Thank you so very much for having us back, this time with Qupe. We worked very hard to purchase Qupe out of the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy. It was a tragic set of events that left Qupe lingering on the sidelines, possibly destined for its last breaths. We swooped in and saved it and our job now is to work our collective tails off to bring it back closer to its former glory. Qupe started just next door to Andrew Murray Vineyards in 1982 with Bob Lindquist’s first few barrels of wine under the tutelage of Jim Clendenon (Au Bon Climat Fame). Bob paved the way for the rest of us fools chasing the Rhone Zone of the Santa Ynez Valley. Bob has too many firsts to list all here, but he was a big reason that AMV felt more comfortable focusing on Rhones in Santa Barbara. As part of the bankruptcy, we purchased all the library stocks of Qupe remaining. We have been busy tasting through these back vintage wines, picking our faves to release here. This is a special and unusual offer. We had hoped to be offer a single magnum of 2014 and a single 750 of 2014, but there was not really enough of any one vintage. 2014 was a great vintage in SB, and Bob crafted these wines with a deft hand, picking before any of the overripeness that plagues many 2014’s. He also used a judicious amount of whole cluster to balance out the overt fruit notes of Syrah with some great savory notes, so typcial of this amazing variety. I suspect these wines were a savory, sauvage handful at release, but now, at 10 years young, these wines are singing! The magnums as expected, are drinking way younger than the 750s, so if you purchase this offer, enjoy the 750 sooner and hold the mag. The 750 will give you a glimpse at what the mag might offer in a few more years. There is no losing in this offer, no matter what 750 or mag you receive. We opened several of each to make sure to account for bottle variation and cork quality and these were all superior wines that rose above the rest of the 2014s. This is a super special set of wines that we offered up and I really wanted you all to have access to these beauties first. They are being offered at incredible prices…this is way better than half off. To those who purchase, thank you so very much. And please look for Qupe wines in your home state, they are well distributed and their entry level wines are really good that hit way above their price. We hope to add value by producing these wines at AMV (we produced the 2024 vintage at our winery this year) and we are finishing the 2022 Syrah and 2023 Chardonnay before bottling later this year. We will pour as much money and energy into Qupe as we do the AMV or E11 wines. We are just so excited for the future of Qupe at AMV and thankful in this season of thanks that Bob Lindquist founded such an amazing winery and that we were lucky enough to save it from bankruptcy. Drink up the good life friends!
You didn’t have to do all of that hard work alone. I’m sure many of us would have been happy to help taste through those library wines, you know… for quality control.
First and foremost Alice thank you so much for sending me this bottle, it was the perfect bottle to share around our Thanksgiving table this evening.
This Qupé Syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard makes a strong first impression with a nice velvety color and smell. Right off the tongue a hint of wood, a hint of berry, but nothing overly jammy, with a smooth finish. The blend of the berry and wood notes creates a perfect neutral balance in this wines flavor profile. Its neutrality makes it a great bottle to bring to your holiday parties this up coming season. I personally thought it went wonderfully with the turkey, however I’m not sure how I would feel about a red meat pairing.
Prior to serving it I opened it up and let it sit in a decanter for a good hour. I think it could have used a bit longer to breath, with more time maybe some of those woody and berry notes would be stronger. If you are one to buy a bottle and save for a rainy day allowing this bottle to sit for a while could make a difference in your experience with this wine.
Overall I am extremely happy with this bottle, it was a great way to kick off our Thanksgiving dinner. Grab a magnum of this Qupé Syrah for your next dinner party.
So glad the bottle got to you in time to share for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed a mag of 2016 Qupe Bien Nacido Hillside Estate at our own TG. We did not have any 2014 vintage left as we allocated it all to CaseMates…we drank several of them already…truly a special wine. Thank you!
It’s been a while, but I was blessed this week by the gods and goddesses of free wine, so I’m back to do my duty!
I received the “small” which does list the vineyard on the bottle. I’ve had Qupé Syrah in the past (though it’s probably been a decade plus, when we carried it by the half bottle in my old life as a wine manager in a high end steakhouse), and remember finding it “pleasant enough” though it wasn’t a standout.
I was concerned about the vintage before opening the bottle, as I didn’t think these were meant for aging. The cork was a squishy kind of soft and broke in half, but didn’t crumble much as I managed to remove the remainder. Some sour funk smelling the cork and I wasn’t sure if that was going to be because the bottle had gone bad.
Bouquet was subtle with a bit of that funkiness, but nothing else I could parse out yet. First tasting it had very little funk, a decent amount of tannin, and very subtle fruit - maybe blackberry? It really tasted flat overall, though. Didn’t get much heat off the nose or tongue, but there was a bit of a burn in the back of my throat after each sip.
