2011 Three Wine Company Established 1885 750 ml

2011 Three Wine Company “1885” … Saving Lucchesi

Over the years, we’ve been told hundreds of stories of backroom deals on the Beltway that squeeze out the little guys for the benefit of the powerful. But as anyone in the state-regulated wine business will tell you, the Feds are choirboys compared to their local counterparts.

Biologists and engineers from the EPA and the California Department of Water Resources claim that their wetlands projects are dedicated to protecting one of the world’s most important ecosystems. Wetlands protect water quality, fish, and wildlife habitats while maintaining surface water during periods of drought. Whether you’re an NPR contributor, a tree-hugger, or a Tea Partier, it’s hard to take issue with their research. But, as we learned from Matt Cline, a little bit of scientific knowledge can be a very dangerous thing in the hands of local bureaucrats with a pre-determined agenda.

On March 7th, 2014, in a courtroom in Sacramento and under the guise of wetland restoration, one of the most historic ancient-vine parcels in California seemed to have been given a death sentence. Fourteen acres of 129-year-old vines would presumably be scrubbed off the white sands of Contra Costa. And had we sat back and done nothing, in all likelihood, almost no one would have ever known. And no one would understand the reason for the making of Cline’s aptly named “Established 1885.”

Since the mid-1980s, Cline has been working with the fruit drawn off gnarly, head-trained plants set right up against the water where the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River meet at the eastern edge of the San Francisco Bay. But when we visited Matt and Erin Cline in Napa last spring, the usually unflappable winemaker was beside himself. He could see the writing on the wall.

“They’re going to rip it out,” Cline told us as he sipped black coffee from a mug, trying his best to maintain his cool. “Those vines were planted over 125 years ago. Still, they ask for nothing. No protection from the sun or the wind. Not a drop of water.” Then, for the first time in memory, the winemaker raised his voice. “I’m all for wetlands preservation, but this has nothing to do with wetlands!” Cline shouted, before flinging the mug against the kitchen wall, shattering it into a dozen pieces.

Over the previous seven years, we’d largely stayed clear of political discussion. We’re paid to write about the wines we discover, not to climb on political soapboxes. But this time, we couldn’t help ourselves. We implored our membership — and most importantly, ALL of the 6,532 buyers of Matt Cline’s ancient-vine reds — to email the California Department of Water Resources and LET LOOSE.

We soon learned that hundreds of emails had subsequently filled the director’s inbox. Those often animated missives created quite a hullabaloo in Sacramento. According to Matt Cline, they helped turn the tide, not only giving the 130-year-old Lucchesi Vineyard a reprieve from Death Row. What better way to toast this victory than with the fruit of our labors -- this extraordinary ancient-vine blend crafted from the Delhi sand dunes of Contra Costa.

The 2011 Three “1885” is comprised entirely of Carignane, Zinfandel, Mataro, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and Malvasia Nero — ALL planted before 1885!! Brilliant purple/black to the rim with luscious aromas of blackberry preserves, violets, graphite, and sweet herbs. Ultra-concentrated and flashy on the attack, filled with a richly textured assemblage of mountain blueberries and crushed-black-fruit jam, high-toned and vibrant. The finish is textbook: soft, round, and silken, with sneaky tannin backbone that argues for a decade or two in the coolest cellar.

$50 on release. $25 today. 300 bottles are up for grabs. Sorry in advance!