Syncline Wine Blog

Happy New Year!

January is the quietest time at the winery. The vines are and the 2009 Vintage resting comfortably in the barrel. We’re gearing up for another busy and exciting year with new wines, a new club level and new events. 

In this issue:

· New Wine Releases
· Wine Club Shipment
· Valentine’s Weekend
· Wine Enthusiast Scores

2008 Grenache-Carignan

We’ve released a brand new wine for you! For seekers of adventure, we have produced a lively and fun red blend. With this limited bottling, we offer a wine of great personality. You will find it loaded with pomegranate, cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors, topped with sweet baking spices, finished with a juicy, yet refined texture.
Itʼs easy to find you have finished the bottle and are wondering – ʻis it ok to open up another?ʼ – go for it. Weʼll keep making more. This wine reminds us of the wonderful Rhone Villages table wines you are served at restaurants during the mandatory two hour lunch break when in Provence, France. Great food matches are: a diversity of slow roasted meats like chicken, turkey, quail, rabbit, frog legs, root vegetable beef stew and ham – or, have it as we do – with lunch!

· $20.00 a bottle, $216.00 a case
· Wine Club Members $16.00 a bottle, $192.00 a case

2008 Columbia Valley Syrah

We’re also releasing The 2008 Columbia Valley Syrah. Blended to showcase classic Washington Syrah, this wine draws from two Horse
Heaven Hills vineyards and one Wahluke Slope vineyard. Brilliant deep ruby color with purple/red interior. Complex aromatics of blackberries and roasted cacao bean accentuate this concentrated Syrah. In the mouth this wine leads off with dark bramble
fruits, and meaty aromas, followed by olive stones, spice, and violets. Substantial weight is brightened by a backbone of acidity and ripe tannins. The tiny hint of Mourvedre blended adds a bit of brightening plum flavors. An intriguing combination of finesse and power that is sure to improve over time.

· $25.00 a bottle, $300.00 a case
· Wine Club Members $22.00 a bottle, $240.00 a case

Wine Club Shipment

This wine club shipment will be the 2008 Grenache-Carignan and the 2008 Columbia Valley Syrah. We will be charging your wine club shipment on the 23rd of January, and all wine will be shipped February 1st. Please e-mail Sara if your shipping or credit card information needs to be updated.

If you normally pick up your wine, we will be charging your card on February 4th. The winery will re-open on February 4th at 11am, and we will be open Thursday through Sunday from 11-6.

Valentine’s Day Weekend Open House

Our first open house of the year takes place February 11th-14th.  Come celebrate with fine wine, artisan cheese and gourmet chocolate while surrounded by the breathtakingly romantic backdrop of the Columbia Gorge. Bring your sweetheart and come sample some wine, cheese and chocolates with us this year.

New Wine Enthusiast Scores Released

2007 Cuvée Elena Red Wine

2008 Subduction Red

2008 Subduction White

2008 Roussanne

We still have a few cases left of Subduction White, Roussanne and Cuvee Elena at the winery. You can order online or stop by the winery after February 4th.

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Wishing you a wonderful 2010 from all of us at Syncline. We hope to see you soon!

Cheers,
James, Poppie and Ava

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(Photography and design by David Lloyd Imageworks)

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Harvest Time

We are right in the middle of a glorious harvest. Long, hot days have produced some beautiful fruit, and we’re bringing in and crushing the best of the best for your future drinking pleasure. Right now we’re just about to release one of our all-time favorites, the 2008 Subduction Red. The perfect wine to sip as the weather gets cooler and to pair with all of those hearty fall stews. The cooler weather allows us to ship easily, order now and stock up for the holidays, before it gets too cold to ship safely!

In this Issue:

· Harvest pics
· 2008 Subduction Red
· Wine Club Shipment
· Customer Testimonials
· New December Hours
· Upcoming Events

2008 Subduction Red Released October 8th

It’s here! The popular, ripe and hedonistic 2008 Subduction Red. This vintage features a blend of 26% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 24% Cinsault, 12% Mourvedre, 9% Counoise and 4% Carignan.  We produced 1770 Cases of this vintage, stock up for fall by picking some up at the winery or you can purchase online with our easy to use online store. You can also call or e-mail your order!

Here’s what Michael Teer of Pike and Western said about the latest vintage of Subduction Red:

“This may be the best Subduction to date and it is quite different from previous vintages. It may be the vintage or it may be that they are now using more (six) Rhone varietals (grenache, syrah, cinsault, mourvedre, counoise and carignan). Whatever it is the wine shows a brighter, redder fruited character. In addition it seems more layered and complex. I can’t wait to take a bottle home.”