As I left the bottle open and had a couple of glasses, it opened up and I got more of the fruit (still thinking blackberry, but maybe some other darker/inkier berry that still isn’t coming to me), continued good tannin, but again not much to it.
I saved a glass for last night, and just as before, it opened up, but I got much more of the mystery dark berry and the subtleties became more distinct and enjoyable. Day 2 was preferable, but I don’t think I’d leave it open much longer. Maybe even just decant the 1st time through instead of waiting like I did.
Okay, I think that covers it. Thanks for another enjoyable opportunity to taste for the community!
Sawyer Lindquist Spectator:
92 points. This bottling from Syrah legend Bob Lindquist, sourced from the biodynamic vineyard that he planted, delivers snappy boysenberry, white pepper, rosemary and lavender aromas. The palate judiciously balances savory, peppery spice and lush purple floral notes with tangy black plum fruit and rosehip accents, making for a wondrous sip. — Matt Kettmann 7/1/17
jancisrobinson.com also the Sawyer Lindquist:
17+ Peppery and piquant, with lovely earthy notes and something quite granitic too. Does a great job of channelling the elemental side of Syrah. Hot finish though. Richard Hemming Drink 2018 - 2028 June 2018
One more Sawyer Lindquist, Wine Advocate:
90 points. The excellent 2014 Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard—which now bears the black-gold label formerly worn by the Santa Barbara County bottling—offers up an expressive nose of black cherry, blackberry, smoke, soil, tar and grilled meat. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and open-knit, with a juicy core of succulent fruit, polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Some 500 cases were produced. Drink 2018 - 2018 William Kelly 4/27/18
Dunnuck, Hillside Estate:
92 points. The saturated purple-colored 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate (20 months in in 50-60% new French oak) comes from the cool, windswept Bien Nacido Vineyard located just east of Santa Maria. Hermitage-like notes of currants, scorched earth, graphite, and bacon fat all flow to a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, structured Syrah that’s very much in the house style. It should evolve gracefully for 10-12 years. Drink 2018 - 2030 10/15/18
Dunnuck, Sonnie’s:
90 points. The 2014 Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Sonnie’s, another Edna Valley release, offers exotic notes of sour cherries, blackberries, smoked herbs, and olive tapenade. It’s medium-bodied, nicely textured, and beautifully balanced. Lovers of cool-climate Syrah from California need to check it out. Drink 2018-2025 10/15/18
Really interesting story about AM & Qupe in Santa Barbara Independent. Looks like these wines were made by Bob Lindquist the winery founder.
I already placed my order for 2, love Mags.
Good Luck AM, think this is a nice fit for you.
@InFrom LOL! And I’m not even a Syrah guy! I couldn’t resist with all the information, comments and Andrew Murray’s participation! i hope it arrives in time for me to bring the magnum to my friends’ annual NYE party!
@InFrom@irenegade Whoah…not a Syrah guy? haha, we gotta turn this around. But, yes, hope the wine does arrive in time for the NYE party. An ideal celebratory wine to share with your peeps! Thank you again!
@AndrewMurray We got the E11even mixed case that was offered earlier this year and loved every single wine in it. As a result, your endorsement of this offer carried a lot of weight!
@user48745965 Belatedly…thank you so very much. Stoked you enjoyed the wine. I truly hope you and everyone enjoys the Qupe. I had nothing to do with the wine, other than make sure we were offering up some of the best that we received in the Qupe brand purchase. We have enjoyed each one of these wines several times in both formats so we knew that they should provide some great enjoyment for both current and future drinking windows. Thank you!
Magnum: You will receive either 2014 Qupé Bien Nacido Syrah, Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley, Magnum and/or 2014 Qupé Bien Nacido Syrah, Magnum
750ML: You will receive either 2014 Qupé Bien Nacido Syrah, Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley 750ML and/or 2014 Qupé Sonnies Syrah, Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley 750ML
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, Magnum
94 Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni)
Tasting Notes
“The 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard is powerful and expressive, offering plenty of blue/purplish fruit, smoke, lavender, menthol, licorice, and spice nuances. The 2014 can be enjoyed young, but it also has more than enough depth to drink well for a number of years. This is a gorgeous wine from Qupé.” Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Notes from Andrew Murray
About: This is a limited production, library re-release of 2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard. It is now 10 years old and it is ready for your table or for continued cellaring. This Syrah was produced from select blocks at Bien Nacido, growing high on the hillsides above the winery at the time. Most were destemmed, but about 30% was fermented as whole bunches to promote some of the earthier sides of Syrah. The wine was on skins for 10-21 days and then barreled down for 18 months of barrel age before bottling. The wine has been cellared in a cold cellar since 2016.
