“Sine Qua Non” is latin for “without which, one cannot.” It may also be interpreted as an essential element, a prerequisite, or a requirement. Browsing through the general public's comments about the wine, you come across adjectives and nouns such as “outstanding”, “a masterpiece”, “a superstar”, “amazing” and “explosive”. It’s no wonder, then, how Manfred Krankl came to name it.
From the Wine Advocate: “A blend of 89% Syrah, 7% Grenache, and 4% Viognier from four separate vineyards (the estate vineyards – 11 Confessions and Cumulus, and the two vineyards where Krankl purchases fruit – Whitehawk and Bien Nacido), this dense purple-hued offering displays a beautiful bouquet of graphite, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, and wood spice. It possesses fabulous fruit, layers of silky tannin, and good acidity – all seamlessly melded into the wine’s structure. Already delicious, it should put on weight and add additional nuances after bottling.”
Ventura County, home of Krankl’s Sin Qua Non winery, publishes Ventana Monthly, a magazine that in 2007 illuminated Krankl’s rise to wine stardom: “Manfred Krankl’s path to the Westside and winemaking begins in his homeland of Austria, which accounts for his affable accent…he met an American girl in Mikonos, Greece, and after less than a year back in Austria he headed to California and never looked back. .. Krankl and his wife, Elaine, had moved to an unincorporated part of West Ventura—a rural plot at the edge of Lake Casitas—to get away from it all. But he was still driving to L.A. everyday, and that’s how Ventura became home to what would become his celebrated Sine Qua Non Winery. He wanted a place between his new property and L.A. where he could focus on making wine as a hobby. But his friends liked it so much they encouraged him to make wine to sell…So in 1994, he made about 100 cases—it sold out immediately, and somehow Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate got a hold of one. A critic whose approval is priceless in the industry, Parker rated it an amazing 95 points, a number unheard of for first-timers and most lifelong vintners alike. “
Vintage: 2007
Varietal: Syrah
Aroma: Graphite, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, and wood spice.
Body: Fruit, layered with silky tannin, and good acidity, seamlessly melded into the wine's structure.