Click the link below to download the ‘Wine Tech Notes’ PDF:
Syncline 2008 Subduction Red “Tech Notes”

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Important Information For our Wine Club members

The allocation for October is 2008 Subduction Red. We are scheduled to ship your wine on October 19th. If there is a delay in shipping we will send you an e-mail with an approximate shipping date. If you pick up your wine at the winery, it will be available during regular business hours starting October 8th. Please note you will no longer be charged in advance, but when you pick up your wine so please pick up as soon as possible or arrange to have it shipped to you. Please reply to this newsletter if you would like to customize your wine club order or if you need to change the shipping date. Click here to join the Syncline Wine Club or email Sara for more details.

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Customer Testimonials

We’ve received some wonderful accolades from the press lately, which we love. What warms our hearts the most is hearing from you, our customers. Your feedback helps us continue producing the wines you adore. Read here what others have said about Syncline, and drop us a note and tell us what you think, we’ll share it on the blog!

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Upcoming Events:

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As always we welcome your feedback, questions, comments and suggestions. Please come and visit us at the winery Thursday through Sunday between 11-6 or contact us at anytime. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to all of our new friends who have recently discovered Syncline wine, and to our old friends who have supported us throughout the years. We love and appreciate your continued support, thank you.Cheers,Poppie, James and Ava

(Photography by David Lloyd Imageworks) 
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Greetings from Syncline Winery!

July already? We’re in full summer mode at Syncline! Bocce ball games and picnic lunches on the patio, meeting visitors from all over the world as they visit the Columbia Gorge, and enjoying a crisp glass of Subduction White at the end of a busy day. Ah Summer.

In this issue:

· Wine Club Party
· Upcoming Syncline Events
· Syncline in the News

Annual Wine Club Party
July 24th and 25th

Wine club members please join us July 24th or 25th from 6-10pm at the winery for a special appreciation party. There will be food, music, wine and a special library sale for our valued guests. Please be sure to RSVP by July 10th so we will know how many friendly faces to anticipate.

Syncline Winemaker’s Dinner at Portland’s Beast

Portland’s notorious Beast restaurant will be hosting a special winemaker’s dinner featuring Poppie Mantone and Syncline wines on Sunday July 12th. As of today there are only four seats left. Please contact Beast if you would like to join us for what is sure to be an amazing event.

Little Oak Fundraiser a Huge Success!

Thank you to everyone for helping raise money for Little Oak Montessori School! With your help we were able to donate $1900 dollars to the school. Your kindness and support is greatly appreciated.

Syncline Winery in the Seattle Times

Paul Gregutt, the wine advisor for the Seattle Times, had some very nice things to say about Syncline Winery, our philosophy and our wines. Click here to read what he had to say.

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The Wall Street Journal posted an article mentioning our Columbia Passport Weekend March 27th-29th. Make sure to drop by for sweet treats and specials. Mention you saw this on Twitter, Facebook or our Blog and receive an extra 10% off your purchase that weekend…

Valentine’s Day Open House

The most romantic weekend of the year is just around the corner! Why not celebrate it with fine wine, artisan cheese and gourmet chocolate while surrounded by the breathtakingly romantic backdrop of the Columbia Gorge. Our annual Valentine’s Day open house takes place February 12^th -15^th from 11-6 at Syncline winery. We will have our two latest releases available for tasting and purchase. Our insanely popular 2007 Mourvedre and the always delicious 2007 Columbia Valley Syrah. Of course no one can celebrate Valentine’s Day with out chocolate. We have a beautiful selection of the best gourmet and artisan chocolates from all over the world! Surprise your sweetheart and come sample some wine, cheese and chocolates with us this year.or fax us to order if you can’t visit. Wine Order Form

Club Members

Your club shipment will be sent February 9^th and 10^th and will include our 2007 Columbia Valley Syrah and 2007 Mourvedre. You will have a Club Member Only add or replace option of one bottle of our exclusive Estate blend, the 2007 Steep Creek Ranch Syrah/Grenache/Mouvedre. If you are picking up your wines, they will be available starting February 5^th . As always, if any of your information has changed (address, credit card number or expiration date) or if you would like us to customize your shipment, please email us as soon as possible. We now have a four bottle club option, so if you would like to upgrade please let us know!See our website for details on all other wines and joining our wine club.

You Can Now Purchase Your Wine On-line!

We are excited to announce starting the first week of February, you can purchase all of your favorite Syncline Wines on-line, safe and secure, directly from our website! It’s an easy way to see what wines are in stock and what shipping options are available to your state. Club Members will just need to log in and will have their discount applied automatically. Check our blog or our Facebook page for the latest updates. We will be releasing the 2007 Columbia Valley Syrah, the 2007 Mourvedre and our club only wine, the 2007 Steep Creek Ranch S/G/M in February. In April we will release the 2007 Pinot Noir and the 2008 Rosé . Starting in May we will release the 2007 McKinley Springs Syrah, the the 2008 Viogner and out newest addition, the 2008 Grüner Veltliner.

