PNP. Opaque red with slight fading to the rim. Bright bramble fruit on the nose. Big burst of cherries on the palate followed by raspberries. Bracing yet still eloquent. Firm but not overbearing tannins. Bright acidity, gorgeous balance. Finishes long and vibrant with dark fruits and lots of dusty spice. Beautiful right now and for 5 to 6 years more. Throwing a very fine sediment.
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Consumed over two nights. While past its prime, I still enjoyed this. First night, not at all fragrant on opening, which surprised me. Subdued notes of blackberry and dried cherry, with evident pepper. Nice body/mouthfeel, with a long finish. Plenty of alcohol in this wine (15.8%) but it was never intrusive as I've found in other "over the hill" Zins. Second night, tobacco, cinnamon, cocoa, and graphite flavors, primarily, with the berry/cherry elements still there.
Opened a second bottle on 2/23/21 in honor of Fausto Gresini. This bottle was much better than the bottle I opened in early December, much more vibrant, less alcohol. Raised numerical score from 90 to 93, it was that much better!
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Raspberry/blackberry/black cherry aromas. The palate is very full-bodied given the ABV but not at all hot/jammy. Fruits that match the nose along with cocoa and a bit of herbs. Integrated medium acid/tannins. Drinking well now and should continue to do so for several more years.
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Maroon in color. 15.8% ABV. Gorgeous nose of bright red fruits, peach cobbler and flowers. Medium body with juicy acidity. Fresh, restrained and remarkably well balanced. Raspberry, salmonberry, pepper and a hint of cream on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Lighter in style than I am accustomed to from Carlisle but delicious nonetheless. Drink over the next 1-2 years.
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Really nice aged Zin - lighter red and zinberry fruit expression, bramble, spice. Tart, lightly acidic finish brings a nice level of drinkability and freshness to this wine. Won't overwhelm you with complexity but it sure is fun to drink.
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Took my first of two to a party, so I couldn't produce detailed notes. Same story today. All I can recall is that it had a nice nose, was fairly rich and brambly, had a very nice finish, and you can dance to it. Seriously, it was what I'd call a typical single-vineyard Carlisle, meaning a classic zin. Rich, but not too raisiny or port-like. Should be good for another year or two.
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Opened and poured - jammy dark zin. Somewhat one dimensional, with jam compote and blacks show predominant. Some slight secondaries and some tannin. Overall this wasn't a wowser like I had hoped.
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Very nice juice. Opened this wine after wasn't happy with the first try (another winery) of the evening. Seems like we can almost always rely, with a few exceptions, on Carlisle to be a reliable and delicious choice. The Bedrock is drinking well now. There are probably some years left in this one but is it worth the risk of waiting when it is so enjoyable now. Great QPR.
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Decanted an hour then let er' rip - Solid, in fact the nose was the real star here, full bloom of floral / Zin fruit goodness, spices etc. Palate echoes this with a little eucalyptus thrown in too. Seems at full peak, I would finish any remaining bottles in the next 2 to 3 years.
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Excellent zinfandel entering its peak drinking window. Bright aromatics, with mixture of spice, pepper, a hint of vanilla and black fruits to the fore. The palate was fresh and complex, with blueberry, blackberry, pepper and hint of cocoa on a longish finish. This has come together very nicely, and is impressively integrated and structured for a big wine. Outshone an excellent 2010 Bedrock heirloom sourced from the same terrior.
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More bright red fruits compared to the 09 Montafi side by side. Higher register fruits and flavors, juicy, nice balancing acidity to the raspberries and cream. At peak.
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Loved it. Very bright and fresh signature Carlisle flavors and aromas - raspberries and cream. Very pure and detailed, nice acidity to balance the fruit. No over extraction or heat at all, yet profoundly deep and juicy. Faded a little bit towards the end, so I'd catch these soon for the fresh aliveness this exudes.
