We were definitely taken care of one chilly Monday morning in Sonoma by the wonderful people at Cline Cellars…and their delicious wine!
Cline Cellars was founded by Nancy and Fred Cline in Oakley, California in 1982. Farmed sustainably since 2000, used are organic cover crops, compost teas, crushed volcanic rock, oyster shell and naturally mined sulpher to keep the vineyards healthy, sheep and goats who graze to remove harmful weeds, and solar panels to improve air quality and provide 100% of the winery’s energy. Their original Oakley ranch is home to some of California’s oldest grapevines which include Mourvedre, Carignane, and Zinfandel. In 1992, the Clines relocated the winery to the rolling hills of Carneros in Sonoma County and planted at this location are Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussane vines. Yet another location for their vineyards is in Petaluma in the Sonoma Coast AVA where the climate is similar to the Alsace region of France. Grown here are Syrah, Viognier, Pinot Gris, and Roussane. Their website is worth viewing for information about the history and their wines, winemaking techniques and farming practices, gorgeous photos and events (anyone want to go to a Jazz Festival this summer at Cline??), and interesting info about the California Missions Museum which is housed on the property.
Upon our 10:30am arrival at Cline Cellars, my daughter and and I were met in the tasting room by Barry who treated us to a tour of the winery. The grounds were beautifully landscaped and included ponds, walking paths, lush vegetation, and a stately blue heron who, like the rest of us, felt quite comfortable there! Barry did a fantastic job of explaining Cline’s process of winemaking…from vine to bottle. Once in the private tasting room, Jessica and I were offered selections of new releases and enjoyed great conversation with Barry, Ruth, and Kathryn! Of all of the fantastic wines we tasted, what did we love the most?
**2011 Sonoma Coast Viognier – If you read this website, you know that I wax poetic about this varietal, and if you still haven’t tried Viognier, find this white wine from Cline! And even if you have had a Viognier, you’ll love this one, too!! Viogniers are difficult to get “right”, but Cline has a success here with notes of peach, apricot, orange blossoms, and a little pineapple. Enjoy it with spicy Asian dishes…but this Estate Viognier is “winery exclusive” which means you’ll have to order it! $18.00.
**2010 Ancient Vines Carignane – I wanted to try this since I’ve not had a wine which was 100% Carignane. Interesting. It’s a medium bodied wine with dark fruit, spice, and a little pepper on the very short (if any) finish. You will definitely want to pair this with food such as grilled meats or lamb. Barry suggested pairing this with fig or fig sauces. In fact, recently I had figs stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinegar – ah, I would have enjoyed a glass of the Ancient Vines Carignane! $18.00.
**2010 Ancient Vines Mourvedre – This was a very smooooth wine and I love a rich Mourvedre when it’s balanced..like this one. The grapes in this wine were from 100 year old vines and tastes included dark plum and some chocolate. Oh yes, with age comes wisdom! $20.00
**2010 Nancy’s Cuvee – This sparkling wine consists of grapes from a single vineyard and is another winery exclusive. Blended from 77% Chardonnay and 23% Pinot Noir grapes I enjoyed the light, crisp flavors of citrus and green apple. It would be perfect to accompany a quiche, seafood, or salad..you can make every moment a special occasion with this sparkler! $23.00
**2010 Sonoma Zinfandel – Another single vineyard selection, this Zinfandel showed juicy berries and was perfect with the selections of cheese on the platter – especially the blue cheese since there was a touch of sweetness in the wine! $28.00
We hated to leave our new friends at Cline Cellars but I joined their wine club so that Chicago and the wine from Cline won’t seem so far away!! Make sure you view the website and “like” their Facebook page for updates, lovely photographs, and some humorous thoughts! And of course I’ll be back to Cline Cellars soon for more delicious wine, lively conversation, and another view of that beautiful blue heron!
Thank you, Barry and Ruth!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
