The 2009 Syrah The Thrill of... is predominantly Syrah, with a touch of Grenache (4.5%) and Viognier (2.5%), all fully destemmed. It is a fabulous wine graced with layers of black cherries, blackberries, tar, menthol, smoke and spices. Hints of licorice and violets develop in the glass, adding further layers of complexity as this mysterious wine gradually opens up to reveal its pedigree. The French oak (50% new) is beautifully balanced, while the finish is energetic, intense and opulent. The vineyard sources are 58% Eleven Confessions, 9% Cumulus, 20% Bien Nacido and 13% White Hawk. This is pure seduction. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2023. This is a breathtaking set of wines from Sine Qua Non and Manfred Krankl. It’s hard to say precisely to what degree a greater reliance on estate owned vineyards, generally cooler growing seasons over the last few years and a reduction in new oak are shaping these wines, but the bottom line is that Krankl is coaxing fruit of incomparable elegance from the sites he works with. The silkiness and polish of the tannins is breathtaking. I also had a chance to see numerous estate vineyards during my visit with Krankl and Cellar Master Jim Binns including the Cumulus vineyard that informs Krankl’s newest project, Next of Kyn, which is reviewed separately. That said, there are fewer more perfect matches than Grenache and Syrah as farmed by Krankl in the Eleven Confessions vineyard, which is located in the Santa Rita Hills, one of the cooler spots in California’s Central Coast. The wines that emerge from this site are often profound. The sheer drive for perfection and attention to detail at Sine Qua Non is something I have rarely witnessed anywhere else in the world.Tel. (805) 649-8901