Fred Cline founded it in Contra Costa in 1982 with old-vine Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, and Carignane, then moved to a 350-acre Carneros horse farm in 1989 for Rhône varieties. Now farmed Green String regenerative with sheep and goats. The tasting room sits in an 1850s farmhouse on a former Miwok site.
Fred Cline established Cline Cellars in 1982 in Contra Costa County, where his family had farmed old-vine Zinfandel for generations. In 1991 the family relocated to a 350-acre estate in Carneros, bringing their love of Rhône varieties — Syrah, Mourvèdre, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier — to the bay-cooled Sonoma hillsides. Cline is a rare Carneros winery with genuine range: estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sit alongside a serious Rhône portfolio. The estate also operates the California Missions Museum, housing replicas of all 21 California missions. Serious winemaking with genuine historical soul.
Ancient Vines Zinfandel, Contra Costa County — The signature: richly aromatic, brambly Zinfandel from own-rooted Oakley vines that range from 80 to over 120 years old.
Ancient Vines Mourvèdre, Contra Costa County — A dark, earthy old-vine Mourvèdre from century-old plantings; a Rhône-Ranger benchmark.
Los Carneros Syrah, Sonoma — An estate hillside Syrah from the Carneros home ranch; savory and peppery.
Estate Pinot Noir, Los Carneros — A cool-climate Carneros Pinot Noir from the Sonoma estate.
Viognier, Sonoma — A fragrant, stone-fruited Rhône white.
Founded in 1982 by Fred and Nancy Cline and moved to a 350-acre Carneros estate in 1989, Cline is one of the original Rhône Rangers — celebrated for old-vine Zinfandel and Mourvèdre from historic Oakley vineyards alongside Syrah, Grenache and white Rhône varieties (Marsanne, Roussanne), plus Sonoma Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Now sustainably farmed and family-run into its second generation.
Fred Cline founded the label in Contra Costa County in 1982 working with ancient-vine Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, and Carignane, then moved to this 350-acre former horse farm in 1989 to expand into Rhône varieties — Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. The estate now practices Green String farming, its own method of regenerative agriculture, with sheep and goats in place of herbicides. The tasting room sits inside an 1850s farmhouse surrounded by mineral warm springs, on a site that was a Miwok village and the first camp of the Sonoma Mission. Genuine Carneros character without the formality.
Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Cline Family Cellars since being named head winemaker in 2020. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Gendall trained and worked in wineries in New Zealand and Germany before relocating to California in 2011 and joining the Cline extended family in 2016. He works alongside fellow New Zealander Katie Hoggins, who joined as winemaker and is his close collaborator on the Cline portfolio. The Cline winery spans an enormous range — from the Heritage Collection of Rhône and Zinfandel made from 100-year-old vines in Oakley (Contra Costa) to the Family Selection bottlings honoring Fred and Nancy Cline's seven children, plus the Cline County and AVA series. Gendall's philosophy: “If you look after the vines, the vines will look after you and produce great fruit.” He's been a key creative force behind Gust (the Cline second-generation Petaluma Gap label with Megan and Hilary Cline) and The Sneak (Henry Cline's Carneros project). He also makes wines at Cline's sister property Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.
Fred and Nancy Cline are the proprietors of Cline Cellars, which Fred founded in 1982 in Contra Costa County before moving the family winery to a historic Carneros property in Sonoma in 1991. Fred learned to farm from his grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi, whose lessons in working the land instilled a lifelong devotion to old-vine Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. On the Carneros estate the Clines preserved spring-fed ponds, rose gardens, and the property’s deep history, building one of Sonoma’s most welcoming destinations. The couple farm sustainably and have raised a large family now active across the business.
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Ancient Vines Zinfandel, Contra Costa County — The signature: richly aromatic, brambly Zinfandel from own-rooted Oakley vines that range from 80 to over 120 years old.
Ancient Vines Mourvèdre, Contra Costa County — A dark, earthy old-vine Mourvèdre from century-old plantings; a Rhône-Ranger benchmark.
Los Carneros Syrah, Sonoma — An estate hillside Syrah from the Carneros home ranch; savory and peppery.
Estate Pinot Noir, Los Carneros — A cool-climate Carneros Pinot Noir from the Sonoma estate.
Viognier, Sonoma — A fragrant, stone-fruited Rhône white.
Founded in 1982 by Fred and Nancy Cline and moved to a 350-acre Carneros estate in 1989, Cline is one of the original Rhône Rangers — celebrated for old-vine Zinfandel and Mourvèdre from historic Oakley vineyards alongside Syrah, Grenache and white Rhône varieties (Marsanne, Roussanne), plus Sonoma Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Now sustainably farmed and family-run into its second generation.
Fred Cline established Cline Cellars in 1982 in Contra Costa County, where his family had farmed old-vine Zinfandel for generations. In 1991 the family relocated to a 350-acre estate in Carneros, bringing their love of Rhône varieties — Syrah, Mourvèdre, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier — to the bay-cooled Sonoma hillsides. Cline is a rare Carneros winery with genuine range: estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sit alongside a serious Rhône portfolio. The estate also operates the California Missions Museum, housing replicas of all 21 California missions. Serious winemaking with genuine historical soul.
Fred Cline founded the label in Contra Costa County in 1982 working with ancient-vine Mourvèdre, Zinfandel, and Carignane, then moved to this 350-acre former horse farm in 1989 to expand into Rhône varieties — Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. The estate now practices Green String farming, its own method of regenerative agriculture, with sheep and goats in place of herbicides. The tasting room sits inside an 1850s farmhouse surrounded by mineral warm springs, on a site that was a Miwok village and the first camp of the Sonoma Mission. Genuine Carneros character without the formality.
Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Cline Family Cellars since being named head winemaker in 2020. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Gendall trained and worked in wineries in New Zealand and Germany before relocating to California in 2011 and joining the Cline extended family in 2016. He works alongside fellow New Zealander Katie Hoggins, who joined as winemaker and is his close collaborator on the Cline portfolio. The Cline winery spans an enormous range — from the Heritage Collection of Rhône and Zinfandel made from 100-year-old vines in Oakley (Contra Costa) to the Family Selection bottlings honoring Fred and Nancy Cline's seven children, plus the Cline County and AVA series. Gendall's philosophy: “If you look after the vines, the vines will look after you and produce great fruit.” He's been a key creative force behind Gust (the Cline second-generation Petaluma Gap label with Megan and Hilary Cline) and The Sneak (Henry Cline's Carneros project). He also makes wines at Cline's sister property Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.
Fred and Nancy Cline are the proprietors of Cline Cellars, which Fred founded in 1982 in Contra Costa County before moving the family winery to a historic Carneros property in Sonoma in 1991. Fred learned to farm from his grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi, whose lessons in working the land instilled a lifelong devotion to old-vine Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. On the Carneros estate the Clines preserved spring-fed ponds, rose gardens, and the property’s deep history, building one of Sonoma’s most welcoming destinations. The couple farm sustainably and have raised a large family now active across the business.
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