Cline Ancient Vines Carignane 2004

Carignane is one of the world's most planted yet under-appreciated varietals. Cultivated extensively in Spain, France's Rhone Valley and in California--as a reliable source of fruity, inexpensive wine--Carignane is an important blending grape, offering ripe, bright fruit, supple structure and fine acids. Only a handful of winemakers have afforded this misunderstood grape the attention and care it requires to show its full potential as a varietal wine. By selecting lost of fruit from the finest 100 plus year old Carignane vineyards, Cline crafts a wine that is rich, intense and brooding that compares favorably to the very best Carignane cuvees prestiges from the Rhone Valley.

This wine is dense with cherry, chocolate and fresh earthy character. It drinks deliciously now, showing effusive fruit, and will fill out beautifully with short-term cellaring.