Visual: Dark garnet, rich to the rim, beginning signs of age at the rim
Aroma and Palate: The first aromas are tart red berries a whiff of reduction that quickly wafts away from a bit of air. If drinking this soon, I suggest decanting or slow-ox’ing for 1-3 hours to allow the wine to unfurl from the bottle. Next, the classic cool-climate Syrah notes emerge with cracked black pepper, leather, and forest floor. The wine is more akin to a fine Burgundy or a mid-weight Rhône wine than anything from California. There is beautiful restraint here, and wonderfully fresh acidity that carries through to a long, rich, mildly tannic finish. Definitely drinkable now, but also capable of another 3-5 years for peak enjoyment.
Specs
Alcohol: 13.8%
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Hillside Estate, Magnum
93+ Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni) 92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
“The 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate is precise and nuanced to the core. Dark red and purplish berry fruit flavors are beautifully delineated in this super-expressive, mid-weight Syrah. A model of total understatement and total class, the 2014 has a lot to recommend it. This is an especially subtle, gracious style. I won’t be surprised if the 2014 develops into an even better wine than this note.” Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Notes from Andrew Murray
About: This is a limited production, library re-release of 2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, Hillside Estate. It is now 10 years old and it is ready for your table or for continued cellaring. This Syrah was produced from a single select block at Bien Nacido, growing high on the hillsides above the winery at the time. Most were destemmed, but about 20% was fermented as whole bunches to promote some of the earthier sides of Syrah. The wine was on skins for 10-21 days and then barreled down for 18 months of barrel age before bottling. The wine has been cellared in a cold cellar since 2016.
Visual: Inky dark to the rim, showing very little signs of its age
Aroma and Palate: This Syrah opens quickly to beautiful fruit notes of tart cherry, cranberry, blood orange, and purple flowers. This is a real beauty. This reminds me of my favorite style of Cornas or Saint Joseph, where fruit notes are in harmony with the spice notes. The new French oak use is judicious here, so there is no overt toasty oak character, but one can tell that some amazing barrels were used. That woodsy, sandalwood character reaches into the glass where the wine picks up weight and finishes rich and long, with modest fine grain tannins. The 750 mL is perfect for drinking now, whereas the magnum can get lost in your cellar for another 5-7 years if you are more patient than me.
Specs
Alcohol: 13.5%
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Hillside Estate, 750ML
93+ Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni) 92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
“The 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate is precise and nuanced to the core. Dark red and purplish berry fruit flavors are beautifully delineated in this super-expressive, mid-weight Syrah. A model of total understatement and total class, the 2014 has a lot to recommend it. This is an especially subtle, gracious style. I won’t be surprised if the 2014 develops into an even better wine than this note.” Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Notes from Andrew Murray
About: This is a limited production, library re-release of 2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, Hillside Estate. It is now 10 years old and it is ready for your table or for continued cellaring. This Syrah was produced from a single select block at Bien Nacido, growing high on the hillsides above the winery at the time. Most were destemmed, but about 20% was fermented as whole bunches to promote some of the earthier sides of Syrah. The wine was on skins for 10-21 days and then barreled down for 18 months of barrel age before bottling. The wine has been cellared in a cold cellar since 2016.
Visual: Inky dark to the rim, showing very little signs of its age
Aroma and Palate: This Syrah opens quickly to beautiful fruit notes of tart cherry, cranberry, blood orange, and purple flowers. This is a real beauty. This reminds me of my favorite style of Cornas or Saint Joseph, where fruit notes are in harmony with the spice notes. The new French oak use is judicious here, so there is no overt toasty oak character, but one can tell that some amazing barrels were used. That woodsy, sandalwood character reaches into the glass where the wine picks up weight and finishes rich and long, with modest fine grain tannins. The 750 mL is perfect for drinking now, whereas the magnum can get lost in your cellar for another 5-7 years if you are more patient than me.
Specs
Alcohol: 13.5%
2014 Qupé Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Sonnies, Edna Valley 750ML
91 Points, Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Tasting Notes
“(50% whole clusters and two-thirds new French oak) Inky ruby. Pungent dark berries, cherry pits, and vanilla aromas are complicated by incense and violet nuances. Chewy, sharply focused bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors slowly become sweeter with aeration. A subtle peppery quality builds on the long, youthful, tannic finish, which leaves notes of cherry compote and cracked pepper behind.” Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Notes from Andrew Murray
About: This is a limited production, library re-release of 2014 Qupé Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, from a special selection known as Sonnies. Unlike the other Qupé Syrah wines on offer here, this one is from the cool reaches of Edna Valley. Bob Lindquist planted this as his new “home” vineyard. When the vineyard sold, it became known as Slide Hill Vineyard and several Central Coast wineries benefited from the terroir of this site. The vineyard was predominantly hilly, with sand over degraded limestone – an ideal site for cool-climate Syrah. Most were destemmed, but about 33% were fermented as whole bunches to promote some of the earthier sides of Syrah. The wine was on skins for 10-21 days and then barreled down for 18 months of barrel age before bottling. The wine has been cellared in a cold cellar since 2016.
