Close
Search
Filters

Syrah Ziehharmonika 2018 75cl

Central Coast | California | United States of America
CHF 486.45

All vintages

2018
Critics scores
99 Robert Parker
The 2018 Syrah Ziehharmonika is composed of 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvedre, 5% Petite Sirah, 2.3% Grenache, 2.7% Viognier and 1.3% Muscat. “I think Muscat is the number one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred said. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The red winemaking included 14% whole cluster. The vineyard sources for this wine are 51% The Third Twin, 43% Eleven Confessions and 6% Cumulus - all estate owned vineyards. The wine was bottled in August 2020, after 23.5 months of aging. It was reared in 51% new French oak, 46% in used barrels and 3% in terracotta. (The terracotta is only use for whites.) Medium to deep garnet-purple colored—WOW—perfumed black and blue fruits prance out of the glass, revealing accents of candied violets and cinnamon stick, supporting the plum preserves, blackberry compote and garrigue-scented core, plus hints of molten dark chocolate, licorice, Chinese five spice and bacon with a touch of iron ore. The densely laden, full-bodied palate is seriously showy, featuring flamboyant black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers with a solid backbone of ripe, rounded tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of earth, pepper and floral fireworks. 1,910 cases and 600 magnums were made.
Producer
Sine Qua Non
Sine Qua Non is arguably the most “culty” producer of California. Extremely rare, their wines are micro-produced with sometimes only a few barrels made, not to mention they have a waiting list to even buy their wines. But perhaps more importantly, this domaine is owned by iconoclastic Austrian artist and restauranteur, Manfred Krakl. Krakl launched this domaine with his wife, Elaine in 1994 in Ventura, California, a town that lies an hour north of Los Angeles. Each wine has a story, a different name and its own and, needless to say, quirky label, each created by Manfred himself. Such unique cuvée names have included “Esto No Es una Salida” with an accompanying English version, “This Is Not an Exit” as well as “The Hoodoo Man”, “Poker Face" and “The Hussy”. He is known as a “Rhône Ranger”, meaning that he forms part of a group of Californian wine producers that have embraced Rhône varieties such as Syrah (his most famous varietal), Grenache, Roussanne and Viognier. His singular wines, most notably his reds, have ratings that are almost off the charts, and regularly receive scores of 98 points or over. These are incredible wines that are worthy trophies in any cellar…though they are much more pleasurable to drink!