Professional reviews
Robert Parker (99)
The 2018 Syrah Ziehharmonika is composed of 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvedre, 5% Petite Sirah, 2.3% Grenache, 2.7% Viognier and 1.3% Muscat. “I think Muscat is the number one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred said. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The red winemaking included 14% whole cluster.
The vineyard sources for this wine are 51% The Third Twin, 43% Eleven Confessions and 6% Cumulus - all estate owned vineyards.
The wine was bottled in August 2020, after 23.5 months of aging. It was reared in 51% new French oak, 46% in used barrels and 3% in terracotta. (The terracotta is only use for whites.)
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored—WOW—perfumed black and blue fruits prance out of the glass, revealing accents of candied violets and cinnamon stick, supporting the plum preserves, blackberry compote and garrigue-scented core, plus hints of molten dark chocolate, licorice, Chinese five spice and bacon with a touch of iron ore. The densely laden, full-bodied palate is seriously showy, featuring flamboyant black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers with a solid backbone of ripe, rounded tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of earth, pepper and floral fireworks.
1,910 cases and 600 magnums were made.
“Naming wines is becoming impossible,” Manfred Krankl told me last year in a fit of frustration. “Everything has already been taken. Even, 'No Name!'” After this conversation, his nearly completed registration of the name “Squeezebox” for one of the new releases fell through. Someone had already registered that name. The wine’s name had to be changed to “Ziehharmonika,” meaning "squeezebox" in German. It was the last straw. The Krankl’s are done (for now) with new fanciful names for every new Sine Qua Non label each year. From 2019 onward, the wines are all to be called “Distenta,” meaning “unlabeled” in Latin, with a number to follow. Accordingly, the 2019 Grenache and Syrah releases this year are called “Distenta I.”
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Checking in as 82% Syrah, 6.7% Mourvèdre, and the rest Petite Sirah and Grenache, the 2018 Syrah Ziehharmonika was largely destemmed and brought up in 51% new French oak. Gorgeous crème de cassis, smoked game, bacon fat, and spring flower notes all soar from the glass of this beauty, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and a rare mix of richness and freshness. Unquestionably made in a more restrained, elegant style compared to a decade ago, it nevertheless is flawlessly balanced, has awesome tannins, and is just another magical wine from this address that's going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
BOW (8.75)
