From the atlas
Cline Cellars
A California producer with vineyards from Tehama County to the Petaluma Gap, historic vines in Oakley, and a red range shaped by Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | California |
| Key places | Oakley, Los Carneros and Northern California vineyards |
| Main grapes | Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre |
| Named wines | Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Ancient Vines Mourvèdre |
| Defining practices | Dry farming, wild yeast fermentation preference and minimal cellar intervention |
The Producer
Fred Cline was among the original Rhône Rangers and helped introduce Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne to California wine drinkers. Cline Cellars, also called Cline Family Cellars, makes red wines named Old Vine Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Ancient Vines Mourvèdre.
Place
Cline farms seven vineyards across Northern California, from Tehama County to the Petaluma Gap. At the Los Carneros estate, afternoon ocean breezes lengthen hang time, so grapes remain on the vine longer before harvest.
Soil And Site
Shallow clay and loam soils at the Carneros estate encourage small, tight grape clusters. Those compact clusters produce intensely flavored grapes.
Story
Fred and Nancy Cline bought a 350 acre property in Los Carneros in 1989 to expand their small business. The purchase placed a Sonoma County property alongside the Oakley beginning. Four of their seven children now guide day to day operations.
Vineyards And Cellar
Bridgehead Vineyard in Oakley contains historic Mourvèdre, Zinfandel and Carignane planted by Italian, Spanish and Portuguese immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s. All the vines there are dry farmed, with roots that reach nearly 40 feet below ground in search of water.
Cline's farming program uses sheep and goats to remove invasive weeds instead of herbicides. In 2018, the vineyards and winery became Certified California Sustainable and Sonoma County Sustainable. The winery composts organic material, including about 3,000 tons of grape pomace annually.
Cline prefers wild yeast for fermentation and minimal cellar intervention, expressing the natural colors, aromas, flavors and textures of the grapes. Solar energy was adopted in 2005, and the array was upgraded in 2018 to offset 100 percent of the winery's electrical consumption.
Wines
The red range has three clear positions. Old Vine Zinfandel draws fruit from Contra Costa County and Lodi. Cline Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced chiefly from Rolling Knolls and Diamond D, two Lake County vineyards. Ancient Vines Mourvèdre is the named Mourvèdre wine in the set.
In The Glass
Old Vine Zinfandel opens with fresh strawberry and spice. Oak ageing adds toasty vanilla, while ripe fruit envelops the tannin. Cline Cabernet Sauvignon brings blackberry, plum and mocha.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Cline Ancient Vines Mourvèdre. It pairs the named grape with the Ancient Vines range, whose backbone is rare head pruned, dry farmed vines in deep sandy soil. Plum, cranberry and warm vanilla appear in both aroma and flavor. The bottle keeps those grape and vineyard facts together in one red wine.
Anecdote
Fred Cline spent summers working on his grandfather Valeriano Jacuzzi's ranch in Contra Costa County. After studying at UC Davis, he returned to found Cline Family Cellars with Nancy in Oakley in 1982. The first wines drew on historic Mourvèdre, Zinfandel and Carignane vines, with some plantings dating to the 1880s.
Final Word
Cline Cellars joins Northern California vineyards, historic dry farming and a red range of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. Fred Cline's Rhône work sits alongside sustainable farming, wild yeast fermentation and minimal cellar intervention.
Sources
1. https://clinecellars.com/our-story 2. https://clinecellars.com/about-us/vineyards 3. https://clinecellars.com/about-us/sustainability 4. https://clinecellars.com/about-us/our-team 5. https://clinecellars.com/county-collection 6. https://clinecellars.com/ancient-vines-zinfandel 7. https://boutinot.com/wines/cline-cellars-old-vine-lodi-zinfandel/pdf/