For Fathers Day - The Thrill of Stamp Collecting, outstanding, and went perfectly with a 20 hour smoked brisket
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have done multiple SQN verticals with brisket. Perhaps time for another
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I have been drinking SQN whites of recent vintage and they have been outstanding. I am not a fan of drinking the reds young, but the whites are excellent with very little age. I especially like the 2020 Distenta White II.
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Jay,
I donāt disagree, but I also think the whites age really well. I do think the recent Distenta whites are outstanding. I think they vary a lot (vintage to vintage, that is) and range from the savory to the tropical to the zesty/citrusy and itās always enjoyable to see what the newest one is going to be.
Distenta I white last night with 3-pepper chicken from the local Asian Kitchen was a great match - the chilis and chili oil core helped tame (maybe counter-balance is a better way to say it) the heat of the wine. Also worked with scallion pancake and some fried shrimp with sweet chili sauce.
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Last night at the newly re-opened Ringside Steakhouse (great to see them back!) I brought the outstanding 2008 B 20 Syrah, drinking just spectacularly right now.
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Ringside in PDX? That was my first steakhouse experience and a sentimental favorite.
Drank a Dirt Vernacular (2016 Grenache, IIRC) earlier this week and it is consistent with a bottle 5-6 months ago. I think it is in the zone for my tastes right now. Black and blue fruits, licorice, a bit of tar, some smoke and Chambord-ish character creep in.
Cheers,
fred
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yessir, they had a kitchen fire and were closed for about 4 months, just reopened 3 weeks ago.
Opened a B-20 tonight as a result of your post. It was outstanding. Hard to fathom that itās 17-years old. Still juicy, delicious, fruit-forward, hedonistic pleasure. Still light on its feet. Still dark in color.
Awesome, awesome juice.
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Not a fan of SQN, but happened to have a couple bottles of 2001 Albino.
Thought Iād hate it but I didnāt; I sorta liked it even though it was a big wine. Not spoofilated, oak not overt, folks who like the bigger Cal wines loved it.
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Dipped a Distenta IV white last night with shrimp tacos. No surprise on the result - big, young, quirky white blend with alcohol showing. Tacos worked to complement it.
2012 In the Abstract with Omakase at Nimblefish last night - outstanding, and still going strong. Sadly, my last bottle.
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Since the beginning of September weāve opened:
2016 Sine Qua Non Grenache Dirt Vernacular
2012 Sine Qua Non Syrah TouchƩ Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2011 Sine Qua Non Grenache Dark Blossom
2016 Sine Qua Non Deux Grenouilles
2013 Sine Qua Non Grenache JusquāĆ lāos Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2013 Sine Qua Non Syrah Le SupplƩment Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2015 Sine Qua Non Grenache Le Chemin Vers LāHeresie
2018 Sine Qua Non Syrah Ziehharmonika
2018 Sine Qua Non Aperta
2019 Sine Qua Non Distenta White I
2016 Sine Qua Non Grenache Pajarito Del Amor Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2014 Sine Qua Non Lightmotif
2021 Sine Qua Non Grenache Estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2017 Sine Qua Non Grenache Estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard
2020 Sine Qua Non Syrah Distenta II
On average about 9-years old. This tends to be a sweet spot for me, especially for the reds, as theyāve shed some of the baby fat and the tannins have softened a bit, but havenāt lost any of their oomph.
The 2011 Dark Blossom Grenache was one of the more surprising. Iāve commented elsewhere that I love this vintage, but I know it was a hard vintage that resulted in wines that likely wonāt have the same staying power as other vintages. But at 14-years old this was a particularly strong showing.
We had the Distenta I White and the Aperta side-by-side. IIRC, the Aperta was a 100-point wine from TWA, while the Distenta I was a 100-point wine from Jeb. They were both outstanding, but on this night the Distenta was top dog. It was more delineated and more focused on the palate. Both were great, but this was quite the standout.
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Semi-regular update:
2018 Next of Kyn
2019 The Third Twin Graciano
2019 Distenta I Syrah
2014 Piranha Waterdance Syrah
2017 Eleven Confessions Syrah
2018 ChimĆØre
2022 Next of Kyn Touriga
2015 Entre Chien et Loup
2015 Eleven Confessions āMā Syrah
2022 The Third Twin Nuestra (twice)
2022 Next of Kyn
2017 Tectumque
2016 The Third Twin Nuestra
2020 Distenta II Syrah
The ChimĆØre was a standout, as was the 2022 NoK Touriga (although WAY too young and it was popped and pouredāwould have been better with a morning decant).
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Iāve yet to taste the ChimĆØreā¦having both the '18 and '19 in the cellar. I think Iām just waiting for āmiddle ageā so that Iām committing infanticide in the 1.5L format.
Iāve got the full vertical of the NoK touriga, and opened my first- the 2017 vintage two weeks ago. I pulled the cork six hours before service, decanted it for two, and it too was incredibly young. Delicious though. Definitely a highlight in the range.
How were the Third Twin wines? Iām sitting on a bunch as I didnāt see them as early drinkers. Is there one you would suggest as best to check in on?
Iāve had Chimere twice (and have multiples in the cellar) and really like it quite a bit. The first time was at a dinner with other SQN wines and a drunk at the table grabbed the Chimere and another SQN and poured a bit of each in his glass to see if he could āout doā Manfred. Needless to say that didnāt go over well at the table (I brought the Chimere so I was less than pleased).
I love the Nuestra. I actually feel like the Nuestras tend to be (for my palate!) good to go young and even popped-and-poured. The Gracianos are good, but more rustic in style and need more time.
I love the ChimĆØres Iāve had, and wish they had a) produced more and b) bottled 750s 
Sometimes I like to put Alban, Andremily, Saxum, and SQN in the same glass because everybody knows there is an additive effect, and sometimes I like to drink 400-point wines. Not.
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All this SQN talk has me wanting to open my lone bottle of Aperta. Think I will pull it for tonight and report back.
Does this need any air? Guessing it wonāt hurt to decant it some.
I would be filled with the rage of a thousand suns.