Visual: Medium dark garnet, showing some very early signs of age at the rim
Aroma and Palate: This Syrah is a great study in contrast…there are so many fun fruit notes – think tart cherry, crunch cran-raspberry, and even wafts of fruit punch at times, but it is more than balanced by pencil lead, delicate white pepper, mocha, dusty oak, some crunchy whole cluster notes. The mouthfeel is rich and round, with modest tannins, showing that this wine is in a near-perfect drinking window. Drink up!
Here at Qupé, our wines focus on quality, character, and balance. We specialize in Rhône-style wines from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, which is farmed sustainable, the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley, farmed biodynamically, and the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, farmed organically. Bob Lindquist’s exacting standards and never-resting-on-laurels attitude, allow Qupé to continually be cutting edge and a benchmark other wineries aspire to be.
Qupé (pronounced kyoo-pay’) is the Chumash Indian word for California poppy. The Chumash are native to California’s Central Coast and Channel Islands; the California poppy is our state flower. Bob Lindquist added the accent to the word Qupé and gave it the pronunciation.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
It isn’t often that I’m tempted to buy more than what’s allowed in a single order, but this is one of those times. Is that even possible, or will it throw up an error message if I try?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Qupé Syrah - Tall & Small Combo - $20 = 16.66%
It is with heavy hearts that we announce Bob is no longer a partner in or the winemaker for Qupé Wine Cellars.
The winery brand and current inventory was sold in November to Vintage Wine Estates (VWE). We had hoped that Bob would continue to be involved in the winemaking, but sadly this is not the case. Starting with the 2018 vintage (which Bob began) the wines will be finished by the VWE corporate wine making team…
@kaolis But that’s only part of the story! There’s a Russian novel of a thread on WB about a deal for a 2016 on Groupon. One of the theories was that it was bottled in 2019, after Bob left and there may have been some shenanigans. It’s quite a read if you have a few hours to kill and a magnum of Qupé to sip on.
I think we’re safe with the 2014s but would love to hear the full story from Andrew Murray. Time to click the buy button.
@hscottk hmmmm…I do recall that…thinking I might have purchased some of that, you’re tickling some gray matter. I might go look for the read but I need magnums, not!
@hscottk@kaolis was it 2 or 3 different labels for the 2016 Bien Nacido and then they shipped the 2018 Central Coast when they ran out? I still have a 2014 Bien Nacido magnum from the 6 magnums they sent me as compensation after I received a case of 2018 Central Coast. I think all should be fine with the 2014’s offered here.
@hscottk hoping Andrew jumps on here soon, but these wines were definitely made by Bob and his team prior to his sale. Andrew purchased the label from Vintage earlier this year and is so excited to bring this storied label ‘back to life’ so to speak. He is one of the most talented winemakers I know - and also just a really really good person. Purchase with confidence and watch for exciting things down the line with the revamped Qupe brand!
I just had lunch with Bob at our winery with some other wino friends and we enjoyed this wine along with a magnum of 2014 Roussanne Bien Nacido Hillside Estate. The 2014’s were definitely bottled by Bob. VWE purchased Qupe from Terroir Life in late 2018 and Bob assisted in that transition from his winery in Santa Maria to Laetitia where the Qupe wines were crafted until the 2023 vintage. I dont know the exact truth about the 2016 vintages as of yet…i do know that I drank a magnum of 2016 BNV Hillside Estate at our own Thanksgiving last night and it was delicious. I am doing a pod cast with Bob Lindquist next week, so I will ask him straight up what he knows. He remained with VWE’s version of Qupe until early 2019. And honestly, all of this palace intrigue is just that…the 2014 vintage is what is on offer. These wines were made and bottled by Bob at his Santa Maria winery. Full stop. Cheers…
@AndrewMurray@kaolis
Thanks, Andrew, for the backstory on this. I already bought, so totally agree this is a no brainer of a deal. Really looking forward to trying these.
Thoughts on drinking window for the mags? Would love to cellar them for a few years, but don’t want to wait too long.
@hscottk@kaolis Thank you so much! Humbled and honored. The Mags both tasted like they had another 3-10 years of life ahead if cellared well, and depending upon how “old” you like a wine to taste. I still prefer the wine to show some signs of its youth, so I suggest drinking over the coming 5 years. Hope you enjoy the wine!
@Boatman72 If they are single vineyard wines, then they are likey amazing still. We have enjoyed some of the 2012 wines. If they happen to be the regular old Central Coast Syrah, I suggest drinking sooner than later. If you don’t mind sharing, love to know what vineyards (if designated)… Cheers!
