2010 Sine Qua Non Grenache Five Shooter

A similar blend (75% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 2.5 % Mourvedre, 4.5% Roussanne and 2% Viognier) and also a brilliant bottle of wine, the 2010 Grenache Five Shooter spent 20 months in 75% used barrels, with the balance in concrete and new French oak. Seamless and elegant, with the house richness and texture, it gives up thrilling, floral-tinged aromas and flavors of red berry fruit, flower oil, spice, white pepper and licorice to go with a full-bodied, layered mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. While approachable now, it will have upwards of two decades of longevity. Drink 2015-2030. About as good as it gets across the board, these singular, incredible wines are the result of an obsessive attention to detail at all stages of the wine making process. There is no secret or hidden magic going on here. The incredibly talented and down-to-earth Manfred Krankl simply walks the walk as opposed to only talking about attention to detail or offering up the standard, wine is made in the vineyard comments. Looking at the vintages focused on here, 2009 has produced a decadent, voluptuous style that offers up thrilling levels of fruit as well as an approachable, heady richness that-s hard to resist. While they possess ample depth and structure, I would drink these before either the 2010s or 2011s. The 2010s here are stunning and have everything; gorgeous fruit, awesome concentration and incredible purity. While the most age-worthy of the recent vintages, they're a spectacular drink even today. The 2011s, which were all tasted out of barrel, have additional freshness and focus over the 2010s. They have solid concentration and overall balanced profiles that should allow them to cruise in the cellar. Tel. (805) 649-8901; www.sinequanon.com

The 2010 Grenache Five Shooter has turned out even better than I had expected. An utterly vivid, compelling wine, the 2010 is supported by persistent notes of graphite-infused minerality that give the wine much of its energy. Seamless layers of blue/black fruit sit on that razor's edge of salinity in a Grenache loaded with class, finesse and pure refinement. A kaleidoscope of flavors hits the palate on a superb finish that is given an extra dimension of lift from the inclusion of 20% whole clusters. (AG)

(includes 16% syrah, 4.5% roussanne, 2.5% mourvedre and 2% viognier; 15.4% alcohol): Bright purple. Heady aromas of black raspberry, bitter cherry, dark chocolate, violet, olive, espresso, bacon fat and cola; smells like there's a lot more syrah in here. Sweet, dense and lush, with deeply pitched black and blue fruit and bitter chocolate flavors supported by a firm spine of acidity. Finishes very long and ripe, with fine-grained tannins and mounting mineral and spice notes.