Syncline Winery Visit

So after 10+ years, one ex-wife, about 200+ miles, and Nicole driving through the canyons like Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull F1 Racing Team) I had made it or I should say, we had made it. Due to my great map skills we drove past the road that would take us to the winery and instead drove for another 8 miles along the Columbia River. There is a very small sign that tells you the winery is on the right but once you're heading down the road you cant miss it...OK I can miss it.

We were trying to get there on Friday so I could watch James bottle up some sparkling wine but due to us being so tired we decided to take the Saturday visit instead. James and Poppie were in town at a festival but that was OK, we decided to walk around the winery and snap a few shots of the grounds. Goes to show what you can do with a very little winery and a couple who truly loves what they do.

The wines are not in order but you get the idea.

2010 Syncline Rosé $18

I mean you can get a pretty sure shot of light strawberries and light wet rock but is pretty crisp on the palate. The blend is: 33% Pinot Noir/ 17% Grenache/ 17% Cinsault/ 15% Carignan. This is a "real" Rosé.

2009 Syncline Roussanne $30

Have you ever cut a fresh lemon and taken a big whiff? If so that is what you will smell. Not kidding, I don't know what they do in the cellar and honestly I don't care as long as they keep doing it. The Roussanne only lasted 48 hrs.

2009 Syncline Subduction Red $18

This is the daily dinner wine that everyone will enjoy. Rich and juicy with some good tree fruit on the palate. Tannins are smooth and send you wanting more. Really...this is a great table wine. Next time you have dinner guest tell them you have this wine but don't give them the name. Decant it and serve. Then ask what they think. This will blow their minds when they find out it is only a $18 bottle.

2009 Syncline McKinley Springs Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills $30

This thing will stain your clothes. Trust me, it did me in pretty well. Has a great nose of homemade blackberry jam with some good spices and even a little fresh ground coffee. On the palate this thing is soft with loads of character. Really, this is a wine where you buy a case and let it sit and drink a bottle every 6 months. Nicole and I loved it!

2008 Syncline Mourvedre $30

So this was the chicken dinner winner for us. On the nose it was mind blowing. Spices all over the place, coffee and ground black pepper with a huge mouth feel but not enough to turn it into a Parker wine but that layered stuff. It kept changing and once I looked over at Nicole and she said we needed some of these I knew I was in trouble. Why it is when ever Nicole tastes a grape that is grown in the CDP region she all of a sudden needs that wine? It's like a drug. Being that James and Poppie know how to handle this grape, that would make them a drug dealer right? OK kidding. The wine is great and I grabbed 1 bottle of the 12 or so they had left. When I got home and looked on their site www.synclinewinery.com and the Mourvedre was all gone. It was that good.

2004 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcno $100/ Vinifera Tasting

This is one of those wines you want to try with friends. You will be the hit of the party as you should for opening this beauty. Although the price in the State of Washington is a bit much due to the 3-tier system, it is still one of those wines that makes your head spin. On the nose there was some pretty rich tree-fruit with a helping of spices. Palate-wise the tannins were still pretty firm yet had a sweet style to them. Seemed to last for over a minute until the next sip. I sometimes regret bringing Nicole to these tastings with me as she has a great palate and tends to like wines like this. I can almost see her writing '6-pack' next to her notes. Oh well, I keep telling myself it is an investment that I will never see a return on cause we'll drink them all up. This is a beauty.

2004 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva "Madonna del Piano" $276/ Vinifera Tasting

**Please note that these are Washington State retail prices.

All I can say about the beauty is that it is big, full of dark-vine fruit, chewy, with great acidity and firm tannins. For some reason though it is very soft on the finish and just amazing. It will age for at least 10+ more years though. I will try to get a few of these but not at the current retail price!

2008 Deux Montille Cote Chalonnaise, Rully $30/ Burgundy Tasting

This is how we started off the tasting. A nice Rully to get us introduced to Montille. I think we all pretty much knew we were in trouble after we tasted it. Very light on color, almost clear actually. Very light hints of honey and butter with just a touch of minerals. I thought it was a little nutty but that could just be me. Very soft on the palate with a quick spritz of citrus and light floral finish. It was going to be an interesting tasting.

