This thing is still alive. PnP and has nice berry on the nose. A little medicinal but not enough to impact the enjoyment. Lingers on the tongue a good 45 seconds. Didnt expect it to still be alive given the drinking window!
I drank this wine when coming off a cold, so this TN should be taken with a huge grain of salt. (In my defense, I had some nice ribeyes that deserved a good wine; I hadn't had a glass in almost a week due to the cold; and I still have one more of these in my cellar.) Anyway, the nose was actually quite muted (and I don't think this was entirely the cold), giving off some notes of dark berries. On the palate the wine was a different creature entirely, coming across like an intense boysenberry liqueur. The wine was extremely silken on the palate; tannins were basically gone, and the acidity was just enough to support the structure of the wine. There was no alcoholic heat or bite, but the wine did impart a sense of mild sweetness that probably came from the alcohol. This would be a great wine to give to a someone who claims not to like red wine; it was extremely accessible, even hedonistic in a gentle fashion. I don't think that Eric Asimov & co. would go for it, however. As the wine has clearly peaked, I will try my remaining bottle under better conditions within the year.
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Glad to have caught this one now. Still dark black/purple fruits at the core but becoming a bit reticent and throwing some sediment. Rich, but not overdone. deeply flavored and engaging syrah.
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Decanted in glasses 45min+. Explosive nose. Expected denser more extracted then this seemed. Lighter body than I expect from Carlisle and the initial impression from the nose.
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Nose explodes upon opening. Could just sit and smell it...rich fruit, meat and smoke. Palate is perfectly mature and smooth and plenty ripe. A great syrah.
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No time for decant, which was a mistake. Aromas of blackberry with a little tobacco. Silky blackberry fruit and oak flavors showing some heat. Nice lingering finish.
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Wine was great. Decanted for one hour, poured back in bottle , reopened a hour later. Bacon fat softens and fruit shows through. really drinkable and overwhelmed two younger Syrahs in a tasting.
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Dan brought to the dinner. Will vote with the masses on this one. This is only my second single vineyard Syrah from Mike O. Wondered if a 2004 would have softened a little. Man this stuff was Inky dark, purple-black in the glass. Nose of dark crushed blackberry, hot-rock, west indies spice boat, and maybe some cigar-box action. It's a crazy blend, and I wanted to just sit and smell the market of flavors! Incredible that this is still tight, but the structure of the wine is so solid. The fruit is dark rich berries, with a hearty meat component, and trailing white pepper and spice on the mid-palate. From what I can remember... 3 bottles deep at this point, and loosing some judgement. All I can remember for sure is that this is really fine juice, and would keep up with alot of more expensive Red wines. Went well with Ray's pork and our mixed mexican fare for dinner.
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Unforgiving, frustrated I opened this. Starting to think that the Carlisle single vineyards need to sit for 10 yrs+. After having this and the '03 Bennett, these are just massive wines. The Pelkan seems a bit more approachable, but even that one can be tight. I remember this was the barrel sample that most impressed me in one tasting session with Mike. The wine is still revealing its potential. We put 1/2 right into a 375ml, and that was better 2 nights later. Deep purple fruits, no secondary characteristics yet, still a big young syrah. Fresh and embracing. Let them sit a few more years. I'm going hands off for at least 2 years.
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Very dark with blackberry, graphite and licorice notes. The lush mouthfeel is balanced by ample acidity feels refreshing to drink. In the vein of a great Aussie Shiraz.
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Syrah with Stephen Pohlman (Park City, UT): Massively ripe and confected nose with grilled plums and an intense, almost overripe edge. The palate is much more civilized, a touch sweet, powerful, well structured, with deep and powerful black fruit. The finish is a touch drying. The continued to improve all night with more air. A delicious wine and clearly the 'biggest' of the night.
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Opened an immediately poured into a decanter. Tried a bit right out of the bottle and can tell this is going to be a great one. Alcohol is inhibiting the nose, but the wine has that textbook creamy blueberry flavor that brings me back to Carlisle time and again. Very balanced, although a little hot. Letting it sit for at least an hour. 90 minutes later, the nose of tar, spice, and black fruits is singing. All sorts of deep, dark fruits, with nice secondary characteristics of bacon, dirt, and tobacco that bring that zing that makes this wine so interesting. Still a touch hot, but not to the point of being distracting. I'd recommend a two hour decant. Two and a half hours in an this wine is in a great place. Everything good from above without the heat. Not for the faint of heart, but a fantastically balanced wine that's everything I love about Carlisle!
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A fruit bomb. Clearly a "hot" climate syrah. A lot to admire here, but just can't get past the high-alcohol content that dominated the hot finish. As someone once said in a movie "I think he may have overdone it on this one".
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A truly excellent bottle of wine, even for Carlisle standards. Decanted 1-2 hours. Full of fruit but not overwhelming with little of the tannins/alcohol associated with "big" wines. Highly recommend. Had with SST, 2 hndcp @ Oakmont.
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This is significantly better than the '03. Much better balanced and the finish does not show the heat of the '03. FMIII talks about confusing this wine with a zin but I don't see that in this wine. Very much a syrah in the big decadent Carlisle style.
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Nice Drink that improved in the glass over the evening. I think my last bottle will be my best. Lots of fruit and spice here. maybe a tad acidic still. Very enjoyable
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Maybe I am going to drink all of these that are left under cork. This one from yet again Jim Mack's cellar, as much as like last year. This follows the bottle I drank from my own cellar about a week ago. Perhaps some more aromatics on the wine this time than the bottle last week....soy, some leather but when the palate flavors arrive, like the last bottle, this drinks like an expressive RRV Carlisle zin. I know this is syrah but at this stage, it drinks like zin: black raspberry, blue jam and some kiwi. As I said last time, if you have it, drink it. It's a fun drink but I gave you the gaurdrails again!
