Sonoma County

• Alexander Valley
• Bennett Valley
• Best of Sonoma
• Dry Creek Valley
• Fort Ross/Seaview
• Moon Mountain
• Pine Mountain - Cloverdale Peak
• Russian River Valley
• Sonoma Coast
• Sonoma Mountain
• Sonoma Valley
• Knights Valley

I try to let some of my Carlisle wines age.  Really, I do.  This is about as successful as I get.  They are just so good young.  This one was consumed at age 5.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of black licorice and char.  On the palate, a really luxurious texture.  Delicious.  Black cherries, some black licorice and char.  Great balance.  Long finish.  Great on its own or with food.  Great wine.  

Light golden in color.  The nose is great with a creamy lemon vanilla quality to it.  Maybe some peach as well as it warms.  On the palate, this has a lush creamy texture.  Lemons, vanilla, and with air some pineapple.  This is still young but has rounded out a bit.  Layers of depth with lemon and pineapple intertwined with a dry candied quality if that makes sense.  This seems like it will age quite well.  There is still some oak but it is almost seamless instead of over bearing.  Long finish.  Great wine.  

Light to medium golden in color.  Cloudy.  The nose is very pretty with pineapple, and minerals and just the slightest notes of grass.  Revisiting this also has some hay.  On the palate, this is delicious.  A creamy texture.  A perception of sweetness from the ripe tropical fruit notes.  Also crisp enough served cold.  Long finish.  Worked well with food.  One of the truly great Sauvignon Blancs from California.  While it seems like it will age fine, it is so fresh and lively now, I am not sure it gets better, just different, I would (and I did), drink these sooner than later.  

Another Carlisle wine, another great wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  On the nose, black raspberries, spice, and some vanilla.  On the palate, a great lush but juicy texture.  Great energy.  Flavors of black raspberry, some char and pepper.  Long finish.  Works well with food or on its own.  

Light gold in color.  The nose has lemon chiffon and vanilla and a bit of spice.  Wonderful mouth feel.  Creamy texture.  Lemon chiffon with some vanilla.  Good acidity.  Deep.  This drinks well now but should age for a decade or more depending on how you like older Chardonnays.  Delicious wine.  

Sometimes when in a restaurant in can be challenging to find a wine that is priced fairly and good.  Often, I just turn to beer.  Last night, this one was on the menu for $45 at a nice restaurant.  This retails for about $26 in a limited release, so the price is a bit high, but not bad for a downtown restaurant.  sadly, it was served quite warm.  We asked for an ice bucket and got a marble cooler that had limited effect.  Nevertheless, the wine was good.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight bramble, cherries, slight anise and alcohol.  On the palate, lush black cherries an

These wines are taking forever to come around.  Just now starting to show something.  This is going to be a beautiful wine.  Its outstanding now, but not nearly at peak and needs a lot of air.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, minerals, black pepper and slight black olives.  On the palate, this is cooler climate in style.  Black raspberries, slight black olives, earthiness and a mineral streak.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  

This was a bit backward and tight and the moment.  It needed some time and air although it is getting close.  Purple in color.  The nose is nice with black cherries, slight bramble, and raspberries.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Once it opens, it is just delicious.  Deep but tight.  Gobs of juicy black cherries and raspberries.  An underlying char.  Works with big foods.  Nice finish.  Will it age?  Yes.  How well just depends on how you like you Zins.  

Inky purple in color.  The nose is very nice with black cherry fruit.  Some bramble.  A bit if spice.  On the palate, this has a lovely, juicy texture.  Black raspberry and black cherry fruit.  Some depth although this is young and its packed tight.  It does unwind in the glass.  Nice finish.  This is really enjoyable now and should store well for a decade or more.  

I love ridge Zin and Zin blends.  And I love Pagani fruit, so I thought I would like this more than I did.  Its good, and maybe with some time it settles down a bit but I hoped for more.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries and some bramble to it.  Also a bit of underlying charcoal.  On the palate, this is solid black raspberry fruit but it seems over ripe and bordering on cloying especially on the finish.  Perhaps with some cellaring it some into more balance and if so, there is room for a couple of points of upside.  As it is, it is a good wine but if sweetness bothers you, p