2001 Carlisle Two Acres, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River, Wine Review

Impressive showing for this wine at age 24. It is a blend of Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet, and Valdepenas. Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has some earthy barnyard on it along with black cherries, spice and slight char. Blind, one would be tempted to guess Chateauneuf du Pape. Medium to full bodied. Nice balance. On the palate, flavors of black cherries with some earthiness along with spice. Long finish. This wine is complex and layered as well as delicious. Perhaps past peak but should drink well for another five to eight years. It will be better with food. Some earthy comfort food would work such as Mac & Cheese or Chili.

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2001

America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Last month we discussed the white Rhone style wines offered at the 2008 Rhone Rangers tasting event at Fort Mason in San Francisco on March 18. This month we turn to the reds, of which we tasted 50. Among those we tasted were some old favorites and some wineries or bottlings with which we were not yet familiar. We don’t pretend that we tasted a representative group of wines, because our sample was skewed to wines we have loved in the past and others about which we have heard positive comments.

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2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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