1999 Mr K Semillon Vin de Paille

One of the most compelling sweet wines being made in California, it rivals the world's finest. Tasting notes do not do it justice. Readers need to taste it themselves to see what Manfred Krankl and Alois Kracher, along with Krankl's talented wife, Elaine, have concocted. This is a tour de force in sweet winemaking, with remarkable concentration and intensity as well as striking underlying acidity. One of the world's most creative wineries, Sine Qua Non is turning out world-class wines of extraordinary complexity and individuality. Tel. (805) 649-8901

(for 375 ml.) Full bronze color. High-toned, gamey nose shows wonderfully complex aromas of marmalade, orange peel, honey, resiny spices and caramel; remarkably pure for a wine this freakishly rich. Unctuous, supersweet and extraordinarily intense; has the gooey thickness of 10W30-weight oil but ripe, harmonious acidity miraculously keeps the wine fresh. Finishes with explosive sweetness and endlessly building flavors of marmalade, caramel and brown butter. It's hard to scrape this near-solid wine off your palate! The extraordinary quality of this set of dessert wines is no coincidence, as Manfred Krankl's partner on the Mr. K venture is his buddy Alois Kracher, Austria's legendary master of botrytis wine.