Sine Qua Non, Syrah and Grenache by Manfred Krankl
Manfred Krankl's confidential seriesCalifornian Syrahs and Grenaches produced in very small quantities, usually reserved for those on a waiting list, each under a name and label unique to its vintage. Founded in 1994 in Ventura by Manfred and Elaine Krankl, the estate works with Rhône grape varieties on its Central Coast vineyards and makes dense, ripe wines, close to 16% alcohol, built for long ageing.
This page helps you read the Distenta series, choose between Syrah and Grenache, and serve these rare bottles at the right time.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta III Grenache 2021
An explosive and complex blend where Grenache plays the leading role
Sine Qua Non - Distenta IV Grenache 2022
A sensual and profound expression of Grenache, where the richness of ripe fruit blends into an intense and spicy structure.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta IV Syrah 2022
This wine expresses the strength of the terroir in a symphony of black fruit, spices and minerality, combining power and refinement.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta III White 2021
An exceptional white wine that unfolds an aromatic richness, combining intensity, silky texture and an elegance of rare precision
Sine Qua Non - Distenta I 2019
An exquisite wine that captivates the senses with its unique taste profile
Sine Qua Non - Eleven Confession Syrah 2020
A wine that surprises with its controlled power, its deep aromas of black fruits and spices, and its texture that combines opulence and elegance.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta I Grenache 2019
A wine that surprises with its controlled power, its deep aromas of black fruits and spices, and its texture that combines opulence and elegance.
Sine Qua Non - Distenta I Syrah 2019
A deep, velvety wine of almost sculptural intensity, where the richness of the fruit combines with remarkable precision and energy.
Sine Qua Non - The Hated Hunter Syrah 2017
Reading a series like Distenta
The estate usually changes the name with each vintage. Distenta is the exception: the name runs over several years and a Roman numeral marks each harvest.
| Milestone | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The series name | A family of wines sharing a name over several vintages | Distenta |
| The Roman numeral | The vintage's place in the series | I for 2019, II for 2020, III for 2021, IV for 2022 |
| The named grape variety | The dominant grape variety in a blend, completed by other Rhône varieties | Syrah around 83%, Grenache around 78% |
| The series' white | A blend of white grape varieties: Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne and Petit Manseng | Distenta White |
| The label | An illustration unique to each wine, designed by Manfred Krankl | A different drawing for the Syrah and for the Grenache |
| The alcohol content | Very ripe harvests under the Central Coast sun | Between 15.7% and 16% |
The exact blends are shown on each product page: they vary from one year to the next, depending on each vineyard's harvest.
The Distenta wines available, blend and ageing
Two vintages, two dominant grape varieties: a chance to compare the Syrah and the Grenache of the same year, or follow one grape from one harvest to the next.
| Vintage | Blend | Alcohol and ageing | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distenta III Grenache 2021Grenache-dominant | 79% Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, a touch of Petit Manseng and Muscat | 16%, 15 years and more | €380.00 a bottle, sold individually |
| Distenta III Syrah 2021Syrah-dominant | Mostly Syrah, completed by Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah | 15.9%, 15 years and more | €380.00 a bottle, sold individually |
| Distenta IV Grenache 2022Grenache-dominant | 78% Grenache, 10% Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah and white grape varieties | 15.9%, 15 years and more | €380.00 a bottle, sold individually |
| Distenta IV Syrah 2022Syrah-dominant | 82.7% Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre and 3% white grape varieties | 15.7%, 15 years and more | €380.00 a bottle, sold individually |
Grenache gives a spicier, suppler wine, Syrah a darker, tighter one. Both need time in the cellar.
By grape, by region, by mood
One bottle from the series to start with, then the neighbouring sections to continue discovering Rhône grape varieties.
A Syrah for long ageing
Black fruit, spice and a dense frame: the series' Syrah in its 2022 vintage, to forget in the cellar for several years.
Distenta IV Syrah 2022, €380.00 a bottle, sold individuallyA broad, spicy Grenache
Grenache leads a blend of six Rhône grape varieties: a sun-drenched, deep wine, carried by very ripe fruit.
