Cline 2021 "Red Blend" Ancient Vines

Over 100 years dry farming!

"Fred Cline learned a love for farming from his grandfather Valeriano Jacuzzi at their ranch in Oakley. This area in Contra Costa County was a center for immigrants who planted some of the original grapevines. Fred set about restoring dry-farmed, head-pruned vines with roots that run deep in sand-soils. These rare vines, some well over 100-years-old, form the backbone for our Ancient Vines Heritage Collection.

Our ancient vines were planted back in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Contra Costa County. Italian immigrants arrived on the south bank where the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers meet. Over centuries, these rivers created a massive sand bank from deposits originating from the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Oakley’s climate is warm, and ideal for ripening Rhone varietals. Nighttime cooling breezes extend the growing season.

Grapes are handpicked and 100% destemmed before being fermented naturally without the addition of yeasts. All varieties are harvested and fermented separately. Grapes are pumped over 2-3 times a day for two weeks until the wine is dry, before being pressed off into the tank for malolactic fermentation. Once the secondary fermentation has begun, the wine is moved for barrel aging. It receives a mixture of oaks - depending on the grape - for 15 months before blending and bottling.

This is our inaugural release of our Ancient Vines Red Blend. Sourced from some of our oldest vines in Contra Costa, predominately own-rooted and dry-farmed, the wine brings all the flavor and freshness of California grapes with a distinctly old-world vibe induced from some of the oldest vines in the world. A perfect marriage of concentrated fruit with amazing secondary aromas and flavors of spice and forest floor. Mouth-watering acidity matched with luscious tannins lead into an irresistibly long finish.

COLOR: Dark violet red
AROMA: Boysenberry, mulberry, blackberry pie, leather, cedar and cigar box
BODY: Full bodied
ACID: Balanced and mouth-watering
TANNIN: Satin like texture, full of tannin but elegant and poised
FLAVOR: Raspberry, blackberry, plum, and chocolate.
Hint of coffee and liqueur, cinnamon and all spice
FINISH: Long and luscious