Cline Cellars

Carneros AVA Winery in Sonoma County, California

Cline Cellars was originally founded by Fred Cline in 1982 in Contra Costa County, but in 1992 he and his wife, Nancy, moved to the present location.

One of the southernmost wineries in the Carneros region, the 350-acre vineyard estate is built on the site of a former Miwok Indian village.

Bucking the Carneros trend of Pinot and Chardonnay, Fred Cline concentrated instead on Rhône varietals such as Roussanne, Viognier and Syrah. Over the years the wines have not only been consistently highly rated, but have proven to be of good value. Cline also owns Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, which is just across Arnold Drive in an impressive 20,000 square foot Italian villa.

The Cline Cellars tasting room, in a charming 1850s farmhouse, is surrounded by vineyards, spring-fed ponds, willow trees, a courtyard garden, more than 5,000 rose bushes, and seasonal gardens. An outdoor patio and a luxurious front lawn dotted with picnic tables encourage visitors to bring lunch, purchase a bottle of wine, and enjoy the scenery. The gardens and great lawn are available for weddings.

But leave time to visit the winery’s California Missions Museum, where you’ll find a collection of models of the state's Spanish missions made for the 1939 World's Fair held at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. Hand-crafted by German cabinetmakers, the models were designed to scale and are incredibly detailed.

Fascinating Fact:

Fred Cline's maternal grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi, helped build the famous whirlpool spa empire with his brothers.

Amenities: Public tours, Wine Club, California Missions Museum, Picnic Area, Guesthouse, Special Events throughout the year.
Founded: 1982
Signature Wines: Zinfandel, Carignane, Mourvedre, Rosé, Syrah, Merlot
Wine Tasting: Basic, no reservation needed. Groups of 5 or more, reservation required.
Hours: Daily, 10-4

Cline Cellars
24737 Arnold Drive
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-940-4000

website: www.clinecellars.com

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Suzie Rodriguez writes about travel, food, and wine from her home in the wine-country town of Sonoma, California. You can follow her travels and musings at The Culinary Gadabout.

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