WTN + Q: Cline Sonoma Coast Cool Climate Syrah 2005

Cline Sonoma Coast Cool Climate Syrah 2005 Syrah 99% Zinfandel 1%; 13,5% abv; 15,81€; 14 months in French barriques with 25% of them new; from: 23 ha Lazy ‘C’ is situated in Stage Gulch in the Wildcat mountains in the southern part of Sonoma and 14 ha Lazy ‘P’ northwest of Lazy ‘C’ (wow! for once Alko gives us some information about the wines! ).

The scent is very in-your-face, but for such a style of wine it is a pleasure to finally have something in my face that I like! It is animal and slightly peppery, gamy/bloody like a N. Rhône Syrah and with a perfumed Oolong Tea-like/peach kernel perfume - but all these scents are shoved up my nostrils and they ask in a loud voice: "are you sure you notice me?". But I don't mind that as I like these scents. Too often I find that "in-your-face" wines are jammy and oaky and inky, but instead this really did have aromas that I would expect from N. Rhône. There is a slight blueberry/oak note also, but I can block that out and concentrate on what I like (i.e. this probably isn't over-oaked for most people).

Full bodied, dark fruit, a bit soft - I wouldn't mind a bit more tannins -, but moderate in acidity. It is refreshing enough though not strongly structured. This really isn't a bad drop. I only had a tasting sample (c. 5cl) but based on that I think I could actually drink and enjoy a couple glasses of this without getting tired. At this price, I will buy a bottle to try at home with food.

I have never before heard of this producer. In what sort of regard is it held by those who like Californian wines? I was a bit surprised to see "cool climate" on the label - is there a general trend away from huge, unctuous, sickeningly sweet wines? Or is this a wine aimed at the geek market? What is that 1% Zinfandel doing in this?

-Otto

Otto,
The '05 version, which your tasting note describes, I thought was a rather pleasant wine, but rather lacking in structure, as are many of the Cline wines. Their '06 CoolClimate is a far/far better Syrah, speaks a whole lot more of Rhoneish/cool-climate Syrah and does have some structure to it. It's one of the best Clines I've had in quite some time.
The use of "Cool Climate" on their Syrah is a relatively new usage. It's trying to identify their Syrah as different from many of those made in SonomaCnty. They're the only one that uses that term, AFAIK. Many of the (extreme) SonomaCoast Syrahs are, indeed, from quite cold growing areas, that gives them a distinct Rhonish/peppery character.
Cline is a long term producer from Northern Calif. They got their start from the large vnyd holdings in the sandy ContraCostaCnty area around the town of Antioch. Many of the vnyds (Zin & Mourvedre, particularly) were very old vines vnyds. In their early yrs, they made some pretty exceptional Zins and Mourvedres. They then moved their operations to just south of the town of Sonoma, and greatly expanded their production level. They still retained their ContraCosta holdings, but started buying more grapes from around NorthernCalif. Then they had a family feud and Matt and wife departed the operation (they now produce under the Trinitas label). At that point, I felt the Cline wines went into serious decline in quality as they strived for a larger market. This CoolClimate Syrah '06 is the first Cline wine I've bought for myself in quite some time.
The area this wine/vnyd comes from is termed the Petaluma Gap. It's a pretty cool area because of the gap towards the Pacific to the west. It will eventually have its own AVA I suspect. You don't have to go very far to the East to get into southern SonomaCnty and the Carneros area, where it somewhat/lots warmer.
Tom

The Trinitas Zinfandels are quite quaffable.

Cline is a long term producer from Northern Calif. They got their start from the large vnyd holdings in the sandy ContraCostaCnty area around the town of Antioch. Many of the vnyds (Zin & Mourvedre, particularly) were very old vines vnyds. In their early yrs, they made some pretty exceptional Zins and Mourvedres. They then moved their operations to just south of the town of Sonoma, and greatly expanded their production level. They still retained their ContraCosta holdings, but started buying more grapes from around NorthernCalif. Then they had a family feud and Matt and wife departed the operation (they now produce under the Trinitas label). At that point, I felt the Cline wines went into serious decline in quality as they strived for a larger market.

Nice precis, Tom. Two tidbits I'll add: Cline is an heir to the Jacuzzi family fortune, which explains the Contra Costa County ties (Jacuzzi got its start in Richmond, not far from the house I grew up in). One of the wrenching incidents that hindered Cline's initial success was the EPA action brought against Fred Cline after his purchase of the River Oaks property in Oakley from DuPont. I forget whether it was declared a Superfund site, but the cleanup costs were crippling to Cline.

Mark Lipton

One of the wrenching incidents that hindered Cline's initial success was the EPA action brought against Fred Cline after his purchase of the River Oaks property in Oakley from DuPont. I forget whether it was declared a Superfund site, but the cleanup costs were crippling to Cline.
Mark Lipton

Ahh, that explains Cline's terroir.
Redwinger

One of the wrenching incidents that hindered Cline's initial success was the EPA action brought against Fred Cline after his purchase of the River Oaks property in Oakley from DuPont. I forget whether it was declared a Superfund site, but the cleanup costs were crippling to Cline.
Mark Lipton

Ahh, that explains Cline's terroir.
Redwinger

Heavy metal contamination adds a whole new meaning to "minerality."

Mark Lipton

See that, Otto! Great minds think alike. I just polished off my last bottle of Cline '05 Cool Climate Syrah last week. In fact, it stood in my closet for a week after having been opened. It was good to the last drop.

Tom, thanks for the background info!