Reviews

Sine Qua Non Syrah The Duel

Boy has this clamped down on itself since I last had it in 2018. Back then, it was gushing 100 points all day long. This bottle was sleepy and strict. Even with air, it was still kinda angry and in a…

Kinsman Eades Syrah Aberro Bien Nacido Block Z

Decanted for approximately three hours, which seemed to yield good results considering how impatient I was to crack the cap on this bottle and see what all the fuss was about.

La Pelle Syrah Bien Nacido Block X

Same as before, with perhaps a more saline purple people eater sea monster from from the shores of St Joseph (that is, if St. Joseph had shores). Super spicy, with black and white pepper, bark, and…

Next of Kyn No~13 Cumulus Vineyard

Coravin'd over a few weeks here and there and opened the bottle after about half was remaining. A total smooth operator. It's big but it's silky smooth and airy. Blackberry, purple plum, pen ink,…

Saxum White James Berry Vineyard

Double decanted 3 hours. Heat. Angular. Fruit muted. Some interesting honey and marzipan notes poke out, but not much depth to be had; a completely clipped finish. The 15.8% ABV is distracting at…

Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20

I've written quite a bit on this wine. It was a little misplaced in the spattering of wines at the table; so for that, it suffered a bit. That said, it did pair extraordinarily well with pork in wine…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Distenta II

Huge blackberry cobbler, camphor, brush, and booze. It has the hallmarks of the SQN Syrah flavor profile that I love, but like all things SQN, I recommend at least another 7+ years (more like 10)…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Distenta I

Not dissimilar to the 2020 Distenta II Syrah served beside it, this year-older sibling is even more megabomb boom in its delivery. The 2019 is more busting out the seams with just pure black and blue…

Sine Qua Non Distenta White II

In typical Sine Qua Non fashion, the white in this vintage is a fetching Frankenstein concoction of 32% Roussanne, 26% Viognier, 25% Chardonnay, 12% Gelber Muskateller (so. basically Muscat), and 5%…

Allbaer Grenache Là Haut Caelesta Vineyard

Barrel sample. Initial impressions focus on super impressive purity of fruit (muddled red raspberry) and an almost surprisingly elegant tannin structure for what one would expect from a thief from…

La Pelle Chardonnay Bien Nacido - Block I

I'm tellin' ya, Maayan is just destroying it with these whites, and this Chardonnay, which I've had a number of times from the previous couple of vintages, is totally my style all the way around.…

Keplinger Syrah Gratus Amico Bien Nacido

100% Syrah from Block 45 of the Bien Nacido vineyard, the Gratus Amico leads with a bouquet of roses and a red berry fruit basket, followed by red raspberry, red and black cherry, and faint stone…

La Pelle Syrah Bien Nacido Block X

Salty and funky on the nose, with an instant cool climate aura that makes you wanna stick your face further into the glass and pretend you tripped and fell in a blackberry field off the coast of…

Keplinger Syrah Gratus Amico Melville Vineyard

The Donna's is much more of a Funky Cold Medina compared to its fraternal twin Block 45 sibling. Less floral as well, the Donna's smells more like a 2011 Napa Cabernet (or maybe a 2011 Cornas) than a…

Saxum Booker Vineyard

Well, hot dang! What's up blackberry bombshell?! Huck a slab of tar in your face and top with some chocolate, gingerbread, and ...pine needles? ..and you got yerself a Booker that, once the booze…

Sine Qua Non Distenta White I

A Little Havana disco-pulse ultra-club kaleidoscopic fruit bowl bonanza of butterscotch schnapps, honey hot toddy, fresh pineapple, unripe mango, dry hay, fresh corn, and limoncello mojito, the…

Sine Qua Non Syrah B 20

This could certainly go another 3-5 years with no problem. Showing a meaty but finessed profile, with a bit of flex for the initial pour. Three hours in the decanter made for marked improvement…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Ziehharmonika

Too early. Period. PnP was a total joke: hot and brash. It wasn't a hot 'mess' necessarily, but it teetered on being completely chaotic and vulgar. It was mad at me and I was mad at it. "Stop…

Saxum G2 Vineyard

Ok, I gotta call it like I see it. This was HOT HOT HOT. A Grenache cocktail if there ever was one. No, we didn't decant (so I'll take the hit on that for less-than optimal service). But oh lordy was…

The Third Twin Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo The Third Twin Vineyard

Deeply pitched purple and black-red fruits ooze on to the palate, with an entry that is intense but controlled. With a few hours in the decanter, the flow is enhanced and the saturation pulsates with…

Herman Story Pinot Noir Smash City

If Dr. Pepper had an Adderall-addicted brother with a propensity for Lewis Black whiskey fits and kidnapping caracal kittens, it would be the 2020 Herman Story Pinot Noir Smash City...

Herman Story Petite Sirah First Time Caller

Dooooooooouuude. This. Is. A. Bruiser.

Sine Qua Non Grenache Distenta I

Similar notes to my last recent sampling. I'll just add that this displayed a cocktail cassis element that I was hoping would blow off a little faster than it did. This took some time to get into a…

Sine Qua Non Grenache Distenta I

A bit less gushing than the Profuga and a bit more muted on the finish (gently clipped by some unresolved wood and acid - which I personally don't mind for the purpose of cradling the ripe and…

Sine Qua Non Grenache Profuga

As was before when I sampled this last year, the Profuga is a wonderfully deep and unctuous outpouring of dark berry, black spice, and fresh earth goodness. Darker than the 2019 Distenta I Grenache…