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Really great bottle. Surprising savory notes on the nose and palate. Dark purple/black coloring. Brooding, but not dense. A zin to be studied/contemplated. Some garrique but really this is about polished fruit with dried herbs, a touch of game and smoked meats. Delicious.
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I completely love the synergy between these winemaker/vineyard guys. I have walked and sipped at Bedrock Vineyard with Chris and it is really special to see the wineries that have vines and plots set aside for their purposes. In a way it is interesting to see how different the iteration is with largely the same fruit under individual winemakers.
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A big and fruit forward zin. Full, open nose of blackberry jam and fresh cut blackberries with spice. Palate is plush with round forward fruit and moderate acidity. Big and easy drinking. Not as structured or complex as other Carlisle zins, but enjoyable none the less.
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Popped and poured at my sister's house for Passover. Almost impenetrably dark. Very nice and powerful with zero sweetness. She prefers the slightly sweeter Turley zins but this is more to my liking. Dark, brooding black and dark red fruit with some minerality and meatiness. There was also an herbal component and I thought I got a whiff of violet on the nose. Complex wine. Average length finish. This was an excellent pairing with the brisket, although it would have gone even better with my brisket the next day, which was cooked in a mass of caramelized onions and had a darker gravy. I'm a tough grader. Others might have gone higher.
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Good stuff from Carlisle. Great black and blue fruit. Still with a special forces backbone but quite enjoyable. Fred would give a big yabba dabba do to this Bedrock wine.
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Popped and splash decanted for 20-30 minutes. Complex, forward aromas of raspberries, bramble fruits and stone fruits with racy herbaceous notes, black pepper, tobacco and a subtle impression of minerals...just a killer nose. Elegant, almost surprisingly so...quite lithe for a Zin, with flavors nearly mirroring those found on the nose although the fruit is a bit more rustic (9% Mourvedre). Plus close carried by the fine-grained, chalky tannins. Continually evolving in glass and full of nuance, this is about as great an example of Zinfandel as one will hope to find.
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Definitely an outstanding zinfandel but I found the flavours a bit too primarily berry- and fruit scended. I like the more brambly, 'zinberry' flavoured styles from Papera and Montafi better.
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Smooth in the mouth with a silky touch on the finish. Feels almost elegant for a zin. Leans towards red fruit with some blackberry and pepper notes mixed in. Everyone loved it.
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This wine has so many flavors and different layers going on, and they all work together to make for a fantastic zin. Will go on for years but not sure I think you need to wait with a decent decant. Delicious.
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Ruby with pink highlights. Ripe raspberry and cherry nose, and a palate showing a pleasant focus and breadth. Finishes with a nice taste of orange peel and mild bitterness. Pretty suave and quite enjoyable. Drink over next 5 years.
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Dark purple. Aromatic fresh herbs, liquid smoke. Mourvedre brings out heavy, pleasant perfumes. Medium sweet, full bodied with smooth acidity. Medium, round tannins. Powerful flavors of black cherry, sweet tobacco with hint of smoked ham. Drank last of bottle on 3rd night, herbs subdued with nice cherry & boysenberry. Rocks & wet earth on long finish. Fantastic blended profile.
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Was surprised with this. At 15.8% alcohol, I thought it would be unbalanced. Not at all. Fruit was great. Brambly, rich, but not cloying. Mourvedre added color and some structure. In a great spot. Drink up!
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This wine really shows the vintage and site - more minerality and sleeker frame than I'm used to from Mike's wines. This made for a real pleasurable experience as there was still plenty of dark zin fruit and spice. Great effort- drink now or over the next five.
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Seems very ready to drink. Big nose of bramble, boysenberry and graphite. Deep dark brooding purple, all the way to the rim. Decanted, it only took 30 minutes for this bottle to really open up. Big palate of dark very mature bramble fruits with boysenberry and a touch of wood. Not much acid to cut the finish, leaving the wine a bit too round, right at the edge to be considered flabby. Very mature, very nice fruit - Very easy wine to drink.
