The 2009 Cuvee Elena is composed of 50% Grenache, 41% Mourvedre, and the balance Syrah and Carignan aged entirely in neutral oak. Expressive notes of rose petal, spice box, incense, underbrush, black cherry, and blueberry inform the nose of a savory, round, smooth-textured wine with a sense of elegance. Drink this already complex offering over the next 6-7 years. James and Poppie Mantone’s Syncline Wine Cellars is on the eastern edge of the beautiful Columbia Gorge, an area better known for outdoor sports (fishing, boating, wind surfing) than wine production.Tel: (509) 365-4361; www.synclinewine.com