A Three Vintage Vertical of "The Offering" From Sans Liege!
We were about to feature the 2022 vintage of Vin Chicago's fan favorite, "The Offering," when we encountered a snag. It turned out that the winery was very near to the end of their stock. What to do?
Should we make a small offer of this "smoking gem" 2022 vintage, or move to the equally delicious 2023 bottling? A quick reach out to winemaker Curt Schalchlin and we had our answer...
"Offer 'em both!"
"The Offering" is powerful, deeply fruited, and incredibly complex, yet each vintage is quite different. Today, we are very excited to feature three unique moments in time of this exceedingly delicious Rhone-styled “GSM” red blend.
Drinking beautifully today, we lead off with the double 93-Point 2022 bottling. That's followed by the impressive current release from California’s exceptional 2023 vintage, a wine that will ultimately be even better than 2022 with a few years in the cellar. Then finally, we present a very limited library release of Curt’s 94-Point, "Top 100" winning 2016 vintage in dramatic 1.5-liter magnums which are absolute magic to drink now!
Scroll below to read more on all three wines, including a few insightful words from Curt Schalchlin about the 2023 and 2022 vintages, then slam down fast on the Big Green Button to build your own collection of this rare vertical offering from Sans Liege!
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2022 Sans Liege “The Offering”
Central Coast, California
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The 2022 “The Offering” blends 44% Grenache with 38% Syrah and 18% Mourvèdre from select single vineyards in the Central Coast. Here’s what Curt has to say about this bottling’s growing conditions…
"I call this (2022) the 'yummy factor vintage' with advanced fruit flavors and softer acids and tannins. Overall, a great vintage that’s approachable and built for early enjoyment."
- Curt Schlachlin, May 2026
Yummy indeed! Earning 93-Point reviews from Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling, this vintage is one to have no hesitations on about pulling the cork…
“A smoking gem of a wine, the 2022 The Offering checks in as 44% Grenache, 38% Syrah, and 18% Mourvèdre, aged 23 months in French oak. Wild strawberries, flowers, peppery herbs, and underbrush all emerge from this pretty, clean, and classy effort. It offers classic California fruit with medium to full-bodied richness, no hard edges, and a great finish. This pleasure-bent wine is ideal for drinking over the coming 4-6 years. Drink 2025-2031.”
- 93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (8/7/2025)
“Mediterranean herbs and cracked green peppercorns bring complexity to this fascinating wine whose lifted aromatics follow through to a detailed, propulsive palate. Sappy tannins carry savory yet generous flavors of cherries and their pits, cacao nibs and blood oranges. Drink or hold.”
- 93 Points, James Suckling (8/25/2025)
Only 15 barrels were produced in this vintage and we grabbed every last case we could. Drink ‘em now, or toss a few in the cellar, just as long as you click quickly before it disappears!
Vin Chicago Price: 25.99
2023 Sans Liege “The Offering”
Central Coast, California
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Pouring a beautiful ruby red, the 2023 “The Offering” is a blend of 47% Grenache, 38% Syrah, and 15% Mourvèdre. Following fermentation, the wine spent almost two years in French oak, 75% of which were neutral barrels.
Here’s what Curt had to say about the outstanding 2023 growing season…
“2023 was the coolest vintage in 20+ years, and the best part is that there was no rain through the Fall. The grapes were able to hang and develop flavors very slowly yielding a wine with a lower abv, brighter acids, and more elegance. This is the vintage for collecting.”
- Curt Schlachlin, May 2026
Like a finely tuned symphony orchestra, each grape plays its part to perfection while remaining in harmonious balance with the others. Grenache leads the way with vibrant, fresh red-toned fruits exploding from the glass, followed by classic blue fruits layered with purple flowers and black pepper from the Syrah, while the Mourvèdre adds extra concentration, depth, earthiness, and a hint of wild game. The masterful use of oak adds wonderful spice notes of toasted vanilla bean and cocoa dust without overpowering the fruit's purity.
The body is medium-full with grippy, yet caressing tannins, fresh acidity, and a velvety mouthfeel. We are an easy 92+ points on our notoriously stingy scale, and are confident that after a few extra years in the bottle this glorious 2023 will outperform its 2022 sibling.
The winery price is only thirty-three bucks. Looking online, we found only nine listings with a median retail price of $28. Our even lower price makes it a breeze to snag a handful of bottles. This is a spectacular value!
Vin Chicago Price: 25.99
A Special Library Release of 2016 Vintage Magnums!
2016 Sans Liege "The Offering" (1.5-liter)
Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California
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Would you like to be the hero at your holiday weekend cookout? Well, do we have the wine for you. This “Top 100”- winning library release from Sans Liege has matured slowly in large-format 1.5-liter magnums at the winery over the past 10 years. The result is a perfectly aged red that's ready to rock!
This special treat from Curt’s cellar is a blend of 48% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, and 1% Viognier, all from Santa Barbara County. With an array of complex fruit and savory flavors, it is begging to be enjoyed with grilled burgers, brats, big juicy steaks, smoked ribs or brisket, and more!
Earning the #20 spot on Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 Wines of 2019,” they write…
“Distinctive, refined and well-built, offering expressive black cherry, cigar box, green olive and cured meat accents that build richness on the long finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier. Drink now through 2026."
- 94 Points, Wine Spectator (4/30/2019)
We were lucky enough to pry away a few cases of these winery-aged magnums. Click quickly because these are going to vanish in a flash!
Vin Chicago Price: 73.99 per 1.5-liter bottle
