The Sine Qua Non winery was founded by Austrian born Manfred Krankl, who immigrated to California in the 1980s. After a few years spent opening restaurants, he settled in Ventura to make wine as a hobby. Encouraged by friends and family who enjoyed his wines, he started marketing it in 1994. His first wine was awarded an excellent 95/100 by Robert Parker. The famous American wine critic subsequently awarded him a multitude of 100/100 scores and even dubbed him “One of the most creative and multidimensional winemakers on planet Earth”. In 2004, he began growing his own vines and gradually stopped buying in grapes. His vineyard is a reference for Santa Barbara County, but his limited output means that his wines are extremely sought after.

This wine is matured for just over three years in French oak (25% new oak). The influence of the container is barrely noticeable however, leaving the wine to express the grape variety’s organoleptic characteristics. On the nose, there are notes of black fruits and cocoa. On the palate, the suppleness of the tannins is sublime. A great cellaring wine.