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My last 04 BV and this was the bottle Mike signed for us when he visited about 3 years ago. As opposed to the bottle that we drank late last year, this bottle tonight showed similar, although not as decadent. I recall commenting that the last bottle was more like a powerful zin than a syrah; tonight's bottle would seem similar, more zin/petite-like...forward, fruit filled and powerful. It showed a pure blueberry juicy palate, with the richness of blackberry, but also some iron and a faint whiff of marrow. For sure, it's forward and the blueberry and dark fruit edges make it fun to drink. I don't think the wine is going downhill but like I have said recently about a few other wines, not sure age will improve this. Let it rip.
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Affiriming my note from 6 months ago, this wine is ready to go. Concentrated blueberry, boysenberry jam. Some licorice and chocolate finishes the wine. There is some acidity on the finish so that could add some additional life to the wine but the elevated ripeness and fruit density is at peak and I will drink my last bottle within the next couple months. Towards the decadent end of the spectrum and will need a rich food or a cold night by the fire.
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Wow. Popped and poured. Dark purple, glass staining, color. Fantastic nose with floral notes and dark fruit. On the palate blueberry, blackberry, meat, creme de cassis. This is my 3rd of 4. Going to wait a couple of years to try the last bottle, as I think there is enough structure to last several more years (although I do not see how it could get much better).
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This wine is evolving into a beautiful wine with many great years ahead of it. I just hope that show enough self control to hold on to a few bottles until it reaches it's prime which should be in a couple of years. Another great syrah from Mike.
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Decanted for 3hrs then back into the bottle for a day. Wow, what a nose – rose petal, gamy meats, the blackest fruits, a little green olive and a damp earth note. Thick and chewy mouthfeel with the addition of chocolate and some roasting coffee. Powerful finish full of peppery spice. A rich, exuberant wine. My only complaint is the lack of a little energy and tension on the palate.
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My 4th bottle of this wine, with the last one being just about a year ago. Having tasted this wine last night over a couple hours, I was surprised as to how it unfolded and the amount of richness that it showed. I don't recall this richness and forwardness in the previous bottles so I would put forth there is change in this wine as it softens. Ripe blue and black fruits, hint of olive. The finish lingers with a solid blueberry signature, along with some chocolate. Would seem at this stage this wine is in the drink window, to hit it now. Probably my favorite wine of the night, too.
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Decanted for 1+ hrs. Very dark, earthy nose: tar, grilled meat, smoke, licorice and roasted dark fruits. Palate was rich, dark brambly fruit with a wonderful mouthfeel. Full-bodied but lively with acidity. Nice spicy finish. Day 2...like my 2004 Carlisle DCV Syrah about 6 months ago, I thought this lost its distinctiveness over night. Had more cocoa on the nose and palate and had lost its lively acidity and spicy finish. I guess I need to finish them on day 1. Score is for day 1.
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Viscosity, depth, nuance, elegance, power. Need I say more? This is an incredible bottle of wine that hits all of the high notes of California Syrah. It's got wonderful fruit, lovely balance, is meaty and spicy, earthy and dark, yet subtle and captivating. Easily enjoyed on its own and enhanced a simple charcuterie and artisan cheese meal.
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Beautiful, full rich syrah. Opened for about 1/2 hour before tasting. Dark purple, staining like most Carlisle's. Nose of dark fruits mixed with chocolate and nutmeg. In the mouth, plum and blackberries predominate with roasted meats notes. Very broad and full in the mouth, with substantial finish. A little heat and too much wine for some, but overall a big beautiful experience. I expect this will be better in a couple of years as well and its hard to imagine when it could decline.
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Decanted 3 hours. Deep, dark maroon color. Blackberries, blueberries, roasted meat, licorice, and a hint of a floral note on the nose. Full body with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. Massive fruit on the palate with spicy, peppery, sweet berries. Incredibly long finish with just a touch too much oak at the end.
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Not as good as the last bottle but still quite taste. A huge syrah that should get even better over the next few years. Quite tasty now with two hours of decanting.
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And now a PSA: DO NOT POP AND POUR THIS WINE. Starting off very closed on the nose and tight on the palate with some dark sweet fruits and glycerin. And did I mention dark as molasses? Definite heat on the back end. I let it sit in the bottle for about 2 hrs. It slowly opened to reveal more fruit concentration, more sweetness, a touch of tarry asphalt. The structure is somewhat hidden under all the fruit and leaves me puzzled as to this wines longevity. The heat has subsided somewhat. The finish is long and lingering. I occasionally enjoy these big wines on their own and was looking to do that with this wine before dinner. I must say that food improved the wines performance and helped. All said, I enjoyed the wine tonight, but it was very far from a N. Rhone experience for me. It is what it is. I have half the bottle saved for day 2 which I will enjoy as PENN ST. crushes USC. Happy New Year!
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Expected to really like this after reading all the wonderful things said about the wine and the producer, but I can't say that I do. I found it overextracted and over the top with some considerable heat on the finish. Just too much of a good thing. The fruit tasted reductive, plummy, and overripe. There was some nice tannins and some acidity to balance it out, but it was offset by the hotness of the alcohol. Not a wine I can get excited about repurchasing.
