Teeth staining only purple. Still youthful at age 17. Rusty bark and crushed black pepper. Massive palate with gorgeous complex cola and minerals. Very long resonant finish. Still mostly primary. This will go a very long time.
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Still has rich delicious fruit that seems to be mostly primary...raspberry jam (in flavor more than weight), mandarin orange, great structure- both acid and still a decent amount of tannin, not hot despite 15.9%. If this is past it's peak then it must have been some peak...I think it still has some great years left in it
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Not sure what this was like in its youth, but today it is showing all red fruit and medium+ acidity. Tannins are still present but in a good way. A lovely aged zin. Carlisle continues to impress
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A good Zin. This is obviously Zin and not Syrah (or some other varietal) which is how I like my Zin. Big and bold, but the structure its starting to dominate. Also server sllightly chilled because this is showing a bit HOT. The 15.9% alcohol is becoming noticable. Drink up!
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15.9% ABV. Translucent dark garnet in the glass. Ripe boysenberry nose with a touch of raisin. This is starting to fade, but still drinking pretty well at nine years old.
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Last bottle of this. Held a bit too long but still interesting and complex. More red fruit than black fruit vs. memory. Still balanced and good structure, making it food friendly. This wasn't the best vintage of the Carlisle Vin but still great to see how it held up 8yrs post vintage. Will click through my remaining 04s soon, thinking that these do well with 5+ yrs but why waste perfectly awesome zin seeing how long they'll hold up? :)
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What a fantastic zin, great structure and length. I continue to be very impressed with the Carlisle Vineyard bottlings and am happy to be long on those. This one had a red fruit core with dust and spices. For all skeptics that say zin can't/shouldn't age this is one foil to that theory. Not a plush wine, instead focused and serious. Very contemplative, and if I may, terrior-driven. Very enjoyable now, will drink my last bottle within the next year.
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15.9% ABV. Dark ruby garnet, slightly translucent in the glass. Aromatic muted clove spice nose, something like clove toned down with an earthier brown spice, along with a slight raisin/dried fig note. Medium full bodied with spicy, tangy black raspberry and black cherry fruit. This is still tasting great, but is showing a little heat and I do get the sense that it is slightly past its prime, given a tiny nuance of tea I thought I noticed and the fading of the fruit on the nose to a more dried fig/raisin aroma.
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EWG does Zins and Sliders @ Conrad's: A big and ripe Zin with no heaviness and not too much heat. Still showing very young and has the acid to keep it going. This was one of my favorites. Great with food too. Seems like a drink one now and save one for 6-8 more years type wine.
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EWG does Zinfandel and Sliders (Conrad Green's Abode): Ripe, clean Zinberry nose. Juicy palate showing dark berries. Very clean with great acidity. This was terrific and reminiscent of the '97 Ravenswood with its fresh expression. Big Zin done right.
Paired with BBQ chicken pizza. Popped and poured. Brambly (word?) raspberry fruit and the structure that is typical has softened. Very smooth and balanced at first. Over 2 hours, the wine began to show a bit of heat. Good, but not as enjoyable as my first bottle. I'll drink my remaining bottle soon.
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15.9% ABV. Sweet bramble boysenberry toasted pie nose. Rich sweet blackberry pie fruit. Really nice despite the brevity of my notes. This went quick, so I didn't get to spend long with it. Probably WOTN.
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My last one. I'll save final judgment until tomorrow but tonight, there's licorice, brambly fruit and no trace of heat. We'll see tomorrow, with the last 5 ozs waiting for the end of the work day. At 24 hours, enjoying the last glass, there is an interesting top note to the wine tonight, almost like a tar or bbq sauce, maybe mixed with a whiff of heat. It kind of obscures the typical brambly notes on this wine, and I didn't get this note last night. Palate-wise, still true to form with the juicy/jammy black raspberry and dark berry note. Still some tannin on the finish, maybe a little iron-like in quality so I'd say it has some more time left to carry but given all things, I'd drink it now.
