Cline 2016 Zinfandel, Ancient Vines, Contra Costa

Here's a wine that the family-owned Cline Cellars is famous for. Ancient Vines Zinfandel draws primarily from a wide selection of the oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing Zinfandel blocks in Contra Costa County. These grapes were planted by Italian and Portuguese immigrants in the sandy, phylloxera-resistant soils of Oakley, California more than 100 years ago. These ancient, dry-farmed vineyards consistently produce fruit of stunning concentration and are the result of sensitive farming practices and the singular Oakley terroir. There's a unique cooling band of air that flows from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. The lots are all hand-selected and the grapes underwent near total de-stemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large percentage of whole berries in the must - contributing to the explosive fruit character of the wine. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at the optimum temperature to extract rich flavors and provide excellent color. The wines were aged in American oak cooperage for 7 months, approximately 35% new oak.

Wine Spectator selected this as #40 on their Top 100 Wines of 2018! They scored it 91 points saying "Lively and supple, with floral raspberry and fresh pepper aromas and sleekly appealing cherry and licorice flavors that glide lightly along the finish. Drink now through 2022."