2018 Three Wine Company Old Vines Rosé Contra Costa County 750 ml

Matt Cline is the kind of guy whose tanned, rough hands tell a story on their own. If you take a look while he speaks—gesticulating wildly, and enhancing every story with grand motions—they reveal a man who’s spent, and still spends, a lot of time out in the fields with his vines. 

They are not perfectly manicured, and the bits of dirt under his short nails conjure images of farming in dirty cowboy boots over tuxedos and fine dining. But, ever the gentleman, Matt obliged our request for a night out at Bistro Jeanty, the Yountville icon that’s brought classic French bistro flavors to the Napa Valley for over 20 years.

In a crisp white shirt, with a glass of Three Wine Co. 2010 Evangelho Zinfandel in hand, Cline fit the scene perfectly. That is, until we asked the question that had been gnawing at us for years: “Why don’t you make an old-vine rosé?”

 Matt promptly spit that old-vine Zin all over his now-tie-dyed shirt.

After he cleaned up (well, almost), the usually imperturbable Cline said, “Are you guys *@$%-ing crazy?! Why would I put 100-year-old-vine Zinfandel in rosé?!”

Why indeed? We’ve been craving a rosé that’s more than pink juice, one that transforms the concentration, density, and character of Matt’s untouchable Old Vines into a refreshing, summer rosé that’s more comfortable by the pool than his opulent, effusive reds. 

We must have been pretty convincing, because in 2015 Matt did the unthinkable. Today, we’re thrilled to share the latest release, a stunning, refreshing rosé that masterfully combines old vine elegance with the refreshing, thirst-quenching, elements that make rosé a perfect summertime treat. The 2018 boasts gorgeous aromas of strawberries, cranberries, and pomegranate on the palate, offset by spicy old-vine Zinfandel minerality. 

Drawn entirely from the same 100+ year old vine Zinfandel, Mataro, and Carignane that go into the single-vineyard Evangelho, Live Oak, Spinelli, and Lucchesi Vineyard bottlings, this is an intentional rosé with flavor to spare. Deliberately picked early to retain bracing acidity, and cold-fermented at 54 degrees over a 6-week period, leeching off deep pink color, the 2018 is a mouthwatering rosé, and our house-pour for the 2019 season. Rich and wonderfully juicy, Cline’s rosé is filled with high-toned wild-berry flavors, finishing with mouthwatering acidity.