Syncline Winery : Our Wines : Pinot Noir
Cuveé Elena Columbia Valley
Production: About 158 cases
Tasting Notes
Our Southern Rhone inspired blend, Cuveé Elena, was selected from our best lots of grapes. Showing great intensity and balance, the Cuveé Elena delivers bramble fruits, plums, sauvage and tarry aspects with tremendous length. Classic notes of spice, blackberries and animal from the Mourvedre blend with the bright raspberry of Grenache, all tied together with the richness and garrigue aromas of Syrah. Mouth filling and intensely satisfying.
Harvest Notes
Appellation: Columbia Valley
Harvest Dates: Late September Through Late October
Varietals: 51% Grenache, 43% Mourvedre, 6% Syrah
Vineyard: Northridge, Coyote Canyon, Clifton
Vineyards
Northridge Vineyard is managed by Milbrandt Vineyards and lies on the north edge of the Wahluke Slope AVA. Soils are extremely rocky, with southern exposure. Vines are trained VSP with a moderate density. Grenache from this site delivers classic plum and darker fruits while retaining acids.
Coyote Canyon Vineyard lies in the northern part of the Horse Heaven Hills and straddles the Missoula Flood high-water mark. The Mourvedre is planted to a steep south facing slope in rocky soils at 1200’ in elevation. The high calcium content of the soils translates into wines with great fruit expression while retaining bright acidity. The vines are trained VSP up and down the slope face.
Syrah harvest typically begins in early October on Clifton Vineyard. Clifton is planted with cuttings from Boushey Vineyards at a moderate density and trained to Vertical Shoot Positioning. The vineyard is at a low elevation (550’) with a southwest exposure and backed by black basalt cliffs. Soils are sandy loams overlaying cobbles and basalt. In order to maximize morning sun exposure while ensuring that the fruit is never directly exposed to the hot afternoon sun, rows are oriented southwest-northeast. Early shoot thinning and multiple green harvests insure uniformly ripe and intense fruit. This vineyard contributes warm climate flavors of jammy blackberry and meaty characteristics.
Fermentation and Aging
The fruit was hand harvested into 800 pound harvest boxes and transported to the winery in the early morning. All fruit was destemmed with no crushing. Wines were cold soaked followed by inoculated fermentation. Pressing occurred between 7 and 12 days past inoculation and wine was barreled in a blend of two year old French oak 225 L and 700 L barrels. Light egg white fining followed by a polish filtration preceded bottling. Barrel time of 16 months.