2022 Sine Qua Non - Grenache Eleven Confessions (750ml)

Sine Qua Non has spent three decades pushing the boundaries of what California Rhone varieties could be, ever since Manfred and Elaine Krankl founded the winery in 1994. The Krankls treat each vintage as its own singular creation, giving every release a unique name and a hand drawn label rather than repeating a fixed portfolio year to year, an approach that has made the winery something of a cult phenomenon among collectors. Eleven Confessions Vineyard holds particular significance in that story, as the first estate vineyard the Krankls ever purchased, acquired in 2001 in the eastern Sta. Rita Hills and planted the same year under the guidance of winemaker John Alban.

The vineyard takes its name from the eleven distinct grape selections planted across the property, among them eight acres of Grenache alongside Syrah, Roussanne, and Viognier, all grown on heavy clay soils that naturally limit yields to around a ton and a half per acre. That density, combined with tight vine spacing, produces fruit with real concentration and structure. Grenache here tends to ripen late, often not picked until deep into the fall, and this vintage was bottled later than usual to allow the wine's layered character to fully develop before release, resulting in exceptional depth and purity.

The 2022 Eleven Confessions Grenache is dramatic and richly perfumed, opening with kirsch, sweet wild strawberry, sandalwood, and leather. The palate is deep, layered, and multidimensional, full throated yet precise, with a purity that reflects the variety at its finest. It pairs wonderfully with duck confit, grilled quail, or a Moroccan lamb tagine.