99 pts
Wine Advocate
2011 Sine Qua Non Syrah Dark Blossom Central Coast
The 2011 Syrah Dark Blossom showed even better from bottle than barrel. A blend of 84% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 4% Petite Sirah and the rest Roussanne and Petite Manseng, this beauty was fermented with 17% whole clusters and aged in equal parts new and used French oak. One of the shining successes in the vintage, it’s a full-bodied, concentrated and layered Syrah that has awesome aromatics of blackcurrants, Peking duck, pepper, licorice and charcuterie in its seamless, thrillingly pure profile. As with Manfred’s other 2011s, the tannins are certainly present, yet they’re sweet, polished and have no hard edges. Give this beauty 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2031.
96 pts
Vinous
2011 Sine Qua Non Syrah Dark Blossom Central Coast
The 2011 Syrah Dark Blossom is dark, mysterious and wonderfully inviting. Black fruit, savory herbs, leather and spice meld together in a deep, dense wine that is constantly changing in the glass. Savory overtones add intrigue. The firm, muscular 2011 tannins are going to need time to soften. Readers lucky enough to find the 2011 can look forward to years of thrilling drinking,
97 pts
Vinous
2011 Sine Qua Non Grenache Dark Blossom Central Coast
The 2011 Grenache Dark Blossom emerges from the glass with darker tonalities of fruit and firmer tannin compared to the 2012. Vivid, complex and nuanced, the 2011 is flat-out stunning today. Grilled herbs, smoke, sage, mint and black cherries linger on the explosive, structured finish.
97 pts
Wine Advocate
2011 Sine Qua Non Grenache Dark Blossom Central Coast
The 2011 Grenache Dark Blossom is probably the best Grenache-based blend in the vintage. A blend of 75% Grenache, 12.5% Syrah, 11.5% Mourvedre and a splash of Roussanne (fermented with 11% whole clusters), it has a perfumed, complex style, with notions of black raspberry, cassis, dried flowers, white pepper and licorice giving way to a full-bodied, layered and seamless mouthfeel. There’s no shortage of fruit here, and while it’s hard to resist now, it has enough tannin to warrant short-term cellaring. It should knock it out of the park through 2029.
