Similar to previous tastings. Black fruits, blackberries, and black cherries in the nose with licorice, and a hint of spice and floral. Dark fruits in the flavor, black cherries, black raspberries, and a touch of chocolate and spice. Full bodied and a medium to long finish.
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Fully saturated ruby color. Nose was quite advanced at first, truffle and curry spice, off putting for a a bit. Opened quickly into a much more balanced spiced bouquet of pepper, dark red fruits, pine-cones, curry, cut grass, and baking spice. Palate is rich and full, with just enough freshness and a bit of silky tannin remaining. This feels on the downslope so drink up! Still great though.
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The nose was literally like taking in the bouquet of fresh cut flowers, with rose, violet and pepper tones accentuated by notes of green stem, then blueberry skins and hints of cola. On the palate, incredibly soft textures were offset by zesty spice with dried raspberry, savory minerals and a kick of brisk acidity which left me with a juicy and fresh impression. The finish was incredibly long, showing a mix of blue and blackberry fruits with lingering herbal tones. The florals here showed a hint of green that may detract from the experience for some tasters, but I found it to be wonderfully complete and enjoyable.
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Black fruits, blackberries and black cherries in the nose with licorice, and a touch of spice. Black cherries, black raspberries, and spice in the flavor. Medium to long finish.
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Ruby red in color. 14.8% ABV. 87% Zinfandel and 13% Mixed blacks including Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Peloursin and Tempranillo. Red fruits, rose petal and anise on the nose. Medium body with the health acidity I've come to rely on with Carlisle. Exceptional balance. Raspberry, cherry, chocolate truffle and pepper on the palate. Stunning Zinfandel that can be drank over the next 3 years.
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Pepper, black fruit, medium body, nice balance, well integrated, very nice. Interesting without being heavy. Nuanced without being too light. Drinking nicely right now.
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In a quick whim, I pulled this and the 09 to take a brunch. Side by side, they are indeed different. The 2008 is more red fruited while the 2009 is darker. Both had acidity and the alcs were well managed with the 2008 seeming like it might age better, given the other notes like loam and some structure. The 2009 was more opulent and riper toned than the 2008, too. I supposed it depends on what you want in your Zin both but drank very well.
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#6 of 6. This bottle still delicious, with a stupendous flavor profile for my palate. My favorite of Mike's bottling, and this year was especially tasty. This may be fading a bit, confirming that 7 years from vintage is optimal for this vineyard.
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WOTN for the group in a tasting of 10 Carlisle wines from 08-10 (3 syrah, 7 zins). Decanted 2.5 hours and it was really singing -- rich dark fruits, spice and a lot of complexity, without any noticeable alcoholic heat. Well done, Mike!
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P&P and consumed over 2 hours. First glass opened up after about 15 minutes after the Vinturi. Mike O's wines never cease to impress and are always a killer QPR. Blue and black fruits, plum, with a touch of singed marshmallow flow through to a delectable mid-palate of smoked blue fruit, pepper, cinnamon, and sweet rhubarb (is that even a thing?) with a medium finish and just perfectly balanced. I adore Carlisle wines.
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Thanksgiving 2014: Carlisle is another Thanksgiving staple for us and our guests are usually primed for it and it's usually a crowd favorite. And once again, a very solid showing - raspberries and cool whip on the nose with a briary spice flavor profile. Lively acidity, long finish. Maybe not as complex and thought-provoking as the CdP and Volnay.
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Drank this on Thanksgiving. Wish I could find my notes. This was a delicious wine with dinner that improved on day 2. The word many would use is Singing. Drink now and enjoy.
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This bottle from auction. Obviously impeccably stored. Phenomenal. Spectacular. One of my all time faves. A perfect marriage of old vine fruit, enough structure to carry this to some secondaries, super tasty flavor profile (vineyard composition and blend) , judicious perfectly balanced tasty oak, and a deft passionate winemaker. Lucky us. Without question my favorite Carlisle Zin vineyard. At a perfect peak now.
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Wow. Classic, perfectly mature Carlisle vineyard Zin. Exactly the same as last note, maybe even a bit more tight, and with more length - so while this is definitely peaking, maybe a couple more years in hand. Tastes like some stem inclusion to balance the boisterous fruit. The key to this wine is the balance of brilliant fruit, deft and tasty oak, a few years of bottle age, and most importantly some structure, focus and delineation. Found two more at auction (!) hope they're well stored. So - bottle #4 of 6. Just superb.