@AndrewMurray Ahhhh, the bottles were an easy find. They were all magnums and I keep them in a separate location:
2014 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley, Black Label
2012 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Sonnie’s, Edna Valley, White Label
2008 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Sonnies, Edna Valley, White Label. produced & bottled by Robert N, Lindquist, Santa Maria,CA
@Boatman72 Made me look as well.
Forgot I’d even ordered these. CT thinks 08, 12, 13 & 14, but that’s going to have to get verified since one was entered as a 750. Ahhh, CT GIGO, with some 11s and 16s tossed in as well.
@AndrewMurray@Boatman72
Good reminder for all. While the ‘what are you drinking…’ threads are easy choices, having TNs in the offer thread is really a bonus for all later on when trying to fine notes without going thru 12 threads per year.
@Boatman72 Fun wines here. We have had the 2008 Grenache Sonnies, not the Syrah yet. We have also enjoyed a few bottles of the 2014 Black Label Sawyer Lindquist…we have magnums of this we may soon be offering on the about to be relaunched Qupe website. No wines from 2012 came over with the purchase of Qupe…hope this means that they sold them all because they were so delicious. Thanks for weighing in here in this wonderful community.
This is one of the coolest deals we’ve ever produced. I’ll let Andrew Murray yes that Andrew Murray talk more on it but it’s compelling as hell
Imho.
@Winedavid49
Thank you so very much for having us back, this time with Qupe. We worked very hard to purchase Qupe out of the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy. It was a tragic set of events that left Qupe lingering on the sidelines, possibly destined for its last breaths. We swooped in and saved it and our job now is to work our collective tails off to bring it back closer to its former glory. Qupe started just next door to Andrew Murray Vineyards in 1982 with Bob Lindquist’s first few barrels of wine under the tutelage of Jim Clendenon (Au Bon Climat Fame). Bob paved the way for the rest of us fools chasing the Rhone Zone of the Santa Ynez Valley. Bob has too many firsts to list all here, but he was a big reason that AMV felt more comfortable focusing on Rhones in Santa Barbara. As part of the bankruptcy, we purchased all the library stocks of Qupe remaining. We have been busy tasting through these back vintage wines, picking our faves to release here. This is a special and unusual offer. We had hoped to be offer a single magnum of 2014 and a single 750 of 2014, but there was not really enough of any one vintage. 2014 was a great vintage in SB, and Bob crafted these wines with a deft hand, picking before any of the overripeness that plagues many 2014’s. He also used a judicious amount of whole cluster to balance out the overt fruit notes of Syrah with some great savory notes, so typcial of this amazing variety. I suspect these wines were a savory, sauvage handful at release, but now, at 10 years young, these wines are singing! The magnums as expected, are drinking way younger than the 750s, so if you purchase this offer, enjoy the 750 sooner and hold the mag. The 750 will give you a glimpse at what the mag might offer in a few more years. There is no losing in this offer, no matter what 750 or mag you receive. We opened several of each to make sure to account for bottle variation and cork quality and these were all superior wines that rose above the rest of the 2014s. This is a super special set of wines that we offered up and I really wanted you all to have access to these beauties first. They are being offered at incredible prices…this is way better than half off. To those who purchase, thank you so very much. And please look for Qupe wines in your home state, they are well distributed and their entry level wines are really good that hit way above their price. We hope to add value by producing these wines at AMV (we produced the 2024 vintage at our winery this year) and we are finishing the 2022 Syrah and 2023 Chardonnay before bottling later this year. We will pour as much money and energy into Qupe as we do the AMV or E11 wines. We are just so excited for the future of Qupe at AMV and thankful in this season of thanks that Bob Lindquist founded such an amazing winery and that we were lucky enough to save it from bankruptcy. Drink up the good life friends!
@AndrewMurray
You didn’t have to do all of that hard work alone. I’m sure many of us would have been happy to help taste through those library wines, you know… for quality control.
@kawichris650
First and foremost Alice thank you so much for sending me this bottle, it was the perfect bottle to share around our Thanksgiving table this evening.
This Qupé Syrah from Bien Nacido Vineyard makes a strong first impression with a nice velvety color and smell. Right off the tongue a hint of wood, a hint of berry, but nothing overly jammy, with a smooth finish. The blend of the berry and wood notes creates a perfect neutral balance in this wines flavor profile. Its neutrality makes it a great bottle to bring to your holiday parties this up coming season. I personally thought it went wonderfully with the turkey, however I’m not sure how I would feel about a red meat pairing.
