1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel Cline Cellars
1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel
Contra Costa County

Technical Notes
1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel
Contra Costa County
HARVEST DATE: 10 to 26 September
BRIX AT HARVEST: 22.2 to 25.1
TOTAL ACIDITY: 0.71g/100ml
FINAL pH: 3.38
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 0.025g/100ml
ALCOHOL: 14.0%


VINTAGES NOTES
1995 was an exceptionally long growing season in California. A wet winter and cool summer months allowed for ample water in our dry-farmed Contra Costa County vineyards as well as an even ripening, preserving intense varietal flavor and fine acid structure. Harvest was particularly late, and the added hang time lent our wines an incredible level of concentration. For Cline Cellars, 1995 is another in a string of exceptional vintages and will be noted for wines of intense, forward fruit.
VINEYARDS
The 1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel draws from a wide selections of our oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing vineyards--some over 100 years in age--consistently produce fruit of stunning concentration. The lots that we hand-selected for the 1995 blend showed an added degree of ripeness and dimension that is the result of sensitive farming practices, the singular Oakley terrior and a unique cooling band of air that flows from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. By restricting yields to a minuscule 1.5 to 2 tons per acre, we have achieved a sublime expression of the dusty berry fruit quality that is so characteristic of Contra Costa Zinfandel.
FERMENTATION AND AGING
Individual lots of fruit for the 1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel were harvested separately according to ripeness and balance of acidity. The grapes underwent near total destemming and a very gentle crushing to ensure a large proportion of whole berries in the must--contributing to the explosive fruit character of the wine. Fermentation was carried out in stainless steel with select cultured yeasts after a 48 hour cold soak to extract color and flavor early on. The wines were pressed off their skins at dryness and racked gently before being laid down to a compliment of small American and French cooperage--approximately 25% new American. Before bottling, small amounts of Mourvedre and Carignane were blended with the Zinfandel to achieve a harmonious and structured wine capable of aging for several years.
WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
The 1995 Ancient Vines Zinfandel truly shows the wonderful dusty berry, white pepper and chocolate character that is so particular to Oakley Zinfandels. Prolonged aging in new and used wood has lent this wine a subtle vanilla quality that complements nicely the explosive fruit notes. 1995 is the first vintage of Ancient Vines Zinfandel... and a stellar one, indeed. Enjoy this wine presently for its effusive black fruit, or cellar for 5 to 7 years.

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