Sine Qua Non, Piranha Waterdance, California

Didn't take formal notes. Although my tastes are generally drifting away from big CA reds, I found the quality of this wine to be undeniable. Full bodied and concentrated, but just enough balance and acidity to not feel too heavy. The mouthfeel was incredible -- plush and silky. There is a ton of dark fruit here, but it didn't come off too sweet, and there were nice earthy and savory notes not too far underneath the fruit to keep it …

2014 vintage

As always, this was spectacular. Needs hours of decanting.

2014 vintage

Decanted for 3 hours, drank over 3. On the nose a blast of combination of dark fruit and red fruit on the nose, pepper, and bacon fat. On the palate, dark fruit and red fruit, bacon fat, finishing off with a black pepper. Very full bodied, balanced tannins and acidity. I now know why SQN has a long wait-list, this is exceptional.

2014 vintage

No decant and drank equal half over two days. The wine was explosive after pulling the cork and to my senses was the best upon opening the bottle. It evolved over an hour of slow sipping and was thoroughly enjoyable. Over hour 2 -3, the wine exhibited a bit more tannin structure. I agree with recent tasting notes (especially rnjbond). On day 2, the wine was similar to the last tastes of day one with only the tiniest hint of …

2014 vintage

Decanted for three hours before drinking, then let it unfold in the decanter for another two hours as we drank. This is a powerful, yet controlled wine. Initial taste was super strong and powerful but mellowed out with air. On the nose, the strongest note was strawberry with balsamic and pepper. Yes, I'm aware pepper and Syrah is a cliché, but it fits here. Less peppery than a Rhône Syrah. Also some slight notes of cinnamon stick and turmeric. On …

2014 vintage

Decanted 4 hours. Kept opening and showing its hand as we consumed. One should always know what one is getting with an SQN Syrah. Pick a word that begins with B: big, bold, balanced, beguiling, banging. And on and on. Certainly not a wine for everyone, but it cannot be denied that it’s a very well-crafted, sure-of-itself wine. I happen to find them very compelling. I do wonder if such a boisterous wine will always enthrall me. My fire within, …

2014 vintage

Beautiful wine with great depth of fruit, blackberry, bacon fat and black pepper spice on the finish.

2014 vintage

Very fruity and at the same time umami in the nose. Black berries in the palate. It drinks nicely.

2014 vintage

Dark red/ purple. Intense nose of dark berries, pepper, spice, smoked meats, oak. Very full bodied and palate coating, ripe lush layered fruit, decent balance, long finish. Has years to go. Excellent-outstanding.

2014 vintage

Deep red in colour and clear, this wines had a nose of dark berries, caramel and a good amount of smoke on the nose. In the glass were flavours of sour cherries and some white pepper. The tannins and acidity were still very strong and a bit too much for my liking on this day.

2014 vintage

Still young and developing. The alcohol does t really come through which makes it a good SQN though you feel it a half bottle onwards Great drive and acidity

2014 vintage

Cassis, kir, pepper and meat that evolved and kept getting better

2014 vintage

Super dense blueberries and pepper and meat and deep deep purple. Smooth tannins. Enough acidity to keep it from being heavy (though did I mention dense). Everything in enough balance that it actually has a surprising finesse for something so dense. Goes with food without totally overpowering it. Decanted for and hour and then drank over a few hours during which time it basically didn’t change.

2014 vintage

Stunning wine, opened for 6 hours, no decant. Paired with Wagyu striploin.

2014 vintage

Opened three hours in advance of our Father's Day dinner. Dark fruit, plums, tobacco, hints of chocolate, the flavor of molasses come through in the deep rich wine with a very long finish. A really great bottle of wine.

2014 vintage

Sweet black fruit with sweet baking spice, this comes across as rich and powerful, Kurt Somehow still humble with nothing ostentatious. Seamless and long finish.

2014 vintage

Huge wine. Massive amount of blackcurrant on the nose. Absolutely lovely

2014 vintage

2nd time I have had this wine. Not decanted. No formal notes. 93 points.

2014 vintage

A late addition to the lineup, courtesy of VM, popped and poured. Deep inky color. Black fruit, pepper and roasted game qualities. Full-bodied and still rather firm. As I say every time I taste an SQN, these are not wines I would want to drink every day (even if I could afford such a proposition), but they definitely scratch a certain itch that comes up a few times a year. In this style, I've found no equal.

2014 vintage

Super concentrated syrah; gobs of pure black and blue fruit. the only thing I can say is it was much better than the two Grenaches. Addendum to the DD Rose Champagnes blind at Grand Harbor.

2014 vintage

No detailed notes taken. Tasted blind. This has such a dark soul with smoke, ash, smoked meeat wrapped around a deep, ripe, black fruit core. Very intense nose, superbly precise. On the palate the same incredible intensity, with the same aromas with even more meaty notes, spices, minty freshness. Extremly high precision. A wall of ultra fine tannins, high acidity, super creaminess yet so weightless. Wow. This is super balanced and round, yet a monster. In 20 years this could …

2014 vintage

Double-decanted for 30mins, but best to go 1-2h or more. Pitch-black cherry, brambleberry confit, smoked dried meat and leather. Then more meat, bacon fat, black olives and coal, occasionally softened up by a fine layer of vanillin and hints of eucalyptus. Concentrated palate, densely packed with more dark berries and plum. Super-soft tannins provide for a weightlessness despite the powerful structure. This reminded me of a less bulky version of the Bionic Frog. Really loved it.

2014 vintage

Drinking really well. Just a beautiful wine.

2014 vintage

Kleur: Diep ondoordringbaar robijnrood Aroma / bouquet: Opvallend fris en fruitig bouquet. Het donkere fruit is nog behoorlijk 'ingepakt' en ‘compact’, nog weinig individuele smaaknuances waarneembaar. Smaak / Afdronk: Ook in de mond opvallend fris. Frisse zuurgraad, krachtige tannines met een prettige bite, opvallend zachte wijn. Algemeen / potentieel: Qua karakter een totaal andere wijn. Frisser. Jongste wijn van de line-up van vanavond. Voor zover deze wijn nu nog niet volmaakt is, is dat een kwestie van leeftijd. 50 + …

2014 vintage

"Baby are you okay? You've barely touched your Char-spookerie." (Chicago, IL) : Served double blind. Immediately identified as SQN (though admittedly I saw the wax top and felt the incredibly heavy bottle). Anyway, this is exactly what you expect. There's nothing subtle about it. Big in every way -- the bottle, the oak, the fruit. More drinkable than I would expect, the biggest impediment to my actually enjoying this is the horribly bitter and oaky finish which is mostly (and …

2014 vintage

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Sine Qua Non, Piranha Waterdance, California

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