2011 Sine Qua Non Grenache Dark Blossom

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. It should knock it out of the park through 2029. These latest releases from Sine Qua Non and Next of Kyn are at the pinnacle of wine, and it’s simply impossible to taste through these and not be blown away. While I think the star of the show at the moment is the 2010 vintage, the 2011s aren’t far behind, and the 2012s should rival them as well. In addition, to give you an idea how these wines age, don’t miss the recent 2004 retrospective on these wines that was published at eRobertParker.com. We finished the tasting with Manfred’s Next of Kyn releases, and these are the strongest set of wines yet to come out under this label. The focus here is exclusively on his estate Cumulus Vineyard planted around the estate in Oakview. Tel. (805) 649-8901; www.sinequanon.com

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.

(includes 12.5% syrah, 11.5% mourvedre and 1% roussanne; 15.75% alcohol): 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.