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My last of this vintage. I think the 08s all needed to be drunk a bit younger than a typical Carlisle year. Softer, rounder edges. Crushed berry, red fruit. "Zinny" in that there's a bit of spice and bramble in the background but not as distinctive as other vintages of this wine. Drink now, I think as the fruit recedes, this wine will become less interesting.
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Somewhat of a disappointment, possibly because of unrealistically high expectations. Opened and poured about an hour before tasting, but I suspect it needs more air time or decanting. Nice nose. Plenty of dark fruit on the palate, along with the usual suspects (bramble, etc.) and healthy dollops of pepper and red meat (what part of the Rhone valley did this come from?). However, the finish was rather abrupt, and it was missing the Wow factor I had expected. I think (hope) it just needs another year or two in the bottle.
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Carlisle Winemaker Dinner with Mike Officer (Luciana's, Dana Point, CA): Dark garnet. Nose is red berries and bright strawberry. Tastes like dark plum, spice, black pepper, and raspberry. Medium acid and showed a touch of heat in the back of the mouth on the finish. Good stuff. Mike said this vineyard saw a late frost and only produced 1/2 ton per acre.
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Carlisle In The OC: Tasted alongside the 2011, as both wines anchored the 2nd course that was butternut squash ravioli. My notes show a big star, which is my symbol I make during wine pairing dinners when I find a wine that really stands out. There is a crunchy, zesty expression of red fruits that is balanced--acid, fruit and length is all in harmony. This is in a great place right now.
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Bottle number three of four, this is one of my favorite all time Carlisle zins. Deep brambly almost jammy raspberry and blackberry fruit, perfectly rendered oak (I call this grape/vanilla precision "grapesickle" because that's exactly what it tastes like to me), a deft touch of balancing but oh so important structure or bitterness or herbal element, and a vintage associated acidity that adds even more detail. The least jammy and fruit-bomby of Mike's vineyards, and he nails this site more often than any other for my palate. One more bottle left! At a perfect peak now, this began to fade on the third day open. Kudos!
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This starts off tight and coiled, so aeration is something that helps, and finishing the last glass now, we are at about 2 hours of air which is the right amount. Interesting to me, along the way, there was a bloody, syrah-like note in the aromatic that faded off with air but I enjoyed that moment in the wine. Now pretty well aired, this is classic Carlisle, fleshy and opulent, yet without any heat or annoying oak, showing a core of black raz, brambly fruit and a soily/earthy note. There is acid here too, but the fruit is king and the closing black cherry and hard cherry candy note closes the wine nicely. I like this, as it has a burly side, with a cedary, red fruit and it's just damn good zin.
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Brought to BBQ w/friends. PnP. Deep purple in color, fades to med purple at rim. Nose is clean, w/med intensity aromas of blueberry and black cherry fruits, a slight spiciness, some clove. The palate is med(+) in body and alcohol, w/fruits echoed from the nose, nicely balanced, with med acidity and med length finish. Will continue to improve for another 2-3 yrs and drink well through 2020.
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Delicious. Pop and pour and consumed over 1.5 hrs. Took about 45 mins for the typical briaryness to emerge but once it did it was in spades.
Plenty of life left for those who like smooth tannin. For me, I felt this was ideal. Some dry tannin, integration, deep rich fruit and long long finish. No heat. Enjoyed all my bottles.
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This bottle seemed off balance showing too much acidity and lacking the ample fruit Carlisle usually delivers. Typical bramble and fruit on the nose but the palate didn't deliver. Hopefully just an off bottle.
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One of the better zins to date. Deep purple. Decent nose. Fruit initially overpowering but after an hour of air became very lush and smooth. Excellent finish.
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Impressive. Not the heat of last time, this is actually crunchy, and almost a bit Bojo-('09)-like. (There's a word.) I'd call this at a perfect peak, as it's phenomenal right out of the gate. But, what would I know? - it was so damn good my wife and I finished a bottle in no time, which is a rarity for us, even with old world gems. So, no second night to compare. Not overly oaked, alcohol-laden or brambly, I'd say the 08 vintage carries this, and is quite strong, especially in comparison to 09. (We had the 09 Papera last night and it was a bit blowsy.) Scrumptious! 93pts pure quality, 94 pts personal preference.