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enjoyed this tonight. big nose of dark fruits, cassis, grilled meats. palate is big but pleasant. just short of velvety texture and a tad hot. but the fruit is riveting - dark blackberries really show. licorice and cocoa and some pepper. finish is relatively smooth with, again, a small amount of heat.
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i'm a big fan of carlisle zins, but the big, extracted style does not do it for me with the syrahs...those who enjoy this style of syrah will enjoy this wine, although i do find the finish a bit hot...personally, i'll take a peay or pax over this style
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This wine wowed them. Very open and the alcohol not evident. Rich ripe fruit. I actually got only a tiny taste as I stuck w/ the French stuff to let my hosts enjoy what they preferred
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Everything but the finish on this wine was outstanding... it had a nose of tar, cherries, acacia flowers, and plum skin. It was elegant but well-structured in the mouth, with good viscosity and persistence. The problem was that the finish, at this point, has a lingering unpleasant oaky bitterness. It's too bad, because everything else about this wine is so nice... but it's hard to love it when the last taste you're left with is displeasing. However, that bitterness wasn't there 2 years ago, and is likely to fade with some more time, I think.
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Classic Bennet valley or north rhone syrah nose, with stem, tar. nice acidity and tannins feel good in the mouth, but it the flavors that keep rolling out--citrus rind, strawberry, dark berries, leathers, river stones. Yumm!
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This wine was singing tonight -- amazing aromas of blackberries and blueberries, with a touch of vanilla on the finish. Carlisle is making one of the top NW Syrahs in the World right now.
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Day1 Pop and pour. Great wine, fullbodied and pure. Core of dark rasberry with some darker blue and blackfruits as well. Spicy along with some earthiness as well. Nice long finish with a touch of heat. This wine delivers on all facets, a well rounded wine. Will be nice to see how it develops on day 2. It definitely has structure to improve.
Day 2 Really smoothed out and did not display the heat like the 1st day. The wine also seemed to gain weight and seemed much more lush. Drank this wine to early but I had an impulse to drink something Carlisle and this was the bottle I pulled. Still you can enjoy it now, but I would suggest a minimu of 3 hours decanting.
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LA Conejo Valley Best American Syrah Shootout (Cafe 14, Agoura Hills): Fat berry sauce nose with the berry being broad but somewhat flat. Notes of heat and oak but got deeper with time in the glass. Very round and thick on the palate it lacks acidity and reveals heat on the finish. Similar to my last experience with this wine I find it has some very nice fruit but lacks complexity and seems simple with a narrow range of expression.
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Opened on Thursday and poured off a half glass, this was a disjointed alcoholic mess. Recorked and left in the 'fridge until dinner on Sunday. Once again, this transformed into a radically different wine. Integrated ripe fruit with floral aromas and some tarry notes on the palate. This is now my third bottle in a row that has undergone a major transformation with 3+ days of slow oxygenation; I will be doing this with every bottle I plan to drink.
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Decanted for one hour while we worked on the Zins. Huge nose of bacon, tar, smoke, and dark fruit. Palate is loaded with dark fruit, a burst of black and blue fruit, licorice and a meaty essence fills all corners of the mouth. Tannic still, this is a monster, but a tasty, kick you in the ass and let you know your alive monster. Damn good and years of life of ahead of it.
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i've yet to drink a syrah from the bennet valley that didn't totally kick ass! smokey, meaty, dark fruit. huge in the mouth and back end with a bit of black olive mixed in. very nice!
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Had a bottle of this a week ago but did not TN it. Recall was a wine of bigger bones, some noticeable oak, some olive and deep fruit. Roll forward to last night's local OC OL tasting (see Paul's note as we had same wine together), I was very pleased to how much this wine has progressed since last November, as well as how much it showed so well last night. Seemed to be even more approachable then even last weekend's bottle I had. Lots of blueberry, some red tones, faint olive and again with some oak yet to fill in and structure to go. But even with the structure, I really enjoyed it. Will get even better as it softens and the oak fades out some.
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Fratello's Offline (Laguna Niguel, CA): A terrific syrah and my WOTN. Notes of blueberries, bacon fat, licorice, and little tar. Great structure and nice balance. This is my first Carlisle and I will definitely be seeking out more of this wine. Awesome juice!
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this reminded me of Oz- a lot of blueberry pie, some mint and a touch of vanilla and meatloaf on the nose. a rush of full blown blueberry on the attack. but this was followed by some heat and a touch of greenness. nice finish though.
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Okay, this wasn’t meant for seafood, but it was big and alcoholic. Yeah, there was a ton of fruit and concentration, but where’s the subtlety? It was better on the second day. Things had settle and bloomed into a nicer balance.
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($36) 15.9% alcohol. Merits a wow! Based on the nose alone. Aromas of intensely concentrated crushed black and blue berry fruit. A touch like cobbler. Lovely x3. "sweet" black fruit on the palate with a lift of acid late. Delicious.
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Great Syrah. Had with Lamb shanks and paired beautifully. A touch hot, but didn't take away from experince. WOTN for all four of us at dinner vs. 00 Bdx (Margaux - forget producer).
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From memory-- drank this one in January '07: Lovely dark purple/red color with nice aromas of grapey blackberry, minerals, and earth. Smooth in the mouth with black and purple fruits, a touch of leather, mineral, and tar. Tannins are smooth but substantial. Will be interested to try this one again in a few years.
