Wine Advisor
Sine Qua Non, Tectumque 2017
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Tectumque means “shelter” in Latin. This wine was initially going to be called “Inconnue” (“unknown” in French), but that name had already been trademarked. “Naming wines is becoming impossible,” mentioned Manfred. “Everything has already been taken. Even, 'No Name!'” This is a blend of 38% Roussanne, 31% Petit Manseng, 18% Chardonnay, 9% Viognier and 4% Muscat. The vineyard components are 52% Cumulus Estate, 19% Eleven Confessions Estate, 18% Bien Nacido Vineyard and 11% The Third Twin Estate. It spent around 20 months aging in 9% concrete eggs, 4% amphora, 9% used barrels and 78% new French oak puncheons. Just recently bottled, the 2017 Tectumque was bit closed on the nose when I first tried it, springing to life upon second tasting a month later, offering up with seducing notes of tangerine peel, tropical fruits, paraffin wax and honeycomb with a floral undercurrent—orange blossom and honeysuckle—followed by a waft of allspice. The palate is full, rich and wonderfully creamy with compelling, juxtaposing phenolic grip. (Manfred thinks this phenolic attribute comes from the tiny Petit Manseng berries with very thick skins. These berries also lend a lot of natural acidity.) Possessing a very fresh, laser-fine line of vivacity, it finishes very long and incredibly fragrant. Given the structure, intensity and nature of the flavors, I foresee this aging with all the grace of a great Chateauneuf du Pape blanc and should easily cellar for 15-20+ years. 773 cases and 324 magnum bottles were made.
About the Producer
Sine Qua Non was founded in 1994 by Manfred Krankl and his wife Elaine. Located on the central coast of California, the winery initially made only around 100 cases of wine for restaurant pairings, and in 1996 production was increased to 2,000 cases per year. The winery also collaborates with Australian winemaker Alois Kracher on the "Mr. K" brand of sweet wines. Mr Kracher has made a statement that their collaboration will end with the release of the 2006 vintage. Château Séguinon has 22.9 acres of contracted vineyards, but all or most of them will be removed as the estate also starts to grow its own grapes, with 30 acres of vineyards. The vineyard is planted to Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Roussanne, Chardonnay and Viognier, as well as Gewurztraminer for iced white wines and Gewurztraminer for Semillon for sweet after-dinner wines, i.e. straw wines. The average age of the vines in the contract vineyards is 12 years and 3 years in the estate vineyards (most of the vines are newly planted). Château de Saquinon's winemaking philosophy is to take a gentle approach to the growing and vinification of the grapes. From the vineyard to the bottling of the wine, they take an absolutely manual approach. The picking of the grapes, the removal of leaves, stalks, unripe or rotten fruit, etc., is all done by hand. At bottling, the wine is not filtered unless necessary. The white wines are aged in French oak barrels of 40-60% new oak for 13-15 months; the reds are aged in 60-100% new oak barrels. Pinot Noir wines are aged for 9-13 months and Syrah and Grenache for about 18-24 months. The wines of Château Séguinon change their names every year, but there are four in total: a blend dominated by Syrah, a blend dominated by Grenache, a blend dominated by Roussanne, and a blend of white wines dominated by Roussanne, and a sweet Mr Clankel.
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