100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Coming all from the estate Eleven Confessions Vineyard and 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah, and a splash of Viognier thrown in for good measure, the 2016 Grenache Pajarito Del Amor was brought up 38 months in 54% new French oak demi-muids and the balance in varying used barrels ranging from 2 to 6 years in age. There are just 916 cases of this magical wine, which easily ranks with the greatest Grenache-driven wines to ever come out of California. Deep purple-hued, with an incredible array of cassis, blackberries, toasted spices, caramelized meats, white pepper, and graphite, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an expansive, layered mouthfeel, and a blockbuster finish. This is one of those wine that wows from the first sip and is flawlessly balanced, with ripe tannins, incredible purity, and a singular character. Drink this elixir any time over the coming 15-20 years. (8/4/20)"
100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2016 Grenache Pajarito Del Amor is a single-vineyard wine—a barrel selection from the Eleven Confessions estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills... Indeed, this wine spent 38 months in barrel, which is amazing when you consider how vibrant and fresh this Grenache is, also knowing how easily Grenache can oxidize. Fifty-four percent of the wine was aged in large (600-liter) new French oak, while the remainder was aged in used vessels of various ages and sizes. Composed of 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier, employing 56% whole cluster, the nose of this opaque, garnet-purple colored uber-Grenache completely explodes with a candied violets, mandarin peel and Indian spices perfume, giving way to a core of bursting-ripe red berries—redcurrants, Morello cherries and raspberries—with an undercurrent of earth, earth and more sweet, fragrant earth. The numbers are telling me this is a full-bodied wine (16.9% alcohol), but the palate is deceptively ethereal, possessing more of a medium to full-bodied feel, thanks in part to bags of well-integrated freshness and fantastic harmony, with soft, silt-like tannins, finishing with loads of savory layers and a fragrant, floral breeze. Yowza, that's good. Drink: 2022-2042. (8/31/20)"
98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The darker side of Grenache comes through in the 2016 Grenache Pajarito del Amor. Inky purplish fruit, espresso, mocha and rose petal are pushed forward, but more than anything else, the 2016 stands out for its exotic, beguiling beauty. I hope to be able to taste the 2016 with bottle age, as it is a total stunner. The 2016 is marked by a high percentage of Grenache in the blend (85%) and a high percentage of whole clusters as well (56%), as most of the stem inclusion in this wine comes from the Grenache. Drink: 2022-2031. (Aug 2020)"
100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "The 2016 Grenache Pajarito Del Amor is a single-vineyard wine—a barrel selection from the Eleven Confessions estate vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills... Indeed, this wine spent 38 months in barrel, which is amazing when you consider how vibrant and fresh this Grenache is, also knowing how easily Grenache can oxidize. Fifty-four percent of the wine was aged in large (600-liter) new French oak, while the remainder was aged in used vessels of various ages and sizes. Composed of 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah and 0.6% Viognier, employing 56% whole cluster, the nose of this opaque, garnet-purple colored uber-Grenache completely explodes with a candied violets, mandarin peel and Indian spices perfume, giving way to a core of bursting-ripe red berries—redcurrants, Morello cherries and raspberries—with an undercurrent of earth, earth and more sweet, fragrant earth. The numbers are telling me this is a full-bodied wine (16.9% alcohol), but the palate is deceptively ethereal, possessing more of a medium to full-bodied feel, thanks in part to bags of well-integrated freshness and fantastic harmony, with soft, silt-like tannins, finishing with loads of savory layers and a fragrant, floral breeze. Yowza, that's good. Drink: 2022-2042. (8/31/20)"
98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The darker side of Grenache comes through in the 2016 Grenache Pajarito del Amor. Inky purplish fruit, espresso, mocha and rose petal are pushed forward, but more than anything else, the 2016 stands out for its exotic, beguiling beauty. I hope to be able to taste the 2016 with bottle age, as it is a total stunner. The 2016 is marked by a high percentage of Grenache in the blend (85%) and a high percentage of whole clusters as well (56%), as most of the stem inclusion in this wine comes from the Grenache. Drink: 2022-2031. (Aug 2020)"
| Product SKU | 353298 |
| Producer | Sine Qua Non |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| SubRegion | Central Coast |
| Appellation | Sta. Rita Hills |
| Varietal | Grenache/Garnacha |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| Blend | 85.4% Grenache, 7.1% Petite Sirah, 6.9% Syrah, and a splash of Viognier |
| Ships To |
