No-Brainers
Showing 1252–1260 of 2669 results
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Gramercy Cellars 2015 Syrah Lagniappe
$69.99Columbia Valley Washington State
Jeb Dunnuck 98 Rating
Always one of my favorite releases from this estate, the 2015 Syrah Lagniappe is 100% Syrah (mostly from the Red Willow Vineyard in Yakima, with 5% from the Forgotten Hills Vineyard just south of Walla Walla). Deep ruby/plum-colored and loaded with Côte Rôtie-like (Côte Blonde?) notes of black raspberries, crushed flowers, tapenade, and crushed flowers, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, seamless, and silky on the palate, with incredible finesse and elegance. It's going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the following decade or more. It’s unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. R16-1 SP19-2 -
Horsepower Vineyards 2018 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard
$179.99Walla Walla Washington State
Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Rating
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There are two Grenache cuvées under the Horsepower label, both single vineyards. Starting with the 2018 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard, it has a deeper ruby/plum color as well as a spectacular nose of ripe cherry and strawberry fruits intermixed with lots of white pepper, dried flowers, orange blossom, and sandalwood. With medium to full-bodied richness, firm tannins, and beautiful depth of fruit on the palate, it might be the closest thing to Rayas that I've tasted, from anywhere. It remains to be seen if this can evolve into the same category at maturity, but no kidding around, this is a beautiful, elegant, seamless Grenache. It needs 3-4 years, if not longer, to let some tannins melt away, and it should have a solid 20 years of longevity. This is 100% Grenache bottled at 13.8% alcohol. R13-2 SP19-1 -
Pax 2014 Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch Russian River Valley
$79.99Sonoma County California
Antonio Galloni 94 Rating
Inky black and massively concentrated black fruit, black pepper, tar and roses complete the brilliant aromas of this classic California Syrah. A bit more of a bruiser than the 2013, this 2014 is the perfect foil for a fatty piece of Lamb or your favorite Cowboy Steak fresh off of an iron skillet. The tannins are velvety and the fruit intense, which reminds us mostly of the 2004 version of this wine with a lower abv. SP19-1 -
Booker Vineyard 2016 Fulldraw
$89.99Paso Robles California
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Rating
Made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, the 2016 Fulldraw comes from the Fulldraw Vineyard which is located right behind the estate Booker Vineyard. It's another elegant, silky wine that offers terrific crème de cassis, crushed violets, licorice and chalky mineral-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, silky and pure, with fine tannin and good (maybe not great length), it has stunning purity and is going to drink nicely right out of the gate. SP20-2 -
Sine Qua Non 2017 Syrah The Hated Hunter
$399.99California
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Rating
Named after Manfred’s grandfather, the 2017 Syrah The Hated Hunter is 82.4% Syrah, 7.8% Petite Sirah, 5.2% Mourvèdre, 2% Grenache, and the rest a mix of white varieties that spent just over 23 months in 59% new French oak. A classic 2017, it has an incredible nose of spice red and black fruits, ground pepper, dried flowers, and sandalwood. With full-bodied richness, no hard edges, gorgeous purity of fruit, and a finish that won't quit, it has everything you could want from a bottle of wine. This cuvée comes from a mix of the The Twin, Eleven Confession, Cumulus, and Molly Aida vineyards, and was bottled in August of 2019, with 1821 cases produced. R23-2 SP15-6 -
Sine Qua Non 2015 Syrah Trouver L’Arene
$399.99Central Coast California
Wine Advocate 100 Rating
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. 1,778 cases and 600 magnums were produced. R3-2 SP18-2 -
Sine Qua Non 2015 Syrah M
$499.99Eleven Confessions Vineyard California
Wine Advocate 100 Rating
This is a single-vineyard Syrah-dominant blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Manfred Krankl’s initial and a provocative self-portrait on the label. The blend is 90.6% Syrah, 4.4% Petite Syrah, 2.6% Grenache and 2.4% Viognier. Forty-three percent was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 66% new. SP10-2 -
Sine Qua Non 2015 Grenache E
$499.99Eleven Confessions Vineyard California
Wine Advocate 100 Rating
This is a single-vineyard Grenache-dominated, barrel-selection blend coming from the Eleven Confessions Estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills. It bears Elaine Krankl’s initial and a portrait Manfred made of Elaine on the label. The blend is 82% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 5% Petite Syrah and 1% Viognier, and 56% was fermented using whole clusters. It was aged for around 38 months in French oak, 28% new. R18-2 SP19-1 -
Sine Qua Non 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular
$399.99California
Jeb Dunnuck 100 Rating
One of the finest Grenaches to ever pass my lips is the 2016 Grenache Dirt Vernacular and it’s 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Petite Sirah. Reminding me of an old vine Grenache cuvée from the Maurel brothers in Châteauneuf du Pape, it boasts a huge nose of black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, graphite, ground herbs, and pepper. This is one of those wines that offers incredible intensity and depth, yet still just glides over the palate with no sense of heaviness whatsoever. Full-bodied, rich, layered, and pure, it’s a riveting example of Grenache that could come from nowhere else. Drink it any time over the coming 15+ years. R38-4 SP20-1
