Community Tasting Note

wilypod Likes this wine:

Saturday, October 17, 2015 - This is a dark, sleek and classy Zinfandel blend, 60/40 of co-fermented Zinfandel/Carignane according to winery notes from November 2013. It is fleshy -- the Carignane -- but with concentration, intensity, and healthy tannin as well as a characteristic Zin spiciness. The fruit is composed and suggestive, with alcoholic restraint, not overripe. One gets black raspberry, espresso, morello cherries, raspberry liqueur, some bay leaf and earth. Tannins have a pleasant grip, there is very decent finish of some length, and all of us at the table noted how well this wine paired with the grilled steak.

I like just about every Zin in its early prime, and this one is no exception. The acid and tannin should hold this wine together for a while. Best drinking window 2015 to 2020. Abv 14.7%, 92 points.

Note: we drank this side by side with the 2012 Carlisle Papera Zinfandel. When both wines were first poured into the glass (after 2 hours of air), they tasted like the same juice. But over the 3 hour period of consumption, they diverged. The Carlisle is 96% Zinfandel and just 4% Carignane. The Carlisle had a abv of 15.4% and tasted like it. Very dark burgundy color. The Carlisle bouquet was more pronounced, with more black cherry character, fruity roses, and a lovely oaky vanilla backdrop. Not hot but the higher alcohol was noticeable as a discrete component of the aromas. A well made, polished, voluptuous wine, like some of the Turley Zins.

The four in our group preferred the Carlisle as we were winding up our round of various appetizers, but later when we adjourned to the dining table and started on the steak, it was a consensus that the Bedrock was a better partner.

The Carlisle tends toward being a jammy Zin. Still its perfumed aromatics and softer tannins have appeal and it paired well with foie gras and an assortment of soft French and hard Iberian cheeses. 91 points.

Day 2. Both wines still fresh with no signs of over oxidation. The Carlisle has taken on more depth and structure. The Bedrock maintains its elegance and line. Both are really, really good.

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