Score: |
99 WA. "A wine that flirts with perfection, the 2012 Cumulus Vineyard #6 is an interesting blend of 38% Syrah, 37% Grenache, 17.4% Petite Sirah and the rest Mourvedre that saw 33 months in 54% new French oak. There’s a tiny 191 cases made, and it’s one of the most singular, exotic wines I’ve tasted. Spice, cedar, chocolate, exotic flowers and an assortment of dark fruits all emerge from this full-bodied, layered blend that hits the palate with serious richness and depth. Yet, like all truly great wines, it’s light, ethereal and never, ever heavy. There’s big structure here as well . . . . First released in 2007, Manfred Krankl’s Next Of Kyn releases focus on his estate vineyard located around his winery just outside of Oak View. While these releases were heavily Syrah dominated in the past, today, they’re a much more diverse mix of varieties, and as I think the notes show, they’re better for it. While these are marketed completely separately from the Sine Qua Non releases, the quality today is absolutely on par and these are some of the most exciting wines coming out of California." Wine Advocate #226, Aug 2016 |