Raul Puga

9.7

Wow. Just 🤯delicious. Still a baby. Opened and decanted for two hours — a year ago

with Mariana

Bryan Kesting

9.4

A very plush wine and similar in feel to other Krankl wines except very different flavor profile. Hard to explain other than I have never had a straight Graciano. Lavender, mint, Indian spices, and pepper. I would love to try this again in 4-5 years. — 7 years ago

with Scott

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.5

It remains a thrill to taste these wines from Krankl. Very sirah dominant with Some viognier to soften the wine. Fruit fwd, spicey, peppery. Wood fully integrated, lovely to drink now but can age another ten years easy. — 7 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.7

2003 Sine Qua Non "Omega-Shea Vineyard" Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. 15.5% alcohol. “The Last But Certainly Not The Least.” Y’all know my passion for all things Krankl, but I have a particular soft spot for the SQN Pinots. Maybe it’s because they are no more. But the coolest thing is that they’re not just a fond memory. They’re still making me smile every time I pull the cork. Tonight’s selection continues that trend. In the stem, not a hint of its age. Closer inspection reveals just a touch of amber on the edges. Otherwise crystal clear and light crimson. On the nose, an amazing potpourri. A Black fruit medley. Blackberries, black cherries, black cap raspberries. Chocolate/espresso notes with a hint of woody spices and forest floor. Just a whisper of rosemary. More than ample fruit on the palate with a pleasing nutmeg/dark chocolate chord along with hints of cedar and sandalwood. Sweet and somewhat syrupy but in a good way. Cherry liqueur comes to mind. Voluptuous really. Silky and elegant with a much longer than anticipated finish. Big and powerful, yet balanced and seamless. If you ever get the opportunity to try one of these SQN Pinots, don’t be put off by their age or reviewer scores. They’re unique with that magic Manfred touch. They were perhaps ahead of their time when compared with the big, full-bodied Pinots out there today. In my opinion they are terrific and all still singing! — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.8

2006 Sine Qua Non "The Hoodoo Man" White Blend
39% Roussanne, 31% Viognier and 30% Chardonnay. 15.8% alcohol. “There ain’t a horse that can’t be rode, there ain’t a man that can’t be throw’d” Yet another of my Sine Qua Non guilty pleasures. Similar to the 2009 “The Thrill Of Stamp Collecting” and the 2011 “Patine,” this is one of those Sine Qua Non wines that I find to be a might more compelling than the expert reviews. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why, but this one has always sort of tickled my fancy, and never fails to please. Ive always been rather fond of the perhaps Grant Wood, American Gothic inspired label. Now, some 12 years down the road, as with most of Manfred’s whites, the extra cellar time has just added nuance to this sexy effort. Lustrous, radiant gold in the stem, with a stunning bouquet of smoky, nutty peach cobbler with hints of white flowers lurking in the background. Tropical fruits and orange marmalade with a toasty, butterscotchy finish of substantial length. Absolutely wonderful acidity. Unctuous, oily texture that I treasure. Powerful and intense. Great balance. I like to taste great whites slightly warmer than cellar temperature, but I would say this one just got better and better with more air and as it warmed. Just beautiful. “Salud, chindon Mr. Krankl!”
— 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.9

2005 Sine Qua Non "Atlantis Fe203-2a" California Grenache
15.3% alcohol. 93% Grenache and 7% Syrah. So I return yet again to sing the praises of one Manfred Krankl, the Man, the Myth, the Legend. I originally pulled this bottle for an El Ideas dinner I was unfortunately unable to attend. The bad news is that I missed the artistry of @phillipfoss. The good news is that it’s here tonight. This is a wine that demands your complete and undivided attention which it never would have received in a restaurant setting with other wines. It needs to be doted on like the pretty girl at the dance. It needs to be the absolute center of attention. One of the highlights (and there are legion) of any SQN for me is the aromatic extravaganza I’ve come to expect, and this wine’s initial profile when the cork is pulled is akin to walking into a florist. That perfumed fragrance just floods the room. More swirling reveals sandalwood, anise, dark berries with some orange peel and just a touch of mint. It’s intense. It’s like when the server removes the cloche on an @grantachatz Alinea dish, and that scent wafts up and just engulfs you. You become immersed in that sensory overload. The show continues with an initial palate of succulent red fruits and kirsch, with notes of dark chocolate, espresso and that mint I mentioned on the nose. Subsequent returns to the glass reveal hints of grilled meats, sage and forest floor. Tannins and texture are pure silk. Persistent, fresh and slightly spicy finish of great length. The wine is beautifully integrated. Complex. Elegant. Wonderfully pure. Perfection? Let’s just say that if this wine isn’t first in its class, it doesn’t take long to call the roll.

