Andy Hock

9.0

Lemon and tart white stone fruit. Light+ body and nice clean mineral acid finish. Pleasant — 7 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.4

“The Return of Mike Grammer” Dinner on 7/5. - still a bruiser at age 18. Most robust Oregon PM I’ve had, but still shows some character and and extra 0.1 on the score for day two. Could go a few more years. — 8 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

Sensational SQN at 16.9% alcohol was the sexiest “little chick” (Gallinita) at the party courtesy of @Eric LaMasters while you could feel the substance of this wine the high alcohol was not a factor at all....illustrating once again how Manfred is a magician at bringing the chained inhabitant of the barrel to the edge of the waterfall but never allowing it to go up and over the edge and crash and die on the rocks below. Massive (for a rose’) but an intricate and somehow delicate wine. Grenache dominates the blend with ample bright red fruit, herbs, stewed strawberry and a decided creamy texture. Unfurled and blossomed throughout the night. Best Glass was the last. — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.7

You know what I like about Manfred Krankl? (“I’m going to go out on a limb and say ‘everything’?” is my wife’s sarcastic answer to my posed hypothetical). Well yes, but that’s not where I was heading tonight. What I was going to say is that I like that Manfred’s wines are thought provoking. And not just the wine itself, but also the ever-changing labels and names. Take this evening’s selection. Entre chien et loup is one of my favorite French expressions from my college French class days. Literally translated, it describes a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can’t distinguish a dog from a wolf. But like most good French expressions, it delves much deeper. It’s all about that limit between the familiar and the unknown, the comfortable and the dangerous. Pushed to the extreme, it’s that fine line between hope and despair. Layers of meaning.

And the wine? Layers of flavor. As usual for an SQN white, a blend. Mostly equal parts Chardonnay and Roussanne with a touch of Viognier and Petite Manseng thrown in. Vibrant gold color. A vigorous four hour decant reveals a huge nose of peaches and apricots with a yeasty, buttery brioche note that just rings the bell. Palate of tropical fruits and a hint of burnt toast with that unctuous silky texture only Roussanne can provide. A butterscotch finish of great length. Dense concentration. Full-bodied. Wonderful structure. Positively elegant. Personally, I prefer my SQN whites with several years of cellar time, but hey, sometimes you just can’t wait. This is excellent now, but will get nothing but better with age.

Finally, that label? I’ll just say that the TTB approves and so do I and leave it at that. And speaking of the TTB, check out that banned label in the background. — 8 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.5

Incomparable take on Riesling...
Northern Rhône-nose, Krankl-like concentration and unctuous-ness. Yet the minerality screams Riesling!!!
Alive and kicking. — 9 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.9

2002 Cariad. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and the rest Cab Franc and Petite Verdot. Dark purple in color with a little brickiness on the rim. Opulent and sexy old world bouquet of graphite, smoke, Blackberry liqueur and expresso roast. Yet another one of those wines that I could swirl and contemplate into the evening. On the palate, dark berry, sage, cedary tobacco leaf and loamy earth flavors, along with Asian spices, duck sauce and exotic herbs and spices. Rich and intense with silky tannins. Beautiful structure. Intense. Complex. Elegant. Ethereal is the word I'm searching for. Endless finish. Just sensational. I stopped buying California Cabernet as I was simply priced out of the market. I had to choose, and I went with my main man Manfred and never have looked back. But whenever I taste one of these gems from my favorite Cabernet producer, @anncolgin and @colgincellars, I'm reminded of how compelling a truly great California Cabernet can be. — 9 years ago

Steve Bozich

9.4

Intense dried cherry, pepper, a touch of funk after it has been open awhile. Since she trained under Manfred, I was shocked to see the ABV is only 12.7! I have to admit here that I no longer purchase wines from Maggie - to be honest, lovely, well made wines, but I find her price point to be too high. Especially on the white and rose. But this was a reminder of how talented she is, and why in the past I bought a lot of wine from her. AnticaTerra, and Lillian. — 9 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.8

Absolutely brilliant. This is one of the best grenaches I’ve had in a long time. Incredible aromas of plumbs, blackberries, candied blueberries, along with hints of cinnamon and clove. The palate is absolutely stunning: seamless evolution of fruit coupled with perfectly intergrated sweet tannins leading to a finish that goes on for over a minute. I have no idea if this will improve with more time in the cellar, but I have no idea why you would wait: this is unreal. Manfred Krankle is a GOD!!! 👍 — 8 years ago

with Vanessa

Shay A

9.5

Another 4th Friday for the books. What a much needed time out of the house and to be with friends after this past week.