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This wine is full bodied with ripe, dark fruit and spice. There is plenty of depth and structure, so I think this Will age beautifully for the next 5 - 10 years.
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Brambly berry fruit with a pepper kick. Really good stuff. The wife thought the alcohol was a little strong and didn't like it as much as I did, I thought it had some heat from the alcohol but in a good way that integrated well with the wine.
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Popped and poured. Big rich and zesty. Love the youthful vigor of this wine. Clearly dropped off on day 2. Stored in 375 in the fridge with very little head space. Pleasant on day two but not the darling of day 1 as structure collapsed. Drink up.
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Rich, full-bodied, very round mixed berry fruit with plum flavors, excellent structure, good viscosity and length, mid-palate wine, terrific, wine has really developed well in bottle since first tasted
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Distinctive compared to the other '10 Carlisle bottlings, and the first for me that didn't show significant heat. Nose is a little shy for a wine of this size, with classic dark brambly fruit, currants and lack fruit with a liquor-like quality, and a hint of spice. Palate is rich and smooth, with the mourverde showing through with a stony, spicy tautness in the middle that really allows this to hold together well despite it's size and ripeness. Has a strong stony/mineral quality much more prominent that other bottlings. Chalky tannins on the back end. 91-92
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Probably the best Carlisle I've had. This isn't my style of wine, but for a summer BBQ this hit the spot. Bold brambly flavors, and the high alcohol is hidden. I sometimes find these wines gloppy, but this one isn't. Impressive depth and concentration. I continue to buy these because they're crowd-pleasers and great BBQ wines.
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15.8% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Very expressive floral aromas. Concentrated red and black fruit flavors highlighted by black cherry with an intriguing tropical perfumed aspect. Very concentrated with excellent balance. A pleasing and persistent aftertaste. Will continue to improve for several years.
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What you want a Zin to taste like, cherry and strawberry with some good complexity but perfect balance and a refreshing characteristic with not over the top oak. Great job Mike!
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Brambly berry on the nose with high toned notes of cranberry compote, smoke and a touch of licorice. A little hit in the mouth, with a spicy element and some structure. A little lighter instyle than many Carlisle zins.
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Tart cherry-red fruit flavors and aromas. Modest tannins with fairly brisk acidity. Still fresh after 24 hours of air. Tasty but comes up a bit short on the finish. Best with food.
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Pop and pour and followed over 6 hours (including a 2 hour intermission). Dark purple color. Red fruits; shows a medicinal side (hint of cough syrup). Some nice pepper. This is 15.8% abv but doesn't show heat. A bit one dimensional.
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Funky and elegant. Subtle black spice, peppercorns, olive. Balance. Didn't seem like the 15.8% on the bottle. Nice restraint. Some figs, roast nuts. Really nice.
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Very well crafted, medium-bodied mixed berry fruit with earth and plum flavors, very good structure, a bit rough, very enjoyable but seemed to lack qualities that would make it more special
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Dark crimson. Opens with abundant raspberry fruit aromas and flavors. Not at all jammy with balanced acidity. Plum and mocha flavors on day 2 but no significant oxidation. A more structured and somewhat rustic style of Zin - Mourvèdre component?. Consider holding for 12-24 months.
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Opaque garnet color. Unique peach stone nose. Black fruit, oak, black tea, tannic and higher on the acid scale. Rustic and with a bite to it. Not my favorite style of zin, but an interesting wine nontheless. Will revisit in a couple years.
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5/1/2022 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP. Opaque red with slight fading to the rim. Bright bramble fruit on the nose. Big burst of cherries on the palate followed by raspberries. Bracing yet still eloquent. Firm but not overbearing tannins. Bright acidity, gorgeous balance. Finishes long and vibrant with dark fruits and lots of dusty spice. Beautiful right now and for 5 to 6 years more. Throwing a very fine sediment.
