2002 Sine Qua Non Syrah Just for the Love of it
UNITED STATES / CALIFORNIA /
International Wine Cellar | Rating: 94
($95; with 2% grenache and 2% viognier) Deep ruby-red. Black fruits, orange peel, Tellicherry pepper, sandalwood incense and black walnut on the highly complex nose. Quite youthful, even a bit clenched, in the mouth, with extremely intense, juicy, peppery fruit and a lovely coolness that promises a long evolution in bottle. Compared to the lush grenache bottling, this comes across as somewhat rigid today, but it possesses superb underlying sappiness. Finishes with firm tannins and superb persistence. One of those rare wines that seem to grow darker with aeration. This should have a long and rewarding evolution in bottle and may ultimately merit an even higher score.Author: Stephen TanzerIssue: January/Feburary 2005Wine Advocate | Rating: 100
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. A one-thousand case blend of 96% Syrah, 2% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, it is nearly equal parts Alban, Bien Nacido, and Stolpman fruit with a small amount from both Shadow Canyon and White Hawk. It boasts a provocative perfume of creme de cassis, toast, blackberries, licorice, barbecue spice, and exotic floral scents. Extremely full-bodied, with fabulous intensity, great purity, awesome length, and a finish that lasts over a minute, this classic is a must purchase. Already accessible, it will drink well for 10-15 years.Author: Robert ParkerIssue: 154
Self | Rating:
fantastic wineAuthor: SteveSelf | Rating: 95
Massive. Regal. Needs years.Author: taipanliSelf | Rating: 97
Nearly opaque black purple colored wine with a few slow moving and deeply pigmented legs. Leather, anise, smoke, plum, espresso, and tar aromatics with some rose, stone, mineral and baker?s chocolate grace notes. Almost painfully intense in the mouth with tremendous length and depth. Sweet mocha and licorice flavor just never want to stop. Tannin is barely perceptible given how much power (much of it latent) this wine possesses. Acidity is more than sufficient and while not objectionable needs some time to become better integrated. Tighter than previous examples but the wine?s immense potential is undeniable. 96% Syrah with 2% each of Viognier and Grenache mixed in.Drink Dates: 2010-2020Author: Daniel BSelf | Rating:
Original Note - 15.2% alcAuthor: Lulu SF
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
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
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.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 1276 bottles owned
- 299 collectors
- Average collector rating: 97
(Out of 299 collectors)