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Blind Night (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Midnight black in color. Blackberries, blueberries, tobacco, leather and tar. Huge concentration and extraction. Very monolithic in the mid palate. Rich finish. Good acidity and the huge fruit covers it's considerable alcohol level. Not balanced but also not disjointed. A bit tiring to the palate. This wine screamed Central Coast Syrah to me. Jock is right when he says that these wines lack a sense of place but nonetheless this is a wine I like to drink. Brought by Jeff.
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This was probably the best syrah I've ever consumed by Carlisle. Although still very young it is tasting great right now. Just be sure to decant it for at least a couple hours to let it open up. Kudos Mike. An awesome wine.
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i'm no longer on the mailing list... but, that doesn't mean i can't be objective when evaluating a wine. i actually saw this on the shelf of a local grocery store while i was waiting for a sandwich to be made in the deli. i didn't know squat about it, but made the impulse purchase. decanted.
this is a remarkable wine, and considering the alcohol level, i recommend the idiots at mollydooker take a sabatical and study under mr officer.
right from the first sip, i knew this was an exceptional wine. and, as it has fleshed out with even more air, the evolution provides a gripping stranglehold on the midpalate. reluctantly, the wine drifts into a finish that you have been coaxing in your mind. it doesn't disappoint. plus, no heat! this wine is on a level with the best domestic examples of any vintage, and i highly recommend it.
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Very young at this stage with tons of blueberry, vanilla, violets, and a perfumed mix of smoke, mineral and violets. Fine tannins complete the long finish. Currently this is all about primary fruit pleasure, but will no doubt get better and more complex over the next 2-5 years.
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I guess I am first into CT for this wine. The wine arrived a few weeks ago but with FM2 in town and staying over, figured I'd give him a sample of Cal syrah. As compared to the 2003 of this same wine, the 2004 has much more structure. While the 2003 was a 'knock off your doors' monster, the 2004 says 'I'm here but give me some time, as I gots more structure'. This is a wine of blue and black fruits--no trace of red in sight. Rich and structured. The wine also shows a black licorice character. I told my dad to think of the black licorice vines you'd get at the movies and try the wine. His light then went on. While showing some unctuous character and weight, this wine finishes still tight and needs some time to show what I think it will become. Feels more mature and steady against the 2003 and one that I will let sleep and enjoy further in 2008. Nice wine, Mike.
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1/8/2020 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This thing is still alive. PnP and has nice berry on the nose. A little medicinal but not enough to impact the enjoyment. Lingers on the tongue a good 45 seconds. Didnt expect it to still be alive given the drinking window!
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4/12/2015 - ParisWino Likes this wine: 90 Points
I drank this wine when coming off a cold, so this TN should be taken with a huge grain of salt. (In my defense, I had some nice ribeyes that deserved a good wine; I hadn't had a glass in almost a week due to the cold; and I still have one more of these in my cellar.) Anyway, the nose was actually quite muted (and I don't think this was entirely the cold), giving off some notes of dark berries. On the palate the wine was a different creature entirely, coming across like an intense boysenberry liqueur. The wine was extremely silken on the palate; tannins were basically gone, and the acidity was just enough to support the structure of the wine. There was no alcoholic heat or bite, but the wine did impart a sense of mild sweetness that probably came from the alcohol. This would be a great wine to give to a someone who claims not to like red wine; it was extremely accessible, even hedonistic in a gentle fashion. I don't think that Eric Asimov & co. would go for it, however. As the wine has clearly peaked, I will try my remaining bottle under better conditions within the year.
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4/8/2015 - Knicksfan wrote: 90 Points
Still drinking beautifully; rich fruit, good balance, nice finish,
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1/3/2015 - btock Likes this wine: 90 Points
Glad to have caught this one now. Still dark black/purple fruits at the core but becoming a bit reticent and throwing some sediment. Rich, but not overdone. deeply flavored and engaging syrah.
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11/30/2013 - JBD wrote: 96 Points
This was remarkable. The flavor and feel were near perfect.
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11/20/2012 - dmitchell4 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted in glasses 45min+. Explosive nose. Expected denser more extracted then this seemed. Lighter body than I expect from Carlisle and the initial impression from the nose.
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9/2/2012 - meatman wrote: 93 Points
Nose explodes upon opening. Could just sit and smell it...rich fruit, meat and smoke. Palate is perfectly mature and smooth and plenty ripe. A great syrah.
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5/15/2012 - davidspieker wrote: 89 Points
No time for decant, which was a mistake. Aromas of blackberry with a little tobacco. Silky blackberry fruit and oak flavors showing some heat. Nice lingering finish.
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4/27/2012 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Wine was great. Decanted for one hour, poured back in bottle , reopened a hour later. Bacon fat softens and fruit shows through. really drinkable and overwhelmed two younger Syrahs in a tasting.
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3/17/2012 - bound4er wrote: 88 Points
The oak on the finish was a little too prominent for me - seems the fruit is fading a bit. Still enjoyable but I would drink up.
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11/28/2011 - sjdcellar wrote: 90 Points
not as good as promised - maybe still a bit young but this was a fruit bomb and had a lot of heat. will give it more time
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7/4/2011 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Dan brought to the dinner. Will vote with the masses on this one. This is only my second single vineyard Syrah from Mike O. Wondered if a 2004 would have softened a little. Man this stuff was Inky dark, purple-black in the glass. Nose of dark crushed blackberry, hot-rock, west indies spice boat, and maybe some cigar-box action. It's a crazy blend, and I wanted to just sit and smell the market of flavors! Incredible that this is still tight, but the structure of the wine is so solid. The fruit is dark rich berries, with a hearty meat component, and trailing white pepper and spice on the mid-palate. From what I can remember... 3 bottles deep at this point, and loosing some judgement. All I can remember for sure is that this is really fine juice, and would keep up with alot of more expensive Red wines. Went well with Ray's pork and our mixed mexican fare for dinner.
