100 pts
Wine Advocate
2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Stockholm Syndrome Sta. Rita Hills
The 2010 Syrah Stockholm Syndrome is a monumental effort that will stand toe-to-toe with the greatest Syrahs in the world. A blend of 96% Syrah, 3% Roussanne and 1% Viognier, it was fermented with 16% whole cluster before spending just under 42 months in 100% new French oak. It offers an incredible array of sweet dark fruits, cassis, white chocolate, licorice and hints of bacon fat that meld perfectly with its full-bodied, seamless, layered and impeccably put-together palate. Given the wealth of fruit here, it’s amazing how this stays light, graceful and elegant, without ever seeming over the top in any way. While there’s no shortage of tannin here, they’re sweet and integrated, so feel free to enjoy this rock-star effort anytime over the coming two decades or more.
100 pts
Vinous
2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Stockholm Syndrome Sta. Rita Hills
The 2010 Syrah Stockholm Syndrome is an incredible blend of 96% Syrah, 3% Roussanne and 1% Viognier, it was fermented with 16% whole cluster before spending just under 42 months in 100% new French oak. It offers a brilliant, soaring bouquet of kirsch liqueur and crème de cassis characteristics intermixed with notes of Peking duck, exotic spices, pepper, and dried flowers. Deep, full-bodied, and powerful, yet also graceful, perfectly balanced, and light on its feet, it’s still youthful and vibrant, with present tannin, and has another two-plus decades of longevity ahead of it. I’ve been lucky enough to have numerous bottles of this elixir since release and it’s never failed to reaffirm my belief that it’s one of the all-time Great Syrahs of the world.
100 pts
Wine Advocate
2010 Sine Qua Non Grenache Stockholm Syndrome Sta. Rita Hills
The current release of the estate vineyard (a.k.a. the extended barrel-aged cuvee), the 2010 Grenache Stockholm Syndrome is an incredible effort that I couldn’t find a fault with. A blend of 75% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 2% Roussanne and 1% Viognier, all from the Eleven Confession Vineyard, it spent just under 30 months in 22% new and 78% used French oak prior to bottling. Locked and loaded, it knocks it out of the park with its cassis, licorice, smoked duck, spice-box and exotic herb-styled bouquet. The palate follows suit and while it has the expected depth and richness of the estate, it’s seamless, elegant and lively, with perfect balance, ultra-fine tannin and a finish that just won’t quit. It doesn’t get any better and count yourself lucky if you can latch onto a couple of these. It will thrill for 15-20 years.
100 pts
Jeb Dunnuck
2010 Sine Qua Non Grenache Stockholm Syndrome Sta. Rita Hills
The 2010 Grenache Stockholm Syndrome is another perfect wine. This beauty is made from blend of 75% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 2% Roussanne and 1% Viognier, all from the Eleven Confession Vineyard, that spent just under 30 months in 22% new and 78% used French oak prior to bottling. It offers a huge nose of exotic red and black fruits, smoked duck, spice, and pepper that just screams Grenache! Deep purple colored, full-bodied, seamless, elegant, and just heavenly textured and long, with ultra-fine tannin, it opens up with time in the glass and is a monumental effort that has another 15-20 years of prime drinking ahead of it.
