Sine Qua Non - Eleven Confessions Vineyard Grenache 2019
Price: $399.99
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
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| Country | USA |
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| Region | California |
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| Subregion | Sta Rita Hills |
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| Varietal | Grenache |
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| Vintage | 2019 |
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| Sku | 33443 |
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Jeb Dunnuck: 100 Points
The late bottled 2019 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is another undeniably great wine from this incredible estate and it tops out my scale. Based on 89% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Petite Sirah, and the balance Gelber Muskateller (Muscat Blanc), all from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills, it spent 39 months in 50% new French oak, with the balance in 2- to 5-year-old barrels. It's a powerful, full-bodied, opulent Grenache that brings to mind a great vintage of Domaine de Marcoux's Vieilles Vignes with its gorgeous red and black fruits, smoked herbs, leather, and assorted spicy, sandalwood, and peppery nuances. Full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, a deep, layered mid-palate, and velvety tannins. It brings that rare mix of richness and elegance that only Grenache can. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15+.
Looking at the new vintages reviewed here, the 2021s come from a cooler, even, balanced year and actually share a similar profile with the 2019s. These are still classic Sine Qua Non releases, but there’s clearly a fresher, elegant vibe, and the wines are flawlessly balanced. In comparison, the 2020s come across as bigger, richer wines that have tons of sexy opulence and richness. I was able to taste the two longer élevage Eleven Confession Vineyard releases from 2019, and these are absolutely captivating wines I wish every reader could taste. As I said above, there are lots of similarities to the 2021s here, and the wines have a beautiful purity and elegance about them without sacrificing depth or richness.
Wine Advocate: 97 Points
The 2019 Grenache Eleven Confessions Vineyard is made up of 89.4% Grenache, 5.5% Syrah, 4.1% Petite Sirah and 1% Gelber Muskateller (a.k.a. Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains). It was crafted using 35% whole clusters, matured for around 39 months in 50% new French oak barrels and demi-muids and was bottled in January 2022. Deep ruby-purple in color, it takes significant time to open and is mostly coiled and shy on day one. On day two, its aromas unfurl: cherry pie and wild berry jam scents are layered with tones of cured meat, peppercorn, bergamot and wildflowers. The full-bodied palate is seamless and ultra powdery in texture, with balancing bursts of juicy acidity that highlight pretty spice and floral tones that fan across the long finish. It deserves generous cellar time and will be long lived. 922 cases and 240 magnums were made.