Prior to serving it I opened it up and let it sit in a decanter for a good hour. I think it could have used a bit longer to breath, with more time maybe some of those woody and berry notes would be stronger. If you are one to buy a bottle and save for a rainy day allowing this bottle to sit for a while could make a difference in your experience with this wine.
Overall I am extremely happy with this bottle, it was a great way to kick off our Thanksgiving dinner. Grab a magnum of this Qupé Syrah for your next dinner party.
@OnCloudWine thank you for the rattage - great pic!
@OnCloudWine
So glad the bottle got to you in time to share for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed a mag of 2016 Qupe Bien Nacido Hillside Estate at our own TG. We did not have any 2014 vintage left as we allocated it all to CaseMates…we drank several of them already…truly a special wine. Thank you!
Bravo! This one deserved a sellout.
@Winedavid49 I did my part.
@Winedavid49 Hoping your shipping department does not duplicate bottles for those of us that bought the 4 pack!!!
@jmdavidson1 @Winedavid49
Or two of the 4-packs…
@jmdavidson1 @Winedavid49 i’ll try…
This is possibly the fastest I’ve ever purchased.
@jrbw3 Buy fast, sure, but drink slowly
Haha. Thank you so much!
@AndrewMurray That might be tough. Now I need some of your Syrah!
My SIWBM didn’t last a month.
/giphy hellish-suppressed-wombat
Qupé syrahs have been my favorite domestic wine for years. Very excited to get to Casemate as many as they will sell me
@CraigDanger Thank you so much. These are truly special library release wines. I hope they remind you why you loved these wines so much. Cheers…
/giphy sarcastic-tearful-bobcat
You enthusiastic buyers convinced me.
Keeping with the animal order names…
/giphy acrid-tumultuous-gecko
It’s been a while, but I was blessed this week by the gods and goddesses of free wine, so I’m back to do my duty!
I received the “small” which does list the vineyard on the bottle. I’ve had Qupé Syrah in the past (though it’s probably been a decade plus, when we carried it by the half bottle in my old life as a wine manager in a high end steakhouse), and remember finding it “pleasant enough” though it wasn’t a standout.
I was concerned about the vintage before opening the bottle, as I didn’t think these were meant for aging. The cork was a squishy kind of soft and broke in half, but didn’t crumble much as I managed to remove the remainder. Some sour funk smelling the cork and I wasn’t sure if that was going to be because the bottle had gone bad.
Bouquet was subtle with a bit of that funkiness, but nothing else I could parse out yet. First tasting it had very little funk, a decent amount of tannin, and very subtle fruit - maybe blackberry? It really tasted flat overall, though. Didn’t get much heat off the nose or tongue, but there was a bit of a burn in the back of my throat after each sip.
As I left the bottle open and had a couple of glasses, it opened up and I got more of the fruit (still thinking blackberry, but maybe some other darker/inkier berry that still isn’t coming to me), continued good tannin, but again not much to it.
I saved a glass for last night, and just as before, it opened up, but I got much more of the mystery dark berry and the subtleties became more distinct and enjoyable. Day 2 was preferable, but I don’t think I’d leave it open much longer. Maybe even just decant the 1st time through instead of waiting like I did.
Okay, I think that covers it. Thanks for another enjoyable opportunity to taste for the community!
@alexa84 it was the Bien Nacido, sorry!
@alexa84 ugh, Hillside Estate. I am the worst - I looked at the pictures and not the description so I thought I knew what I was talking about. Nrgh.
So excited to hear more!!!
Cool offer
WOW…In for 2 sets!! Thanks WineDavid!!
Holy cow!!! Thanksgiving indeed!!! Nice one WD!!
/giphy grizzly-alternative-prawn
Sawyer Lindquist Spectator:
92 points. This bottling from Syrah legend Bob Lindquist, sourced from the biodynamic vineyard that he planted, delivers snappy boysenberry, white pepper, rosemary and lavender aromas. The palate judiciously balances savory, peppery spice and lush purple floral notes with tangy black plum fruit and rosehip accents, making for a wondrous sip. — Matt Kettmann 7/1/17
jancisrobinson.com also the Sawyer Lindquist:
17+ Peppery and piquant, with lovely earthy notes and something quite granitic too. Does a great job of channelling the elemental side of Syrah. Hot finish though. Richard Hemming Drink 2018 - 2028 June 2018
One more Sawyer Lindquist, Wine Advocate:
90 points. The excellent 2014 Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard—which now bears the black-gold label formerly worn by the Santa Barbara County bottling—offers up an expressive nose of black cherry, blackberry, smoke, soil, tar and grilled meat. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and open-knit, with a juicy core of succulent fruit, polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Some 500 cases were produced. Drink 2018 - 2018 William Kelly 4/27/18
Dunnuck, Hillside Estate:
92 points. The saturated purple-colored 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Estate (20 months in in 50-60% new French oak) comes from the cool, windswept Bien Nacido Vineyard located just east of Santa Maria. Hermitage-like notes of currants, scorched earth, graphite, and bacon fat all flow to a medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, structured Syrah that’s very much in the house style. It should evolve gracefully for 10-12 years. Drink 2018 - 2030 10/15/18
Dunnuck, Sonnie’s:
90 points. The 2014 Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Sonnie’s, another Edna Valley release, offers exotic notes of sour cherries, blackberries, smoked herbs, and olive tapenade. It’s medium-bodied, nicely textured, and beautifully balanced. Lovers of cool-climate Syrah from California need to check it out. Drink 2018-2025 10/15/18
fwiw
This is a fantastic wine. Think of it as a CA homage to Northwrn Rhône Syrah. Prime drinking window right now too.