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6/8/2011 - btock wrote: 90 Points
Unforgiving, frustrated I opened this. Starting to think that the Carlisle single vineyards need to sit for 10 yrs+. After having this and the '03 Bennett, these are just massive wines. The Pelkan seems a bit more approachable, but even that one can be tight. I remember this was the barrel sample that most impressed me in one tasting session with Mike. The wine is still revealing its potential. We put 1/2 right into a 375ml, and that was better 2 nights later. Deep purple fruits, no secondary characteristics yet, still a big young syrah. Fresh and embracing. Let them sit a few more years. I'm going hands off for at least 2 years.
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5/15/2011 - rmodak wrote: 92 Points
Very dark with blackberry, graphite and licorice notes. The lush mouthfeel is balanced by ample acidity feels refreshing to drink. In the vein of a great Aussie Shiraz.
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4/27/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
Still loving this wine. Just one of 9 bottles left.
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2/25/2011 - Eric Likes this wine: 94 Points
Syrah with Stephen Pohlman (Park City, UT): Massively ripe and confected nose with grilled plums and an intense, almost overripe edge. The palate is much more civilized, a touch sweet, powerful, well structured, with deep and powerful black fruit. The finish is a touch drying. The continued to improve all night with more air. A delicious wine and clearly the 'biggest' of the night.
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1/20/2011 - ogres3 wrote:
Excellent wine - will keep ordering the Carlisle wines.
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1/8/2011 - ggolec wrote: 93 Points
Opened an immediately poured into a decanter. Tried a bit right out of the bottle and can tell this is going to be a great one. Alcohol is inhibiting the nose, but the wine has that textbook creamy blueberry flavor that brings me back to Carlisle time and again. Very balanced, although a little hot. Letting it sit for at least an hour. 90 minutes later, the nose of tar, spice, and black fruits is singing. All sorts of deep, dark fruits, with nice secondary characteristics of bacon, dirt, and tobacco that bring that zing that makes this wine so interesting. Still a touch hot, but not to the point of being distracting. I'd recommend a two hour decant. Two and a half hours in an this wine is in a great place. Everything good from above without the heat. Not for the faint of heart, but a fantastically balanced wine that's everything I love about Carlisle!
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12/26/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Outstanding. Excellent. Drinking well, decanted about an hour. Great fruit, a little in your face.
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12/23/2010 - wequedad wrote: 92 Points
Just great Syrah. Am getting to the point where I like Syrah more than Pinot ie: good Syrah is better than good Pinot.
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9/3/2010 - johnwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a gigantic, palate exploding Syrah from Carlisle. Wow what dense, silky black fruit that takes over the palate with just a sip of this wine.
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8/16/2010 - nfafoglia wrote: 90 Points
A fruit bomb. Clearly a "hot" climate syrah. A lot to admire here, but just can't get past the high-alcohol content that dominated the hot finish. As someone once said in a movie "I think he may have overdone it on this one".
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8/14/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
A truly excellent bottle of wine, even for Carlisle standards. Decanted 1-2 hours. Full of fruit but not overwhelming with little of the tannins/alcohol associated with "big" wines. Highly recommend. Had with SST, 2 hndcp @ Oakmont.
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7/9/2010 - RussW Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is significantly better than the '03. Much better balanced and the finish does not show the heat of the '03. FMIII talks about confusing this wine with a zin but I don't see that in this wine. Very much a syrah in the big decadent Carlisle style.
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5/4/2010 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
Nice Drink that improved in the glass over the evening. I think my last bottle will be my best. Lots of fruit and spice here. maybe a tad acidic still. Very enjoyable
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4/24/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Maybe I am going to drink all of these that are left under cork. This one from yet again Jim Mack's cellar, as much as like last year. This follows the bottle I drank from my own cellar about a week ago. Perhaps some more aromatics on the wine this time than the bottle last week....soy, some leather but when the palate flavors arrive, like the last bottle, this drinks like an expressive RRV Carlisle zin. I know this is syrah but at this stage, it drinks like zin: black raspberry, blue jam and some kiwi. As I said last time, if you have it, drink it. It's a fun drink but I gave you the gaurdrails again!
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4/23/2010 - johnwine wrote: 97 Points
This is a blockbuster Syrah from Carlisle. I agree with Parker on this one.
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4/18/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My last 04 BV and this was the bottle Mike signed for us when he visited about 3 years ago. As opposed to the bottle that we drank late last year, this bottle tonight showed similar, although not as decadent. I recall commenting that the last bottle was more like a powerful zin than a syrah; tonight's bottle would seem similar, more zin/petite-like...forward, fruit filled and powerful. It showed a pure blueberry juicy palate, with the richness of blackberry, but also some iron and a faint whiff of marrow. For sure, it's forward and the blueberry and dark fruit edges make it fun to drink. I don't think the wine is going downhill but like I have said recently about a few other wines, not sure age will improve this. Let it rip.
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4/1/2010 - zheem wrote:
Drinking deliciously now, and still seems to have some life, but agree with previous notes about bordering on decadence...in a good way!
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2/8/2010 - btock wrote: 91 Points
Big, black/blue fruit. Deep coloring in the glass. Rich, concentrated. Probably should have splash decanted.
