There really is no wine collection like that of Sine Qua Non (“SQN”) – each new bottle in each new vintage receives a new name, a new label and a new bottle shape. If you are a lover of art and wine, Sine Qua Non is a wine you’ll want to try. We held one dinner already featuring these wines. And we had such excitement for this theme that we've put together a second intimate wine dinner devoted to the wines of Sine Qua Non.

The cult status of these wines was achieved quickly as from 1994 when SQN first began until 2008, already seven of the wines had earned 100 points from Robert Parker. 

The story of Sine Qua Non begins with the arrival of Manfred Krankl from his homeland of Austria to Los Angeles in the early 1980s. In 1989 he helped open a high-profile restaurant called Campanile where he was the wine director and managing partner. And that’s where he and his wife Elaine met; they worked there together. Next door they had a small space where they were able to sell the restaurant’s breads and named this spot La Brea Bakery; it became a national success. In 1994, with their shared passion for wine and money from the restaurant and bakery venture, Elaine and Manfred founded Sine Qua Non. They began by purchasing grapes from trusted winery owners and friends with a similar passion for Rhône varietals, like John Alban. And initially they made their wine in Alban Vineyards’ cellars. By 1997, they were able to set up a winery in Ventura, California in an industrial warehouse space. Eventually, they were able to buy some of their own vineyards, and now they own the following four vineyards in California: Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills near Buellton, The Third Twin Vineyard near Los Alamos, Molly Aïda Vineyard in Tepusquet Canyon near Santa Maria and their home vineyard Cumulus located in Oak View near Ojai. And in 2012, they built a new winemaking facility at their home in Oak View, California.

All of the wines for this dinner were acquired by a private wine collector who was on the wine list of SQN for years; it’s the only way to get these wines and it’s next to impossible to get on the list. The only other way is to pay the high prices they fetch on the secondary market – if you can find a collector willing to part with them. So, do take this opportunity to enjoy these cult California masterpieces from Sine Qua Non. Perhaps, you will find a few you need for your collection.

Wines to be served:
2010 Sine Qua Non The Monkey White Blend
2011 Sine Qua Non The Moment White Blend
2013 Sine Qua Non And An Eight Track Rose
2004 Sine Qua Non Covert Fingers Pinot Noir
2002 Sine Qua Non Hollerin’ M Pinot Noir
2011 Sine Qua Non Cumulus Vineyard ‘Next of Kyn’
2009 Sine Qua Non Cumulus Vineyard ‘Next of Kyn’
2011 Sine Qua Non Patine Grenache
2011 Sine Qua Non Patine Syrah
2009 Sine Qua Non Estonoesuna Salida (This Is Not An Exit) Grenache
2007 Sine Qua Non Labels Syrah
2003 Sine Qua Non Papa Syrah