2014 Sine Qua Non | Next Of Kyn No. 8 Red

Detailed Description

Reviews: 

• Wine Advocate: black cherries, mulberries and black soil.. ..menthol, tobacco, incense, sandalwood and chocolate box.. ..undercurrent of violets.. ..full-bodied, muscular palate stacks of flavor layers, finishing with great delineation and finesse
• Jeb Dunnuck: I rated the 2014 No 8 Cumulus Vineyard 99 points last year but found this bottle to be literally as good as it gets. Made from 38% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 16% Touriga Nacional and the balance Mourv√®dre and Petite Sirah, fermented with 43% whole clusters and aged in close to equal parts new and used French oak, it offers a heavenly bouquet of black raspberries, white chocolate, exotic spices, and graphite. This flows to a full-bodied wine that has off-the-charts purity and elegance, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional texture, not a hard edge to be found, and a finish that won‚Äôt quit. The 2014s are upfront and approachable (there‚Äôs plenty of similarities to the 2016s) yet this beauty is going to cruise in the cellar on its purity, depth, and balance. It‚Äôs a true ‚ÄúWow‚Äù wine!

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.