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12/13/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Affiriming my note from 6 months ago, this wine is ready to go. Concentrated blueberry, boysenberry jam. Some licorice and chocolate finishes the wine. There is some acidity on the finish so that could add some additional life to the wine but the elevated ripeness and fruit density is at peak and I will drink my last bottle within the next couple months. Towards the decadent end of the spectrum and will need a rich food or a cold night by the fire.
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12/6/2009 - wdb001 wrote: 95 Points
Wow. Popped and poured. Dark purple, glass staining, color. Fantastic nose with floral notes and dark fruit. On the palate blueberry, blackberry, meat, creme de cassis. This is my 3rd of 4. Going to wait a couple of years to try the last bottle, as I think there is enough structure to last several more years (although I do not see how it could get much better).
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12/2/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 93 Points
This wine is evolving into a beautiful wine with many great years ahead of it. I just hope that show enough self control to hold on to a few bottles until it reaches it's prime which should be in a couple of years. Another great syrah from Mike.
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11/16/2009 - E wrote: 95 Points
CompAred with 3 years ago the heat is gone and one of the best syrabs of the year
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9/8/2009 - the godfather wrote: 88 Points
an absolute beast with no detectible acidity, not my thing
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8/25/2009 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3hrs then back into the bottle for a day. Wow, what a nose – rose petal, gamy meats, the blackest fruits, a little green olive and a damp earth note. Thick and chewy mouthfeel with the addition of chocolate and some roasting coffee. Powerful finish full of peppery spice. A rich, exuberant wine. My only complaint is the lack of a little energy and tension on the palate.
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5/10/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My 4th bottle of this wine, with the last one being just about a year ago. Having tasted this wine last night over a couple hours, I was surprised as to how it unfolded and the amount of richness that it showed. I don't recall this richness and forwardness in the previous bottles so I would put forth there is change in this wine as it softens. Ripe blue and black fruits, hint of olive. The finish lingers with a solid blueberry signature, along with some chocolate. Would seem at this stage this wine is in the drink window, to hit it now. Probably my favorite wine of the night, too.
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4/18/2009 - GoldenTbne wrote: 92 Points
Delicious
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4/17/2009 - meatman wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1+ hrs. Very dark, earthy nose: tar, grilled meat, smoke, licorice and roasted dark fruits. Palate was rich, dark brambly fruit with a wonderful mouthfeel. Full-bodied but lively with acidity. Nice spicy finish. Day 2...like my 2004 Carlisle DCV Syrah about 6 months ago, I thought this lost its distinctiveness over night. Had more cocoa on the nose and palate and had lost its lively acidity and spicy finish. I guess I need to finish them on day 1. Score is for day 1.
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4/3/2009 - Mr T wrote:
Good rich stuff..........classic Carlisle and a fair bit of classic syrah nuance
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3/21/2009 - otisabdul wrote: 90 Points
Smooth, lush and round. Bluebery/boysenberry fruit. Some chocolate notes. A little more acidity would carry this up a level.
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2/14/2009 - blondon wrote:
Viscosity, depth, nuance, elegance, power. Need I say more? This is an incredible bottle of wine that hits all of the high notes of California Syrah. It's got wonderful fruit, lovely balance, is meaty and spicy, earthy and dark, yet subtle and captivating. Easily enjoyed on its own and enhanced a simple charcuterie and artisan cheese meal.
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2/10/2009 - koflaher wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful, full rich syrah. Opened for about 1/2 hour before tasting. Dark purple, staining like most Carlisle's. Nose of dark fruits mixed with chocolate and nutmeg. In the mouth, plum and blackberries predominate with roasted meats notes. Very broad and full in the mouth, with substantial finish. A little heat and too much wine for some, but overall a big beautiful experience. I expect this will be better in a couple of years as well and its hard to imagine when it could decline.
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1/25/2009 - cbbrown3 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Deep, dark maroon color. Blackberries, blueberries, roasted meat, licorice, and a hint of a floral note on the nose. Full body with solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. Massive fruit on the palate with spicy, peppery, sweet berries. Incredibly long finish with just a touch too much oak at the end.
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1/18/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
Not as good as the last bottle but still quite taste. A huge syrah that should get even better over the next few years. Quite tasty now with two hours of decanting.
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1/11/2009 - zheem wrote:
Very big and delicious, rides the razor's edge of overdone, but succeeds with glory.
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12/31/2008 - gregg g wrote:
And now a PSA: DO NOT POP AND POUR THIS WINE. Starting off very closed on the nose and tight on the palate with some dark sweet fruits and glycerin. And did I mention dark as molasses? Definite heat on the back end. I let it sit in the bottle for about 2 hrs. It slowly opened to reveal more fruit concentration, more sweetness, a touch of tarry asphalt. The structure is somewhat hidden under all the fruit and leaves me puzzled as to this wines longevity. The heat has subsided somewhat. The finish is long and lingering. I occasionally enjoy these big wines on their own and was looking to do that with this wine before dinner. I must say that food improved the wines performance and helped. All said, I enjoyed the wine tonight, but it was very far from a N. Rhone experience for me. It is what it is. I have half the bottle saved for day 2 which I will enjoy as PENN ST. crushes USC. Happy New Year!
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9/20/2008 - vinole wrote: 88 Points
Expected to really like this after reading all the wonderful things said about the wine and the producer, but I can't say that I do. I found it overextracted and over the top with some considerable heat on the finish. Just too much of a good thing. The fruit tasted reductive, plummy, and overripe. There was some nice tannins and some acidity to balance it out, but it was offset by the hotness of the alcohol. Not a wine I can get excited about repurchasing.
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9/20/2008 - MLwine wrote: 92 Points
Really solid wine. Great fruit; rich, and smooth.
