Sadly, this bottle did not hold up. At 34 years from vintage, it would have been nice, but the odds were against it. The bottle was oxidized. Likely culprit, was cork failure.
Carlisle conitnues to pump out some of the best Zinfandels. Period. That they cost under $50 is even better. Purple in color. The nose is great with black raspberries, slight bramble, char and black cherries. On the palate, the texture is wonderful; lush yet precise. Lots of black rasberry and boysenberry fruit. Depth. Needs spicy or big foods. Long finish. Just a delicious wine.
This is really in a nice place right now. Purple in color. The nose is nice with black cherries, spice and a bit of char. On the palate, this has a really nice texture. Despite the vintage, a lot of Sonoma Zins did just fine in 2011 and this is one. Black cherries and black raspberries with some char. Good finish. Not a monster Zin but plenty of fruit too. Works well with food.
This was done as a one off in order to raise money for victims of the earthquake. This vineyard is an enclosed small vineyard at about 800 feet of elevation. This is a wine that is still tight but with just a bit of air, it is drinking beautifully right now. Purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, spice and a bit of bramble. On the palate, slight tannins. Black cherry fruit. Some depth. Good acidity. Very food friendly for medium or heartier foods. Nice finish. I don't think this gets better from here but will undoubtedly change and mature.
This is one of the classic vineyards in California. A whole host of wineries use this to make some very fine Zinfandels. Carlisle's version tends to be middle of the road. Interestingly, it also tends to be a pretty straightforward Zin the Carlisle lineup. Of course, that is not a bad thing. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, spice and a bit of anise. Those qualities carry thru to the palate. This is on the bigger side but far short of many and certainly not jammy. A nice depth to it. If you like more of a claret style, these have sho
This is a nice value in California Chardonnay. It is pretty classic in style but maintains an even keel which is nice. It retails for around $16. Light golden in color. The nose has some slight butter along with vanilla and melon. On the palate, this has some oak showing but there is also plenty of fresh vibrant citrus and melon fruit. Nice texture. Would work with a variety of foods. Good finish. Nice value and a wine that will satisfy a lot of people. Drink in the next few years.
This is a nice value in California Chardonnay. It is pretty classic in style but maintains an even keel which is nice. It retails for around $16. Light golden in color. The nose has some slight butter along with vanilla and melon. On the palate, this has some oak showing but there is also plenty of fresh vibrant citrus and melon fruit. Nice texture. Would work with a variety of foods. Good finish. Nice value and a wine that will satisfy a lot of people. Drink in the next few years.
This is one of the most straight-forward, "classic styled" Zins that Mike Officer makes. It is always outstanding although it might not be as individualistic as some other vineyards.Purple in color. The nose has dark cherries, spice and bramble. Very ripe fruit. On the palate, the dark cherries continue along with some underlying plum and spice. Smooth and no heat. Very nice texture. Long finish.
This is made from a vineyard planted originally in 1880. 96.8% Zinfandel and 3.2% Mixed Blacks 9field blend). It comes in at 14.5% Alc. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is interesting. Lanolin, and muted on opening. With air, black raspberry fruit develops along with some dried floral notes. Finally, black cherries and bramble emerge. On the palate, there are medium tannins. It presents a more feminine side to Zinfandel, at least on opening. Red berries with slight earthiness. With some air, it gets a bit wilder with some black cherries and more earthiness and spice coming out. Sm
