2015 Three Wine Company CMZ Contra Costa County 750 ml

In 2015, Matt Cline capped off an incredible hot streak by crafting what he calls “the most powerful wine I’ve made in 30 years”: The 2015 Three Wine Company CMZ.

The 2015 CMZ is massively concentrated, rich, and decadent, yet balanced by a vibrant acidity and supported by a backbone of firm, velvety tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s renowned Suscol Creek Vineyard composes the largest percentage of the blend at 27%, complemented by Cline’s famous ancient-vine Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Sirah, and Cinsault. 

Suscol Creek—planted right next door to a Joseph Phelps Insignia vineyard source—provides power and thrust, while the rest of the grapes, which come from the 135-year-old Spinelli Vineyard in Contra Costa, add an enticing blend of savory and floral complexity. Zinfandel from the 130-year-old Evangelho Vineyard completes the blend, contributing deep fruit and spice. 

While Wine Access members know the CMZ as classically Cline and quintessentially Californian, it was Cline’s 1990 trip to the Rhône and Provence that made it possible. The legendary Rhône enologist Jean-Luc Colombo served as guide for Matt’s formative trip, setting up tastings with an all-star cast of château owners including Marcel Guigal (Maison Guigal), Francois Perrin (Château de Beaucastel), Jean-Marie Peyraud (Domaine Tempier), and many more. Every day was a master class. 

Fast forward a few decades and Matt Cline has become the winemaker we all know and  love—the steward and guardian of some of the oldest vines in the United States and a master at his craft. 

The 2015 CMZ is his crowning achievement. It took Cline 25 years, but his seminal trip to the south of France has finally come full circle, yielding his most powerful and extraordinary wine ever.