Spring brought more than just blooms to California wine country this year. With the April release of its 2023 vintage, Cline Family Cellars ushered in a new chapter for its Cashmere label, reintroducing the beloved GSM with a fresh sense of grace and intention. Founded in 1982 by Fred Cline, one of California’s original “Rhone Rangers,” the family-owned winery quickly made a name for itself with bold, expressive Rhône-style wines and Zinfandels. With Cashmere, however, it has turned the dial down to produce a red blend that embodies its namesake with a distinctive softness and refinement.
“Cashmere started as an auction lot for Hospice du Rhône in Paso Robles in 1998,” explains Fred’s daughter Megan, who serves as the winery’s trade marketing manager. “When my mom tasted it, she said, ‘This is delicious; it tastes like liquid cashmere.’ And the name stuck.” At the time, it was an experimental barrel offering more restraint than the power-packed bottlings for which Cline Family Cellars was reputed. “It was completely different from the other Cline wines,” Megan agrees, “but still true to who we are.”
In 2003, Cashmere made its official debut with the 2001 vintage; a rosé and a white blend followed. But as Cline diversified its portfolio, the label gradually slipped into the background. That’s where the next generation comes in. Megan and her sister Hilary saw an opportunity to not only revive Cashmere but imbue it with fresh purpose. “We thought, ‘This is such a cool wine,’” she says. “It really speaks to our history. Let’s be really intentional with it and make it special again.”
While the new Cashmere remains true to its roots as a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre sourced from sustainably farmed plots, it has been updated. The Mourvèdre still comes from Cline’s old-vine vineyards in Contra Costa County, anchoring the wine in the same terroir that helped establish the winery’s identity, while the Grenache and Syrah are harvested from the family’s estate vineyard in Sonoma, J. Poppe. “It’s a great bridge between the traditional Cline that people know from Contra Costa and our generation, who have lived and grown up in Sonoma for over 35 years now,” explains Megan.
The 2023 vintage captures the elegance the name implies. “It was a cooler growing season in Sonoma, and this has a really beautiful texture,” Megan says. “The Syrah gives it backbone without being overly aggressive or tannic; the Grenache has fresh red fruit and a floral component that really lifts the aromatics of the blend; and the Mourvèdre offers a beautiful, rich plum character to the wine.”
The new vision for Cashmere extends to the packaging. Illustrator Lisel Ashlock designed a label that is rich with symbolism, reflecting the regions that define the wine and honoring the women who have shaped its legacy. “Lisel lives locally in Petaluma and is an expert on flora and fauna and is amazingly talented,” notes Megan. “We worked together to create a label that really speaks to the importance of the wine.” The result is a delicate tableau of a bunting bird and moth perched among delicate stems of mariposa lilies.
It’s also a quiet tribute to Nancy Cline’s role as both matriarch and leader. “The bird is an ode to my mom, whose maiden name is Bunting,” Megan explains, while the moths are the Heliolonche modicella species of western North America, whose soft wings reflect the wine’s texture. It thrives in the wildflower-rich grasslands and foothills of both Sonoma and Contra Costa counties, as does the lily, making both fitting emblems for a wine born in those regions. “We chose the mariposa lily because it’s a native flower and is such a wonderful way to connect those places,” adds Megan.
Despite its aesthetic reinvention, Cashmere continues a tradition of generosity. “It was important to share what Cashmere means to us as a wine that has always given back,” Megan notes, “first with its Hospice du Rhône support and later with a portion of the proceeds donated to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s research.” This commitment to giving now includes Cline Family Cellars’ own community, thanks to an internal education fund that supports employees seeking to expand their wine knowledge.
What began as a one-off passion project has evolved into an expression of Cline’s legacy. “The wine is beautiful, and everyone also loves the new label and the story,” says Megan. “It’s an opportunity to honor the strong female leadership at Cline, not just within my family but among all the women at the company. To work with them and be able to celebrate them has been awesome. I think people really feel that great energy and, so far, the reception has been amazing.” With Cashmere, the Cline family has captured the essence of where their winery has been and a graceful glimpse of where it’s headed.