Distenta III Grenache 2021, €380.00 a bottle, sold individuallySyrah from around the world
From the northern Rhône to the Barossa, Syrah changes face with the climate: peppery on cool terroirs, rounder in the sun.
Syrah sectionGrenache in all its forms
A grape of sun and wind, Grenache gives generous, spicy reds and an essential part of southern blends.
Grenache sectionCalifornia's Central Coast
Between San Francisco and Los Angeles, vineyards cooled by the ocean, the favourite ground of Rhône grape varieties and Pinot Noir.
Central Coast sectionAll of California
From Napa to Santa Barbara, the state's great reds and whites, from varietal wines to estate cuvées.
California sectionMore estates to discover
The index of our estates, arranged by country, to follow a winemaker from one cuvée to the next and compare styles.
All estates
A winemaker who renames every wine
Manfred Krankl, originally from Austria, came to wine through the restaurant business in Los Angeles. With Elaine, he founded the estate in 1994 in Ventura, an hour north of the city. Each cuvée there receives a new name and label, drawn by him: a way of saying that each vintage tells a different story.
The style comes down to a few choices: very ripe harvests from the estate's vineyards, including Eleven Confessions, The Third Twin and Cumulus, a share of whole bunches in fermentation, then long ageing, around 23 months, in French oak barrels. The result is powerful, full wines with a velvety texture.
The full story of the estate, from its beginnings to its labels, is told in our article Sine Qua Non, California's cult estate.
Serving a rare bottle
These wines reward patience: each product page states an ageing potential of fifteen years and more. When the day comes, open the bottle two hours before the meal, serve it at 16–18 °C in a large glass, and let it evolve over the evening: the wine opens up slowly, glass after glass.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Sine Qua Non
Who is behind Sine Qua Non?
Manfred Krankl, an Austrian-born artist and former restaurateur, founded the estate with his wife Elaine in 1994 in Ventura, north of Los Angeles. He oversees the winemaking and draws the labels himself. The estate made its name with Syrahs and Grenaches of great density, produced in very small volumes.
Why does every wine change its name?
At Sine Qua Non, a wine corresponds to a vintage and a story. Each cuvée therefore receives a new name and an original label. For wine lovers, it is a real treasure hunt: the dominant grape variety, shown on the label, remains the surest reference for comparing the wines from one year to the next.
How do you read a series like Distenta?
Distenta is a series name shared over several vintages. The Roman numeral gives the year: I for 2019, II for 2020, III for 2021, IV for 2022. The grape named next, Syrah or Grenache, is the dominant variety. A white completes each vintage of the series.
Syrah or Grenache, which should you choose?
Syrah gives a dark, tight wine, with notes of black fruit, pepper and violet, that calls for more patience. Grenache offers redder fruit, spice, a suppler texture and earlier approachability. To compare, open the two cuvées of the same vintage side by side.
How long should these bottles be kept?
Each product page states an ageing potential of fifteen years and more. These highly concentrated wines benefit from several years in the cellar, lying down, away from light, at around 12–14 °C. The 2021 and 2022 vintages are at the start of their lives: patience reveals their more complex notes.
How should you serve a Sine Qua Non wine?
Serve it at 16–18 °C, in a generous glass. Opening the bottle one to two hours before the meal, or decanting it for a young vintage, lets the wine relax. Plan to follow it over the whole evening: it evolves a great deal in contact with air.
What dishes should you serve with these reds?
How are these bottles sold?
The Distenta wines on sale in the shop are ordered by the bottle, individually: €380.00 a bottle for the Syrah and the Grenache alike, 2021 and 2022 vintages. Each bottle travels in reinforced packaging. For a special order, write to us from the contact page.
Why are these wines so rare?
The estate produces very small quantities, sometimes just a few barriques per cuvée, and reserves most of its wines for those on its waiting list. The bottles that then circulate on the market are sought after by collectors all over the world, hence their price and limited availability.