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9/27/2021 - mdahar wrote: 91 Points
Very nicely integrated with restrained fruit. A tad hot at opening but blow off
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6/7/2021 - ssouth Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply stunning. At a perfect place. Still rich and fruit driven but soft and integrated
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12/6/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consumed over two nights. While past its prime, I still enjoyed this. First night, not at all fragrant on opening, which surprised me. Subdued notes of blackberry and dried cherry, with evident pepper. Nice body/mouthfeel, with a long finish. Plenty of alcohol in this wine (15.8%) but it was never intrusive as I've found in other "over the hill" Zins. Second night, tobacco, cinnamon, cocoa, and graphite flavors, primarily, with the berry/cherry elements still there.
Opened a second bottle on 2/23/21 in honor of Fausto Gresini. This bottle was much better than the bottle I opened in early December, much more vibrant, less alcohol. Raised numerical score from 90 to 93, it was that much better!
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4/1/2018 - jfkwines wrote:
Not to my liking
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1/13/2018 - David_T wrote: 90 Points
Raspberry/blackberry/black cherry aromas. The palate is very full-bodied given the ABV but not at all hot/jammy. Fruits that match the nose along with cocoa and a bit of herbs. Integrated medium acid/tannins. Drinking well now and should continue to do so for several more years.
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12/26/2017 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Maroon in color. 15.8% ABV. Gorgeous nose of bright red fruits, peach cobbler and flowers. Medium body with juicy acidity. Fresh, restrained and remarkably well balanced. Raspberry, salmonberry, pepper and a hint of cream on the palate. Medium length on the finish. Lighter in style than I am accustomed to from Carlisle but delicious nonetheless. Drink over the next 1-2 years.
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11/10/2017 - bound4er Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice aged Zin - lighter red and zinberry fruit expression, bramble, spice. Tart, lightly acidic finish brings a nice level of drinkability and freshness to this wine. Won't overwhelm you with complexity but it sure is fun to drink.
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4/16/2017 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took my first of two to a party, so I couldn't produce detailed notes. Same story today. All I can recall is that it had a nice nose, was fairly rich and brambly, had a very nice finish, and you can dance to it. Seriously, it was what I'd call a typical single-vineyard Carlisle, meaning a classic zin. Rich, but not too raisiny or port-like. Should be good for another year or two.
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3/5/2017 - Senso-beak wrote: 87 Points
Opened and poured - jammy dark zin. Somewhat one dimensional, with jam compote and blacks show predominant. Some slight secondaries and some tannin. Overall this wasn't a wowser like I had hoped.
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1/25/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine:
My first bottle and was not disappointed. Delicious big zin. Dark fruits, spice, beautiful balance. Drink or hold.
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1/3/2017 - jpmo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice juice. Opened this wine after wasn't happy with the first try (another winery) of the evening. Seems like we can almost always rely, with a few exceptions, on Carlisle to be a reliable and delicious choice. The Bedrock is drinking well now. There are probably some years left in this one but is it worth the risk of waiting when it is so enjoyable now. Great QPR.
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9/4/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took to a party, so no detailed notes. Drinking wonderfully right now. Probably best by the end of 2017.
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8/7/2016 - Dale M wrote: 91 Points
Decanted an hour then let er' rip - Solid, in fact the nose was the real star here, full bloom of floral / Zin fruit goodness, spices etc. Palate echoes this with a little eucalyptus thrown in too. Seems at full peak, I would finish any remaining bottles in the next 2 to 3 years.
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7/1/2016 - bergkamp10 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent zinfandel entering its peak drinking window. Bright aromatics, with mixture of spice, pepper, a hint of vanilla and black fruits to the fore. The palate was fresh and complex, with blueberry, blackberry, pepper and hint of cocoa on a longish finish. This has come together very nicely, and is impressively integrated and structured for a big wine. Outshone an excellent 2010 Bedrock heirloom sourced from the same terrior.
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6/12/2016 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
More bright red fruits compared to the 09 Montafi side by side. Higher register fruits and flavors, juicy, nice balancing acidity to the raspberries and cream. At peak.