2008 Deaux Montille Cotes de Beaune 1er Cru, Saint-Aubin $44/ Burgundy Tasting

Clear in that it was just a little lighter than one of my fly fishing lines (I know you all know what color that is). Hints of butter and light hairspray on the nose but also had a fresh sea air to it. On the palate it was more like a granny smith apple with some nice citrus notes. Very soft on the palate as the finish lasted quite a bit. I would have liked to pick a few bottles up but then I heard there were only 2 cases brought into the State of Washington so I think my options are limited now as the importer brought one case to the tasting. Nicole wants more of it. Guess we'll be getting more of it some how.

2008 Domaine de Montille Meursault, Aux Narvaux du Dessours $70/ Burgundy Tasting

I know that some people might scream when they hear that you would buy a $70 white wine but would you rather by a $3 piece of crap wine that is high in alcohol, nasty and huge tannins and is unbalanced so bad you have to force your way to finish it or spend a few pesos and buy a bottle that you will truly enjoy and look back after you are done and say "That was Amazing"?

If you are like me you will do that latter. There was a light-hint of hair spray but in a good way with lots of citrus and soft green apple notes. On the palate it was citrus-spicy with some wet minerals and a nice smooth finish. I know tons of people who would enjoy this and yes it is kind of a lot of money for a white (I don't think so cause I know what you are getting) but when it comes to quality, you are paying for a top-notch Meursault. What else do you want? Love it!

2008 Domaine de Montille Nuit St. Georges. 1er Cru, Les Saints Juliens $55/ Burgnudy Tasting

I was pretty surprised how light this wine was. Just a hint darker than a Rosé. I mean it was beautiful! Very soft on the nose, almost making you sniff harder just so you could get all she had to offer. There are some nice violets and the traditional red fruit but damn was she delicate. On the palate there was some nice soft red fruit and even a little spice at the end while the tannins were just there to round things off. A very light tea bag finish but nothing that would offend anyone, especially not myself or Nicole.

2008 Domaine de Montille Beaune, 1er Cru, Les Greves $70/ Burgundy Tasting

Rich herbs with a slight spice and cedar on the nose with loads of red fruit. Pretty supple on the palate with some crushed fall leaf and a little more cedar to round it out. This wine really is amazing when you are just wanted to spend a little more cash but not blow the wad. It would be worth picking up a six-pack of these and letting them sit for maybe 10 years, that is if you can. I can't. Matter fact Nicole squeezed my arm and whispered to me...six!

2008 Domaine de Montille Colnay, 1er Cru, Les Champans $96/ Burgundy Tasting

Right of the bat you can tell this is going to be great. This is by fare more delicate than the Pommard Les Pezerolles but still has that great taste, nose and finish. When I say delicate I mean if the Les Pezerolles is a dog it would be black lab while the Les Champans would be the poodle.

Loads of fruit on the nose with some nice wet spices and a hint of fall leaves. Seemed to have some fresh cured cigar wrapper plus a nice gamey or even soil lingering. Very soft on the palate with some great cedar notes. This is why I love what I do.

2008 Domaine de Montille Pommard 1er, Les Pezerolles $99/ Burgundy Tasting

Do you know what it's like to have perfection sitting in your mouth? OK that sounded bad, let me try that again. Imagine having something soft yet chewy and full flavor in your mouth. I give up.

This beauty from de Montille was the tops. Young and full of life but still soft enough for the Burgundy lover who wants something nice and soft passing through their gums yet with a kick. Very light red in color with almost a clear rim.

This is what a REAL Pinot Noir should taste, look and smell like. Not that over extracted, high alcohol, over-oaked California crap.

Rich cherry notes with a dose of red-vine fruit added. Did have a hint of dried leaves or maybe spent tea bags as fellow wine nerd Kristen pointed out. Going to have to use than one more often. Rich soil notes seemed to linger on and on. That was just the nose to boot. Very soft tannins with more red fruit but very subtle. Not in your face stuff, this makes you work for it then all of a sudden it's right there presenting its life for you. Then the power kicks in like your down-shifting on an M3. All of a sudden the power goes away and leaves this light mineral note with a very light brown sugar finish and more fruit. Where the hell did all that come from. Needless to say the importer (Elaine) had a smile on her face cause she knew she was pouring some top notch juice. If you get a chance...pick up a bottle. I know it is kinda spendy at $99 per bottle but you will not be unhappy!