As a bookend to the Turley release several weeks ago that saw more of you ask for a greater share of fewer bottles of one of the wine world's most coveted labels, this week's highly allocated release comes from the elusive Sine Qua Non label. The intense, distinctive wines of Elaine and Manfred Krankl are highly sought after for good reason: they are some of the very best wines being produced in the United States. And though the wines are already of the highest quality and sell out quickly each vintage, they continue to strive to make improvements. For those who have had the pleasure (and luck) to taste these wines over the years, one can notice even more refinement and harmony in each new release. This year's release includes the following:

Poker Face (2004 California Syrah) at $179.97 a bottle. "98-100 points. A blockbuster in the making is the 2004 Poker Face (a 1,000-case blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre and Viognier). The majority of the grapes are from the Eleven Confessions home vineyard and the rest from White Hawk, Alban, Bien Nacido, and Alta Mesa. An opaque purple color as well as an extraordinarily intense and projected set of aromatics (including smoke, blueberries, blackberries, cassis, and flowers) are found in this full-bodied, layered, rich, mouthfilling 2004. Neither heavy nor overwrought, this is another potentially perfect wine from a producer who continues to go from strength to strength, refusing to make any compromises on the long and less traveled road he has chosen. I can't wait for this wine to be released. It should evolve for 15 or more years." - Robert Parker

Into The Dark (2004 California Grenache) at $179.97 a bottle. "96 pts. The 2004 Into the Dark (84% Grenache, 9% Mourvedre, and 7% Syrah, nearly all from the Eleven Confessions vineyard) is a spectacular 500-case cuvée. It needs more time to fully emerge, but, ultimately, it should be as good if not better than its predecessors. A deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a sumptuous, sweet perfume of candied black cherries, licorice, spice, and pepper. On the palate, the wine is fleshy, full-bodied, well-delineated, structured, powerful, and long. The amount of new oak utilized was decreased to 25%, and the 2004 was again aged in the larger 300 liter hogsheads." - Robert Parker

Nobleman (2003 Alban Vineyards Chardonnay made by Alois Kracher) at $119.97 a half-bottle. "94 points. The 2003 Mr. K. The Nobleman, a 100% Chardonnay made from botrytised fruit, possesses 278 grams of residual sugar per liter and 9.9 grams of acid per liter. There are a whopping 537 cases of half bottles. While deep golden-hued and honeyed, with brilliant unctuosity, thickness, and richness, it takes third place when ranked against its two sweet siblings. Readers should think of it as a Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese." - Robert Parker

Sign up today for our Third Thursday Wine Class - taking place on the very first day of Summer, this month's topic is Summer Wines. We'll be looking at a number of our favorite examples of what works for Summer - whites, reds and rosés - and why these wines work so well at this time of year.