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Excellent wine - leaned toward a lighter red fruit expression - raspberry and cranberry come to mind. Nice balance with the perfect hit of acidity and a nice long finish. Drinking well but should hold for a few years.
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Absolutely stunning bottle of zin and the best bottle I have opened so far which is saying a lot since the other 4 have all been great. This was for me the quintessential zin. Everything in perfect balance with incredible zinberry brambly fruit and earthiness. the finish offers the perfect balance of acidity and deep delicious fruit which lingers for close to a minute. This may be in the top 3 of all Carlisle zins. Simply wonderful wine.
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Electrifying bottle. Need only 30 minutes in the decanter to strut its stuff. Incredible fruit with raspberries and plum. Well balanced with no perceptible alcohol and a great finish. Fabulous stuff.
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Popped and poured, but this needed an hour to open up. Brambly nose, with sour cherries and licorice. Black and blue fruits on the palate, with a bit of a dry finish.
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Tasted blind amongst a whole range of different wines. I was pretty amazed that I nearly guessed this wine, thinking this was more like the 2004 but when revealed, was the 2003. I make this point because the Carlisle Carlisle is for me distinctive and seems to consistently show for me the expression of heady zin flavors, contrasted with an earthy, crushed fruit perspective--it's got the dreaded terroir! During the tasting, the wine showed the forward opulence and deep mid-palate flavors of rich fruit but like the Carlisle vineyard, shows the crushed raspberry feel and truffle/earthy note on the finish with some reinforcing acidity. In fact, finishing the bottle last night with a full 24 hours of air, the earthy aspects show even more. I really respect the way this wine shows and for me the king of CA zin. Ain't none better.
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The essence of zinfandel - blackberry liqueur, a touch of sappy cherry, white pepper, allspice and brambly underbrush. The finish is bright, stony and peppery. Seems to be peaking now. A superior vintage for this wine.
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Oh hum, just another wonderful Carlisle wine. Everytime I drink one of Mike's wines it always reinforces why Carlisle makes up the largest percentage of my cellar. This is showing very well and is certainly in its peak window. The nose is full of asian spice and dark blackberry/raspberry fruit. The palate is rich with perfectly balanced blackberry/plum/raspberry fruit with nice acidity that leads into a balanced and very lengthy finish with no sign of any alcohol. This should hold up fine for at least a few more years but drinking so well now that I see little reason to wait.
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Opaque dark red core to deep purple at the rim with medium thin legs in the glass. Loads of black and red fruits on the nose with notes of currant, raspberry, blackberry, apple skin, and a touch of brown sugar or molasses. More of the same on the palate with blackberry, raspberry, and plenty of brambly character to the concentrated sweet fruit. The long cranberry finish is just gorgeous. There is no sign of heat in this wine which combined with good balance and lightness to the mouth feel yield very attractive restraint for a Zin. This wine still has plenty of life ahead of it due to the great structure from the tannins and acidity.
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Anwar and Trigirl opened this at their home last week. This was an exceptionally good Zin and I am not one to heap a lot of praise on Zins. I liked this wine better than the 2003 Carlisle Zinfandel Tom Feeney Ranch that I had 2 years ago. Reddish black color. No heat or alcohol. A round texture with plenty of secondary nuances. Rip berry and cherry notes with an earthy finish. A few years aging have probably been very good for this wine. 92 points.
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Still very good. not quite the roundness it had last year but the bramble persists and there is some raspberry and pepper that flow into a nice perppery purple fruit finish. the flowers i mentioned last year are still there but not quite as noticable, maybe a little drier scent to them. still have some left for tonight...
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Dark maroon in color. Black pepper, spicy, briary berries, a hint of eucalyptis, and a hit or alcohol. Full body with good acidity and ripe tannins. Mouthfilling! Coats your palate with pepper, spicy crushed berries, raspberry, and cherry. Long, long finish full of spicy, peppery crushed berries. This is a fantastic zin, full of body and fruit. There is absolutely no hurry on drinking this wine, it tastes like it was just bottled. As with all the Carlisle wines I've had, I wish I had more of this in the cellar. After a bit of time, the alcohol component on the nose was pretty much gone.
