Lucien Michel | October 19, 2021
Sine Qua Non or just SQN was founded by Manfred Krankl and his wife Elaine in 1994. The winery is located in Ventura County, which is part of the Central Coast AVA.
They became famous thanks to a small production of very high quality Rhône-style cuvées that impressed the wine critic, Robert Parker. The adventurous couple source grapes from growers they like, then make the wine themselves. They have established their reputation with their talent for sourcing the best grapes and also for their winemaking skills.
The sought-after wines they craft have a similar signature: deeply profound, rich, concentrated, almost intoxicating wines. The attention to detail of this power couple is legendary.
Today, the whole range they offer is sought-after by collectors worldwide, for their: style, quality, rarity and also one other additional unique proposition - different bottle shapes for each wine, with each label designed by Manfred Krankl himself.
The cult status of this winery really is underlined by the fact that 24 wines have been given the 100-point rating by Robert Parker.
We have three cuvées on offer:
SINE QUA NON - DEUX GRENOUILLES 2016: a unique white blend of 36% Roussanne, 29% Chardonnay, 23% Viognier, 9% Petite Manseng, and 3% Muscat. Exotic, rich, yet balanced.
SINE QUA NON - DIRT VERNICULAR 2016: a blend of 78% Grenache, 11.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Touriga Nacional, and 3.5% Petite Sirah. Persistent, rich, and juicy.
SINE QUA NON - LE CHEMIN VERS L'HERESIE 2015: a blend of 75% Grenache, 13% Mourvèdre, 8% Touriga Nacional and 4% Petite Sirah. Bright, bold, and intense.
