1996 | Sine Qua Non | Left Field Pinot Noir

Red Wine: 1996 | Sine Qua Non | Left Field Pinot Noir

The 1996 Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Shea Vineyard called Left Field is the first wine from Sine Qua Non that has not received an outstanding rating.

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Producer: Sine Qua Non

Vintage: 1996

Size: 750ml

ABV: 13%

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Country/Region: United States, Willamette Valley

The 1996 Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Shea Vineyard called Left Field is the first wine from Sine Qua Non that has not received an outstanding rating. The color is medium ruby/garnet and the nose complex with plenty of smoky new oak intermixed with plum damp forest aromas and berry fruit.

Producer Information

Sine Qua Non is one of California’s most famous wine producers. Based just north of Los Angeles in Ventura County, and with most of its vineyards in Santa Barbara, it eschews the usual image of top California wine as being only from Napa Valley. That is not the only thing eschewed at Sine Qua Non the same wine is rarely made more than once, turning the idea of the American icon wine on its head. The cult winery specialises in Rhne grape varieties, with most of the red wines based on Syrah and Grenache. White wines are typically based on Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier and are also modelled after Rhne wines. While most of Sine Qua Non’s vineyards are located in Santa Barbara, the home vineyard (and the winery) is located in Oak View. Many of the wines are labeled under the more generic California and Central Coast AVAs, rather than the specific AVAs the vineyards are located in, giving more freedom when it comes to blending. Sine Qua Non’s first vintage was 1994, as Austrian-born winemaker Manfred Krankl released three barrels of Syrah as “Queen of Spades” with a label he had designed himself. Previously, Krankl had made wines with other winemakers including the “Black and Blue” wine with Havens Cellars and several wines with John Alban of Alban Vineyards. After releasing Queen of Spades, Krankl sent a bottle to Robert Parker, who promptly gave the wine 95 points then the highest he’d given any American wine based on a Rhne variety. The brand has become a cult favorite since its beginnings. Small volumes mean that demand has consistently outstripped supply and, like many top Californian producers, Sine Qua Non has employed a mailing list to sell wines directly to customers. The wines fetch top prices on the secondary market, often reaching more than $1000, and occasionally much higher: in 2014, a single bottle of Sine Qua Non ros from the 1995 vintage fetched $42,780 at auction.