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Satisfying nose of blackberry, pumpkin spice, tree bark and pepper. Brambly, spicy berry fruit on the palate and finish (which lasts for minutes). Still young and slighty clenched. I need to leave my remaining bottles alone for a couple of years. Even better on day two. The fruit is delightfully liqueur-like but still very lively on the palate and finish.
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Upon first opening this wine was totally one dimensional. A gob of black pepper with very little fruit.
Let it sit and air for about 30 minutes and the fruit started to show up. The wine was still full pepper. I'm surprised that I didn't sneeze when I took a whif.
Little over an hour after I opened it, the red fruit was more prominent. The pepper was still there but not as distracting.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with this wine, but I"m hopeful that it is a case that I opened this wine way too soon. I have higher hopes for the leftovers a day or two from now.
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Drinking the wine on the third day. Forward ripe black fruit and spice. The excellent spice continues on the palate with a very full and juicy finish. This is a great Zin that held up well for three days.
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This wine is simpley wonderful. The nose on the second day was noticable after pouring before i even put my nose to the glass. previous notes add up to the many personalities of this wine. I am still amazed at how the pleasant flavours stick around and morph into the most fabulous finish. Hurray!
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Wow. My first Carlisle with a few years of age on it, what a difference! Juicy nose of dust, red fruit, and more fruit. Palate is gushing with cranberry, pomegranate, brambles, and spice (call it cinammon plus others), but in an almost elegant way. Light touch of tannins and a tiny bit of heat at the end, but nothing resembling the 15.9% alcohol this baby is packing. I would say this has another 1-2 years before hitting the perfect drinking window, but no way my other bottle will see that kind of timeline if this one is any indication... Perfect timing for me just before the next mailer!
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Showed better than 6 months ago. Delightful nose of crushed berries, blackberry liqueur and browned butter. Brambly fruit on the palate and a vibrant finish. Great now and should improve over the next couple of years.
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A touch of heat upon opening and mediocre on the first night. After 24 hours this was quite a bit more interesting and enjoyable. Rich nose of black fruits and plum. Sweet tannins with a lot of black cherries on the mid palate and a long finish.
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Cuts that close edge of extreme exhuberance and refined balance. Beautiful dark garnet wine with spice, like red hots and allspice, dark brambles on the nose. Flavor is full and rich with some delight for every part of the tongue.There's dark bing cherries, blackberries, something like papaya peel, unsweetened chocolate, cinnamon, blueberry pie with the burnt part on the crust. Finish goes on and on like it's stuck to your taste buds. This is how Zinfandel should be. Was great with BBQ ribs!
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Tasted this last night. Neighbor called me down for a glass and I couldn't refuse, as I was bummed to miss the O/Line. Anyway, pretty neutral environment, outside and so the senses were fired up. The bouquet on this wine is pretty sexy. Typical of the Hartford RRV Zins, this too from the same area has the same nose: perfumey, cobbler-like. Wafts out of the glass and is a smell that if I could burn onto one of those dopey x-mas tree car scent boards, I'd hang the thing from my mirror. Love it. The palate, not sweet nor hot. Yes, lots of crushed berry fruits, like a boysenberry or raspberry, along with an earthy quality/complexity. This is not a sweet, alcoholic Zin but instead validates for me again how dope Mike can make Zinfandel. As much as I don't buy Zin anymore, Mike, I'll keep buying yours, bro.
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Served with no decanting. Very dark ruby -- almost opaque. Wow - nose of spice, some floral notes and dark stone fruit that you can smell across the room. No signs of heavy oak or alcohol. Wonderful early and mid palate with a smooth entry of cool dark fruit with mocha notes. A bit of acidic bite but with quite a rounded feel nevertheless. More great stuff from Mike Officer.