— 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.8

2004 Sine Qua Non Covert Fingers Pinot Noir. 14.9% alcohol from the Santa Rita Hills Vineyard. Beautiful, youthful garnet hues with a seductive bouquet of dark fruits and freshly cut flowers on the nose. On the palate, sweet, ripe cherries predominate with notes of cinnamon and candied orange rind nicely balanced against a yeasty, freshly baked bread-like savoriness that blows me away. Texture in Spades. Wonderful acidity. Complex and perfectly balanced. My brother-in-law Joe said it best when he described the wine as ethereal. Wine of the weekend for me which is saying something since the weekend just started. Hate to sound like a broken record, but Manfred Krankl. Nuff said! — 9 years ago

with Bill, Charles and 3 others

Tom Garland

9.4

+1 hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A striking dark magenta color. On the nose: sweet black fruit, earthy mushroom, leather, bacon, floral. Taste: deep, dark, rich, and silky as you would expect from a Manfred Krankl wine with blackberry, dark chocolate, bacon fat, earth, and a long peppery coffee ground finish. YUM! — 2 years ago

with Brenda

Fraser McKinley

10

This was stunning today; Elixir-esq concentration sporting deep bass notes, a plethora of vital high tones, some carbon, a little graphite and impeccable purity. It would have likely tasted delicious anywhere but to share it with the Krankl family and perfect gentleman turned SQN chevalier @Roman Sukley was an honour and a privilege. It was part of a diamond day and the summit of a 17 year pilgrimage that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Thank you kindly Roman, Manfred, Elaine & August - 2014 — 7 years ago

Roman Sukley

10

2004 Sine Qua Non "Ode to E" Central Coast Grenache.
Gearing up for a major snowstorm here in Chicago. A great reason to pull the cork on greatness. On one of the best Grenache wines I’ve ever tasted. Heck, maybe THE best. If not first in it’s class, it definitely doesn’t take long to call the roll. Certainly one of my favorite wines, period. I love everything about it including the label: “A Love Forever In Bloom, Face With Tracks Of Life’s Attacks, Tattooed Scars Of History, Weathered Crust, Full Of Lust For That Rose Of Love For E.” The wine? The nose is a dreamy aromatic symphony of roses and raspberry compote. Also incense, pepper, graphite and a touch of smokey something off in the background somewhere. Beautiful. The palate is blast of sweet dark berry liqueur with that pepper and Asian spice creeping in on the backside. So lush. So complex. The finish? Intense, rather spicy and never ending. Never ending! As with all things Krankl, mind boggling balance between depth, complexity, raw power and utter weightless elegance. Simply put: Perfect. However you choose to define it. I think my favorite definition of perfection is from Coach Gary Gaines: “Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didnt let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasnt one more thing you could've done.” Well Manfred can certainly look us all in the eye on this one! — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.4

Great story behind this wine, with a FANTASTIC winemaker, Maggie Harrison, previously of SQN. She was great enough at what she was doing that Manfred Krankl pushed her out to start her own thing, and that was Lillian. Then a year later she found her self in Willamete Valley, beginning to produce knock out Pinot Noir. This stuff is WOW good, with muscle and great tenacity. I would love to see some age on it. :) — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.8

2006 Sine Qua Non "The Raven" Series No. 5
I decided to cut my SQN French class today with all the new French named SQN labels and go slightly old school with the Raven. But instead, I found myself still mired squarely in the Northern Rhône Valley. Perhaps Manfred should have named this one “Corbeau” or “Noir Comme du Charbon” because this one has me thinking Guigal La La. As these older SQN’s age, they seem to take on more Northern Rhône characteristics. A blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier primarily from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard with small quantities from the Bien Nacido and White Hawk vineyards. Bottled after spending 22 months in oak casks. Potpourri of sweet black and blue fruits, forest floor, Asian spice, bacon fat, tar, black olives and spring flowers on the almost overwhelmingly sumptuous nose. Mind-blowing really.
On the palate, blackberry jam, cracked white pepper, cherries, cinnamon, tobacco and allspice. Opulent mouthfeel. Ethereal texture. Dense, seamless, elegant. Complex, bold, rich and layered. So much finesse. “Tres Bon”Mr. Krankl!