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Cellar Reconstruction Party (Gary's Place): Dark purple/red color. Decanted for about 30 minutes. Drank 1+ glass over an hour plus. This was as good as I remember. Nice earth on the nose, with blackberry, black raspberry, vanilla, spice. the palate is full bodied with lively, consistent black fruits, pepper, spice, just a hair of sweet vanilla, and long finish. Excellent balance.
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- Ruby color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cherry, fig and molasses. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, cherry and vanilla with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Popped and let sit for 2 hours. We really enjoyed this with food. This is slightly sweet though.
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Warm and inviting black raspberry fruit is mixed very well with incense stick, smooth tannic structure and just the right amount of vanilla traced oak on the finish. Another Zinfandel winner from Carlisle. Nothing new to see here.
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- Purple color and aromas of cherry, cloves, violet and almond. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium body - Popped and poured. Terrific purity and easy to drink by itself or with food.
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Deep purple color. The bouquet jumps from the bottle upon opening. The other varietals blended with the zin comes through as a balanced wine with spice, blackberries and a little sadle leather but not overly hot as you can get with a zin. I love the balance of Carlisle wines.
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Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberries, black berries, black cherries and a little white pepper, Flavors of black berries, black cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins. Drink or hold.
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Cherries, almonds, some smoke and vanilla. This was such a well balanced wine! Fresh red and juicy fruit, with fine acidity and noticeable but well integrated oak. This was still young, but it tastes very good now
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Hmmm without decanting this wine was a let down tonight. The nose was compelling with dark fruits and a little vanilla but the palate seemed a little out of whack. The berries seemd to be hiding and oak was pretty assertive. Either the bottle is a little off or I should have shaken the hell out of it which I didnt.
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One of the best Carlisle zins in recent memory. The previous poster was right on. This wine is drinking great and certainly in it's prime. A wonderful bottle.
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Blackberries, blueberries and blackpepper have to be coaxed from the glass but the palate explodes with bramble berries and even a little game. Full and mouth coating. Very long on the finish. Phenomenal zin.
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Over two nights. Superb. Starting its peak. Big, brambly red-fruited, creamy, vanilla bean nose. Scrumptious, creamy, large-framed, hugely fruited and yet somehow balanced palate, though some heat begins to protrude on the tail end. A weightlifter on a tightrope - a bit wobbly, but not falling. Not quite dancing, but quite the show. 92 pure quality, 93 personal preference.
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Drunk over 4 hrs with BBQ. A bit straightforward, with nice dark fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Good body and finish. With more complexity I would rate it higher, but still a v good bottle of zin and drinking well now.
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I've really enjoyed both of the '08 Carlisle single vineyard zins, including this one. They have an extra bit of acidity that I think adds to the overall Carlisle profile, of ripe, rich red brambly fruit. Great work in a challenging vintage.
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Vinturi'd: Another classic from Mike Officer. Great balance and flavors. Initially a little heat on the finish, but it blew away quickly. Wonderfully spicy!
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Nose of blueberry and some blackberry with spices and earth. A ripeness quality that might be too much for some, but it was not for me. There was a friend at this tasting that is just jumping into the world of wine and this particular bottle was very much to his palate. He mentioned how he would now order a zin for dinner, when it would never have crossed his mind before. While I liked it very much now, I would say give it more time in the bottle to see where it goes.
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Zindfandel and Ribfest 2011 (Judith's House): Dark red/purple color. Blend of 87% Zin and 13% mixed black grapes. Nose has sweet fruits, blueberry and blackberry, mulberry, spices, and an herbal character. The palate is full and round, nice lush sweet fruit consistent with the nose, medium plus finish. This is a very nice wine, (had my second place vote until the Ridge Pagani really opened up) and finished as #3 WOTN for me.
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At first a bit tight but quickly smoothed out and filled in. Very smooth but lacked some of the spice I enjoy in zins. After being open a couple of hours however it seemed to become thin and washed out-not sure what happened. Score would have been higher if not for this.
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Nice but not the best example of this vineyard wine imo. I usually get quite a bit more brambly brashness from these in their youth and it just wasnt there tonight. Still a nice Zin with all the fruit and stuffing you could want without any sense of heaviness. Good tonight just not great.
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Dark in the glass. Big jammy nose of dark berry and a little vanilla. Wish it had a bit more acidity for aging purposes, but this is really good right now.
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A well made, lush and ripe Zinfandel. The group enjoyed it more than me as my taste for zin is waning mostly due to the ripeness levels. This was the fourth bottle of the night and I find zin's do better earlier in the order. I've been leaning more towards Mikes syrahs lately and look forward to opening one soon.
