2017 Three Wine Company CMZ Contra Costa County 750 ml

When it comes to bold, concentrated reds, Matt Cline is a master. His wines have racked up hundreds of five-star member reviews from Wine Access members. So when he told us his 2017 CMZ was among the best he’s made, we knew it would be spectacular. 

We were right to believe. The 2017 is a dense yet perfectly balanced triumph that stands tall even in Three Wine Company’s portfolio. This blend of fruit from ancient-vine California sites and great Napa Cabernet will inspire more raves like “This wine is humongous and so concentrated you can pour it on your pancakes. What a mouth full of delicious fruit. I LOVE IT!!!!”

Matt sourced his Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s Suscol Creek Vineyard, which is planted right next to a source for Joseph Phelps Insignia. He combines these grapes with fruit from an all-star lineup of Contra Costa sites whose single-vineyard bottlings have enraptured Wine Access members: Zinfandel from the 130-year-old Evangelho Vineyard contributes deep fruit purity and spice, while Mourvèdre and Carignan from the 135-year-old Spinelli Vineyard add savory complexity. Petite Sirah from Mazzoni and Carignan from Bigelow round out the blend. 

CMZ began years ago as Matt’s challenger to The Prisoner, but the similarly robust bottling quickly distinguished itself. For the ‘17, he says he pushed the envelope with ripeness, but still kept a careful eye on the ancient vines, picking only when the grapes showed a perfect balance of fruit depth and intricacy. 

After up to 14 months in both French and American oak, this wine emerged as a phenomenally weighty and refined blockbuster that will delight any and all lovers of bold reds.