The style of wine at Cline is split between old and new. The old vines yield intensely concentrated reds with a heady aroma, some with the sort of potent barnyard aromatics you might only expect to find in a French wine--but this is clearly a California barnyard. Readers who prefer clean and fresh styles should gravitate toward the newer plantings in Carneros, including the deep and dusky '97 Syrah, round and lavish ripe, the richness cooled by scents of a redwood forest.
If , however, your lust for French bistro food aims in the direction of andouillette, swirl a glass of the '97 Ancient Vines Zinfandel from Contra Costa County a prepare yourself for aromatic overload. This wine is odoriferous in all the best and earthiest ways balanced by plenty of cranberry and black currant flavor. In France, they'd make you pay for such an intimate experience. Here, it's a glorious zin for $20. For everyday, affordable drinking, check out the Côtes d'Oakley line, in red, rosé and white. This year, we found the '97 Vin Blanc especially pleasing, with the viscous texture of a Rhône white and touch of floral aromatics. Try a glass of that in your Jacuzzi.
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Source: Wine & Spirits Buying Guide 2000