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I usually think of Zinfandel as being ready to go, current vintage is fine, pop and pour, etc. This was a little reticent at first, but after being open for 3 hours it started to come around and ended up quite nice. Dark, red smokey fruits dominate, with a solid backbone and good balance. (PE: 89)
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Classic RRV Zin. Everything a RRV Zin is supposed to be. Rich, luscious blue & black fruits, texture and body. Exceedingly well made and well balanced.
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Lots of great Zinfandel fruit, but surprisingly elegant too. The fruit evolved from very primary blue fruits upon opening, adding raspberry, spice and even some citrus notes.
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Great rich nose with blackberry, blueberry, caramel, dark maple syrup, and some orange peel. Lighter fruits initially reveal a dark powerful core, with spice, forest, pepper. touch of oak, but light on it's feet with ample acidity. Good balance, only a slight touch of heat on the finish. Another "winning" wine from Charlie sheen's favorite winery, Carlisle!
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Decanted about 5 hours. A nice balance on the nose between ripe, red fruit and dirty bramble. This is all given a lift by the roasted spices and slight floral undertones. The palate was much fruiter than the nose, but still had that nice brambly dirt in the background. The red fruit lasted all the way through the finish, adding in a little spice and rose petals.
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Exotic spices are what struck me on the nose. Medium to full bodied with somewhat of a monolithic structure and a tad of hot alcohol on the finish. Nevertheless, went well with Lisa's homemade pizza.
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Among the more elegant Carlisle’s I’ve had, somewhat subdued on the nose, but plenty of spicy red fruits to satisfy. My other bottle will sit a couple of years.
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2/2/2021 - mjohnsto Likes this wine: 92 Points
This may not be as good as it was in 2018, but it is still a very nice wine. Opened for 30 minutes.
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1/24/2019 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to previous tastings. Black fruits, blackberries, and black cherries in the nose with licorice, and a hint of spice and floral. Dark fruits in the flavor, black cherries, black raspberries, and a touch of chocolate and spice. Full bodied and a medium to long finish.
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11/16/2018 - drrobvino wrote:
My son drank this one, loved it.
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5/4/2018 - ex-sommelier Likes this wine:
Fully saturated ruby color. Nose was quite advanced at first, truffle and curry spice, off putting for a a bit. Opened quickly into a much more balanced spiced bouquet of pepper, dark red fruits, pine-cones, curry, cut grass, and baking spice. Palate is rich and full, with just enough freshness and a bit of silky tannin remaining. This feels on the downslope so drink up! Still great though.
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3/15/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose was literally like taking in the bouquet of fresh cut flowers, with rose, violet and pepper tones accentuated by notes of green stem, then blueberry skins and hints of cola. On the palate, incredibly soft textures were offset by zesty spice with dried raspberry, savory minerals and a kick of brisk acidity which left me with a juicy and fresh impression. The finish was incredibly long, showing a mix of blue and blackberry fruits with lingering herbal tones. The florals here showed a hint of green that may detract from the experience for some tasters, but I found it to be wonderfully complete and enjoyable.
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11/5/2017 - mdahar wrote: 90 Points
This seem to be on the downside. Still delicious but would not hold
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8/4/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black fruits, blackberries and black cherries in the nose with licorice, and a touch of spice. Black cherries, black raspberries, and spice in the flavor. Medium to long finish.
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2/18/2016 - tomlee wrote: 94 Points
Ruby red in color. 14.8% ABV. 87% Zinfandel and 13% Mixed blacks including Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Peloursin and Tempranillo. Red fruits, rose petal and anise on the nose. Medium body with the health acidity I've come to rely on with Carlisle. Exceptional balance. Raspberry, cherry, chocolate truffle and pepper on the palate. Stunning Zinfandel that can be drank over the next 3 years.
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2/5/2016 - dnjones Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very well-balanced with mint stewed plums blackberry toasted oak and leather nose.
Leather, intense sweet dried cherries, blackberries. tar, tobacco, pencil lead, really intense mid palate and long finish. Wow! Drinking really well! At its prime???
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1/29/2016 - budman Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle - WAY better than the prior one. Good dark fruit.
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1/18/2016 - WineGold wrote: 91 Points
Pepper, black fruit, medium body, nice balance, well integrated, very nice. Interesting without being heavy. Nuanced without being too light. Drinking nicely right now.
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1/6/2016 - budman wrote:
Not rated. Maybe slightly corked. Nothing specifically wrong... just that everything was muted. Not your typical Carlisle Carlisle zin.
