Cline Cellars

24737 Arnold Dr, Sonoma, CA 95476

Website: http://clinecellars.com/

Cline Cellars is a very low key winery, located at the southern-most end of Sonoma in the Carneros region. The winery sits on the same stretch of road as Jacuzzi and Gloria Ferrer wineries. Owner Fred Cline started Cline Cellars near Oakley, California in 1982. Fred fell in love with agricultural life and learned how to make wine while spending summers with his grandparents. His grandfather is Valeriano Jacuzzi who is famous for the Jacuzzi spa company. Fred and his wife moved the winery to its current historical location in 1991.

Picnic area at Cline Cellars

The entire Cline Cellars estate is 350 acres. This is a nice place to take a break in the picnic area with the beautiful surrounding scenery. Cline’s tasting room is in a 1850s farmhouse that was once the site of a Miwok Indian Village and the first camp of the Sonoma mission.   The farmhouse is certainly worth a picture, as well as the majestic pond, gardens, rose bushes, and willow trees.

Fountain and pond at Cline Cellars

Also on the property right next to the tasting room is a Missions Museum that holds 21 model versions of the California missions that were originally presented at the 1939 World’s Fair and remain an important part of California history. Both the wine tastings and entrance to the Missions Museum are free. There is a small fee for Reserve tastings. Guests who really enjoy this winery can plan a stay at Cline’s Guest House Villa.

The staff inside the tasting room was extremely friendly and forthcoming with information about their wines. The lighting in the room was a bit dim and there wasn’t a lot of space around the tasting bar, but I still felt like I received personalized attention. The winery is best known for its Zinfandels and Rhône style wines that include Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. Their wines are very reasonably priced. A few of the wines that I found most interesting were the Cashmere (a blend of Mourvѐdre, Syrah, and Grenache), the Ancient Vines Mourvѐdre and Carignane, and their various selection of Zinfandels.

Cline Cellars Tasting Room