We tasted last night (8/24/16) some of The Wines of Cline Vnyds:
1. ClineFamilyCllrs Viognier NorthCoast (14.0%; www.ClineCellars.com) Sonoma 2015: Light yellow color;
very attractive pear/peach/white fruits/Viog restrained/elegant slight earthy/Windex/appley quite aromatic
nose; lightly tart/tangy restrained bright pear/peach/floral/Viog lovely flavor; very long/lingering
bright/restrained pear/peach/Viog/appley finish; a rather quiet expression of Viog; a lovely very
non-DollyParton expression of Viog at a great price. $17.00
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2. ClineFamilyCllrs PinotNoir SonomaCoast (EG; 14.5%) 2014: Med.light ruby color; bright/vibrant cherr/PN/
cranberry/cold-climate PN light smokey/toasty/oak light earthy/mushroomy slight Burgundian quite fragrant
nose; rather tart/tangy spicy/cherry/cranberry/PN bit earthy/mushroomy/Burgundian flavor w/ light tangy
tannins; very long bright/cherry/cranberry/PN slight earthy/mushroomy some smokey/toasty/oak/Burgundian
finesh w/ light brisk tannins; reminds a bit of Oregon PN, a bit of the old Acacia PN's; quite nice/
attractive bit Burgundian PN at a great price. $20.00
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3. ClineFamilyCllrs Grenache BigBreakVnyd/CCCnty (15.5%; SingleVnydSeries) 2013: Med.dark color; some
euculayptus/menthol strong black cherry/plummy/Grenache/chocolaty rather perfumed bit alcoholic/fumey
quite attractive nose; slightly soft bit fumey/alcoholic strong black cherry cola/Grenache/plummy some
menthol/eucalyptus flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long strong black cherry cola/plummy/Grenache/bit
strawberry slight eucalyptus/menthol bit CCCnty/earthy structured finish w/ light sharp tannins; speaks
strongly of ripe Grenache w/ hint of CCCnty terroir; seems pricey at $60.00.
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4. JacuzziFamilyVnyds Nebbiolo SonomaCnty (13.5%) 2011: Med.light color; slight reductive that clears to
rather pungent/tarry light floral/lilacs/Nebb bit earthyfairly rich nose; quite tart/lean/rather austere
fairly pungent/tarry/earthy light floral/lilacs/rose petal flavor w/ some hard/angular tannins; very long
lean/tart/austere/tangy strong tarry/pungent/bit earthy some floral/lilacs/rose petal finish w/ ample
hard/angular tannins; needs 4-8 yrs of age; shows lots of Nebb character on the pungent/tarry side; has
good potential once the tannins start to soften; one of the better Calif Nebbs that seems more
Valtelline in character. $30.00
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5. ClineFamilyCllrs Zin Lodi (14.0%) 2014: Med.color; classic Lodi/earthy/mushroomy some jammy/raspberry/Zin
light oak/vanilla fairly bright fragrant nose; fairly tart/tangy classic Lodi/earthy/mushroomy/loamy
light dusty/OV some raspberry/Zin/spicy light vanilla/oak flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long earthy/
mushroomy/Lodi some bright/spicy/raspberry/Zin light oak bit tart/tangy finish w/ light tannins; speaks
strongly of Lodi Zin but not the soft/mushy/overripe character many show; much brighter & livelier than
most Lodi Zins; reminds some of Turley Dogtown; quite an attractive Lodi Zin at a great price. $14.00
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6. ClineFamilyCllrs Zin AncientVines CCCnty (15.0%) 2014: Med.dark color; strong earthy/mushroomy/CCCnty
rather blackberry/Zin/spicy light oak/vanilla fairly fragrant nose; softer slight tangy/metallic rather
dusty/OV strong earthy/mushroomy/CCCnty some blackberry/plummy/spicy/Zin flavor w/ modest tangy tannins;
very long CC/earthy/mushroomy strong blackberry/ripe/plummy/Zin/fairly spicy rather dusty/OV balanced
finish w/ light gentle tannins; speaks strong of ripe CCCnty Zin at a very good price. $20.00
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7. ClineFamilyCllrs Zin MeadowbrookRanchVnyd/TehamaCnty (16.0%; SVS) 2012: Med.dark color; very strong very
spicy/blackberry/boysenberry/Zin light toasty/oak/smokey slight earthy/mineral very slight alcoholic
quite lovely nose; fairly tart/tangy very spicy/peppery/ripe/blackberry/raspberry/Zin bit toasty/oak
very structured flavor w/ ample hard tannins; very long/lingering very spicy/blackberry/raspberry/Zin/
peppery/licorice light toasty/oak very structured light stony/mineral finish w/ ample hard/firm tannins;
very atypical of Cline Zin; reminds a lot of RockpileRoad Zins of JCCllrs or Mauritson; a very good/solid
Zin that needs age. $60.00
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8. ClineFamilyCllrs Zin BigBreakVnyd/CCCnty (15.5%; SVS) 2014: Med.dark color; strong very spicy/blackberry/
Zin light earthy/dusty/OV very slight menthol/eucalyptus very attractive nose; lightly tart/tangy strong
