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Sineann Winery is a small producer of highly intense wine in Yamhill County, Oregon.

Winemaker Peter Rossback sources his fruit from some of the best vineyards in the region; Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley and the Hood River Valley, Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel from the Columbia Valley, Gewurztraminer from the Willamette Valley and the Columbia Gorge. Crop levels are kept very low, one to three tons per acre.

Winemaking at Sineann is well recognized as meticulous. All fruit is hand sorted, delicately destemmed, punched down by hand, gently pressed and gravity racked. The wines are aged in new and one year old French oak.

Sineann owner and winemaker Rosback was bitten by the urge to produce wine in the mid 1990's. He worked harvest at Elk Cove and other wineries, and decided to start his own winery after meeting fellow winelover David O'Reilly. With Irish heritage and love of good wine in common, the two men struck a partnership and created Sineann.

"David has a great palate and is one of the best marketing people in the state," Rosback said. "We're a good team. Each of us brings talents to the table to produce the best wine we can. Of course, it starts with great fruit, and that also has to be the best we can get."

In addition to Sineann, Rosback also makes wines for Medici, where the owners allow Sineann to be produced. He also consults with O'Reilly on Owen Roe and O'Reilly Cellars.

"Peter brings an irrepressible passion to everything he does," O'Reilly said. "I think that's why we are such good partners."

O'Reilly and Rosback left Elk Cove in 1998 to produce wines in relatively small quantities. While Sineann is produced at Medici, O'Reilly has little niches and spots for producing Owen Roe and O'Reilly Cellars. He spends a great deal of time on the road, from spot to spot, overseeing production. He and Rosback purchase grapes from the Willamette Valley to Hood River to Walla Walla and Columbia valleys in Washington state.

The good news comes in the form of a converted barn. Next year, he will have his own facility for Owen Roe and O'Reilly Cellars. Sineann will continue production at Medici for the time being.

"I will be happy to have one location to produce my wines," he added.

Just about everything produced under the Sineann label is excellent and a value compared to comparable Californian wine. Zinfandel grapes come from a 100-year-old vineyard in Washington. Pinot Noir grapes come from the best growers in Oregon.

Both Rosback severely limits yields to produce such intense wine. It keeps quantities low, but the winemaker is not interested in expanding production.

Sineann produces single vineyard, highly crafted Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. White wines include Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris.

The Yamhill County Winery Association has this to say about Sineann:

"Sineann is passionate about producing the most intense, flavorful wines from a handful of great vineyards. Sineann sources Zinfandel from the only 100 year-old vineyard in the Northwest, Cabernet Sauvignon from one of Washington’s oldest vineyards and Pinot noir and Pinot gris from a pair of Yamhill County’s best Pinot vineyards as well as some other gems. Crop sizes are miniscule; the wines handcrafted. Good luck finding any Sineann wines!"

Wine Today had this to say:

"Sineann was founded in 1994 by David O'Reilly and Peter Rosback, two individuals fascinated by the potential that well-managed vineyards in the Columbia Valley offer. Working closely with growers, they severely limit yields to maximize the intensity of the fruit they harvest. The Old Vine Zinfandel is a fine wine for medium aging. It has striking berry flavours when young and softens with three years of bottle age. The Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a single vineyard known as Block One, among the oldest in the Columbia Valley, and is a full-bodied, sturdy, age-worthy red."

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Afiliated Wineries:

Owen Roe

O'Reilly