2002 Sine Qua Non, Mr K The Noble Man, California 1x375ml

Robert Parker 94

The 2002 Mr. K The Noble Man (321 grams per liter of residual sugar and 10.25 grams per liter of acidity) is made from 100% botrytised Chardonnay. Its medium gold color is followed by a wine with honeyed complexity, and huge body, sweetness, and thickness. This effort is never as complex or focused as its siblings, but it is still a phenomenal sweet wine that can stand on its own merits against any great sweet wine made in the world. The world’s most profound wines are always made by the same kind of people … artists, craftspeople, revolutionaries, and traditionalists who have one overwhelming trait in common … they are irrefutably dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, and their hearts, souls, and enormous talents are reflected in wines of singular personality and achievement. There are never any compromises, so it is no surprise that what takes place in these cellars is the transformation of a commonplace beverage into a form of drinkable art! Manfred Krankl and his charming wife, Elaine (referred to by Krankl as a oeEa ), are on a roll given what has emerged from their funky warehouse/garage winery located in what looks like a discarded Hollywood set from the movie Mad Max. Finding a bottle or two of Sine Qua Non is no easy task since virtually all these wines are sold to longtime mailing list clients as well as the country’s finest upscale restaurants. However, some relief is in sight as Krankl is beginning to get fruit from his own Eleven Confessions Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills. Moreover, he planted another vineyard in Ventura County on a bald outcropping that should produce some fascinating Rhone varietals. The upcoming releases all reveal Krankl’s magic touch, and like some of the finest wineries working with Rhone varietals, Manfred Krankl is a creative blender, recognizing that blends generally result in more nuances and flavor complexity than a single varietal cuvee. Tel. (805) 649-8901 [Robert M. Parker, Jr., 30/06/2005]