Harvest Update The Thrill of Harvest! September 29, 2000 Cline Cellars now in its fifth week of harvest has crushed 1780 tons of grapes and the pace has not slowed down. The winery is anticipating 2700 tons of grapes to be crushed for the 2000 vintage. One of the most crucial aspects of harvest is timing--determining the precise moment during the ripening process when the grape is fully mature and the balance of sugar and acids is optimal. The tremendously complicated responsibility lies on the shoulders of our Enologist Dawn Sacchetti and Winemaker Matt Cline. The delicate timing of each year's harvest can be complicated further by the fact that very often fruit within a single vineyard is in varying stages of ripeness, thus potentially extending the harvest of a single vineyard plot over several days. Although the ultimate timing of harvest depends on mother nature, it also pending the grape variety, the region and the style of wine desired. Special thank you to Bill De Vaughn and Dawn Sacchetti for their contributions to the Cline Times. Assistant Winemaker Jose Fernandez and Enologist Dawn Sacchetti. As of 9/29 Cline Cellars has crushed 1536 tons of red grape varietals and 244 tons of white grapes varietals. Harvest Time Article 8/23 Harvest Photos...watch us work. Zinfandel grapes from Lodi, California dumped into a hopper.(Above) Zinfandel grapes sent through the destemmer to remove stems. Berries will be sent to a fermentation tank to begin the winemaking process. (Above) Stay tuned for Cline Cellars' continuous coverage of Harvest 2000, keeping you updated on the latest harvest events. Wine Events Zinfandel Festival 2001 Let's celebrate! ZAP 10TH Anniversary of the Zinfandel Festival January 25, 2001 Good Eats & Zinfandel Pairing at Rosenblum Cellars January 26, 2001 Blue Jeans to Black Tie "An Evening with the Winemakers" at Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco January 27, 2001 Zinfandel Tasting - ZAP 10TH Anniversary at Herbst and Festival Pavilions, Fort Mason, San Francisco Begin the Festival at Rosenblum Cellars where an infusion of flavors awaits you! Experience the diversity of Zinfandel with the Bay Area's best restaurants. On Friday night, mingle with the world's best Zinfandel producers, bid on fabulous winemaker dinners and on rare and special Zinfandel bottlings. And for the grand finale the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Zinfandel Tasting on Saturday. Over 250 wineries participating, pouring barrel samples of 1999 vintage. Public Ticket sales begin October 1, 2000 through the Fort Mason Box Office in San Francisco. To Join Zap or for more information visit ZAP's new website! ZAP, P.O. Box 1487, Rough & Ready, CA 95975 530/274-4900

(Background) Los Carneros Syrah vineyard. Zinfandel grapes in 1/2 ton picking bins. Hot Wine News Wine Spectator names Cline Cellars 1998 California Syrah Top 100 Wine Values in October 15, 2000 Issue! Wine of the Month 1997 Jacuzzi Family Vineyard Merlot Jacuzzi Family Vineyard is Cline Cellars' finest wines blended in a reserve style. The wine is a tribute to Fred & Matt Cline's maternal grandfather Valeriano Jacuzzi and to a proud family winemaking heritage. Following a family tradition several generations old, winemaker, Matt Cline hand-selected lots of grapes from vineyards that show an added degree of ripeness and dimension. The Jacuzzi Family Vineyard is proud to offer their inaugural bottling of the 1997 Los Carneros Merlot. Winemaker Matt Cline has crafted the Jacuzzi Reserve Merlot from a blend of seven different and intensely unique vineyard blocks located on our ranch in the famed Los Carneros wine-growing district. Situated in the Southern most part of Sonoma County, these vineyard blocks range from a few rocky hillside acres to thirty acres-with soils varying from deep, gravely loams to shallow (less than 18 inches) clay and loam. Coupled with a unique soil structure that forces the vines to struggle and keep yields low, and an amazing micro-climate which allows the grapes to reach desired sugars without fear of verasion, the Los Carneros District produces powerful, yet elegant fruit, perfectly suited for Reserve style wines. Limited production. Visit Cline Cellars Current Accolades page to read the latest reviews. Question of the Month? This month several questions have been pertaining to wine terminology. List below is the question and their wine term. Aroma: Odors in the wine that originate from the grape. Finish: The final impression of a wine on the palate. Fruity: A wine that shows fruit aromas and flavors. A fruity wine can be dry, many confuse this with the term "sweet". Oaky: Aromas and flavors contributed during barrel fermentation and aging, such as vanilla, spice and toast. Wine Question? E-mail epcline@sonic.net Don't miss out on this year's HARVEST! Come visit CLINE CELLARS' beautiful winery, located in the Carneros District in Sonoma Valley.Tours everyday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m..Call our Tasting Room for a reservation 800/546-2070 or 707/935-4310.Cline Cellars 24737 Hwy. 121, Sonoma, CA While visiting the winery enjoy sampling our award-winning wines. 1999CLINETIMES Cline Times - January Issue| Cline Times - February Issue| Cline Times - March Issue| Cline Times - April Issue| Cline Times - May Issue| Cline Times - June Issue| Cline Times - July Issue | Cline Times - August Issue | Cline Times - September Issue | Cline Times - October Issue|Cline Times - November Issue|Cline Times - December Issue We would love to hear from you. Comments to Cline Cellars and Winemaker Comments to Fred Cline, President Comments to Tina Hoogs, Sales & Marketing Manager Comments to Pepe Burns, Special Events Director