Review: Wines of Cline, 2018 Vintage
We’ve covered the wines of Cline on many occasions. Today we look at two of the operation’s bottlings from the Sonoma Coast, as well as its Sonoma County pinot noir.
Let’s dive in.
2018 Cline Chardonnay Sonoma Coast – This is an approachable but somewhat innocuous chardonnay, particularly for a wine born in the rugged Sonoma Coast, which is known for bolder, more flavorful wines than this. Cline’s bottling is a bit astringent and underdeveloped, with elements running more toward lime leaf and unripe peaches than fresher fruit and buttery vanilla. B / $14
2018 Cline Pinot Gris Sonoma Coast – Straightforward and unobtrusive, this pinot gris drinks cleanly and with lots of acid, with just a modicum of fruit and florals to back it up. Let it warm and notes of lemon, white peach, and some honeysuckle become evident, but the clean and mineral-driven body feels on the whole completely designed for summer porch sippin’. B+ / $15
2018 Cline Pinot Noir Sonoma County – Not a Sonoma Coast bottling, mind you, and a big miss. This underdeveloped wine is green and herbaceous up front, then meaty and bitter on the back end. Notes of browned sausages, licorice root, and wet prunes dominate on the finish. Skip it. D+ / $15
2018 Cline Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
$14