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3/24/2016 - joet626 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very tasty
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3/1/2016 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Loved it. Very bright and fresh signature Carlisle flavors and aromas - raspberries and cream. Very pure and detailed, nice acidity to balance the fruit. No over extraction or heat at all, yet profoundly deep and juicy. Faded a little bit towards the end, so I'd catch these soon for the fresh aliveness this exudes.
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2/18/2016 - btock Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really great bottle. Surprising savory notes on the nose and palate. Dark purple/black coloring. Brooding, but not dense. A zin to be studied/contemplated. Some garrique but really this is about polished fruit with dried herbs, a touch of game and smoked meats. Delicious.
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1/11/2016 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent to previous notes, classic new world Zin flavors, nice balance, and the heat is kept in check. Very good!
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12/26/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 93 Points
classic Carlisle zin, probably at it's peak.
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8/30/2015 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Ripe but fresh dark fruits with really nice cracked pepper notes. There's solid acidity and structure to go with the big zin fruit notes.
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8/16/2015 - joet626 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really good stuff. Well balanced with lots of dark fruit flavors
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6/7/2015 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
I completely love the synergy between these winemaker/vineyard guys. I have walked and sipped at Bedrock Vineyard with Chris and it is really special to see the wineries that have vines and plots set aside for their purposes. In a way it is interesting to see how different the iteration is with largely the same fruit under individual winemakers.
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4/18/2015 - Nanda Likes this wine: 90 Points
A big and fruit forward zin. Full, open nose of blackberry jam and fresh cut blackberries with spice. Palate is plush with round forward fruit and moderate acidity. Big and easy drinking. Not as structured or complex as other Carlisle zins, but enjoyable none the less.
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4/3/2015 - J @ y H @ c k Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured at my sister's house for Passover. Almost impenetrably dark. Very nice and powerful with zero sweetness. She prefers the slightly sweeter Turley zins but this is more to my liking. Dark, brooding black and dark red fruit with some minerality and meatiness. There was also an herbal component and I thought I got a whiff of violet on the nose. Complex wine. Average length finish. This was an excellent pairing with the brisket, although it would have gone even better with my brisket the next day, which was cooked in a mass of caramelized onions and had a darker gravy. I'm a tough grader. Others might have gone higher.
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2/22/2015 - ravbik wrote: 92 Points
Greatly improved with age. Became more concentrated with rich red fours shied through . Good stuff
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2/17/2015 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good stuff from Carlisle. Great black and blue fruit. Still with a special forces backbone but quite enjoyable. Fred would give a big yabba dabba do to this Bedrock wine.
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1/10/2015 - Matt T wrote: 89 Points
In a bit of an awkward stage. The alcohol was not quite as integrated as most bottles.
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12/28/2014 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wait at least 2 years for last one.
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12/14/2014 - *Vine* wrote:
Popped and splash decanted for 20-30 minutes. Complex, forward aromas of raspberries, bramble fruits and stone fruits with racy herbaceous notes, black pepper, tobacco and a subtle impression of minerals...just a killer nose. Elegant, almost surprisingly so...quite lithe for a Zin, with flavors nearly mirroring those found on the nose although the fruit is a bit more rustic (9% Mourvedre). Plus close carried by the fine-grained, chalky tannins.
Continually evolving in glass and full of nuance, this is about as great an example of Zinfandel as one will hope to find.
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9/7/2014 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep rich and primary with bramble, leather and lots of blueberry and blackberry... Opened up nicely after 30 min
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7/19/2014 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely an outstanding zinfandel but I found the flavours a bit too primarily berry- and fruit scended. I like the more brambly, 'zinberry' flavoured styles from Papera and Montafi better.
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6/29/2014 - haldolugr wrote: 92 Points
Smooth in the mouth with a silky touch on the finish. Feels almost elegant for a zin. Leans towards red fruit with some blackberry and pepper notes mixed in. Everyone loved it.