@MacMiami could not agree more…thank you for weighing in. And, could not have said it any better!
/giphy painted-sulky-sulfur
Qupé Syrah - Tall & Small Combo
$59.99 - $99.99
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Hillside Estate
2014 Qupé Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard
Really interesting story about AM & Qupe in Santa Barbara Independent. Looks like these wines were made by Bob Lindquist the winery founder.
I already placed my order for 2, love Mags.
Good Luck AM, think this is a nice fit for you.
/giphy ruddy-blessed-troll
The 2014 Sawyer-Lindquist Vineyard Syrah (magnums) were part of this offer (along with some information provided by @kaolis).
/giphy manifold-fearing-parsley
@marjoryk use lots of tape please
I haven’t heard of this label, but the comments handily stoked the FOMA:
/giphy rickety-upsetting-dragonfly
/giphy knightly-useful-llama
@irenegade Hey neighbor! Hope all is well. I bought a single set last night, in a turkey-induced haze.
/giphy babbling-plain-imp
@InFrom LOL! And I’m not even a Syrah guy! I couldn’t resist with all the information, comments and Andrew Murray’s participation! i hope it arrives in time for me to bring the magnum to my friends’ annual NYE party!
@InFrom @irenegade Whoah…not a Syrah guy? haha, we gotta turn this around. But, yes, hope the wine does arrive in time for the NYE party. An ideal celebratory wine to share with your peeps! Thank you again!
Haven’t purchased in over a year, don’t really have the budget for it. This offer is too good to pass on! In for a 4-pack
@DJZachAttack Sorry that we over tempted you. Now I feel badly. But, I hope you enjoy the wines all the same. Thank you so much!
Oh man, spent too long thinking about it and the 4 packs are sold out! Got a 2 pack though
@user48745965 Darn, but thank you so much for taking the leap. Hope you love the wines!
@AndrewMurray We got the E11even mixed case that was offered earlier this year and loved every single wine in it. As a result, your endorsement of this offer carried a lot of weight!
@user48745965 Belatedly…thank you so very much. Stoked you enjoyed the wine. I truly hope you and everyone enjoys the Qupe. I had nothing to do with the wine, other than make sure we were offering up some of the best that we received in the Qupe brand purchase. We have enjoyed each one of these wines several times in both formats so we knew that they should provide some great enjoyment for both current and future drinking windows. Thank you!
NOTE:
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard, Magnum
94 Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni)
Tasting Notes
Notes from Andrew Murray
Specs
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Hillside Estate, Magnum
93+ Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni)
92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Notes from Andrew Murray
Specs
2014 Qupé Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard Hillside Estate, 750ML
93+ Points, Vinous Media (Antonio Galloni)
92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting Notes
Notes from Andrew Murray
Specs
2014 Qupé Syrah Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard Sonnies, Edna Valley 750ML
91 Points, Vinous Media, Antonio Galloni
Tasting Notes
Notes from Andrew Murray
Specs
What’s Included
2-bottles:
4-bottles:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $290/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 23 - Thursday, Dec 26
No Iowa?! Noooooo!
It isn’t often that I’m tempted to buy more than what’s allowed in a single order, but this is one of those times. Is that even possible, or will it throw up an error message if I try?
@moondigger No idea, but we don’t get what we don’t ask for…
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Qupé Syrah - Tall & Small Combo - $20 = 16.66%
As some of you know, Qupe has a complicated history in recent years. Anyone know the last vintage that was made by Bob Lindquist?
@hscottk Feb 2019 letter:
Dear Friends and Wine Club Members,
It is with heavy hearts that we announce Bob is no longer a partner in or the winemaker for Qupé Wine Cellars.
The winery brand and current inventory was sold in November to Vintage Wine Estates (VWE). We had hoped that Bob would continue to be involved in the winemaking, but sadly this is not the case. Starting with the 2018 vintage (which Bob began) the wines will be finished by the VWE corporate wine making team…
@kaolis But that’s only part of the story! There’s a Russian novel of a thread on WB about a deal for a 2016 on Groupon. One of the theories was that it was bottled in 2019, after Bob left and there may have been some shenanigans. It’s quite a read if you have a few hours to kill and a magnum of Qupé to sip on.
