Syncline Mourvedre 09

Layers of plum, cassis, clove, coffee bean and black pepper aromas are complemented by a full, rich mouthfeel and bright finish. This wine is approachable now and will also age gracefully for many years. - the winery

Vineyard: Coyote Canyon
Appellation: Horse Heaven Hills
Year Planted: 2002
Varietals: 100% Mourvedre

Planted on what was the edge 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.

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 1,200' in elevation. The high calcium content of the soils translates into wines with great fruit expression while retaining bright acidity. The vines are trained Vertical Shoot Positioning up and down the slope face.

The fruit was hand harvested and transported to the winery in the early morning. All fruit was de-stemmed 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, 225L and 500L barrels. Light egg white fining followed by a polish filtration preceded bottling. Barrel time of 16 months.