PnP. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, prosciutto, and purple floral notes. Lovely blackberry fruit coats the mouth, adds unripe blue and fruit with acidity, a little pepperiness and a lot of wet stones. Herbal notes start the finish, adding round tannins, rustic red fruits, and notes of tea. Didn't look up last month's notes and I had more blue fruits in this tasting but they're accurate that this can improve. 92+ points.
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Herbal black cherry nose with campfire smoke and light floral notes. Blackberry pushes forward with a rush over the tongue, then graphite, dried red berry, and fresh sage takes over. Chewy tannins still have some room to develop with black fruits, bitter herbs, and black tea backing them up. Good now, with some room to improve. 92+ points.
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Drinking well. Vibrant fruit, hints of charcoal, thyme and hints of Maldon salt. This has unique qualities that can age like some of great Bandol vintages - but how not to drink? Too tasty.
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Decanted 3 hrs. Generally speaking, I’ll open anything young assuming I have multiple bottles, but I learned many a lesson on the early opening of Carlisle Rhône bottles - both in the tightness they show young, to the transformation of sheer beauty when they are allowed to mature. But CT was pretty ga-ga on this baby so I had to give it a go. Glad I did. Throwing some really tasty dark fruit early, and lovely definition of the Mourvèdre - tree bark / musky scents and flavors ‘ powerful tannins - very fresh. Super Duper bottle here, but I’m going to hold my 2nd and last bottle at least 7ish years - perhaps longer.
Sent from my iPad
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Completely agree with Mike Dildine's recent notes. Such a wonderful wine. My only bottle, so I definitely need to find more of this value varietal in the future.
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14.3% abv. Medium-dark ruby, very aromatic. Cherry, black raspberry, floral highlights and white pepper highlight a complex and well balanced palate impression. Very good depth and length. Excellent now with the potential to improve over the next 3-5 years. Excellent Mataro!
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Pouring a translucent purple-crimson, the 2018 Carlisle Radiant Ridge Mourvèdre rockets-up aromas of spring flowers and a medley of freshly washed berries and cherries. The intoxicating color and perfume on this wine are enough to satiate the senses to full effect. I spent the first few minutes just swirling, sniffing, and admiring the visual and olfactory clarity of this mesmerizing elixir.
On the palate, one can virtually taste the heady aromatics first, followed by racy and super spicy flavors of wild Bing cherry, red and black raspberry, pluot, Red Vines dipped in icy cherry Coke, white pepper, smoked paprika, and bitter chocolate. There is an astonishing purity of fruit here, with a laser focus and vibrantly attentive execution and piquant pulse. It is just so clean and unadulterated and also wonderfully invigorating. There is a fundamental eroticism found in the wild and vivid exuberance that animates and enlivens without simply being some high-pitched simpleton zinger. The youthful acidity races with the fruit instead of ahead of it, completely dodging any perception of astringency or over-pucker. It has thrilling intensity honed and locked down to the utmost. The freshness is off the charts. There is a swift whip of primary flavor on the finish that signals time-in-bottle will reward with even greater depth and breadth to come.
This is a super cool geek-out wine too, as those who have found their ways to reading this note probably have a fair amount of “wine nerd” in them (sorry, “wine aficionado”). Those tar heels looking solely for uber-ripe, rich, or more syrupy extracted iterations may want to consider alternative options, as the Carlisle is stylistically less about brooding chewiness or thickly pitched grape sauce.
Overall, a poppin’ good time of a wine in its current state and a distinct example of the varietal, with promise of further bliss in the coming years. If my impatience doesn’t get the best of me, I’ll plan on holding remaining bottles for another 3-4 more years. This is a ridiculously priced wine at $40. Load up party people; the fiscal sacrifice is low. The Radiant Ridge Mourvèdre overperforms fourfold for the price. 96-97+ points.
