2014 Sine Qua Non, Shakti, California

The 2014 Grenache Shakti is blended of 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and 2% Touriga Nacional, coming 51% from the Cumulus (Estate) Vineyard, 18% from The Third Twin (Estate) Vineyard, 9.5% from Bien Nacido Vineyard and 21.5% for the Eleven Confessions (Estate) Vineyard. It was produced using 42% whole cluster and aged for around 21 months in French oak, 6% new (bottled June 21, 2017). It offers up a deep garnet-purple color and notes of dried Mediterranean herbs, dusty earth, Chinese five spice and rose petals over a core of red currants, mulberries, red plums and black raspberries, plus a waft of chocolate covered cherries. Full-bodied, decadently concentrated and yet very, very pretty in the mouth, it delivers incredibly fine-grained, ripe tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing on a persistent—totally disarming—perfumed red fruit note. 1,199 cases of 750 milliliter bottles and 600 magnums were made.

One of the more elegant, ethereal releases from this incredible address, the 2014 Grenache Shakti checks in as blend of 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and the rest Touriga Nacional that was fermented with 42% whole clusters and aged 21 months in just 6% new French oak, with the balance in neutral barrels. Its ruby/purple semi-opaque color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of black raspberries, black olive tapenade, leafy herbs, pepper and spring flowers. It’s not a small wine by any measure, yet it’s graceful, lively and elegant on the palate, with a full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet, polished tannin, no hard edges and a gorgeous finish. Drink this beautiful Grenache anytime over the coming 15+ years. I loved the 2013s from Manfred Krankl, and these are reminiscent of the 2010s (as are the 2015s). The 2014s are more plush and sexy, with a forward style that’s already impossible to resist. The 2015 reds were all tasted as barrel samples, and these show the firm, structured style of the vintage and I suspect are going to require bottle age to show at their best. I’ve also included the “The Third Twin” releases here, and it, like the Next Of Kyn releases, are released under a separate label and focus on the estate The Third Twin vineyard located outside of Los Alamos.

Leading off the 2014s from barrel, the 2014 Grenache Shakti (88% Grenache, 6% Mourvedre, 4% Petite Sirah and the rest Touriga Nacionale) comes largely from the Cumulus Vineyard, with smaller portions from Eleven Confessions, the Third Twin and Bien Nacido. Aged almost entirely in neutral barrels (6% new), it has a supple, sexy profile as well as killer base notes of black raspberries, cassis, ground herbs and violets. Deep, concentrated, full-bodied and laced with sweet tannin, I continue to be baffled why so few people in California get close to this level of quality with Grenache. - Jeb Dunnock, August 2016

The 2014 Grenache Shakti wraps around the palate with sumptuous fruit. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather flesh out as this totally seductive Grenache from Sine Qua Non. Striking aromatics, super-expressive, bright fruit and silky tannins are some of the signatures in a delicious, delicate Grenache that is totally alluring. I suppose the 2014 is not the most structured or complex Grenache ever from Sine Qua Non, but it is a total pleasure bomb. The blend is 88% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Petite Sirah and 2% Touriga Nacional, done with 42% whole clusters. Vineyard sites are 51% Cumulus, 21.5% Eleven Confessions, 18% Third Twin and 9.5% Bien Nacido. I tasted the 2014 from tank just prior to bottling.