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1934 Lucchesi Carignane on Delhi Sand
In the mid-1980s, Matt Cline completed his enology degree at Cal Davis and headed over to Oakley in the East Bay to join his brother Fred, bunking down at an old family ranch in Contra Costa County. Matt immediately began scouring the Delhi sand, searching out vineyards, largely planted by Italian immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century, each parcel set as close to the cooling breezes of the Bay as possible.
Cline's discoveries would fuel some of the greatest Zinfandels ever made on the coast, including the lavish "Bridgehead", "Big Break", and "Live Oak". It didn't stop there. These odd looking, gnarly, thick trunk plants, pushing out just a ton and a half of fruit per acre, would also find their way into other jaw droppers, including Randall Grahm's "Old Telegram" at Bonny Doon.
But even Matt would tell you that his most shocking vineyard discovery was a small patch of what are now 108 year old Carignane plants, improbably strewn over Avalon sand, a stone's throw from the Bay. The vineyard, planted just after the turn of the century by a southern Italian farmer who worked in the city during the week, but was ankle deep in sand over the weekend, turned out wildly concentrated, dark violet Carignane that Matt largely used to perk up his pricey single vineyard Zins. But when Cline finally hung up his own shingle at Three, with his wife, Erin, he decided to pay a tribute to the great Lucchesi Vineyard, bottling just a few hundred cases of one of the more shocking red wines on the coast.
It took us three years to pry a little Lucchesi Vineyard Carignane out of Matt. Last spring, with the market just beginning to regain strength, we thought we'd coaxed out 150 cases of the gorgeous 2008. Matt was ready to give us the nod before Steve Tanzer's review (the first time Tanzer ever rated one of Matt's single vineyards) cut us off at the knees. Tanzer raved, calling that luscious ancient vine Carignane "sweet and intense, with a creamy old-vine texture enlivened by firm acidity." The Three website lit up like a Christmas tree. Tasting room traffic picked up. In lieu of 1800 bottles, we got 900. They disappeared the following morning.
The ratings that flowed in for that 2008 came as no surprise. Buyers came in at 4.03 stars out of 5, with 28 rating the '08 Lucchesi a solid 5 stars.
When we went back to Matt earlier this year, hoping for a like amount of the 2009 ancient vine Carignane, Matt tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. Erin offered us coffee. Maybe lunch?
From a cool vintage that Matt contends is the finest ever in Contra Costa County, Cline fashioned the finest Lucchesi Vineyard Carignane in a couple of decades. The color is opaque purple. The nose, a beautiful blend of violets, dark plum and sweet herbs. Rich and compact on the attack, the core is pure velvet, packed with ripe blackberries, more violets, still so vibrant and high-toned, speaking volumes to the old vines and Delhi sand.
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Tasting Notes
2009 Three Wine Company Carignane Lucchesi Vineyard Contra Costa County
"Dark purple to the edge. Explosive aromas of wild blackberries, violets and sweet herbs. Rich and compact on the attack, slowly unveiling a cornucopia of black fruit, cassis, violets and thyme, all perfectly bracketed by high-toned vibrancy, speaking volumes to those ancient vines and Dehli sand. Drink now for its primary fruit opulence, or far better, age for 4-5 years in a cool cellar."
-- WineAccess Travel Log
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