2013 Sine Qua Non | Male Syrah

Detailed Description

Reviews: 

• Wine Advocate:  Like with the 2013 Grenache, I was thrilled to be able to taste the 2013 Syrah Male again (twist my arm), and it continues to impress. Giving up fabulous blackberry, bouquet garni, peppery herbs and minerality, this full-bodied, beautifully textured, concentrated and layered Syrah has ultra-fine tannin, impeccable balance and a great finish. It needs 2-4 years of cellaring and will see its 20th birthday in fine form.
• Vinous: Blackberry jam, mocha, chocolate and dark spices give the 2013 Syrah Male much of its deep, powerful personality. This is an especially lage-scaled, ample Syrah. Today, though, the 2013 is a bit monolithic. Time in the glass helps, but patience and time in bottle are absolutely essential here. The blend is 80% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvedre, 3.5% Touriga Nacional and 3.5% Viognier, done with 28% whole clusters. Interestingly, the 2013 Syrah is more expressive than the Grenache at this stage.

Producer Information

Sine Qua Non has its own winemaking facility in Ventura, California not far from the Santa Barbara vineyards where the fruit is sourced from. In the last few years Manfred and his wife, Elaine, have begun creating their own vineyards dedicated to Rhone varietals. Their winemaking philosophy is to work in very small batches, gravity flow, natural yeasts (unless a fermentation problem is anticipated), long lees aging for the whites and repeated racking for the reds to open them up. This is a modified explanation of a very dedicated and artistic approach to winemaking. The wines are simultaneously very rich and elegant, superbly balanced and thoroughly harmonious with food, never overwhelming.