United States · California

Sine Qua Non

Sine Qua Non was established by Manfred and Elaine Krankl in 1994 as one of California's most idiosyncratic and deliberately scarce producers. Operating from the Central Coast — initially Santa Barbara County, later drawing on Ventura County fruit — the project releases wines under rotating single-vintage names, never repeating a label, and produces exclusively through a mailing list with no wholesale distribution. This artificial scarcity has driven a robust secondary market: 3,895 auction lots at an average of $410, peaking at $4,305, placing Sine Qua Non among the top-priced California producers by average lot value. The Syrah and Grenache bottlings dominate auction appearances, with Trouver L'Arene Syrah logging 287 lots at $303 and Le Supplement achieving $415 average across 141 lots with 2013 as the top vintage. Wines like Patine Grenache ($313/157 lots) and Subir ($365/112 lots) demonstrate strong demand across the portfolio. Parker awarded multiple perfect scores during the 2000s, cementing collector status. The winery also produces late-harvest and botrytized whites alongside its red program, and occasional Viognier and Roussanne bottlings from estate-managed vineyards. 2015 represents the top vintage by auction frequency across the portfolio, while older releases from 2010–2013 command the highest individual prices. The Distenta V sub-label, released from 2021 onward, has generated 306 auction lots across Syrah and Grenache variations, confirming sustained collector engagement with each new Krankl release.

Le Supplement achieves a $415 average across 141 auction lots, with the 2013 vintage commanding the highest prices and multiple perfect critic scores driving collector demand.

Mailing-list-only distribution means all consumer secondary market transactions occur at auction — the entire 3,895-lot auction record represents genuine collector resales.

Peak auction prices reach $4,305 per lot, comparable to top Burgundy Grand Crus, driven by Parker 100-point scores on multiple vintages throughout the 2000s.

Distenta V Syrah and Distenta V Grenache, the newer sub-label, have collectively logged 306 lots since 2021, demonstrating sustained demand for each new Sine Qua Non release.

Auction Lots

3,895

Avg Price / Bottle

$410

Top Vintage

2015

Price Range

$30 – $4.3k

In the Glass

Sine Qua Non Syrah delivers blackberry compote, smoked meat, cracked pepper, and violets with a rich, almost voluptuous mid-palate and controlled but obvious new oak influence. The Grenache bottlings show a warmer, more floral character with red fruit, garrigue, and spiced orange peel. Both varieties share a California Central Coast ripeness that sits between Northern Rhône precision and full-throttle New World extraction, with alcohol levels typically at 15–16%.

Portfolio

Wine	Colour	Avg Price	Lots Sold	Top Vintage
Trouver L'Arene Syrah	Red	$303	287	2015
Distenta V Syrah	Red	$210	185	2021
Patine Grenache	Red	$313	157	2011
Le Supplement	Red	$415	141	2013
Distenta V Grenache	Red	$205	121	2021
Subir	Red	$365	112	2016
Pictures	Red	$267	107	2007
Papa	Red	$670	96	2003
And An Eight Track	Rose	$213	83	2013
E Grenache	Red	$391	63	2018
The Duel Syrah	Red	$389	62	2008
Patine Assortment Case	Red	$309	60	2011
Mr K The Noble Man	White	$270	51	2005
Atlantis Fe203-2d Grenache Vin de Paille	Red	$524	46	2008
Covert Fingers	Red	$96	44	2016
Kolibri	White	$224	42	2008
Over And Out	Red	$353	41	2005
Into The Dark	Red	$157	40	2014
M Syrah	Red	$648	37	2019
Against The Wall	Red	$625	33	1996
Hollerin M	Red	$351	33	2002
Jinete Bajo	White	$283	33	2008
Queen Of Hearts	Rose	$1,048	32	2014
Mr K The Straw Man	White	$382	29	2004
Distenta IV White	White	$443	27	2018
Raven No3 Syrah	Red	$295	24	2006
Twisted And Bent	White	$365	24	1997
Backward And Forward	White	$823	23	2008
Stockholm Syndrome Assortment Case	Red	$743	23	2010
Raven No4 Syrah	Red	$283	21	2006
Atlantis Fe2O3 2Abc Grenache	Red	$772	21	2007
Eleven Confessions Assortment Case	Red	$865	21	2019
In The Crosshairs	Red	$1,104	20	2005
To The Rescue Rousanne	White	$302	20	2006
Impostor McCoy	Red	$805	19	1997
E-Raised	Red	$678	19	1998
Red Handed	Red	$1,069	19	1995
Heart Chorea	Red	$1,453	18	2002
Turn the Whole Thing Upside Down	Red	$294	17	2009
Ox	Red	$1,133	13	2002
The Inaugural Syrah	Red	$1,165	11	2003
Heels Over Head	Red	$2,472	11	2000
E Rose	Rose	$521	11	2002
More Than A Number	Red	$594	10	2016
Omega	Red	$256	10	2003
Lil E	Red	$461	9	2003
Stripes And Stars	Rose	$276	9	2007
The Antagonists	Red	$1,052	9	1998
Boots Pasties Scanty Panties and a Ten Gallon Hat	White	$747	8	2003
Sublime Isolation	White	$325	8	2003
Packin Rosy	Rose	$360	8	2009
Veiled	Red	$378	8	1998
That Type Of Rosay	Rose	$230	7	2010
Assortment Case	Red	$461	7	2006
Atlantis Fe2O3 3E Roussanne VDP	White	$196	6	2005
Mr K Vin de Paille Assortment Case	White	$266	6	2006
Ventriloquist	Red	$393	5	2001
Gewurztraminer With No Name	White	$375	5	2014

Sine Qua Non is based in the California wine region.

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