Tom Kobylarz

9.6

Like a stack of poker chips, layers stand symmetrical and equally distant of fruit, spice,, salinity, minerality, and soil, gorgeous blend that shows terroir through the cepage! — a year ago

Mario Zillner

9.3

Poker Night bottle #2 — 6 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.4

Photo from file. 2004 Vintage. The cork just disintegrated but somehow the wax top saved the wine. Poured it trough a stained into decanter and then was wine of the night at poker. Drink up but have a strainer and decanter ready. Perhaps an ah-so twin blade cork puller would have done better and will try that on future bottles of this. It trumped a 2012 Saxum Broken Stones. — 7 years ago

Tom Inners

9.6

Lots of fun. @Ian Macdonald opened a stunner and then proceeded to take all my money on the poker table. This wine carries all the richness my wallet once had. — 8 years ago

Bill Bender

9.7

The advanced notice on this was very positive but I wasn't prepared for how absolutely astonishing it was. I opened around 4pm Saturday and I caught a pretty heavy nose of black cherry liqueur, fox fur and game. From the nose I feared heat. I decanted about 4 hours and served with NY Waygu strip steak and twiced baked potatoes. I was immediately jarred by the depth, purity and balance of this Syrah. There was weight but she (this wine is a sexy she) was also so light on her feet. Flavors of dark chocolate, bourbon barrels and peppercorn and a marked silky mouth feel. This is a special, powerful wine with tremendous structure and a rich, long finish. It's a mythical combination of the funk and depth of a Cayuse Bionic Frog or Charles Smith Royal City and the power, texture and smooth finish of the SQN Poker Face. Such an impressive showing by winemaker @Fraser McKinley and a big thank you to the basketball barrister @Roman Sukley for staying on me and making sure I acquired some of this. I trust Roman's palette without reservation. One last note: this wine was substantially more integrated and more plush and round on day 2. I recommend opening and using the Audouze method at cellar temp followed by a lengthy decant. This will sing loud and clear if you let it explore the studio space. — 9 years ago

Oleg Lebedev

9.0

Кожа, вишня, немного дуба, тонко, элегантно — 10 years ago

Amy

9.1

angie brought to poker night- so good! tobacco, chocolate, fruit — 2 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.3

Skin contact Riesling from a favorite producer, sushi, all the sushi, and poker with the guys. This is heaven incarnate.

I’ll see ya on the other side. — 6 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.7

2010 Vintage. I took a Pax 2004 Lauterbach to poker night and my wife found this to share with her girlfriend. They loved it... — 7 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

8.9

Some fruity and interesting things on the nose. Flavors are very nice. Easy. Like taking money from a bad, drunken poker player, or taking a nap after a hearty meal of stew and warm bread. A go to French red. — 8 years ago

Ryan d

9.2

Liked this a lot - a funky nose, raspberry, good acidity. Pretty earthy. Would drink this again. Drank while playing poker with Annie's family after a USC game — 9 years ago

Pauline Le

10

Excellent. Poker night. Perfect FRENCH sparkling rosé. — 9 years ago

Tristan Berne

9.2

This was great. Had it at Rose's. I imagine this is what cherry coke would taste like after you dipped a red hot poker in it -- smokey tannins, ripe cherry, some vanilla oak softening things up. — 9 years ago

with Lincoln

Joshua Chan

8.9

Alright. Perfect poker game accompaniment. — 10 years ago

Conrad Green

9.5

This is in such great shape. Violet, dark plum, underbrush. Very poker. Gorgeously in place. — 4 years ago

with Chris, Jean-Francois and 2 others

S.S. Mandani

8.9

Poker night with the guys. It’s not quite the same as the real thing, but it’s the best we got right now.

The musk of soil. A sort of fresh sea vitality.

Nice medium body, fresh carbonation. Complex notes of lemon rind, grapefruit, mint, and guava. I can’t decide if the rice vinegar kick at the end is good or eh. — 6 years ago

Vijay Parikh

8.9

VA! Flaw! — 7 years ago

Roman Sukley

10

2002 Sine Qua Non “Just For The Love Of It” Syrah. 15.2% Alcohol. So I have a confession to make. When this wine was released and Mr. Parker rated it 100 points (and correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this might have been the first Parker SQN 100 pointer), I couldn’t wait to pull the cork. And when I did, I was totally.......underwhelmed! I began questioning Parker. Questioning Manfred. Questioning my palate. What was I missing? What was my problem? Could I continue on in this world? Well, I never did reconcile things, and then “Papa” was released and all was right with the world again. So here we are, 15 years hence, and I’m here to report that Mr. Parker knew what he was talking about after all. We’re talking absolute perfection screaming from my Zalto stem. Notes of exotic flowers, toasty oak, anise and spice box on the nose. Just gorgeous. I could swirl and sniff all evening. On the palate, a predominance of sweet black currant, white pepper, blackberries and plum jam. Juicy, opulent, intense, pure. Stunning really. Endless finish. I haven’t tasted this wine in ten years because as I said, it never impressed me. But it just jumped up to co-number 1 SQN Syrah with me along with “Poker Face” and “The 17th Nail In My Cranium.” One addendum to Mr. Parker’s review which stated this wine would drink well for 10-15 years. This piece of art is just getting started! Remember, “...never for money.” — 9 years ago

Timmy Tran

9.8

Last bottle here and very happy. Felt like I was dealt a good hand in poker. — 9 years ago

Paul J

9.2

Perfect compliment to a big win on poker night! Full of fruit, with strong plum and cherry flavors. Extremely smooth but a tad weak on the finish. Was pleasantly surprised and impressed! — 10 years ago