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9/9/2008 - budman wrote: 94 Points
This was an awesome experience. Wow!!! Deep dark fruit, with an endless finish.
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7/29/2008 - jc-mmb wrote: 93 Points
enjoyed this tonight. big nose of dark fruits, cassis, grilled meats. palate is big but pleasant. just short of velvety texture and a tad hot. but the fruit is riveting - dark blackberries really show. licorice and cocoa and some pepper. finish is relatively smooth with, again, a small amount of heat.
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7/20/2008 - depdoc wrote: 92 Points
Big, blackberry jam, inky purple, teeth-staining, well balanced. Super.
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7/18/2008 - olm2000 wrote: 88 Points
i'm a big fan of carlisle zins, but the big, extracted style does not do it for me with the syrahs...those who enjoy this style of syrah will enjoy this wine, although i do find the finish a bit hot...personally, i'll take a peay or pax over this style
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6/1/2008 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Finished this bottle over the course of the weekend. Very nice, seems to have softened up some in the past 6 months and drinking quite well.
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6/1/2008 - Mr T wrote:
This wine wowed them. Very open and the alcohol not evident. Rich ripe fruit. I actually got only a tiny taste as I stuck w/ the French stuff to let my hosts enjoy what they preferred
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5/13/2008 - nectar14 wrote: 87 Points
Everything but the finish on this wine was outstanding... it had a nose of tar, cherries, acacia flowers, and plum skin. It was elegant but well-structured in the mouth, with good viscosity and persistence. The problem was that the finish, at this point, has a lingering unpleasant oaky bitterness. It's too bad, because everything else about this wine is so nice... but it's hard to love it when the last taste you're left with is displeasing. However, that bitterness wasn't there 2 years ago, and is likely to fade with some more time, I think.
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4/20/2008 - Chasse wrote: 88 Points
Good flavor profile, but lacks the tannin & structure I'd like in a young Syrah.
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4/8/2008 - zheem wrote:
Classic Bennet valley or north rhone syrah nose, with stem, tar. nice acidity and tannins feel good in the mouth, but it the flavors that keep rolling out--citrus rind, strawberry, dark berries, leathers, river stones. Yumm!
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4/5/2008 - win wrote: 94 Points
This wine was singing tonight -- amazing aromas of blackberries and blueberries, with a touch of vanilla on the finish. Carlisle is making one of the top NW Syrahs in the World right now.
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2/27/2008 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($36) 15.9% ABV. Serious yum factor here. Ripe, sweet black fruit. Subtle roasted coffee beans. Expansive palate. Some other earthy elements lending complexity. Nice.
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2/17/2008 - goofy Yno wrote: 91 Points
nice dark fruit, touch of heat but good drinking
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2/9/2008 - win wrote: 92 Points
Very nice, expressive Syrah. Not overwhelming, nice balance. Mike is one of the best makers of Syrah in California. 330 cases made.
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2/8/2008 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Day1
Pop and pour. Great wine, fullbodied and pure. Core of dark rasberry with some darker blue and blackfruits as well. Spicy along with some earthiness as well. Nice long finish with a touch of heat. This wine delivers on all facets, a well rounded wine. Will be nice to see how it develops on day 2. It definitely has structure to improve.
Day 2
Really smoothed out and did not display the heat like the 1st day. The wine also seemed to gain weight and seemed much more lush. Drank this wine to early but I had an impulse to drink something Carlisle and this was the bottle I pulled. Still you can enjoy it now, but I would suggest a minimu of 3 hours decanting.
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12/30/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
blueberry, cinnamon. a touch of heat on the mouth, a little tight, but not bad. good fruit.
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11/30/2007 - WetRock wrote:
LA Conejo Valley Best American Syrah Shootout (Cafe 14, Agoura Hills): Fat berry sauce nose with the berry being broad but somewhat flat. Notes of heat and oak but got deeper with time in the glass. Very round and thick on the palate it lacks acidity and reveals heat on the finish. Similar to my last experience with this wine I find it has some very nice fruit but lacks complexity and seems simple with a narrow range of expression.
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11/22/2007 - jerhardt wrote: 92 Points
Opened on Thursday and poured off a half glass, this was a disjointed alcoholic mess. Recorked and left in the 'fridge until dinner on Sunday. Once again, this transformed into a radically different wine. Integrated ripe fruit with floral aromas and some tarry notes on the palate. This is now my third bottle in a row that has undergone a major transformation with 3+ days of slow oxygenation; I will be doing this with every bottle I plan to drink.
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11/21/2007 - decaturwinedude wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour while we worked on the Zins.
Huge nose of bacon, tar, smoke, and dark fruit. Palate is loaded with dark fruit, a burst of black and blue fruit, licorice and a meaty essence fills all corners of the mouth. Tannic still, this is a monster, but a tasty, kick you in the ass and let you know your alive monster. Damn good and years of life of ahead of it.
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10/5/2007 - etherscreen wrote:
i've yet to drink a syrah from the bennet valley that didn't totally kick ass! smokey, meaty, dark fruit. huge in the mouth and back end with a bit of black olive mixed in. very nice!
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9/20/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Had a bottle of this a week ago but did not TN it. Recall was a wine of bigger bones, some noticeable oak, some olive and deep fruit. Roll forward to last night's local OC OL tasting (see Paul's note as we had same wine together), I was very pleased to how much this wine has progressed since last November, as well as how much it showed so well last night. Seemed to be even more approachable then even last weekend's bottle I had. Lots of blueberry, some red tones, faint olive and again with some oak yet to fill in and structure to go. But even with the structure, I really enjoyed it. Will get even better as it softens and the oak fades out some.
