Sine Qua Non Trouver l'Arène Syrah 2015

$449.99

100 points - limited                     Limited new Syrah from cult producer Sine Qua Non. 100 Points Robert Parker:  "Composed of 80.5% Syrah, 7% Petite Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, 2% Grenache and 3.5% Viognier, all sourced from estate vineyards—37% The Third Twin, 36% Eleven Confessions and 27% Cumulus—the 2015 Syrah Trouver L’Arene was made using 34% whole cluster and has a deep purple-black color with intense cassis, black plums and black cherries scents plus hints of anise, violets, sage and tar, with wafts of savory/smoked meat suggestions. Full-bodied, this voluptuous beauty is seriously singing in the mouth, belting out vibrant red and black fruit flavor layers, all framed by very fine, rounded, ripe tannins and a wonderful freshness, finishing with persistent perfumed fruit and a spring in its step." 100 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The otherworldly 2015 Syrah Trouver l’Arene is made from 80% Syrah, 7% each of Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre, and the balance Viognier and Grenache. As with the Grenache in 2015, it saw some whole clusters in the fermentation and spent 22 months in close to equal parts new and used French oak. Opaque purple-colored and loaded with sensational notes of smoked black fruits, peppery herbs, liquid flowers, exotic spice, and lavender, this insane beauty hits the palate with awesome density and depth, yet stays amazingly light and graceful, with no apparent weight or heaviness. It possesses sweet tannin, incredible purity of fruit, and a finish that goes on for nearly a minute. It’s an incredible effort that reminds me of a great vintage of Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Mouline (the 2010? It’s not too dissimilar to the 2003 early in its life) with its exotic, floral, gamey character. There have been so many monumental Syrahs from this address it’s difficult to say where this beauty will ultimately end up when it’s at maturity, but my money is on it being in the top handful of Syrahs ever made by Manfred. It’s incredible today (with a decant) but needs 3-5 years and will knock your socks off over the following two decades or more." "There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic."

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Ratings on Delectable

Shay A Delectable Pro

My third red wine from my annual CC hosting (others were 2015 Guigal Ampuis and 2015 SamiOdi Hoffman Dallwitz shiraz). I remember having this wine in the fall of 2018…it was fairly new, and I was flabbergasted at how good it was so close to release, so I bought a bottle. Here we are 4yrs later, and while slightly different, I found it just as delicious. Double decanted for about 2-3hrs. While the aromatics aren’t as bombastic out of the glass, the polish of this wine is one of the best in an SQN wine I’ve had in a while. Slightly stemmy/herbal, dark floral/potpurri, with notes of smoked meat (more to the rich side, a la Cote Rotie), dark berry compote and mocha. Incredibly powerful yet elegant on the palate, with a rollercoaster of sweet and savory battling all the way through the insanely long finish. This is new world through and through, but it’s very much nodding to Northern Rhône. The mid 2010s for SQN seemed (to me) to show a change to incorporate more stems, more white varieties (bigger floral aromatics) and slightly less time in oak (and less new oak too) compared to the 2000s offerings, and the trend is continuing that way with the recent releases as well. Love it.

My third red wine from my annual CC hosting (others were 2015 Guigal Ampuis and 2015 SamiOdi Hoffman Dallwitz shiraz). I remember having this wine in the fall of 2018…it was fairly new, and I was flabbergasted at how good it was so close to release, so I bought a bottle. Here we are 4yrs later, and while slightly different, I found it just as delicious. Double decanted for about 2-3hrs. While the aromatics aren’t as bombastic out of the glass, the polish of this wine is one of the best in an SQN wine I’ve had in a while. Slightly stemmy/herbal, dark floral/potpurri, with notes of smoked meat (more to the rich side, a la Cote Rotie), dark berry compote and mocha. Incredibly powerful yet elegant on the palate, with a rollercoaster of sweet and savory battling all the way through the insanely long finish. This is new world through and through, but it’s very much nodding to Northern Rhône. The mid 2010s for SQN seemed (to me) to show a change to incorporate more stems, more white varieties (bigger floral aromatics) and slightly less time in oak (and less new oak too) compared to the 2000s offerings, and the trend is continuing that way with the recent releases as well. Love it.

9.6

Ezekiel James Hampton Delectable Pro

Big espresso!

Big espresso!

9.0

Dr. Owen Bargreen Delectable Pro

The stunning, profound and downright decadent ‘Trouver l’arene’ Syrah is an opulent blend of 80.5% Syrah, with 7% Petite Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, 2% Grenache and 3.5% Viognier, which were sourced from their estate vineyards. The wine was aged in both neutral and new French oak for 22 months prior to bottling. On the nose this exudes class with sagebrush accents that collide with the blueberry pie, blackberry cordial and potpourri aromatics that all build steam in the glass. The texture to this wine exudes class. Ripe black cherry syrup, Turkish coffee, tar and leather with shades of sweetened licorice all impress on the palate. While a delight to savor in its youth, this stunning wine will evolve well over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2019-2035- 99

