Subscriber login Close [x]
remember me
You are not logged in.

Boutinot adds Cline Cellars to US portfolio

Published:  09 March, 2016

Leading on- and off-trade supplier Boutinot has added California's Cline Cellars to its US portfolio.

Established in 1982, Cline Cellars is a family-owned vineyard and winery with 460ha under vine in Contra Costa and Sonoma County.

Founder and owner Fred Cline started the winery in Oakley, Contra Costa with the aim of producing Rhône-stye wines, using vine stocks that dated back to the early years of the twentieth century.

The initial plantings included Mourvèdre, Carignane, Marsanne, Roussane, Viognier and Zinfandel.

In 1993, the family bought a 350-acre ranch in Carneros Valley, Sonoma where they planted Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.

The business adopted sustainable farming practices in 2000. It is currently the largest solar panelled winery in California.

Alex Gittins from Boutinot said: "I'm thrilled to be bringing Cline Cellars, already well established in the UK, into our portfolio. While others in California were focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the 1980s, Fred Cline saw the potential of Rhône varieties and Zinfandel in his vineyards. 

"He's always worked to tread a tricky, but highly rewarding line - producing wines which have all the appealing, ripe fruit you might expect from California but in an authentic, terroir-driven style.  "Today his range runs the full gamut from full, bloodthirsty fruit bombs to the finer, oak influenced examples which combine power, finesse and class."

Boutinot is listing five Cline Cellars wines, three Zinfandels, a Viognier and a Mourvèdre.

Among the Zinfandels, the Live Oak will retail at between £24.99 and £28.99, Nancy's Vines between £17.99 and £19.99, and the Lodi at between £ 9.99 and £12.49.

The North Coast Viognier will be priced at between £11.99 and £13.99, while the Ancient Vines Mourvèdre will retial at between £17.99 and £19.99.

Cline Cellars was formerly distributed in the UK by The Wine Treasury.

US wine exports rose 7.6% in value to hit £1.13 billion in 2015, with volumes also up by 4.1%.

Some 25% of US wine exports are destined for the UK, with export value up 28% in 2015.

Keywords: