Smooth and silky on the palate . . without
notable flaws . . . one of the ten best Zinfandel values in the world . . highly
distinctive . . . the most important proponent of Contra Costa fruit . . . one
of California's most successful Rhône Rangers. No two palates are alike,
and often it seems no two wine critics can ever reach a common consensus regarding
the merits and character of any bottle of wine; but strangely enough, the aforementioned
rave reviews (from such divergent sources as The Wine Advocate, The Wine Spectator
and The Connoisseurs' Guide) have all been heaped upon one winery - Sonoma's Cline
Cellars. In 1982, Fred Cline founded Cline Cellars on the former site of The Firpo
Winery, the oldest winery in the Contra Costa County region, located 40 miles
east of San Francisco, in the quiet town of Oakley. In 1986, Fred's brother Matt
Cline joined the Cline Cellars team as Winemaker, after completing his studies
in oenology at The University of California at Davis. In 1991, the winemaking
facility was relocated to Sonoma Valley on a 350-acre estate in the Carneros district,
with new vineyards planted, offering further opportunities for growth and refinement
of the rich Cline tradition. In addition, the Clines retained their Oakley holdings,
which include some of the oldest, most extensive and rarest plantings of Zinfandel
and Rhône varietals in the state. The Clines have preserved many of these
Ancient Vine sites, restoring them to their rightful place as premier California
vineyards. The Sonoma ranch, chosen for its cool climate, is planted to Syrah,
and the white Rhône varietals Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Cline is
most noted for its concentrated, cellar-worthy Zinfandel and its Rhône-style
bottlings are considered to be benchmarks among California Rhône Rangers.
No matter what the varietal, each offering of the Cline line-up is a unique and
elegant expression of the artistry and craftsmanship behind a great bottle of
wine! Cheers!
