2019 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

From Mike Officer's home vineyard, another in the Carlisle collection of excellent Zinfandels.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, raspberries, slight leather and citrus.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is young but delicious.  Black raspberries, black cherries, and spice.  Some minty on the finish.  This should drink well for the next ten to twelve years.  Great on its own, this will work well with a burger or ribs off the grill.  

2007 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

The label lists this as 33 year old vines.  Great showing.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, slight cola, cherries, spice and slight earthiness.  Wonderful round texture.  Tannins resolved.  On the palate, this seems to be at peak.  Black cherries with slight cherries and a bit of spice.  No signs of age but certainly mature.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with roasted chicken.  

1994 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Goldridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1994
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

The label proclaims the grapes were from 20 year old vines.  What a treat to taste this at age 29.  Drinking beautifully.  Ruby color, clear and bright.  Just the barest tinge or browning.  The nose is great with cherries, slight rhubarb, slight cola, dust and spice.  Medium bodied.  This is mature but if it is past, it hides it very well.  Impressive.  The palate has cherries, rhubarb and an underlying earthiness.  Complex.  Nice finish.  This seems like it would still have life left but given bottle variation with older wines, be prudent.  Nice on its own or with food.  This deserves a ni

2019 Carlisle Zinfandel Piner Olivet Ranches Russian River Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$36.00USD

Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, spice and slight bramble.  Light to medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has cherries with some underlying char.  Moderate finish. Nice to have something a bit different every now and then.  Drink over the next five years. A nice wine with pizza.  

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$53.00USD

Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, char, slight bramble and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Nice acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Lovely texture.  Black cherries, cherries and some char and spice.  Good finish.  This is very drinkable.  Young, but open.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  Great on its own, this will work well with ribs or a burger off the grill.  

2007 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir East Block, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Perhaps the top bottling from this storied winery.  Ruby in color, purple at the core, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, pomegranate, and a slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  On the palate, sour cherries, some cranberries, root beer, and the slightest milk chocolate note at the top of the long finish.  Complex and tightly layered, it unwinds quickly in the glass.  This is drinking close to peak it seems but should drink well for another ten years or so.  Nice on its own, this would be better with food.  Roasted Duck would be an obvious choice.  

VML 2020 Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$55.00USD

A delightfully seductive Chardonnay that veers away from traditional, California Chardonnays, this offers deeper, richer notes of resin, honeysuckle, butter rum, light orange zest, apricot, and quince. It has a creaminess and lithe viscosity that rolls over the tongue. With only 33% new oak used on this you might think it would be more prevalent, but the fruit itself shines forth, the volcanic soils providing and earthiness and minerality. ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma. ALCOHOL: 14.7%

Chalk Hill Estate 2020 Chardonnay

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$48.00USD

Chalk Hill celebrated 50 years in 2022. One way to celebrate is with this 2020 Chardonnay. Comprised of nine different Chardonnay clones, the result is a creamy, smooth wine with a wonderful viscosity that fills the palate with notes of crème brûlée, honeysuckle, poached pair, red delicious apple, vanilla, light resin, and lime meringue. Though aged in oak for a scant 10 months only 35% of that oak was new, so that you still have a moderate classic oaky butter quality, but not over the top. This is a very enticing Chardonnay. ORIGIN: Russian River Valley. ALCOHOL: 15%

2019 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$48.00USD

This is my personal favorite of the Zinfandels in the Carlisle lineup.  It seems a bit softer yet plenty of fruit and depth.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, char and spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and spice.  Great texture.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  Great on its own, this is a nice match with a (Veggie) Burger.  

Cattleya 2021 Cuvée Number One Pinot Noir

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

Like any good cuvée, this blend of Pinot Noir clones 115, 667, 777, Calera and Mt. Eden showcases how a blend can exceed its individual components. A mix of fruit and earthy notes, this cuvée showcases Sonoma’s premier Pinot region, the Russian River Valley. There is subtle black cherry, red raspberry, rhubarb, cola, green tea leaf, boysenberry,  and firm tannins and an almost subversive acidity. The oak program is judicious and still allows the fruit to shine through while the oak provides some structure for the wine on the mid-palate and concentrated finish. 486 cases.

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