Ancient Vines Carignane wine label

CLINE CELLARS
1997 Ancient Vines Carignane
CALIFORNIA
Technical Notes
Harvest Date: September 9th - September 11th
Brix at Harvest: 24.9°
Total Acidity: 0.64g/100ml
Final pH: 3.48
Residual Sugar: 0.1544g/100ml
Alcohol: 14.0%
Cases Produced: 2631
Suggested Retail: $18

VINTAGE NOTES
Harvest 1997 was yet another early year. Once again, a warm spring contributed to a fast growing cycle, which meant that Cline Cellars' grapes were brought in three weeks earlier than usual. Additionally, the 1997 harvest was an extremely large crop to those at Cline Cellars, despite what is admittedly a minuscule harvest by state averages. Indeed, this harvest brought to Cline Cellars a exceedingly high-quality crop of very forward; very structured fruit blessed with extraordinary dark ruby colors. Specifically, Carignane grapes harvested from Contra Costa County vineyards exhibited exceptional body, deliciously ripe fruit and a complex tannin structure.
VINEYARDS
The 1997 Ancient Vines Carignane draws from a wide selection of our oldest, most historic and shyest-bearing Carignane over 100 years in age--consistently produce fruit of stunning concentration. The lots that we hand-selected for the 1997 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 in from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers. By restricting yields to a minuscule 1.5 to 2 tons per acre, we have achieved sublime expression of the dark, dusty cherry fruit quality that is so characteristic of old vine, Contra Costa Carignane.
FERMENTATION AND AGING
Individual lots of fruit for the 1997 Ancient Vines Carignane 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 twice before being laid down to a complement of small American and French cooperage--approximately 25% new American. Prior to bottling, separate lots of Carignane were blended together to achieve a balanced and harmonious wine, with plenty of ripe berry fruit, spicy earth and supple tannins.
WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
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 my finest 100 plus year old Carignane vineyards, I am able to fashion a rich, intense and brooding wine that I feel 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.
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