I think we’re safe with the 2014s but would love to hear the full story from Andrew Murray. Time to click the buy button.
/giphy inveterate-parasitic-game
@hscottk hmmmm…I do recall that…thinking I might have purchased some of that, you’re tickling some gray matter. I might go look for the read but I need magnums, not!
@hscottk @kaolis was it 2 or 3 different labels for the 2016 Bien Nacido and then they shipped the 2018 Central Coast when they ran out? I still have a 2014 Bien Nacido magnum from the 6 magnums they sent me as compensation after I received a case of 2018 Central Coast. I think all should be fine with the 2014’s offered here.
@hscottk hoping Andrew jumps on here soon, but these wines were definitely made by Bob and his team prior to his sale. Andrew purchased the label from Vintage earlier this year and is so excited to bring this storied label ‘back to life’ so to speak. He is one of the most talented winemakers I know - and also just a really really good person. Purchase with confidence and watch for exciting things down the line with the revamped Qupe brand!
@hscottk @kaolis
I just had lunch with Bob at our winery with some other wino friends and we enjoyed this wine along with a magnum of 2014 Roussanne Bien Nacido Hillside Estate. The 2014’s were definitely bottled by Bob. VWE purchased Qupe from Terroir Life in late 2018 and Bob assisted in that transition from his winery in Santa Maria to Laetitia where the Qupe wines were crafted until the 2023 vintage. I dont know the exact truth about the 2016 vintages as of yet…i do know that I drank a magnum of 2016 BNV Hillside Estate at our own Thanksgiving last night and it was delicious. I am doing a pod cast with Bob Lindquist next week, so I will ask him straight up what he knows. He remained with VWE’s version of Qupe until early 2019. And honestly, all of this palace intrigue is just that…the 2014 vintage is what is on offer. These wines were made and bottled by Bob at his Santa Maria winery. Full stop. Cheers…
@AndrewMurray @kaolis
Thanks, Andrew, for the backstory on this. I already bought, so totally agree this is a no brainer of a deal. Really looking forward to trying these.
Thoughts on drinking window for the mags? Would love to cellar them for a few years, but don’t want to wait too long.
@hscottk @kaolis Thank you so much! Humbled and honored. The Mags both tasted like they had another 3-10 years of life ahead if cellared well, and depending upon how “old” you like a wine to taste. I still prefer the wine to show some signs of its youth, so I suggest drinking over the coming 5 years. Hope you enjoy the wine!
Hmmm…It looks like my Cellar Tracker inventory shows 1- 2012, 2-2012, 1-2014 Qupe’ syrah bottles!
@Boatman72 If they are single vineyard wines, then they are likey amazing still. We have enjoyed some of the 2012 wines. If they happen to be the regular old Central Coast Syrah, I suggest drinking sooner than later. If you don’t mind sharing, love to know what vineyards (if designated)… Cheers!
@AndrewMurray I’ll try to find the bottles but I’ve got some buried boxes!
@AndrewMurray Ahhhh, the bottles were an easy find. They were all magnums and I keep them in a separate location:
2014 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley, Black Label
2012 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Sonnie’s, Edna Valley, White Label
2008 Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Sonnies, Edna Valley, White Label. produced & bottled by Robert N, Lindquist, Santa Maria,CA
@Boatman72 Made me look as well.
Forgot I’d even ordered these. CT thinks 08, 12, 13 & 14, but that’s going to have to get verified since one was entered as a 750. Ahhh, CT GIGO, with some 11s and 16s tossed in as well.
@AndrewMurray @Boatman72
Good reminder for all. While the ‘what are you drinking…’ threads are easy choices, having TNs in the offer thread is really a bonus for all later on when trying to fine notes without going thru 12 threads per year.
@Boatman72 Fun wines here. We have had the 2008 Grenache Sonnies, not the Syrah yet. We have also enjoyed a few bottles of the 2014 Black Label Sawyer Lindquist…we have magnums of this we may soon be offering on the about to be relaunched Qupe website. No wines from 2012 came over with the purchase of Qupe…hope this means that they sold them all because they were so delicious.
Thanks for weighing in here in this wonderful community.
/giphy racy-flattering-star
@davirom Giphy happens to be Sutton Foster - we will be seeing her in Once Upon a Mattress next month.
Way too much wine right now but the comments were too good to pass up.
/giphy unwritten-inane-quail
@winedavid59
I was rather wondering what was taking so long
Missed it by a mile…but holidays are a great time for Magnums, glad to see that!