What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

A few weeks back, I grilled up some beef tenderloin steaks while Kari prepared a couple of twice-baked potatoes and a fresh zucchini gratin in the oven. The tenderloin was absolutely amazing, seasoned with course salt and fresh ground pepper, then grilled to medium rare perfection.

To go with our dinner, I selected a bottle of Syncline 2007 Subduction Red (14.1%), which I purchased at retail for $18. Last Fall, I covered the 2006 vintage of this same wine, finding it a bit hot and astringent on the finish. Even still, I was so taken with the approach Syncline takes on their labels and online to connect you to the people and places behind their outfit, that I was glad to have experienced the wine.

With the '07 Subduction Red, James Mantone, Syncline's founder and winemaker, changed things up a bit in this red blend. The '06 was predominantly Syrah (62%) with some Mourvedre (18%) and Grenache (17%) making up the difference along with a dash of Cinsault (3%). For the '07 blend, Mantone went with the following:

35% Syrah
21% Mourvedre
16% Grenache
15% Cinsault
13% Counoise

I found this combination much better, as it offered a wonderful mix of black fruit aromas and flavors along with spice and pepper notes. On the eyes, this Rhone-style blend was a reddish purple color. On the nose, I picked up black cherry and blackberry fruit along with pepper and spice. On the palate, these same fruit flavors came through with good acidity throughout. There was a bit of oak coming through as well, but not so much as to overpower the other flavors.

At $18, the Syncline 2007 Subduction Red is an affordable wine to have on a regular basis with a variety of foods. I look forward to having this wine again at my table in the coming months.

Other Useful Links
Washington Wine Report's Review
Paul Gregutt's Review