No-Brainers

  • Gramercy Cellars 2015 Syrah Lagniappe

    Gramercy Cellars 2015 Syrah Lagniappe

    $69.99

    Columbia 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

    Horsepower Vineyards 2018 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard

    $179.99

    Walla 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

  • Booker Vineyard 2016 Fulldraw

    Booker Vineyard 2016 Fulldraw

    $89.99

    Paso 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

    Sine Qua Non 2017 Syrah The Hated Hunter

    $399.99

    California
    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

    Sine Qua Non 2015 Syrah Trouver L’Arene

    $399.99

    Central 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

    Sine Qua Non 2015 Syrah M

    $499.99

    Eleven 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. R17-1

  • Sine Qua Non 2017 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard

    Sine Qua Non 2017 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard

    $399.99

    California
    Jeb Dunnuck 99 Rating
    The 2017 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard, which will be the name going forward for this wine sourced exclusively form the Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, reveals a gorgeous perfume of assorted red and blue fruits as well as iron, ground pepper, Asian spices, and herbes de Provence. Based on 88.7% Grenache, 10.6% Syrah, and the rest Viognier, this full-bodied, ultra-fine, deep, layered Grenache is just about as good as it gets. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years. It’s worth pointing out that due to the difficulty in trademarking names today, the longer aged, 100% Eleven Confessions Vineyard Syrah and Grenache will simply bear the name “Eleven Confessions Vineyard” going forward. SP18-1 R18-1

  • Vine Hill Ranch 2016 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon

    Vine Hill Ranch 2016 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon

    $299.99

    Oakville Napa Valley California
    Jeb Dunnuck 98 Rating
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    Sporting a saturated purple color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is a total blockbuster that spent 21 months in French oak. It knocks it out of the park with its Pauillac-like bouquet of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, lead pencil shavings, and cedarwood. Hitting the palate with a massive texture and full body, it’s a powerful, full throttle effort that has remarkable balance, ripe tannins, and an opulent, sexy texture that’s a joy to drink. Despite its flamboyant style, it’s perfectly balanced and is a sensational wine. Feel free to drink it any time over the coming 20-25 years. Bravo! SP31-2

  • Ghost Block 2019 Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

    Ghost Block 2019 Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

    $129.99

    Oakville Napa Valley California
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    Sourced from the famous Ghost Block Vineyard, the 2019 vintage has bold aromatics of dark cherry, ripe plum and blackcurrant that are met with delicate floral notes of lavender and violet, and finishes with spicy black pepper and clove. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, and cassis are supported with layers of dark chocolate and cacao and rounded out with herbal notes of bay leaf and tobacco giving the wine stunning richness and depth. Medium to full-bodied with fine grained tannins and nicely balanced acidity create a beautiful long, lengthy finish that shows off the unique terroir of the iconic vineyard from where it originates. SP31-1