Cline - Ancient Vines Mourvedre 2023 750ml

Cline Ancient Vines Mourvedre 2023 offers a remarkable taste of California winemaking history. As a founding member of the Rhone Rangers, Fred Cline championed this unique grape variety. Today, his family continues that legacy by crafting this wine from some of the oldest vines in the state.

The fruit comes from the historic Bridgehead and Big Break vineyards in Oakley. These one hundred year old, dry farmed vines grow deep in sandy soils. Cool breezes from the Sacramento Delta balance the warm California sun. By naturally restricting the harvest to just two or three tons per acre, the winemakers achieve stunning flavor concentration that younger vines simply cannot match.

During production, the grapes are completely destemmed and gently crushed to leave many whole berries intact. Native, indigenous yeasts start the fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. This precise process extracts rich color and pure fruit flavors. The wine then ages for twelve months in dark toasted American oak barrels.

In the glass, this heritage red wine delivers inviting aromas of plum, cranberry, and warm vanilla. The palate is deeply layered, showing dark, dusty berry fruit framed by rich cedar. With brilliant acidity and highly refined tannins, it avoids the heavy, over extracted feeling of many modern red blends. Wine Enthusiast awarded this vintage 93 points and a Best Buy rating. It is a brilliant, food friendly wine that drinks beautifully right now but has the structure to age gracefully for years to come.