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5/26/2014 - haldolugr wrote: 92 Points
This wine has so many flavors and different layers going on, and they all work together to make for a fantastic zin. Will go on for years but not sure I think you need to wait with a decent decant. Delicious.
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5/3/2014 - nectar14 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ruby with pink highlights. Ripe raspberry and cherry nose, and a palate showing a pleasant focus and breadth. Finishes with a nice taste of orange peel and mild bitterness. Pretty suave and quite enjoyable. Drink over next 5 years.
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4/27/2014 - ravbik wrote: 90 Points
Full body, raspberry , blackberry, acidic mellow tannins . Not as intense or rich as other Carlisle zin's but overall good value
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3/19/2014 - raydawgone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark purple. Aromatic fresh herbs, liquid smoke. Mourvedre brings out heavy, pleasant perfumes. Medium sweet, full bodied with smooth acidity. Medium, round tannins. Powerful flavors of black cherry, sweet tobacco with hint of smoked ham. Drank last of bottle on 3rd night, herbs subdued with nice cherry & boysenberry. Rocks & wet earth on long finish. Fantastic blended profile.
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2/22/2014 - kenthargis wrote: 90 Points
Was surprised with this. At 15.8% alcohol, I thought it would be unbalanced. Not at all. Fruit was great. Brambly, rich, but not cloying. Mourvedre added color and some structure. In a great spot. Drink up!
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1/19/2014 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruit, earth, spice and bramble with rich finish and great mouthfeel, exactly what I hoped for when reached for it
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1/4/2014 - EhrlichDY wrote: 91 Points
This wine really shows the vintage and site - more minerality and sleeker frame than I'm used to from Mike's wines. This made for a real pleasurable experience as there was still plenty of dark zin fruit and spice. Great effort- drink now or over the next five.
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12/31/2013 - gzim Likes this wine: 90 Points
Seems very ready to drink. Big nose of bramble, boysenberry and graphite.
Deep dark brooding purple, all the way to the rim. Decanted, it only took 30 minutes for this bottle to really open up. Big palate of dark very mature bramble fruits with boysenberry and a touch of wood. Not much acid to cut the finish, leaving the wine a bit too round, right at the edge to be considered flabby.
Very mature, very nice fruit - Very easy wine to drink.
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12/19/2013 - Meerlust wrote:
This wine is full bodied with ripe, dark fruit and spice. There is plenty of depth and structure, so I think this Will age beautifully for the next 5 - 10 years.
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11/26/2013 - joet626 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lots of dark berry fruit and spice. Rich and full bodied. This was very good and I suspect will really get better in next few years.
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11/25/2013 - haldolugr wrote: 91 Points
Brambly berry fruit with a pepper kick. Really good stuff. The wife thought the alcohol was a little strong and didn't like it as much as I did, I thought it had some heat from the alcohol but in a good way that integrated well with the wine.
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11/8/2013 - dmatley wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Big rich and zesty. Love the youthful vigor of this wine. Clearly dropped off on day 2. Stored in 375 in the fridge with very little head space. Pleasant on day two but not the darling of day 1 as structure collapsed. Drink up.
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10/20/2013 - Floyd77 wrote: 90 Points
Thick, dark, spicy, packed w fruit. So big, it takes some effort to drink ... Excellent wine. Not really my style though.
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9/29/2013 - jonysan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really enjoyed this Zin. Luscious fruit with just the right amount of spice. Nicely balanced and drinking well now.
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9/14/2013 - oeno1820 wrote: 92 Points
Very spicy, even for a Zin, but opens to a fuller and rich flavor.
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8/26/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very pure, exceptionally nice.