earthy/dusty/OV very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/very spicy slight licorice/RCCola light toasty/oak
lovely flavor w/ modest hard tannins; very long/lingering light toasty/oak very strong spicy/Zin/blackberry/
boysenberry/RCCola strong earthy/dusty/OV/bit loamy finish w/ light grippy tannins; a classic example of
CCCnty OV Zin; reminds some of the Bedrock Evangelo; fairly priced at $37.00
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9. ClineFamilyCllrs Cashmere RedBlend (56% Mourv/28% Syrah/16% Grenache; 14.5%) 2014: Med.dark color; very
strong plummy/Mourv/blackberry quite perfumed rather spicy light toasty/oak bit complex nose; bit soft
strong plummy/blackberry/Mourv/spicy light earthy bit toasty/oak flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very
long strong plummy/Mourv/black cherry light oak rather spicy finish w/ light ripe tannins; quite an
attractive Rhone blend that speaks strongly of Mourv; no obcious CCCnty character; very well-priced
at $23.00
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10. ClineFamilyCllrs Cashmere BlackMagic Dark RedBlend (PS/Mourv/Syrah/Grenache; 15.0%) 2015: Very dark
color; very strong boysenberry/blackberry/PS/slight peppery some smokey/toasty/oak slightly oafish/PS
nose; lightly tart strong blackberry/boysenberry/DrPepper/spicy/light pepper some toasty/smokey/oak
flavor w/ ample hard tannins; very long/lingering very structured strong boysenberry/blackberry/DrPepper/
spicy light smokey/oak finish w/ fair hard/ripe tannins; speaks mostly of clunky PS but lots of fruit
for a PS; a serious red blend that needs some age at a very friendly price. $25.00
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11. ClineFamilyCllrs Carignane AncientVines CCCnty (15.5%) 2014: Very dark color; strong black cherry/black
cherry cola/spicy/Carignane bit coarse light toasty/oak quite aromatic very attractive nose; rather tart
spicy strong black cherry/black cherry cola/Carignane slight earthy/rough very structured very dusty/OV
flavor w/ modest rough tannins; long black cherry/black cherry cola/very spicy some dusty/OV structured
bit coarse/rough/rugged light toasty/oak finish w/ modest rough tannins; not a lot of the earthy/loamy/
CCCnty character; quite a good Carignane at a very good price; needs 3-5 yrs yet to smooth out. $23.00
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12. ClineFamilyCllrs Syrah SonomaCnty (14.0%) 2014: Very dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/
plummy light c-c Syrah/peppery/olive tapenade complex nose; lightly tart some c-c Syrah/peppery/olive
tapenade strong blackberry/Syrah/boysenberry complex flavor w/ modest structured/ripe tannins; very long/
lingering very strong blackberry/blueberry/Syrah some c-c/peppery/olive tapenade lightly tart/structured
finish w/ modest ripe tannins; reminds some of WashState Syrah but more cold-climate character; a really
lovely Syrah at a great price. $14.00
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13. ClineFamilyCllrs PetiteSirah LucchesiVnyd/CCCnty (15.0%; SVS) 2013: Black color; very strong blackberry/
boysenberry/PS/huge fruit/black cherry cola/DrPepper very slight earthy/CCCnty light toasty/oak slight
peppery fairly complex nose; soft very intense blackberry/blueberry/PS slight toasty/oak huge fruit
structured very big/extracted flavor w/ ample ripe/round tannins; very long/lingering bit soft/fleshy
quite structured intense blackberry/blueberry/PS/bit peppery some CCCnty/earthy/mushroomy light toasty/oak
finish w/ ample ripe/round tannins; a big huge fruit PS along the lines of a Carlisle but w/ CCCnty
earthiness; a terrific PS but seems a bit on pricey side. $60.00
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14. Cline Mourvedre AncientVines ContraCostaCnty (15.0%; 12 mo. in 30% new Am.oak) 2014: Dark color; very
strong plummy/Mourv bit earthy/loamy/CCCnty slight chocolaty/black cherry cola some dusty/OV slight
eucalyptus quite attractive/interesting nose; soft/lush/ripe bit alcoholic strong plummy/Mourv/chocolaty/
licorice very light vanilla/Am.oak some CC/earthy/loamy dusty/OV flavor w/ modest bit angular tannins;
bit soft rich/lush strong plummy/Mourv/chocolaty/black cherry dusty/OV/earthy/loamy light vanilla/oak
very long finish w/ modest sharp tannins; needs a few yrs & should go out 6-10 yrsnot the high-toned
character of the Zins but speaks strongly of CC Mourv. Very attrictively priced at $15.00 (KK)
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More profundities from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. I first met CharlieTsegeletos when he showed up at NEB#4 at Fogarty, after I found out he was
making Nebb at Jacuzzi (the Italian effort of FredCline right across the hwy from ClineCllrs).