— 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.5

1999 Sine Qua Non “Ox” Pinot Noir from the wonderful Shea Vineyard in Yamhill County, Oregon. 14% alcohol. I’ve always loved the simple label on this gigantic bottle with the cavernous punt. And I was all ready to wax poetic about the romance of opening one of these older SQNs as, based on a couple of recent tastings, I was told that this bottle is well over the hill. Well, that just ain’t so. At least not with this bottle which has been lovingly stored since release. Now I’m not going to try and convince you that the “Ox” is at its peak, but the old girl still has some tricks up her sleeve. Crystal clear, bright, medium garnet appearance. A little bricky on the edges. Smokey notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, truffles and clove on the nose. Quite vibrant palate of sweet strawberries and cola as well as spice box with a hint of vanilla, toast and that clove. A touch earthy. Nice acidity. Super silky mouthfeel. Short, but decent smokey finish with a bite reminiscent of Sweet Tarts candy. Tangy! Extremely enjoyable! Well made is well made. Chapeau Mr. Krankl! — 8 years ago

John Van Trijp

9.7

More alive than ever. Beautifull white from Krankl — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

Dense dark crimson, almost black in colour - opaque. Lots to unfurl on the nose with initial aromas of Tar, Black pepper, plum, black and blue fruits, dark chocolate and a herbal nuance. Densely packed and full bodied. Obviously the product of old vines. The vineyard was planted over a hundred years ago in 1920. One of those unique wines that has the ability to be full bodied and elegant at the same time. Never heavy, you could drink this all night. Still has latent energy at 16 years of age. An aristocratic Shiraz in company with the world’s finest. Jay Miller had an erudite comment when he said that the only competition for this wine comes from the likes of Guigal, Chapoutier, Chave, Krankl, and Ringland. I would be patriotic in addition to Chris Ringland, and include Peter Gago and Fraser McKinlay. Roman Bratasiuk is the winemaker of Astralis- which is made from a 4 hectare paddock in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. — 5 years ago

James Forsyth

9.7

The Chimère from Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non fame, and the Maurel brothers of Clos Saint Jean, is, appropriately, a beast. Cherry, blackcurrant, Christmas spice, violets and chocolate. Many elements combine to make a compelling wine that deserves attention over time. Indeed, when this bottle was initially opened, the prevailing thought at the table was that it would last months. A small tipple to check in, some time later, was tasted with our own resident chimera (well at least she sort of has the head of Lion element down) present. — 7 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.8

2008 Next of Kyn (Sine Qua Non) "Cumulus Vineyard No. 2" Central Coast Syrah. Pictured next to the inaugural vintage box, and documenting my disturbing inability to remove the cork in one piece, let’s begin with a quote from Manfred regarding the genesis of the brand: “The name is in reference to the fact that it is the next closest relative to SINE QUA NON, yet it is separate and different, and with its own personality, character and style. Implied is also a dose of hopefulness, of wishful thinking, that one of our five kids will someday take it over as his or her own.” (Unless my reverse adoption petition is granted, fingers crossed). The wines all emanate from Cumulus Vineyard, the Krankls’ first true estate vineyard. Most of the Syrah is planted on own-rooted, head-trained vines. The first three vintages were essentially Syrah-based, with some Grenache and Roussanne, all done with fully destemmed fruit. The wine spends around 30 months in French oak, with around 50% new oak. This particular vintage, which might very well be my favorite, is absolutely firing on all cylinders right now on its 10th Anniversary. So good in fact, that I will be looking to pick up a few more asap. 4 hour decant. Midnight black in the stem. Darker even than the 17th Nail from a week ago. Gorgeous bouquet of freshly baked, smokey blueberry pie cooling on the windowsill next to a vase of violets and lavender. Pleasing palate of sweet black cherry compote, licorice and Asian spices with just a hint of bacon fat. Lengthy, spicy finish. Beautiful structure. Lush and concentrated. I may need to add this to my guilty pleasures list as I don’t believe this was a critical standout. At least not by Manfred Krankl standards. Maybe the experts need to revisit?


— 8 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.4

“The Return of Mike Grammer” Dinner on 7/5. - still a bruiser at age 18. Most robust Oregon PM I’ve had, but still shows some character and and extra 0.1 on the score for day two. Could go a few more years. — 8 years ago

Melissa Rose

10

Fantastic big bold red. Super special vintage.. 🍷 — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

10

2010 SQN Stockholm Syndrome Grenache. So I wasn’t planning on posting any notes from my New Year’s Eve selections because sometimes you just need to enjoy the evening, but this wine is just so unbelievably phenomenal, I quite honestly just can’t stop thinking about it. I found myself just continually going back to this wine over the course of the evening. This supermodel immediately draws you in with her enticing nose of cassis, exotic spice, soy and purple flowers. Now that she has your full attention, she teases you with a rich and seamless palate of sweet blueberry pie, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke, incense, licorice, black pepper and smokey duck sauce. Finally, she grabs you by the lapels and plants a seductive finishing kiss that just won’t quit. Im in love. I know I sound like a broken record, but I think this Krankl guy may just make it if he can keep this up. — 8 years ago