Also charming, with bramble, pepper, herbs, licorice and red and black fruit aromas and flavors, the 2011 Subduction Red is the estate’s take on a value priced southern Rhone and checks in as a blend of 39% Mourvedre, 29% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 9% Carignan, 7% Counoise and a splash of Cinsault. Seamless, lightly textured and with excellent purity, as well as notable acidity, this approachable and balanced blend will drink nicely for 5-6 years. It’s a good value that will easily compete with comparably priced Cotes du Rhones and is worth checking out. Drink now-2019. Focusing on Rhone styled blends, Syncline Wine Cellars is the brainchild of James and Poppie Mantone. The wines are always of high quality and stress purity, elegance and drinkability over concentration and power. In addition to these releases, James is also producing a Rhone Styled blend for the Force Majeure lineup, which is reviewed (highly I might add) in this report. Tel. (541) 912-7961; www.synclinewine.com