Special Note: This OWC contains (1) bottle of No. 16 Cumulus Vineyard Red Blend and (3) Bottles of No. 8 Touriga Nacional
Interested in splitting up the case and buying just 1 or 2 bottles? Contact us and we may oblige.
Ratings & Tasting Notes:
No. 16 Blend
98 points Jeb Dunnuck
The 16th release of this cuvee, the 2022 No. 16 Cumulus Vineyard comes all from the Cumulus Vineyard, which was planted in 2004 around the estate in Oak View…it was fermented with 20% whole clusters and spent 30 months in 36% new French oak. Blackberries, roasted meats, leather, smoke, and iron nuances all flow from this beauty. Full-bodied and balanced, with a deep, layered mid-palate, it’s velvety and voluptuous on the palate, with nicely integrated acidity, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This is a big, concentrated, powerful wine that’s just about overflowing with character. Give bottles 3-4 years if you can and it should keep for 15+ in cold cellars. Drink 2028-2043. | 98 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com
The Next of Kyn releases come from Sine Qua Non’s Manfred and Elaine Krankl and focus on their Cumulus Vineyard located just outside of Oak View, not far from Ojai. Planted in 2004 and 2008 around their house and winery, the vineyard includes Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, and even Petite Manseng. It’s the warmest terroir they work with and is typically the first vineyard harvested. The two wines here continue the established format, with the No 16 Cumulus Vineyard being the numbered Rhone-style blend, though this vintage is Petite Sirah dominant rather than the typical Rhone blend, while the Touriga Nacional Numero Oito showcases the Portuguese variety. Both wines spent 30 months in roughly 35% new French oak. The No 16 includes 20% whole clusters and is the bigger, more powerful wine that needs several years in the cellar. These are unique, concentrated, blockbuster beauties that offer something genuinely different in the California landscape. | Jeb Dunnuck
No. 8 Touriga Nacional:
97 points Vinous
The 2022 Touriga Nacional – Número Oito is a very “purple” wine in both color and aromatic shade. It brims with peppery, floral-tinctured character and shimmering bright acids, diving deeply into a well of lavender, espresso, iodine, resinous herbs, orange peel and cherry liqueur. The same crystalline purity and supreme textural finesse that runs through all of the Krankls’ wines is on full display here. The balance and depth are just sublime. The 2022 is very open-knit and approachable today, but patience will be handsomely rewarded. The blend is 78% Touriga Nacional, 12.9% Mourvèdre, 8.1% Syrah and 1% Petit Manseng.
96 points Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 78% Touriga Nacional, 12.9% Mourvèdre, 8.1% Syrah, and 1.0% Petit Manseng, all from the Cumulus Vineyard around the estate in Oak View, the 2022 Touriga Nacional Numero Oito was completely destemmed and aged 30 months in 35% new French oak, with the balance in 1- to 3-year-old barrels. Red and black fruit, leather, graphite, and chalky minerality dominate the bouquet, with more violet and pepper notes emerging with air. Beautifully textured and full-bodied, it has nicely balanced, integrated acidity, showing a remarkably elegant, nuanced style that’s going to evolve gracefully over the coming 15 years or more. Drink 2025-2040.
Cult Wines International Notes:
Next of Kyn is a highly exclusive project established in 2007 by Manfred and Elaine Krankl, the visionary founders of the cult-classic Sine Qua Non. While distinct from their primary label, Next of Kyn focuses specifically on the family’s home vineyard, Cumulus, located in Oak View near Ojai, Santa Barbara County. The project was born from a desire to create a true estate-driven wine that would eventually become a family legacy. Within this label, the “Número” series—including Número Oito (Number Eight)—represents a rare, specialized bottling primarily centered on Touriga Nacional. This Portuguese variety was planted at Cumulus to add a unique aromatic and structural dimension to the estate’s Rhône-heavy repertoire, and it has since become a focal point for the Krankls’ experimental spirit, often released as a standalone varietal expression in limited quantities.
The 2022 vintage for Next of Kyn was marked by the intense, contrasting weather patterns that defined the Central Coast and Santa Barbara County. The season began with a cool spring that delayed bud break, followed by a moderate summer that allowed the thick-skinned Touriga Nacional to develop its signature floral and dark-fruit complexity slowly. However, the vintage was famously punctuated by a massive Labor Day heatwave, which demanded expert timing in the vineyard to prevent over-ripening. At the Cumulus Vineyard—the warmest site the Krankls work with—this heat was managed through careful canopy shading and precise irrigation. The 2022 Numero Oito emerged as a powerful, “purple” wine, blending 78% Touriga Nacional with smaller portions of Mourvèdre, Syrah, and a touch of white Petit Manseng. It balances the high-octane energy of the vintage with a silky, crystalline purity, offering notes of lavender, espresso, and cherry liqueur.
Bottle Size:
4 bottles. 750 mL each
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Outstanding condition.
