Sine Qua Non Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape (1.5 Liter Magnum in OWC) 2018

  • 96 Jeb
    Dunnuck
1,199 97
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Sine Qua Non Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape (1.5 Liter Magnum in OWC) 2018  Front Label
Sine Qua Non Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape (1.5 Liter Magnum in OWC) 2018  Front Label Sine Qua Non Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape (1.5 Liter Magnum in OWC) 2018  Gift Product Image

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2018

Size
1500ML

Features
Collectible

Boutique

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Professional Ratings

  • 96
    A challenging year for the appellation, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a Mourvèdre dominated release that's put together by California superstar Manfred Krankl and the incredible team at Clos Saint Jean. Released only in magnum (it's a tiny production cuvée), it reveals a translucent ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful perfume of black raspberries, kirsch, orange blossom, candied violets, and peppery garrigue-like nuances. Gorgeous on the palate as well, it shows a medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless style carrying polished tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, good overall freshness (I'm sure the acidity is low), and a great finish. It unquestionably ranks with the top wines in the vintage and should drink brilliantly over the coming 10-15 years.

Other Vintages

2017
  • 95 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2016
  • 99 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2015
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2012
  • 99 Robert
    Parker
Sine Qua Non

Sine Qua Non

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Sine Qua Non, California
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Sine Qua Non was created after the 1994 harvest of a Bien Nacido Syrah named “The Queen of Spades”. Winemaker Manfred Krankl feels strongly that each vintage is a completely unique wine and thus he gives each wine a unique name. He also creates the artwork for each new label himself. Previously, Manfred had made wines with Bryan Babcock and John Alban and still sources much of his fruit from Alban’s vineyard. The basic white wines have always been a white blend of Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier and a red wine based on Syrah plus Grenache. Sometimes there are small quantities of Rose and a Grenache-based red.

Sine Qua Non has its own winemaking facility in Ventura, California not far from the Santa Barbara vineyards where the fruit is sourced from. In the last few years Manfred and his wife, Elaine, have begun creating their own vineyards dedicated to Rhone varietals. Their winemaking philosophy is to work in very small batches, gravity flow, natural yeasts (unless a fermentation problem is anticipated), long lees aging for the whites and repeated racking for the reds to open them up. This is a modified explanation of a very dedicated and artistic approach to winemaking. The wines are simultaneously very rich and elegant, superbly balanced and thoroughly harmonious with food, never overwhelming.

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With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.

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Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.

According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.

Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.

The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.

RKY751905_2018 Item# 751905

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