149
    Author: Lulu SF
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Manfred Krankl, an Austrian immigrant and Los Angeles restaurateur turned winemaker, is a reclusive and maniacally hard-working proprietor. His back-alley Ventura winery, dubbed the "garage d'or," has been described as "a junkyard (or the first or second level of hell)" and compared to a set from the movie "Mad Max" by Robert Parker. A true believer in radical viticulture, Krankl has worked with excessively low yields and maintains his winery and vineyards with meticulous attention to detail.

Since the debut "Queen of Spades" in 1994, original artwork and increasingly creative wordplay has adorned the label of each SQN wine. The wine itself has become a benchmark for Rhone varieties not just in California, but in the world. With 100-point scores in double digits, Robert Parker raves, "...the Grenache is the finest in the New World, the Syrah begs to be compared with the greatest of France, California, and Australia, and the white wine blends assembled by Manfred Krankl are as sumptuous and complex as the world's finest Chardonnays..." For all collectors, and particularly those that love Rhone-styled wines, SQN truly is something indispensable.

See other similar producers:Turley Wine Cellars,Amuse Bouche,Brewer-Clifton
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California is the heartland of wine production in the US, and the state that brought prestige to American wine thanks to the pioneers who built early wineries like Staglin, Beringer, Ridge, Mayacamas and Chateau Montelena in the 1800s. Its large geographic area ensures a great diversity in growing sites, varieties grown, and quality levels. Generalizations about the state's wines have numerous exceptions; however, a few key facts generally hold true—ample sunshine, dry weather during the growing season, and moderate winters prevail. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon continue to dominate the state's production—albeit in continually smaller percentages, as growers continue to diversify. More than 100 different varieties can be found throughout the state.

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Collector Data For This Wine

  • 235 bottles owned
  • 93 collectors
  • Average collector rating: 97
    (Out of 93 collectors)