Deep garnet-purple, the 2019 Distentia I lets rip with an aria of Morello cherries, blackberry compote, blueberry preserves, and Chinese five spice notes, accompanied by whispers of licorice, tar, Sichuan pepper, and bacon fat. The full-bodied palate is charged with energy and freshness, supported by densely pixilated, fine-grained tannins, finishing with incredible length and resonance. The 2019 Syrah Distenta I is made from 83.6% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre, 5.2% Petite Sirah, 6.2% Grenache, 1.4% Muscat, and 0.6% Petit Manseng. The red winemaking included 33% whole cluster. The vineyard sources for this wine are 35% The Third Twin, 33% Eleven Confessions, 31% Cumulus, and 1% Molly Aida—all estate-owned vineyards. This wine was bottled at the end of July 2021, after 23 months in French oak, 43% new. (LPB)

The 2019 Syrah Distenta I is brilliant, and certainly one of the Syrahs of the vintage. Sporting a vivid ruby, almost opaque hue, it offers awesome, textbook Syrah notes of assorted red and blackberry fruits, bacon fat, smoked meat, and an incredible floral character that develops with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's a more elegant, restrained Sine Qua Non revealing flawless balance, beautiful freshness and elegance, silky tannins, and one heck of a finish. Still a baby that needs a lengthy decant if drinking any time soon (this bottle showed best on the second day, at which point it was drunk), it will benefit from a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades after that. (JD) 98+

The 2019 Syrah Distenta I is gorgeous. Dark, seamless and layered, the 2019 boasts phenomenal balance and intensity. Plush black fruit, plum, licorice, chocolate and incense build as the 2019 gently unfurls in the glass. There's real depth and texture here. Touches of Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Muscat and Petite Manseng round out the blend. I am not sure what else is left to say about Elaine and Manfred Krankl. I see the same enthusiasm and child-like wonder today that I saw a dozen years ago when I first started tasting here, something that is made all the more remarkable by the passage of time and the natural highs and lows of life that ran through those years. The biggest development at Sine Qua Non is the increasing use, almost exclusively now, of estate fruit. ...The wines are pretty much as they have always been: bold, luscious and imbued with the personality of two of California’s most inspired winemakers. (AG)