I didn't get much chance to visit w/ him, but it was very clear he was passionate about his
Nebbiolo. He then joined us at NEB#6 at DomenicoWnry last Spring and I had more of a chance
to visit with him. He's the winemaker both at Cline and Jacuzzi. There, I was lamenting the
fact that I used to be a big fan of Cline, back when they were started by Fred & Mat Cline over
in ContraCostaCnty. He urged me to stop by Cline and catch up on what they were doing these
days. When I was out there for RhoneRangers16, and just before our NEB#6a at UC/Davis, I
took Charlie up on his offer. We had a great tour at Cline, but I didn't do much tasting. So
Charlie offered to send me a case of his wines for me to taste w/ the group. These wines are that case.
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2. Pricing: The way some of the wines are priced left me scratching my head. The three that were
priced at $60....were good....very good. But not quite sure they were three times as good as
some of the others. OTOH, I felt most of the wines were very reasonably priced and several of
them absolute steals.
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3. Syrah: They used to make a Cold-Climate Syrah from, I believe, their PetalumaGap vnyd. I loved
that wine because of the very strong cold-climate Syrah character it displayed. This Estate Syrah
shows slightly less c-c Syrah character, but still some olive tapenade character like LasMadres or
Hudson Syrahs. An absolute steal at $14. Even cheaper at our local wine store at $12.00.
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4. Zins: It was the Zins, way back when, that first attracted me to Cline, when I would taste them at
the annual ZAP. They were right there on the forefront of showing how good the Zins could be from
ContraCostaCnty. They still seem to be, though a lot of other wineries have discovered how good the
old vnyds are for making Zin (and Mourv). Both of these two CCCnty Zins were as good as any from that area.
Although I preferred the BigBreak of the Zins, the MeadowbrookRanch was outstanding and very atypical
of the Cline Zins. More mainstream in character than most of their Zins. TehamaCnty is located N of
Chico & just S of Redding. I believe their vnyd is on the East side up in the foothills. It's a fairly
young vnyd (compared to what Cline usually works with) that they planted (probably the vnyd land was
cheap, relative) that also has Cabernet as well. It will be interesting to follow the wines coming
out of that area.
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5. Cashmere: This was the first time I've tried any of the Cashmere blends. They struck me a very
well-crafted at very attractive prices. The BlackMagic seemed the equivalent of a lot of blends I've
seen from Paso that were priced above $50.
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6. Cline: This tasting was a real eye-opener for me and most of my tasters. My trys of Cline over the last
5-10 yrs, since Matt & Fred split up, have been pretty hit-or-miss. The Clines of old were mostly
focused on their CCCnty holdings and had a sort of soft/soupy sameness to them...often w/ a good hit
of eucalyptus. This is the first time I've focused on some of their Carneros/Sonoma wines. I was pretty
impressed. The wines, including the CCCnty ones, all seemed to have a good acidity, were very
well-balanced, varietally correct, and interesting. Lots to get excited about Cline these days. Wines
as good as any in Calif.
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7. It's good to do an exercise like this once in awhile...go back & revisit an old friend. I did that this
week w/ Easton/TerreRouge and it, too, was an eye-opener (TN's to follow). I should do this exercise
also w/ Eberle and Veedercrest to see where they're at these days.
Tom