100 points - limited                                              
Limited new wine from cult producer Sine Qua Non.

100 Points The Wine Palate: "The Sine Qua Non 2023 Syrah Distenta V is blended with 85.8% Grenache, 3.7% Petite Sirah, 3.3% Mourvèdre, and dollops of Petit Manseng and Muscat. It was matured for 23 months in French oak, 63% new, and 11% whole clusters were employed. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose is a little shy to start, opening out to a beguiling perfume of roses, tar, juicy black cherries, and warm plums, plus hints of lavender and damp soil. Full-bodied, the palate is bright and shiny with fragrant floral notes accenting the intense, crunchy black fruit layers, textured with firm, grainy tannins, finishing long and perfumed."

100 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Tasted just before bottling, the 2023 Syrah Distenta V has all the makings of a masterpiece. Beguiling aromatics of exotic spice, violets, blueberries and crushed rocks soar from the glass, leading into a wine of staggering elegance and expressiveness. Juicy yet refined, it already shows remarkable completeness, with a suave balance that promises even greater things in bottle. The blend is 85.8% Syrah, 5.5% Grenache, 3.7% Petite Sirah, 3.3% Mourvèdre, 1.3% Petit Manseng and 0.4% Muscat, vinified with 11% whole clusters. Nearly half of the fruit comes from the Third Twin Vineyard in 2023, which imbues the Distenta V with brightness and verve."

98 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2023 Syrah Distenta V comes from Sine Qua Non's The Third Twin, Cumulus, and Eleven Confessions vineyards and is a blend of 85.8% Syrah, 5.5% Grenache, 3.7% Petite Sirah, 3.3% Mourvèdre, and the rest white varieties. Fermented with 11% whole clusters and aged 23 months in 63% new French oak, it displays a deep purple hue and offers dark blackberries, cracked pepper, violets, flowers, and leather. This is a darker, focused, peppery, full-bodied style that’s beautifully balanced with the fresher, focused character of the vintage."

"There are few greater success stories in wine than that of Sine Qua Non’s Manfred Krankl. Austrian-born and showing up penniless in Los Angeles in 1980, he went on to create one of the greatest wine estates in the world today by sheer talent and work ethic."