This was my contribution for the evening...it was a bottle that was given to me via “trade” with @TheSkip . I’ve been quite curious of this wine for a while and he graciously included this along with the other wines he sent. The winemaker used to work for Manfred Krankel of SQN...need I say more? Also the winemaker for Antica Terra. The nose on this is EXPLOSIVE. Not quite as much as the SQN Grenache tonight, but it’s up there...potpourri, lavender and black licorice. Needed every bit of the 1.5hr decant I gave it. Complex from start to finish...red and black fruit driven, savory and herbal on the mid-palate. Not meaty/olive driven. More bramble notes and dusty cedar. Drinking absolutely perfect. What a wine @TheSkip ! — 8 years ago

with Dan, Mark and 1 other

Keith Fisher

9.7

As you would expect from Manfred. After a while you just run out of superlatives and just sit there with a Syrah stained smile on your face. Rich dark fruit with beef blood smell (that term doesn’t do justice to how interesting and delicious the combination really is). Tremendous finish, dark color to the edge. Just a great wine experience. My only bottle. I have no clue how long this wine could go before peaking. — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.8

2008 Sine Qua Non "Jinete Bajo Vin de Paille" California Roussanne (375ml). A sweet wine named after E’s favorite horse. Beautiful, fathom-deep gold color. Apricots and orange marmalade on the nose. Unctuous, syrupy, creamy texture with notes of candied citrus and creme brûlée. Monstrous 240 grams per liter of residual sugar with perfectly balanced acidity. Manfred really is the master of these high wire balancing acts. Is there anything that this guy doesn’t excel at? Simply spectacular. A beautiful dessert wine that is itself a dessert. — 9 years ago

with Tyler, Mike and 1 other

Shawn R

9.4

Maggie was once a student under Manfred Krankl, this bottle was her second vintage. Shows a restrained nose even after 3 hours after the decant. Hints of wild game and blackberry compote on the nose. Sweet tannins that integrate well and provide backbone. Layers of cassis, plum and wild flowers set up a stellar finish that sails for over a minute. — 9 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.4

Excellent grenache from Manfred at SQN...but not etherial. As I'm writing that I realize that this is still awesome - just that Manfred sets the bar absurdly high. Blackberries, kirsch, and a hint of licorice on the nose. Very full mouthfeel with lots of glycerin. The wine is a lot more evolved than I was expecting - possibly a consequence of a warm vintage? - so I'm not sure how many more years of evolution this has left (then again, this is my last bottle of this, so whateves!). Manfred is a genius. 'Nuff said. — 9 years ago

with Vanessa

Roman Sukley

9.8

2006 Sine Qua Non "The Hoodoo Man" White Blend
39% Roussanne, 31% Viognier and 30% Chardonnay. 15.8% alcohol. “There ain’t a horse that can’t be rode, there ain’t a man that can’t be throw’d” Yet another of my Sine Qua Non guilty pleasures. Similar to the 2009 “The Thrill Of Stamp Collecting” and the 2011 “Patine,” this is one of those Sine Qua Non wines that I find to be a might more compelling than the expert reviews. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why, but this one has always sort of tickled my fancy, and never fails to please. Ive always been rather fond of the perhaps Grant Wood, American Gothic inspired label. Now, some 12 years down the road, as with most of Manfred’s whites, the extra cellar time has just added nuance to this sexy effort. Lustrous, radiant gold in the stem, with a stunning bouquet of smoky, nutty peach cobbler with hints of white flowers lurking in the background. Tropical fruits and orange marmalade with a toasty, butterscotchy finish of substantial length. Absolutely wonderful acidity. Unctuous, oily texture that I treasure. Powerful and intense. Great balance. I like to taste great whites slightly warmer than cellar temperature, but I would say this one just got better and better with more air and as it warmed. Just beautiful. “Salud, chindon Mr. Krankl!”
— 8 years ago

Josh Weinstein

9.7

Yeah, Manfred knows what he’s doing!!!! — 8 years ago

with John

Melissa Rose

10

Fantastic big bold red. Super special vintage.. 🍷 — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.5

1999 Sine Qua Non “Ox” Pinot Noir from the wonderful Shea Vineyard in Yamhill County, Oregon. 14% alcohol. I’ve always loved the simple label on this gigantic bottle with the cavernous punt. And I was all ready to wax poetic about the romance of opening one of these older SQNs as, based on a couple of recent tastings, I was told that this bottle is well over the hill. Well, that just ain’t so. At least not with this bottle which has been lovingly stored since release. Now I’m not going to try and convince you that the “Ox” is at its peak, but the old girl still has some tricks up her sleeve. Crystal clear, bright, medium garnet appearance. A little bricky on the edges. Smokey notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, truffles and clove on the nose. Quite vibrant palate of sweet strawberries and cola as well as spice box with a hint of vanilla, toast and that clove. A touch earthy. Nice acidity. Super silky mouthfeel. Short, but decent smokey finish with a bite reminiscent of Sweet Tarts candy. Tangy! Extremely enjoyable! Well made is well made. Chapeau Mr. Krankl! — 8 years ago

Meeter B

9.0

This is very light. I’m blinded in a Manfred Mann kinda way. Subdued. This could become a true love affair based on respect, admiration and tasty tannins. — 9 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.5

2013 SQN "...And An Eight Track" Rose'. I look at these as Manfred's in your face, over the top, hedonistic homage to life wines. Throw all of your preconceived notions of what a Rose' should be right out the window. These wines celebrate life. No review today. Happy Memorial Day. Don't think. Enjoy. Recently, I've had a little back and forth with a non-SQN believer who shall remain nameless. You know the type. "I just don't get SQN" (And man, do I ever hate that phrase. Surprisingly, don't think I've ever heard "I just don't get DRC"). Anyway, I let it upset me more than it should have. To each his own. Drink what you love, but for my money, give me Mr Krankl anytime! — 9 years ago

Cody Short

9.5

Gave this a 3hr decant and needed every bit of it and continued to evolve in the glass. Big wine but extremely well balanced. Manfred is the master. — 9 years ago