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7/26/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
In a quick whim, I pulled this and the 09 to take a brunch. Side by side, they are indeed different. The 2008 is more red fruited while the 2009 is darker. Both had acidity and the alcs were well managed with the 2008 seeming like it might age better, given the other notes like loam and some structure. The 2009 was more opulent and riper toned than the 2008, too. I supposed it depends on what you want in your Zin both but drank very well.
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6/11/2015 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
#6 of 6. This bottle still delicious, with a stupendous flavor profile for my palate. My favorite of Mike's bottling, and this year was especially tasty. This may be fading a bit, confirming that 7 years from vintage is optimal for this vineyard.
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3/14/2015 - DesMarteau Likes this wine: 92 Points
watery currants, electric zingy strawberries, spice. Nice drinking window!
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2/27/2015 - MLD70 Likes this wine:
WOTN for the group in a tasting of 10 Carlisle wines from 08-10 (3 syrah, 7 zins). Decanted 2.5 hours and it was really singing -- rich dark fruits, spice and a lot of complexity, without any noticeable alcoholic heat. Well done, Mike!
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2/26/2015 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 92 Points
P&P and consumed over 2 hours. First glass opened up after about 15 minutes after the Vinturi. Mike O's wines never cease to impress and are always a killer QPR. Blue and black fruits, plum, with a touch of singed marshmallow flow through to a delectable mid-palate of smoked blue fruit, pepper, cinnamon, and sweet rhubarb (is that even a thing?) with a medium finish and just perfectly balanced. I adore Carlisle wines.
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1/20/2015 - pgb67 wrote: 92 Points
Thanksgiving 2014: Carlisle is another Thanksgiving staple for us and our guests are usually primed for it and it's usually a crowd favorite. And once again, a very solid showing - raspberries and cool whip on the nose with a briary spice flavor profile. Lively acidity, long finish. Maybe not as complex and thought-provoking as the CdP and Volnay.
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11/30/2014 - dhammer53 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this on Thanksgiving. Wish I could find my notes. This was a delicious wine with dinner that improved on day 2. The word many would use is Singing. Drink now and enjoy.
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11/29/2014 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
This bottle from auction. Obviously impeccably stored. Phenomenal. Spectacular. One of my all time faves. A perfect marriage of old vine fruit, enough structure to carry this to some secondaries, super tasty flavor profile (vineyard composition and blend) , judicious perfectly balanced tasty oak, and a deft passionate winemaker. Lucky us. Without question my favorite Carlisle Zin vineyard. At a perfect peak now.
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10/27/2014 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Classic, perfectly mature Carlisle vineyard Zin. Exactly the same as last note, maybe even a bit more tight, and with more length - so while this is definitely peaking, maybe a couple more years in hand. Tastes like some stem inclusion to balance the boisterous fruit. The key to this wine is the balance of brilliant fruit, deft and tasty oak, a few years of bottle age, and most importantly some structure, focus and delineation. Found two more at auction (!) hope they're well stored. So - bottle #4 of 6. Just superb.
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9/30/2014 - btock wrote: 90 Points
My last of this vintage. I think the 08s all needed to be drunk a bit younger than a typical Carlisle year. Softer, rounder edges. Crushed berry, red fruit. "Zinny" in that there's a bit of spice and bramble in the background but not as distinctive as other vintages of this wine. Drink now, I think as the fruit recedes, this wine will become less interesting.
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5/4/2014 - Night Train Likes this wine: 89 Points
Somewhat of a disappointment, possibly because of unrealistically high expectations. Opened and poured about an hour before tasting, but I suspect it needs more air time or decanting. Nice nose. Plenty of dark fruit on the palate, along with the usual suspects (bramble, etc.) and healthy dollops of pepper and red meat (what part of the Rhone valley did this come from?). However, the finish was rather abrupt, and it was missing the Wow factor I had expected. I think (hope) it just needs another year or two in the bottle.
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5/4/2014 - brigcampbell wrote:
Carlisle Winemaker Dinner with Mike Officer (Luciana's, Dana Point, CA): Dark garnet. Nose is red berries and bright strawberry. Tastes like dark plum, spice, black pepper, and raspberry. Medium acid and showed a touch of heat in the back of the mouth on the finish. Good stuff. Mike said this vineyard saw a late frost and only produced 1/2 ton per acre.
