The 2007 Syrah is 65% Horse Heaven Hills and 35% Wahluke Slope fruit. An enticing nose of spice box, smoked meat, hung game, and blueberry are first class. This leads to an elegant yet mouth-filling Syrah that has exceptional concentration and length. It can be enjoyed now for its fleshy fruit but will be more refined and civilized with 6-8 years of additional bottle age.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

Wonderful aromatics, with suggestions of carpaccio, olive and violets. The tannins are ripe and polished, underlying glorious purple fruits, a panoply of berries and plums. It’s still very young, but made with perfect texture and balance, and a little white chocolate in the finish.——P.G.(9/1/2009)—— 92