Tasted after a 1 1/2 hour decant. Dark ruby with a slight purple rim, attesting to the youth of this wine. Aromas of sweet black fruit, sweet earth with a somewhat herbaceous/floral background. On the palate, full bodied black fruit, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, black cherry, fruit jam but not jammy, floral/lavender, a subtle backdrop of earth/oak with high acidity & high slightly angular tannins. Finish is long to spice/pepper, and this wine is somewhat young & aggressive with considerable complexity & cellar upside.
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Very dense and closed upon opening. Really needed 4hrs in the decanter to open up. Dark tense fruit, with a bit of loam and spicy meat notes mixed in. Zippy Mint and mineral note on back end. Really begging for some time. Best to hold this. 92+
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Almost decadent, with purity and layer upon layer of stupendous fruit. In a kind world, this bottling will continue. Easily the finest Mourvèdre ever from Sonoma County, this is firing on all cylinders. Blueberry cobbler, smoky shiitake, ripe raspberries, fresh leather, spice and crumbling rock. I adore the flowing, noir fruit finish. I notice a touch of sour cherry, due to how this radiates within the obvious carapace, with this being so young and all. The tannins have grip, and are of stacked microfiber. This is infanticide. Drink 2025 - 2045.
The nose is a pliable sticky red berry with an abundance of spice box and black stone fruits. The palate entry is forward blackberry with a well-structured core of walnut and currant. Sleek with well-Integrated tannins. Drink 2021 - 2027.
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12/16/2023 - agsdlswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Shared at a dinner party. Young now & will certainly get better w/time in the cellar.
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10/10/2023 - tastefuldrop wrote: flawed
Another bottle from the same auction lot and the bad storage conditions are evident in the vinegar component. Undrinkable. Torn label as well.
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7/31/2023 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, prosciutto, and purple floral notes. Lovely blackberry fruit coats the mouth, adds unripe blue and fruit with acidity, a little pepperiness and a lot of wet stones. Herbal notes start the finish, adding round tannins, rustic red fruits, and notes of tea. Didn't look up last month's notes and I had more blue fruits in this tasting but they're accurate that this can improve. 92+ points.
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6/22/2023 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 92 Points
I do not drink a lot of Mourvedre. So rating this more on the "enjoyablitiy factor" than anything else.
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6/6/2023 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 92 Points
Herbal black cherry nose with campfire smoke and light floral notes. Blackberry pushes forward with a rush over the tongue, then graphite, dried red berry, and fresh sage takes over. Chewy tannins still have some room to develop with black fruits, bitter herbs, and black tea backing them up. Good now, with some room to improve. 92+ points.
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3/26/2023 - cincybt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking well. Vibrant fruit, hints of charcoal, thyme and hints of Maldon salt. This has unique qualities that can age like some of great Bandol vintages - but how not to drink? Too tasty.
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12/1/2022 - fdub wrote: 94 Points
Yummy yum yum.
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9/18/2022 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hrs. Generally speaking, I’ll open anything young assuming I have multiple bottles, but I learned many a lesson on the early opening of Carlisle Rhône bottles - both in the tightness they show young, to the transformation of sheer beauty when they are allowed to mature. But CT was pretty ga-ga on this baby so I had to give it a go. Glad I did. Throwing some really tasty dark fruit early, and lovely definition of the Mourvèdre - tree bark / musky scents and flavors ‘ powerful tannins - very fresh. Super Duper bottle here, but I’m going to hold my 2nd and last bottle at least 7ish years - perhaps longer.
Sent from my iPad
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7/15/2022 - RPerro Likes this wine: 91 Points
2 hour decant. Good stuff, with a wild streak running through it. Brambly dark fruit with white pepper and hints of oak. Drink now with air - 2038.
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6/9/2022 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
PNP. Deep, dark color. Gorgeous aromatics of rich, red, savory fruit. Luscious texture. Red fruit flavors that pop. Just a delicious, compelling wine.
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3/26/2022 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Completely agree with Mike Dildine's recent notes. Such a wonderful wine. My only bottle, so I definitely need to find more of this value varietal in the future.