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5/3/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Carlisle In The OC: Tasted alongside the 2011, as both wines anchored the 2nd course that was butternut squash ravioli. My notes show a big star, which is my symbol I make during wine pairing dinners when I find a wine that really stands out. There is a crunchy, zesty expression of red fruits that is balanced--acid, fruit and length is all in harmony. This is in a great place right now.
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4/11/2014 - sawira wrote: 94 Points
Bottle number three of four, this is one of my favorite all time Carlisle zins. Deep brambly almost jammy raspberry and blackberry fruit, perfectly rendered oak (I call this grape/vanilla precision "grapesickle" because that's exactly what it tastes like to me), a deft touch of balancing but oh so important structure or bitterness or herbal element, and a vintage associated acidity that adds even more detail. The least jammy and fruit-bomby of Mike's vineyards, and he nails this site more often than any other for my palate. One more bottle left! At a perfect peak now, this began to fade on the third day open. Kudos!
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2/15/2014 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Good Zin that is tasting fresh and fruit driven but not over the top. Typical bramble and some pepper.Good acidic edge to it. Decent finish.
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11/28/2013 - Grape Stuff wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes. Open for about an hour, great dark fruits, blueberry, blackberry compote, clove and balance. Really well done.
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11/22/2013 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This starts off tight and coiled, so aeration is something that helps, and finishing the last glass now, we are at about 2 hours of air which is the right amount. Interesting to me, along the way, there was a bloody, syrah-like note in the aromatic that faded off with air but I enjoyed that moment in the wine. Now pretty well aired, this is classic Carlisle, fleshy and opulent, yet without any heat or annoying oak, showing a core of black raz, brambly fruit and a soily/earthy note. There is acid here too, but the fruit is king and the closing black cherry and hard cherry candy note closes the wine nicely. I like this, as it has a burly side, with a cedary, red fruit and it's just damn good zin.
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9/8/2013 - snarfglk wrote: 90 Points
Loved the nose and taste upon opening, lost a tad with air, but still a great zin.
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8/18/2013 - drrobvino wrote: 91 Points
Brought to BBQ w/friends. PnP.
Deep purple in color, fades to med purple at rim.
Nose is clean, w/med intensity aromas of blueberry and black cherry fruits, a slight spiciness, some clove.
The palate is med(+) in body and alcohol, w/fruits echoed from the nose, nicely balanced, with med acidity and med length finish.
Will continue to improve for another 2-3 yrs and drink well through 2020.
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8/16/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. Pop and pour and consumed over 1.5 hrs. Took about 45 mins for the typical briaryness to emerge but once it did it was in spades.
Plenty of life left for those who like smooth tannin. For me, I felt this was ideal. Some dry tannin, integration, deep rich fruit and long long finish. No heat. Enjoyed all my bottles.
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8/13/2013 - EhrlichDY wrote: 85 Points
This bottle seemed off balance showing too much acidity and lacking the ample fruit Carlisle usually delivers. Typical bramble and fruit on the nose but the palate didn't deliver. Hopefully just an off bottle.
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7/13/2013 - Oakjeff wrote: 92 Points
Still delicious. At this point, allow 60-90 for it to open up and be sure to serve below room temp.
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6/19/2013 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
One of the better zins to date. Deep purple. Decent nose. Fruit initially overpowering but after an hour of air became very lush and smooth. Excellent finish.
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6/17/2013 - guyfred wrote: 92 Points
- It's balanced with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish.
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4/29/2013 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Impressive. Not the heat of last time, this is actually crunchy, and almost a bit Bojo-('09)-like. (There's a word.) I'd call this at a perfect peak, as it's phenomenal right out of the gate. But, what would I know? - it was so damn good my wife and I finished a bottle in no time, which is a rarity for us, even with old world gems. So, no second night to compare. Not overly oaked, alcohol-laden or brambly, I'd say the 08 vintage carries this, and is quite strong, especially in comparison to 09. (We had the 09 Papera last night and it was a bit blowsy.) Scrumptious! 93pts pure quality, 94 pts personal preference.
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4/20/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Cellar Reconstruction Party (Gary's Place): Dark purple/red color. Decanted for about 30 minutes. Drank 1+ glass over an hour plus. This was as good as I remember. Nice earth on the nose, with blackberry, black raspberry, vanilla, spice. the palate is full bodied with lively, consistent black fruits, pepper, spice, just a hair of sweet vanilla, and long finish. Excellent balance.
