Little Berry, Big Taste
Cline Cellars “Small Berry” Mourvedre, 2004, Oakley, Costa County, California
Planted in thousands of acres of vineyards by Portuguese and Italian immigrants over 100 years ago, the disease phylloxera has left behind only 600 acres in Oakley, half of which is owned by Cline Cellars. In this tiny area outside San Francisco, on the San Joaquin and Sacramento River, Cline controls some of California’s oldest vines of Zinfandel, Carignane and Mourvedre. This vineyard’s terroir plays an important role in its wine’s final character. The phylloxera resistant, sandy soil of Oakley delivers uniquely elegant personality, and nearby eucalyptus trees contribute an unmistakably minty nose and flavor. It is said that a single unnoticed eucalyptus leaf can impart this almost mentholy dynamic to an entire barrel of vino.Aside from that refreshing mint derived from eucalyptus, the grapes themselves contributed a couple of things to this wine. Small yields contribute to the intensely extracted flavors, most notably of tobacco and chocolaty plum. Tannins and acid are well balanced across the palate, which begins fruity, but finishes dry and earthy. Crack a bottle and drink it over an hour or two with your favorite lamb dish and just watch how it develops from the first glass to the last sip.This wine is in that low $30 range, which is a really tough price tag for some folks to swallow. It’s not cheap enough to drink every day, but it’s not really expensive enough when you’re trying to splurge. Take my word for it and pick this wine up while you can; you’ll thank me for it later.
