Contra Costa Wine

Contra Costa photos, charts, maps, and wines.

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With more than a million residents, the suburban sprawl of Contra Costa County is always a threat to this region’s long history of viticulture. Located below Suisun Bay and just east of the Oakland Hills, it’s no wonder this region has seen read more...much of its vineyard land transformed into suburbia. Thankfully, not all the vineyards have succumbed to the pressures of urban development as the county is still home to some of California’s premiere old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Thanks to producers such as Cline, the area has also made a name for itself based on Rhone varietals such as that winery’s critically acclaimed Ancient Vines Carignane and Small Berry Mourvedre.

Vineyards in the region benefit from large diurnal temperature fluctuations from cool coastal bay winds scurrying through the county on a west to east journey to the Central Valley. The vineyards are also comprised predominantly of old vines which have escaped the scourge of Phylloxera as the deep sandy soils provide an inhospitable environment for the louse. This soil also forces the vines to dig deep to find nutrients.

While wines that carry county appellation designations rarely have a defining terroir character, this cannot be said of Contra Costa County. The earthy, dusty and leathery quality of the region’s big reds is evidence of a definitive Contra Costa style.    (hide)

vada reviewed Mitchell Katz at Ruby Hill Fat Boy Red Wine 2005:

October 2009

vada

What a wonderful surprise from Livermore. Uncorking the wine filled my nose with smells of ripe berries and wet clay. In the glass the wine is a very inky dark purple. Swirling and sniffing revealed gobs of dark fruit with...

Mitchell Katz at Ruby Hill Fat Boy Red Wine 2005

Starting at $35^.00 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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squirrel932 reviewed Cline Cellars Cashmere 2006:

October 2009

squirrel932

Cline Cellars Cashmere 2006

Starting at $16^.99 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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squirrel932 reviewed Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines 2003:

October 2009

squirrel932

Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines 2003

Starting at $15^.59 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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yourplaceorvine reviewed Cline Cellars Cashmere 2005:

October 2009

yourplaceorvine

Nice velvet experience. Nose hints of buttered popcorn. Easy drinking yet relatively full bodied. Cline can do no wrong in my opinion.

Cline Cellars Cashmere 2005

Starting at $14^.99 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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Nick75 reviewed Cline Cellars Cashmere 2007:

October 2009

Nick75

I agree with the reviews on this one. Reminds me of a Saintsbury pinot on steroids - with the same jammieness.

Cline Cellars Cashmere 2007

Starting at $14^.39 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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lichavaz reviewed Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Contra Costa County 2006:

October 2009

lichavaz

Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Contra Costa County 2006

Starting at $15^.99 Snoothrank: 3/5

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chickman reviewed Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines 2003:

September 2009

chickman

Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines 2003

Starting at $15^.59 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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jabrn67 reviewed Trinitas Revelation Late Harvest Cuvee 2004:

September 2009

jabrn67

Trinitas Revelation Late Harvest Cuvee 2004

Starting at $28^.00 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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jabrn67 reviewed Trinitas Zinfandel Bigalow Vineyard 2004:

September 2009

jabrn67

Trinitas Zinfandel Bigalow Vineyard 2004

Starting at $22^.99 Snoothrank: 3/5

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dddunn reviewed Cline Cellars Cashmere 2005:

September 2009

dddunn

Cline Cellars Cashmere 2005

Starting at $14^.99 Snoothrank: 3.5/5

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