Sine Qua Non Papa Syrah 2003

98 Points Wine Advocate

"There are 860 cases of the Sine Qua Non Papa 2003, a blend of 97% Syrah, 2% Mourvèdre, and 1% Grenache sourced from six different vineyards. An old black and white photograph of Manfred Krankl’s father holding a baby with a head the size of a large watermelon (presumably Manfred) serves as the label for this wine, which has just about everything one could want in a great Syrah. It exhibits extraordinary power and richness along with large quantities of sexy, seductive cassis, black cherries, and a chocolaty undertone.

Unctuously textured, rich, and full, it will provide amazing drinking over the next 10-15 years. Vineyard sources are gradually changing at Sine Qua Non as a movement to 100% estate fruit from vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills and sites near the winery in Ventura County come into full production. However, at present some grapes emanate from other sources, particularly white grapes from the Alban Vineyard, and Grenache and Syrah from Alban, Alta Mesa, Bien Nacido, Shadow Canyon, and White Hawk vineyards. Yields were unbelievably small in 2003 (white varietals yielded .9 tons of fruit per acre, Pinot Noir 1.64 tons per acre, Grenache .32 tons per acre, and Syrah 1.20 tons per acre). In 2004, white varietal yields were 1.49 tons per acre, Pinot Noir 1.19 tons per acre, Grenache 1.04 tons per acre, and Syrah a whopping 1.48 tons per acre. Yields rose by 20-40% in 2005. Longtime readers know that I consider these offerings to be about as remarkable as New World wines can be. They possess extraordinary richness and nuances as well as superb balance, purity, and aging potential.

The whites are whole cluster pressed and go straight to barrel without any stabilization or settling, and everything is fermented with indigenous yeasts. No racking takes place until bottling, which is usually more than a year after the harvest. The reds are 100% destemmed, although Grenache stems have been utilized on occasion. One to two ton open top fermenters are used, and following a cold soak that can last up to seven days, the wines are fermented with 2-3 daily punch downs. They are kept on their skins for a maximum of 2 plus weeks. All malolactic takes place in barrel, and the wines are bottled 18-24 months after the harvest with minimal clarification. Manfred Krankl, a true believer in radical viticulture, practices extensive crop-thinning, shoot positioning, etc. The meticulous attention to detail is evident in both the vineyard and the winery." -2006

Our top priority is for you to be delighted with your purchase from start to finish and exceed your expectations. Please don't hesitate to call or email us with any questions.

We offer loss & theft protection options at checkout for the ultimate peace of mind* See full shipping policy for terms & conditions.

All shipments require an adult signature on delivery. Please make sure an adult 21 or older will be available to sign for your package. We recommend shipping to a business address when possible.

For large corporate/studio/VIP gift orders to multiple addresses, you've come to the right place. Large studio & corporate orders have been our specialty for over 50 years. We also offer an easy Excel large order template- click here to download it. 

We ship packages Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Express (overnight & 2 day) are usually shipped the same-day if placed by Noon Pacific time.. Please call for priority overnight services. We're happy to accommodate whenever possible.

Ground orders are usually packaged and shipped within 1-3 business days after the order is placed, Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays. 

 This is a summary of our shipping & Delivery policy

View our full Shipping & Delivery policy here