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3/2/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 92 Points
- Ruby color with medium forming legs and aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cherry, fig and molasses. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, cherry and vanilla with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish - Popped and let sit for 2 hours. We really enjoyed this with food. This is slightly sweet though.
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2/3/2013 - Blcmdpa@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
tight structure but big flavors and finish, good balance, dry finish
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2/3/2013 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Warm and inviting black raspberry fruit is mixed very well with incense stick, smooth tannic structure and just the right amount of vanilla traced oak on the finish. Another Zinfandel winner from Carlisle. Nothing new to see here.
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1/25/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 91 Points
- Purple color and aromas of cherry, cloves, violet and almond. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of cherry with a medium body - Popped and poured. Terrific purity and easy to drink by itself or with food.
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1/24/2013 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
Very balanced, and even restrained by Carlisle standards. Consumed over two nights - shined on second night.
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12/22/2012 - Skip4wine wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple color. The bouquet jumps from the bottle upon opening. The other varietals blended with the zin comes through as a balanced wine with spice, blackberries and a little sadle leather but not overly hot as you can get with a zin. I love the balance of Carlisle wines.
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11/25/2012 - wineismylife Likes this wine: 92 Points
Saturdays at One - First Chinese BBQ Post Thanksgiving Gluttony Festival! (First Chinese BBQ Arlington, TX): WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately.
Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of blueberries, black berries, black cherries and a little white pepper, Flavors of black berries, black cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins. Drink or hold.
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10/21/2012 - MayValley wrote: 92 Points
Cherries, almonds, some smoke and vanilla. This was such a well balanced wine! Fresh red and juicy fruit, with fine acidity and noticeable but well integrated oak. This was still young, but it tastes very good now
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10/2/2012 - clovercap wrote: flawed
Corked .
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9/2/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
Hmmm without decanting this wine was a let down tonight. The nose was compelling with dark fruits and a little vanilla but the palate seemed a little out of whack. The berries seemd to be hiding and oak was pretty assertive. Either the bottle is a little off or I should have shaken the hell out of it which I didnt.
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8/21/2012 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding!
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7/27/2012 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
I concur with the recent notes. Delicious and in its prime!
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7/20/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
One of the best Carlisle zins in recent memory. The previous poster was right on. This wine is drinking great and certainly in it's prime. A wonderful bottle.
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7/17/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
Blackberries, blueberries and blackpepper have to be coaxed from the glass but the palate explodes with bramble berries and even a little game. Full and mouth coating. Very long on the finish. Phenomenal zin.
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7/13/2012 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
Really sensational. A bit shy on opening, she soared after about 45 minutes. Everything I expected from this bottle (and I always expect a lot)!
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7/3/2012 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Over two nights. Superb. Starting its peak. Big, brambly red-fruited, creamy, vanilla bean nose. Scrumptious, creamy, large-framed, hugely fruited and yet somehow balanced palate, though some heat begins to protrude on the tail end. A weightlifter on a tightrope - a bit wobbly, but not falling. Not quite dancing, but quite the show. 92 pure quality, 93 personal preference.
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6/18/2012 - michigan dogs wrote: 91 Points
My previous note on this wine said "benefits from decanting", I should have followed my own advice, was great the second night. Decant!
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6/17/2012 - MLD70 wrote: 90 Points
Drunk over 4 hrs with BBQ. A bit straightforward, with nice dark fruit and spice on the nose and palate. Good body and finish. With more complexity I would rate it higher, but still a v good bottle of zin and drinking well now.
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5/28/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Just great balance and wonderful roundness in the mouth.
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4/29/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful soft fruity zinfindel. Nice smooth finish with a touch of spice. Excellent
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4/25/2012 - MJHDC wrote:
I've really enjoyed both of the '08 Carlisle single vineyard zins, including this one. They have an extra bit of acidity that I think adds to the overall Carlisle profile, of ripe, rich red brambly fruit. Great work in a challenging vintage.
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3/26/2012 - mdaniel wrote: 91 Points
Vinturi'd: Another classic from Mike Officer. Great balance and flavors. Initially a little heat on the finish, but it blew away quickly. Wonderfully spicy!
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2/28/2012 - wineguy58 wrote: 92 Points
blueberries on the nose, creamy raspberry bramble finish. Good balance with acidity to last a while.
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2/15/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 93 Points
This is usually my favorite Carlisle zin and this year is no exception. Great balance and wonderful depth.
