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.