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9/19/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 92 Points
Fratello's Offline (Laguna Niguel, CA): A terrific syrah and my WOTN. Notes of blueberries, bacon fat, licorice, and little tar. Great structure and nice balance. This is my first Carlisle and I will definitely be seeking out more of this wine. Awesome juice!
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9/2/2007 - PathDoc wrote:
the last bottle i had was better. this was just too big and sweet and syrupy.... couldn't handle it. wait a couple years before opening another one.
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8/27/2007 - lorenzo wrote: 93 Points
Really love this wine. Huge and ripe, but has great structure and balance.
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6/23/2007 - lorenzo wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Hid a stash of this to nurse all night. Special stuff. Big fruit profile. Dark and complex. This is headed higher in time.
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6/16/2007 - Spencer wrote: 90 Points
Still quite young and primary, but this has great potential. Big and ripe, but balanced and pure. I would wait 3 or 4 years before opening another.
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6/10/2007 - jerhardt wrote: 87 Points
A bit disjointed with noticeable heat; one of the less enjoyable of my recent Carlisles.
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6/8/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 88 Points
this reminded me of Oz- a lot of blueberry pie, some mint and a touch of vanilla and meatloaf on the nose. a rush of full blown blueberry on the attack. but this was followed by some heat and a touch of greenness. nice finish though.
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5/6/2007 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Okay, this wasn’t meant for seafood, but it was big and alcoholic. Yeah, there was a ton of fruit and concentration, but where’s the subtlety? It was better on the second day. Things had settle and bloomed into a nicer balance.
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4/23/2007 - jmw2323 wrote: 90 Points
way too young, hold til end of 07 at least
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3/31/2007 - PRC wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Paired with lamb chops at Greek resturant. Wonderful balance and oak.
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3/11/2007 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($36) 15.9% alcohol. Merits a wow! Based on the nose alone. Aromas of intensely concentrated crushed black and blue berry fruit. A touch like cobbler. Lovely x3. "sweet" black fruit on the palate with a lift of acid late. Delicious.
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3/11/2007 - PinotFan wrote:
Great Syrah. Had with Lamb shanks and paired beautifully. A touch hot, but didn't take away from experince. WOTN for all four of us at dinner vs. 00 Bdx (Margaux - forget producer).
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2/28/2007 - nectar14 wrote: 91 Points
From memory-- drank this one in January '07: Lovely dark purple/red color with nice aromas of grapey blackberry, minerals, and earth. Smooth in the mouth with black and purple fruits, a touch of leather, mineral, and tar. Tannins are smooth but substantial. Will be interested to try this one again in a few years.
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2/27/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 92 Points
Blind Night - Backstreet (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Huge and monolithic but nice flavor
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2/27/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 91 Points
Blind Night (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Midnight black in color. Blackberries, blueberries, tobacco, leather and tar. Huge concentration and extraction. Very monolithic in the mid palate. Rich finish. Good acidity and the huge fruit covers it's considerable alcohol level. Not balanced but also not disjointed. A bit tiring to the palate. This wine screamed Central Coast Syrah to me. Jock is right when he says that these wines lack a sense of place but nonetheless this is a wine I like to drink. Brought by Jeff.
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2/18/2007 - Screameagle wrote: 94 Points
This was probably the best syrah I've ever consumed by Carlisle. Although still very young it is tasting great right now. Just be sure to decant it for at least a couple hours to let it open up. Kudos Mike. An awesome wine.
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2/16/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 96 Points
15.9% alcohol. bennett valley.
i'm no longer on the mailing list... but, that doesn't mean i can't be objective when evaluating a wine. i actually saw this on the shelf of a local grocery store while i was waiting for a sandwich to be made in the deli. i didn't know squat about it, but made the impulse purchase. decanted.
this is a remarkable wine, and considering the alcohol level, i recommend the idiots at mollydooker take a sabatical and study under mr officer.
right from the first sip, i knew this was an exceptional wine. and, as it has fleshed out with even more air, the evolution provides a gripping stranglehold on the midpalate. reluctantly, the wine drifts into a finish that you have been coaxing in your mind. it doesn't disappoint. plus, no heat! this wine is on a level with the best domestic examples of any vintage, and i highly recommend it.
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1/8/2007 - rmodak wrote: 93 Points
Very young at this stage with tons of blueberry, vanilla, violets, and a perfumed mix of smoke, mineral and violets. Fine tannins complete the long finish. Currently this is all about primary fruit pleasure, but will no doubt get better and more complex over the next 2-5 years.
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12/11/2006 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Very complex, great balance. Was great the second day and showed more secondary nuances.
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11/20/2006 - Frank Murray III wrote:
I guess I am first into CT for this wine. The wine arrived a few weeks ago but with FM2 in town and staying over, figured I'd give him a sample of Cal syrah. As compared to the 2003 of this same wine, the 2004 has much more structure. While the 2003 was a 'knock off your doors' monster, the 2004 says 'I'm here but give me some time, as I gots more structure'. This is a wine of blue and black fruits--no trace of red in sight. Rich and structured. The wine also shows a black licorice character. I told my dad to think of the black licorice vines you'd get at the movies and try the wine. His light then went on. While showing some unctuous character and weight, this wine finishes still tight and needs some time to show what I think it will become. Feels more mature and steady against the 2003 and one that I will let sleep and enjoy further in 2008. Nice wine, Mike.
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