2015 Three Wine Company Mataro Spinelli Vineyard Contra Costa County 750 ml

Back in the mid-1980s, a young Matt Cline discovered a five-acre Mourvèdre parcel improbably planted on Delhi sandy loam east of the San Francisco Bay. Already an old vine enthusiast, he was intrigued by the ancient vines growing on what looked like pure beach sand.

On a whim, he agreed to experiment with the gnarled, tree-like vines that spidered along the ground, hoping to protect themselves from the bay breeze. That first harvest, there were just a few clusters per plant, barely enough to make a single-vineyard release. We remember that first Mourvèdre wine from Spinelli Vineyard. It wasn't just good, it was spectacular.

Over time, it would become Cline’s secret ingredient—the perfect juice to sprinkle here and there over this outstanding single-vineyard Zinfandels from old vine sites like Bigelow, Mazzoni, and Live Oak. His secret Mourvedre patch, called “Mataro” as an homage to the Spanish missionaries who brought the grapes to California, was all over those high-end Zins, providing texture, high-toned red-fruit intensity, and ethereal aromatic delicacy.

In 2015, Matt again crafted a few hundred cases of pure Mataro off that five-acre patch, making for rare old-vine American red that combines New World bombast with Old World tradition.  Established over 129 years prior to this vintage, the Spinelli vineyard is still being dry-farmed and is growing on its own roots. 

In 2015, those drought-stricken, centenarian vines produced a microscopic amount of grapes, but the old adage rings true: good things come in small packages. Matt took those concentrated berries, and transformed them into a wine bursting with distinct California character. It’s nearly impossible to resist now, especially alongside a ribeye or juicy burger.