Discover the Personal History in Every Bottle of Clif Family Wine

Naming wine is not an easy task. With thousands of wine labels around the world, many names are already spoken for. While it can be challenging to find a name that truly speaks to your brand and the wine in the bottle, it can also be a very personal and exciting process. Not every bottle needs a special name beyond the brand and varietal designation; we have many we simply call Clif Family Chardonnay, Clif Family Malbec, and others .

However, some wines inspire us to go a step further and add what we call a "proprietary name" to the label. This often happens because there is a deeper story or connection to the inspiration for making that Napa Valley wine. Gary's Improv Zinfandel and Kit's Killer Cabernet Sauvignon are two such flagship wines. 

These wines were the very start of the Clif Family wine brand. First bottled from the 2003 vintage, founders Gary and Kit were excited about the blank canvas in front of them for creating their legacy. Working with the design team at Clif Bar for the original labels, they wanted the wines to reflect a bit of their personality and passions. 

Gary's Improv Zinfandel: The Freeform Masterpiece

As an improvisational jazz trumpet player (you'll often find Gary onstage at our member gatherings), the name Gary's Improv Zinfandel struck a perfect chord. Wine and jazz are similar in many respects: the freeform style allows the musician and the winemaker the creative expression to create a unique masterpiece. 

Kit's Killer Cab: The Founding Cabernet Sauvignon

The story behind Kit's Killer Cabernet Sauvignon goes like this: Sometime during the aging of the 2003 vintage of the wine, Kit was tasting a barrel sample and enthusiastically declared to the winemaker, "This wine is killer!" They started referring to it as Kit's Killer Cab, and when the label was designed, the name came along with it.

Wine is so much more than what is in the bottle. It is a culmination of the stories that go into making the wine, the unique characteristics of a vintage, and the collective voice of all those who had a hand in getting the wine to your glass. 

Cheers to the story in every bottle of Clif Family wine!