The new cuvee of white wine, the 2007 Body and Soul, a 475-case blend of
71% Roussanne and 29% Viognier, is primarily from the 11 Confessions Vineyard.
Krankl has dropped Chardonnay from the blend, and the resulting wine is a
beacon for what can be achieved by blending two white Rhone varietals. About
one-third new French oak is used. Honeysuckle, orange blossom, lemon oil,
tropical fruit, and floral notes are found in this unctuously-textured white.
Full-bodied and dry, with good underlying minerality, crispness, and an
alluring freshness, it is impossible to know how such a wine will age. I just
finished my last bottle of the 2001 Albino, which is aging fabulously well,
and seems capable of lasting another 4-5 years. These wines are so
spectacularly perfumed and intense in their youth that they are hard to
resist.
-96 points, Robert Parker
One of the world's most creative wineries, Sine Qua Non is turning out
world-class wines of extraordinary complexity and individuality.
The world’s most profound wines are always made by the same kind of people
... artists, craftspeople, revolutionaries, and traditionalists who have one
overwhelming trait in common ... they are irrefutably dedicated to the pursuit
of excellence, and their hearts, souls, and enormous talents are reflected in
wines of singular personality and achievement. There are never any
compromises, so it is no surprise that what takes place in these cellars is
the transformation of a commonplace beverage into a form of drinkable art!
Sine Qua Non has been producing 2,000-3,000 cases of wine for a half-dozen
vintages. In this short time it has become one of the hottest and most desired
wine producers in California. Elaine and Manfred Krankl are both very involved
in the production of artisinal wines from their small garage/warehouse.
The upcoming releases all reveal Krankl’s magic touch, and like some of the
finest wineries working with Rhone varietals, Manfred Krankl is a creative
blender, recognizing that blends generally result in more nuances and flavor
complexity than a single varietal cuvee.