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8/5/2013 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Rich, full-bodied, very round mixed berry fruit with plum flavors, excellent structure, good viscosity and length, mid-palate wine, terrific, wine has really developed well in bottle since first tasted
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7/31/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Distinctive compared to the other '10 Carlisle bottlings, and the first for me that didn't show significant heat. Nose is a little shy for a wine of this size, with classic dark brambly fruit, currants and lack fruit with a liquor-like quality, and a hint of spice. Palate is rich and smooth, with the mourverde showing through with a stony, spicy tautness in the middle that really allows this to hold together well despite it's size and ripeness. Has a strong stony/mineral quality much more prominent that other bottlings. Chalky tannins on the back end. 91-92
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7/21/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 88 Points
A nice zin but I'm just not a big mouved fan. Still a nice wine but not my favorite.
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7/6/2013 - bubbachumps wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with my prior notes.
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7/5/2013 - cjsavino wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely delicious, deep color, long finish.
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6/24/2013 - shadow wrote: 93 Points
nose is shark and fruity, color, dark, rich and fruity, makes your mouth water
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6/10/2013 - rc@ughey wrote: 89 Points
Probably the best Carlisle I've had. This isn't my style of wine, but for a summer BBQ this hit the spot. Bold brambly flavors, and the high alcohol is hidden. I sometimes find these wines gloppy, but this one isn't. Impressive depth and concentration. I continue to buy these because they're crowd-pleasers and great BBQ wines.
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6/7/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
15.8% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Very expressive floral aromas. Concentrated red and black fruit flavors highlighted by black cherry with an intriguing tropical perfumed aspect. Very concentrated with excellent balance. A pleasing and persistent aftertaste. Will continue to improve for several years.
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6/5/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
What you want a Zin to taste like, cherry and strawberry with some good complexity but perfect balance and a refreshing characteristic with not over the top oak. Great job Mike!
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5/17/2013 - bubbachumps wrote: 91 Points
Brambly berry on the nose with high toned notes of cranberry compote, smoke and a touch of licorice. A little hit in the mouth, with a spicy element and some structure. A little lighter instyle than many Carlisle zins.
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5/1/2013 - Old Gray Hare wrote:
Thin w tart moderately hot fnish. Actually tasted orange rather than peaches/apricots
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4/7/2013 - jtinto wrote: 91 Points
Medium body, ripe. Fashioned in a more polished style. With 15.8% ABV I didn't get any heat. Amazing actually. Very impressed with this effort.
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3/30/2013 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tart cherry-red fruit flavors and aromas. Modest tannins with fairly brisk acidity. Still fresh after 24 hours of air. Tasty but comes up a bit short on the finish. Best with food.
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3/27/2013 - t_moderne wrote: 86 Points
Pop and pour and followed over 6 hours (including a 2 hour intermission). Dark purple color. Red fruits; shows a medicinal side (hint of cough syrup). Some nice pepper. This is 15.8% abv but doesn't show heat. A bit one dimensional.
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3/22/2013 - dougie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Became very balanced and beautiful at 2 hours. Didn't taste any alcohol at all. Wait a couple of years for the next.
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3/18/2013 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good red berry brambly fruit, maybe a little more rustic than most Carlisle zinfandels, still a great glass of wine.
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3/9/2013 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Funky and elegant. Subtle black spice, peppercorns, olive. Balance. Didn't seem like the 15.8% on the bottle.
Nice restraint. Some figs, roast nuts. Really nice.
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2/25/2013 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Very well crafted, medium-bodied mixed berry fruit with earth and plum flavors, very good structure, a bit rough, very enjoyable but seemed to lack qualities that would make it more special
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1/21/2013 - rdf58 wrote: 91 Points
Dark crimson. Opens with abundant raspberry fruit aromas and flavors. Not at all jammy with balanced acidity. Plum and mocha flavors on day 2 but no significant oxidation. A more structured and somewhat rustic style of Zin - Mourvèdre component?. Consider holding for 12-24 months.
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1/1/2013 - Mootsie wrote: 89 Points
Opaque garnet color. Unique peach stone nose. Black fruit, oak, black tea, tannic and higher on the acid scale. Rustic and with a bite to it. Not my favorite style of zin, but an interesting wine nontheless. Will revisit in a couple years.
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