Outstanding
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11/11/2011 - SPK wrote:
Nose of blueberry and some blackberry with spices and earth. A ripeness quality that might be too much for some, but it was not for me. There was a friend at this tasting that is just jumping into the world of wine and this particular bottle was very much to his palate. He mentioned how he would now order a zin for dinner, when it would never have crossed his mind before. While I liked it very much now, I would say give it more time in the bottle to see where it goes.
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10/15/2011 - michigan dogs wrote: 90 Points
benefits from decanting
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9/16/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
A nice wine with scorched earth, smoke, sour cherry, oak, floral and clay. Good concentration and long finish. Decanted three hours and it needed it.
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8/27/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Zindfandel and Ribfest 2011 (Judith's House): Dark red/purple color. Blend of 87% Zin and 13% mixed black grapes. Nose has sweet fruits, blueberry and blackberry, mulberry, spices, and an herbal character. The palate is full and round, nice lush sweet fruit consistent with the nose, medium plus finish. This is a very nice wine, (had my second place vote until the Ridge Pagani really opened up) and finished as #3 WOTN for me.
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8/4/2011 - Stumpy wrote: 89 Points
At first a bit tight but quickly smoothed out and filled in. Very smooth but lacked some of the spice I enjoy in zins. After being open a couple of hours however it seemed to become thin and washed out-not sure what happened. Score would have been higher if not for this.
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7/19/2011 - Ekoostik wrote:
Nice but not the best example of this vineyard wine imo. I usually get quite a bit more brambly brashness from these in their youth and it just wasnt there tonight. Still a nice Zin with all the fruit and stuffing you could want without any sense of heaviness. Good tonight just not great.
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5/30/2011 - B Paul wrote: 91 Points
Dark in the glass. Big jammy nose of dark berry and a little vanilla. Wish it had a bit more acidity for aging purposes, but this is really good right now.
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5/21/2011 - Outplaying wrote:
A well made, lush and ripe Zinfandel. The group enjoyed it more than me as my taste for zin is waning mostly due to the ripeness levels. This was the fourth bottle of the night and I find zin's do better earlier in the order. I've been leaning more towards Mikes syrahs lately and look forward to opening one soon.
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5/6/2011 - MarkC Likes this wine: 90 Points
I usually think of Zinfandel as being ready to go, current vintage is fine, pop and pour, etc. This was a little reticent at first, but after being open for 3 hours it started to come around and ended up quite nice. Dark, red smokey fruits dominate, with a solid backbone and good balance. (PE: 89)
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5/5/2011 - Oakjeff wrote: 92 Points
Classic RRV Zin. Everything a RRV Zin is supposed to be. Rich, luscious blue & black fruits, texture and body. Exceedingly well made and well balanced.
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4/2/2011 - Li6 wrote: 92 Points
Lots of great Zinfandel fruit, but surprisingly elegant too. The fruit evolved from very primary blue fruits upon opening, adding raspberry, spice and even some citrus notes.
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3/25/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 91 Points
Great rich nose with blackberry, blueberry, caramel, dark maple syrup, and some orange peel. Lighter fruits initially reveal a dark powerful core, with spice, forest, pepper. touch of oak, but light on it's feet with ample acidity. Good balance, only a slight touch of heat on the finish. Another "winning" wine from Charlie sheen's favorite winery, Carlisle!
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3/16/2011 - mmurry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 5 hours. A nice balance on the nose between ripe, red fruit and dirty bramble. This is all given a lift by the roasted spices and slight floral undertones. The palate was much fruiter than the nose, but still had that nice brambly dirt in the background. The red fruit lasted all the way through the finish, adding in a little spice and rose petals.
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3/13/2011 - Dale B. wrote: 91 Points
Exotic spices are what struck me on the nose. Medium to full bodied with somewhat of a monolithic structure and a tad of hot alcohol on the finish. Nevertheless, went well with Lisa's homemade pizza.
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2/24/2011 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Full-bodied mixed berry fruit with ample tannin and acid, slightly spicey, lacks depth of structure, complexity, and finish, but enjoyable wine
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1/19/2011 - jwolfsthal wrote:
lighter
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12/3/2010 - Dale M wrote: 90 Points
Among the more elegant Carlisle’s I’ve had, somewhat subdued on the nose, but plenty of spicy red fruits to satisfy. My other bottle will sit a couple of years.
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11/11/2010 - crdwino wrote: 91 Points
the nose is what makes this wine - the most perfumed zinfandel i have ever had. could use a bit more acidity imho.
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