2007 Mourvedre- Coyote Canyon Vineyard

Planted on what was the shoreline of the great Missoula floods, this steep and stony hillside vineyard is layered with gravel and caliche and has unencumbered southern exposure. Aged in French oak barrels. Layers of dried plum, cassis, clove, coffee bean, black pepper, tar and savauge character are complimented by a bright finish. $30.00 Bottle/$306.00 CaseClub Price $24.00 Bottle/$288.00 Case

2007 Columbia Valley Syrah

Blended to showcase classic Washington “Cool Climate” syrah, this wine draws from two Horse Heaven Hills vineyards and one Wahluke Slope vineyard. Brilliant ruby color with purple/red interior. Complex aromatics of violets, blueberries, olive stones, and bay leaf. In the mouth this wine leads off with dark bramble fruits, blueberries, bay leaf and meaty aromas, followed by olive stones, spice, and violets. An intriguing combination of finesse and power that is sure to improve over time. $24.00 Bottle/$288.00 CaseClub Price $19.20 Bottle/$230.40 Case

2007 Steep Creek Ranch S/G/M

61% Syrah, 34% Grenache, 5% MourvedreRadically Different, uniquely Syncline. From a yield of one ton per acre comes the first vintage of our estate vineyard. We found these two barrels to be the most outstanding of the 07 vintage. Within lies exotic spices and ripe raspberries, fresh cracked pepper, amazing concentration and finesse from our cool growing region.$50.00 Bottle

2007 Subduction Red

Long inspired by the wines of the Southern Rhône Valley, this is our answer to a Washington version of a Cotes-du-Rhone Villages wine. Ripe and hedonistic, this wine displays vivid ruby color. Aromatics lean towards cherries, pomegranate and raspberry with layers of exotic spices. Nuances of licorice, pepper, and provincial herbs mingle with the fruit. Flavors closely mimic aromatics with a broad expansive texture. This is a wine for roasted vegetables, game, sausages or country cheeses. $18 bottle/$183.60 caseClub Price: $14.40 bottle/$169.70 case

Event Dates

February-November Tasting room open 11-6 Thursday-Sunday or by appointment. Click here for directions.February 12^{th -} 15^th Join us at the winery for a special Valentine’s Day weekend celebration 11-6March 27^{th -} 29^th Columbia Gorge Passport WeekendA World of Wine in 40 MilesApril 4-5 Taste Washington Seattlehttp://www.tastewashington.org/

October 29th, 2008

2007 Subduction Red Released

35% Syrah/ 21% Mourvedre/ 16% Grenache/ 15% Cinsault/ 13% Counoise

Long inspired by the wines of the Southern Rhône Valley, this is our answer to a Washington version of a Cotes-du-Rhone Villages wine. Ripe and hedonistic, this wine displays vivid ruby color. Aromatics lean towards cherries, pomegranate and raspberry with layers of exotic spices. Nuances of licorice, pepper, and provincial herbs mingle with the fruit. Flavors closely mimic aromatics with a broad expansive texture. This is a wine for roasted vegetables, game, sausages or country cheeses. Let it open up for a few hours to be most expressive, it is a very young wine. Call, email or fax us to order if you can’t visit. Wine Order Form

Join Us Thanksgiving Weekend

We’re excited to announce our latest event! Please join us at the winery this November 28th, 29th and 30th between 11-6 for a special holiday open house here at Syncline. There will be delicious refreshments, special barrel tastings and of course, lots of wine to purchase so you can stock up for all your holiday gifts and gatherings. Or, give the gift of a Wine Club Membership! Click here for directions, we’re looking forward to seeing you.

Introducing Our Newest Addition to Syncline Wine Cellars  

For those of you I haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet, my name is Sara Sanderson and have recently joined the Syncline Wine family as the Wine Club and Tasting Room Manager. I share a passion with Poppie and James for wine (especially Rhône style reds), sustainable living and the Northwest, which has made the transition from working in a wine auction house on the East Coast to a beautiful vineyard in Lyle Washington a wonderful experience. A native of the Willamette Valley, I have loved the process of creating wine for many years and am excited to learn and grow with Syncline Wine Cellars. We have a lot of exciting ideas for the Wine Club in the next few months, and would love to hear any feedback or questions you may have. You can reach me at sara@synclinewines.com,  give us a call  509.365.4361 or send us a message on Facebook!

Here’s to a great 2008 harvest and as always, we thank you, our loyal customers for your continued support.

Cheers,

Sara