The stunning, profound and downright decadent ‘Trouver l’arene’ Syrah is an opulent blend of 80.5% Syrah, with 7% Petite Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, 2% Grenache and 3.5% Viognier, which were sourced from their estate vineyards. The wine was aged in both neutral and new French oak for 22 months prior to bottling. On the nose this exudes class with sagebrush accents that collide with the blueberry pie, blackberry cordial and potpourri aromatics that all build steam in the glass. The texture to this wine exudes class. Ripe black cherry syrup, Turkish coffee, tar and leather with shades of sweetened licorice all impress on the palate. While a delight to savor in its youth, this stunning wine will evolve well over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2019-2035- 99

9.9

Greg Ballington Delectable Pro

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

Deep ruby red. Decanted for almost 4 hours. Powerful nose with olives, black bramble berries, tar, baking spices and gravel. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Layered palate with black currants, black olives, a touch savory, herbs, cinnamon and a little dark bit of dark crushed gravel. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2038. (97+) One of my favorite Syrah based wines for sure. This 2015 is made up of 80.5% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Mourvèdre, 3.5% Viognier and 2% Grenache. The fruit comes from three of the four estate vineyards: 37% The Third Twin, 36% Eleven Confessions and 27% Cumulus. Fermented separately with around 34% whole bunches and then aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French oak barrels. Thank you Drew for givining this some extra decant time for us! $$$$$ - Purchased at RARE Steakhouse in Washington, DC for Restaurant week for $165.00, yes that is the price. Average retail is around $364.00.

Deep ruby red. Decanted for almost 4 hours. Powerful nose with olives, black bramble berries, tar, baking spices and gravel. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Layered palate with black currants, black olives, a touch savory, herbs, cinnamon and a little dark bit of dark crushed gravel. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2038. (97+) One of my favorite Syrah based wines for sure. This 2015 is made up of 80.5% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Mourvèdre, 3.5% Viognier and 2% Grenache. The fruit comes from three of the four estate vineyards: 37% The Third Twin, 36% Eleven Confessions and 27% Cumulus. Fermented separately with around 34% whole bunches and then aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French oak barrels. Thank you Drew for givining this some extra decant time for us! $$$$$ - Purchased at RARE Steakhouse in Washington, DC for Restaurant week for $165.00, yes that is the price. Average retail is around $364.00.

9.7

Lee Pitofsky Delectable Pro

Tremendous depth, length and intensity. Rich blackberry, black raspberry, phenomenal palate coating texture, a hint smokey, spicy herbs, exotic flowers and spices, incredibly long finish. Dynamite.

Tremendous depth, length and intensity. Rich blackberry, black raspberry, phenomenal palate coating texture, a hint smokey, spicy herbs, exotic flowers and spices, incredibly long finish. Dynamite.

9.8

Michael Morris Delectable Pro

Wine Director The Park Café

Typical beast of a wine from SQN. Some nice aromatics considering this needs at least 5 years. Discriptors would read like everything I usually hate in wine yet somehow Manfred makes it work, and quite well

Typical beast of a wine from SQN. Some nice aromatics considering this needs at least 5 years. Discriptors would read like everything I usually hate in wine yet somehow Manfred makes it work, and quite well

9.5

Shay A Delectable Pro

As if Part 1 of Saturday night wasn’t incredible enough, Part 2 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH was all Sine Qua Non wines. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people. I couldn’t count how many people kept picking up their glass to smell this over and over. For me, this was nose of the night (maybe the weekend?). Blueberry pie, nutmeg, cinnamon and milk chocolate shavings on the nose. The palate is massive and young...needed hours to come around. Powerful core of pipe tobacco, tar, smoked meat, and grilled dark fruit. This will likely hit perfection (for my style) in a few years and am glad to own one. Thank you for bringing, @Carl Fischer .

As if Part 1 of Saturday night wasn’t incredible enough, Part 2 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH was all Sine Qua Non wines. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people. I couldn’t count how many people kept picking up their glass to smell this over and over. For me, this was nose of the night (maybe the weekend?). Blueberry pie, nutmeg, cinnamon and milk chocolate shavings on the nose. The palate is massive and young...needed hours to come around. Powerful core of pipe tobacco, tar, smoked meat, and grilled dark fruit. This will likely hit perfection (for my style) in a few years and am glad to own one. Thank you for bringing, @Carl Fischer .

9.8

Jim McCusker

Yeah: awesome. And totally approachable right out of the gate. Just fantastic.

Yeah: awesome. And totally approachable right out of the gate. Just fantastic.

9.8

John Van Trijp

Magnum

Magnum

9.8

Eric L.

Delicious wine. I think it needs more air than we could give it tonight, but still a big, delicious mouthful of a wine. Blueberry, baking spices, and a bit of smoke. There was a bit of funk that I think would have blown off if we had time to let it breathe longer.

Delicious wine. I think it needs more air than we could give it tonight, but still a big, delicious mouthful of a wine. Blueberry, baking spices, and a bit of smoke. There was a bit of funk that I think would have blown off if we had time to let it breathe longer.

9.4

WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.