A Tour and Tasting at Syncline
On my first visit to Syncline in many years, I found much had changed, but the most essential goals had only been strengthened
I’ve lost track of how often over the years I’ve tasted Syncline wines, but it has been too long since I last visited the winery. So on my recent excursion to the Willamette Valley I made it a priority to stop in on the drive over.
James and Poppie Mantone started the winery with a few dozen cases of old vine Celilo vineyard Pinot noir in 1999. They began planting their Columbia Gorge property in 2003. Their focus as a sustainable, family-owned farm has continued and developed steadily, and along with their own nine acre Steep Creek Ranch vineyard adjacent to the winery they farm the nearby West Balch Ranch and Nelson vineyards pictured here.
Additional grape sources are based upon long relationships with favored vineyards such as Boushey and McKinley Springs. On the day I visited the weather was unseasonably cold and the winery property looked more like a muddy day in February than early spring. Nonetheless we trudged up to the top of the hill to survey the newest vines and renew my appreciation for the spectacular landscape.
The estate vineyard is farmed biodynamically, and much of our conversation revolved around the impact of climate change, and how to prepare for it. To strip it down to the basics, James explained, you plan for climate change by building soil health, planting many different grapes, and supporting a diverse microbial culture. As we strolled back to the winery he pointed out a variety of wildflowers growing along the rows as an example of that diversity.
“Chinese medicine says disease moves in to fill a void,” Mantone explained. “Fill that void with health and there is no room for disease. If we can fill a vineyard with health, there is no room for disease. I want wines to have energy.”
That sense of energy, of vitality, literally courses through each and every Syncline wine. You can see Mantone’s affection for and belief in Alpine varieties in his exceptional Picpoul and commitment to planting such obscurities as Mondeuse and Furmint. He explains his thinking this way:
“I'm waiting for the acid to come down to the range I want, not racing to get the grapes in before it disappears.” He talks about the difference between intensity and concentration. “Intensity is the level of flavor; we want intensity without concentration. Concentration is easy in Washington, but it lacks that energy and life. Think about the difference between orange juice from concentrate or fresh-squeezed. I picked [the distinction] up from making sparkling wines. Tasting the base wines you realize that even at 10% alcohol great vineyards are coming through as tasting great. I don't want to dilute flavors by hanging excess crop; I think about late-ripening varieties so we get the hangtime.”
Wines that are currently available can be found here.
Syncline 2022 Rosé
Sourced from the McKinley Springs vineyard this is 55% Carignan and 45% Mourvèdre. This unique rosé draws its lovely aromatics from the southern Rhône inspired blend. This is an elegant, finesse style, tart with light touches of strawberry, citrus, apple and more. 500 cases; 12.8%; $28 (Horse Heaven Hills) 92/100
Syncline 2022 Estate Grown Gruner Veltliner
Recently bottled, fermented in a mix of acacia puncheons and concrete egg, this is part of recent plantings at the winery that are taking it in a direction built upon James Mantone's belief that his site is particularly well-suited for high altitude, mountain grown grapes. This is spicy, sharp and detailed, with flavors of green fruits, mown hay and raw almonds. 225 cases; 11.7%; $28 (Columbia Gorge) 91/100
Syncline 2022 Boushey Vineyard Picpoul
This zesty, racy and utterly delicious wine is fleshier than many Picpouls, without any sacrifice of the grape's peppery zing. Fermented in concrete and finished in stainless, this single vineyard varietal has long been a particular specialty of Syncline. It's loaded with clean, crisp flavors of citrus flesh and rind, highlights of pepper and a hint of seashell. The length is sensational. 350 cases; 13%; $28 (Yakima Valley) 93/100
Syncline 2022 Estate Grown Viognier
This opens with strikingly lovely floral aromatics that lead you by the nose into a lush palate with flavors of botanical herbs, toasted hazelnuts, orange flesh and peel and wildflowers. It's a marvelous wine that cascades across and down the palate, fully ripened at finished alcohol well below most domestic Viogniers. It finishes racy, fresh and lively, with a palate-refreshing minerality. 50 cases; 13.1%; $40 (Columbia Gorge) 93/100
Syncline 2020 Estate Grown Gamay Noir
Just the first or second vintage from this new estate planting, this is bursting with biodynamic energy. The flavors are electric, spicy with a hint of tree resin. Cranberry and plum are the fruits, but this fascinating wine really defies description. The finish goes and goes. 375 cases; 13.4%; $45 (Columbia Gorge) 93/100
Syncline 2021 Estate Grown Gamay Noir
Young vines tend to offer explosive fruit flavors for a vintage or two and then tamp down while they build structure. This is an interesting comparison to the 2020, which was effusively expressive. This new release, fermented in concrete, starts out stiff and compact, a bit unyielding. Pomegranate and red currant fruit flavors are wrapped in pervasive minerality. Two thirds were done as whole cluster carbonic fermentation in concrete cubes. Plan on aggressive aeration and/or decanting to get this wine to open up. 450 cases; 13.5%; $45 (Columbia Gorge) 92/100
Syncline 2021 Subduction Red
The majority of the Syncline portfolio is focused on single site, single varietal wines. The Subduction Red is the exception – a judicious blend of 45% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 9% Carignan and 2% Cinsault. A salute to Côtes du Rhône style blends, here it is given a northern Rhône sensibility, with more earthy, herbal, stem and skin flavors. It's wild and gamey, intense and compelling, with a wild presence that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. 1575 cases; 13.6%; $30 (Columbia Valley) 93/100