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2/26/2022 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
14.3% abv. Medium-dark ruby, very aromatic. Cherry, black raspberry, floral highlights and white pepper highlight a complex and well balanced palate impression. Very good depth and length. Excellent now with the potential to improve over the next 3-5 years. Excellent Mataro!
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9/20/2021 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Pouring a translucent purple-crimson, the 2018 Carlisle Radiant Ridge Mourvèdre rockets-up aromas of spring flowers and a medley of freshly washed berries and cherries. The intoxicating color and perfume on this wine are enough to satiate the senses to full effect. I spent the first few minutes just swirling, sniffing, and admiring the visual and olfactory clarity of this mesmerizing elixir.
On the palate, one can virtually taste the heady aromatics first, followed by racy and super spicy flavors of wild Bing cherry, red and black raspberry, pluot, Red Vines dipped in icy cherry Coke, white pepper, smoked paprika, and bitter chocolate. There is an astonishing purity of fruit here, with a laser focus and vibrantly attentive execution and piquant pulse. It is just so clean and unadulterated and also wonderfully invigorating. There is a fundamental eroticism found in the wild and vivid exuberance that animates and enlivens without simply being some high-pitched simpleton zinger. The youthful acidity races with the fruit instead of ahead of it, completely dodging any perception of astringency or over-pucker. It has thrilling intensity honed and locked down to the utmost. The freshness is off the charts. There is a swift whip of primary flavor on the finish that signals time-in-bottle will reward with even greater depth and breadth to come.
This is a super cool geek-out wine too, as those who have found their ways to reading this note probably have a fair amount of “wine nerd” in them (sorry, “wine aficionado”). Those tar heels looking solely for uber-ripe, rich, or more syrupy extracted iterations may want to consider alternative options, as the Carlisle is stylistically less about brooding chewiness or thickly pitched grape sauce.
Overall, a poppin’ good time of a wine in its current state and a distinct example of the varietal, with promise of further bliss in the coming years. If my impatience doesn’t get the best of me, I’ll plan on holding remaining bottles for another 3-4 more years. This is a ridiculously priced wine at $40. Load up party people; the fiscal sacrifice is low. The Radiant Ridge Mourvèdre overperforms fourfold for the price. 96-97+ points.
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8/13/2021 - CDT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted after a 1 1/2 hour decant.
Dark ruby with a slight purple rim, attesting to the youth of this wine.
Aromas of sweet black fruit, sweet earth with a somewhat herbaceous/floral background.
On the palate, full bodied black fruit, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, black cherry, fruit jam but not jammy, floral/lavender, a subtle backdrop of earth/oak with high acidity & high slightly angular tannins.
Finish is long to spice/pepper, and this wine is somewhat young & aggressive with considerable complexity & cellar upside.
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8/9/2021 - Thek Likes this wine: 94 Points
This exceeded my very high expectations based on prior notes. I didn't take detailed notes but this the WOTN in a great lineup.
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5/21/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dense and closed upon opening. Really needed 4hrs in the decanter to open up. Dark tense fruit, with a bit
of loam and spicy meat notes mixed in. Zippy
Mint and mineral note on back end. Really begging for some time. Best to hold this. 92+
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4/24/2021 - fdub Likes this wine: 96 Points
Outstading. Has serious depth and intensity.
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4/9/2021 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 97 Points
Almost decadent, with purity and layer upon layer of stupendous fruit. In a kind world, this bottling will continue. Easily the finest Mourvèdre ever from Sonoma County, this is firing on all cylinders. Blueberry cobbler, smoky shiitake, ripe raspberries, fresh leather, spice and crumbling rock. I adore the flowing, noir fruit finish. I notice a touch of sour cherry, due to how this radiates within the obvious carapace, with this being so young and all. The tannins have grip, and are of stacked microfiber. This is infanticide. Drink 2025 - 2045.
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4/15/2020 - purely Likes this wine: 94 Points
The nose is a pliable sticky red berry with an abundance of spice box and black stone fruits. The palate entry is forward blackberry with a well-structured core of walnut and currant. Sleek with well-Integrated tannins. Drink 2021 - 2027.
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