| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Varietal | Grenache, Syrah |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 61762 |
| Size | 750ml |
2016 Syrah: Very deep purple-black, it comes bounding out of the glass with precociously profound notes of baked blackberries, plum preserves, blueberry pie, tilled earth and lilacs plus tobacco leaf, wild sage, truffles and espresso nuances. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tautly structured, strutting a firm backbone of rounded tannins and fantastic freshness supporting the muscular, tightly wrapped layers, finishing with epic length and loads of minerally fireworks.
2016 Grenache: Composed of 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier, employing 56% whole cluster, the nose of this opaque, garnet-purple colored uber-Grenache completely explodes with a candied violets, mandarin peel and Indian spices perfume, giving way to a core of bursting-ripe red berries—redcurrants, Morello cherries and raspberries—with an undercurrent of earth, earth and more sweet, fragrant earth. The numbers are telling me this is a full-bodied wine (16.9% alcohol), but the palate is deceptively ethereal, possessing more of a medium to full-bodied feel, thanks in part to bags of well-integrated freshness and fantastic harmony, with soft, silt-like tannins, finishing with loads of savory layers and a fragrant, floral breeze. Yowza, that's good.
2016 Syrah: Meaning 'Rise' in Spanish, the 2016 Syrah SUBIR is the estate release that's all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. It's 89.7% Syrah with the rest Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Viognier that was 56% destemmed and spent a full 38 months in 82% new French oak. There are few wines that can spend close to four years in barrel and still emerge with freshness and purity, yet this estate seems to produce wines that do it with ease. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as a heavenly array of crème de cassis, white chocolate, blackberries, unsmoked tobacco, and peppery spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, incredible depth of fruit, and that rare mix of power and elegance that's that hallmark of truly great wines. This was a great vintage for the Central Coast, and this is a true gem of a wine that tops out on my scale. While it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, it offers incredible pleasure today as well.
2016 Grenache: Coming all from the estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard and 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah, and a splash of Viognier thrown in for good measure, the 2016 Grenache Pajarito Del Amor was brought up 38 months in 54% new French oak demi-muids and the balance in varying used barrels ranging from 2 to 6 years in age. There are just 916 cases of this magical wine, which easily ranks with the greatest Grenache-driven wines to ever come out of California. Deep purple-hued, with an incredible array of cassis, blackberries, toasted spices, caramelized meats, white pepper, and graphite, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an expansive, layered mouthfeel, and a blockbuster finish. This is one of those wine that wows from the first sip and is flawlessly balanced, with ripe tannins, incredible purity, and a singular character.
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