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no decant dark, dark garnet color. Nose is awesome. brambley, spicey fruit, "alive" first sip brings a full and weighty wine with spice and juicy dark fruit, it feels like it is crawling around in your mouth. Complex flavors tumble. some blueberry and blackberry, purple and white flowers, enough acid (or is it the minerality) to keep it perfect and lively. much rounder than the turleys that i have (Juvi and Hayne). Spice/mineral as well. Awesome.
finished it the second night. nose was still there,a little more open, a tad more acid, a tad heat showing, but very enjoyable.
some of the best Zin around. wow. 92.5 there i broke the 92 barrier with a zin...
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($36) Saturated, deep purple garnet with some translucency. Aromas of maple syrup, red fruit and a touch of eucalyptus. Little bit of raisin-prume. Dense, sweet and tangy red fruit with slightly elevated alcohol. The fruit in this vintage seems to veer more towards the red fruit spectrum than my recollection of previous vintages. Good.
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nice spice/ berry nose, ripe berry fruit, brambly, improved with 30 min decant. Well balanced, complex, dark fruit. Very nice zin, fine finish. Closer to a Turley than I've had before. No oak, no heat! Just great.
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"1/1/2006 rated 92 points: Incredible ripe berry and spice nose. Very full bodied and very complex. A little oaky and acidic at this point, but still a wonderful Zin. Rich flavors of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice and dark chocolate covered macaroons! The wife didn't get the macaroons, but I sure did. Long finish. Great right now, but in a year or two. . ."
I had this again the other night. My notes this time were very close. The only differences being that I picked up a floral component on the nose and the "dark chocolate covered macaroons" were gone! I did get the dark chocolate, but nothing resembling coconut. 92+pts.
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Drank to celebrate Lella's business school application progress. Decanted 1 hour, probably the best zinfandel beating Radio Coteau, Hartford, Neal and others, though I've never had an Outpost or a Turley (other than Juveniles).
Started off closed in the nose but eventually opened up to reveal dust, fresh flowers and cherry liqueur. In the mouth, it was all black currants and minerality with a creamy, silky mouthfeel. As good as this was, it'll be even better this time next year as it opens further. Great stuff.
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Incredible ripe berry and spice nose. Very full bodied and very complex. A little oaky and acidic at this point, but still a wonderful Zin. Rich flavors of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice and dark chocolate covered macaroons! The wife didn't get the macaroons, but I sure did. Long finish. Great right now, but in a year or two. . .
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A fat nose of spicy red fruits with a brambly, stony edge. Excellent balance on the palate and finish, with bright acids, high tone fruit and minerals. The tannins build quickly. This sits in between the huge, very ripe fruit of the 2001 and the more earthy, herbal 2002. Needs 1-2 with upside.
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Ahhh, the smell of the Carlisle vineyard. Even broader, the smell of really aromatic RRV Zin. I smell this wine and I think of Hartford Dina's, another RRV wine. Great nose of rapsberry and ripe blueberry fruit. This to me is terroir and one of the best few that I can pick as my favorite Zins, yera after year. The '01 version, which we drank a few months back, was really fantastic, too. The palate is medium to full bodied, with great grip and acidity, along with a blueberry pie feel. You know, year in and out, there ain't no better Zin than this wine. Talk Turley all you like, but for less than $40, you get this--ain't no comparison. Mike, just keep making this wine every year. This bottle will sit until tomorrow, at which time I will celebrate my 40th--can't wait to finish it.
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Big, but balanced and not at all monolithic or overbearing. Beautiful ruby color. Complex with lush, sweet red fruit and floral notes. Nice acidity which really gives it some lift on the midpalate. Very long, lingering finish. Excellent zinfandel.
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2/17/2020 - mzimberg wrote: 94 Points
Teeth staining only purple. Still youthful at age 17. Rusty bark and crushed black pepper. Massive palate with gorgeous complex cola and minerals. Very long resonant finish. Still mostly primary. This will go a very long time.
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1/13/2018 - mdahar wrote: 93 Points
still has life. If this is past its peak the peak must have been incredible
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2/27/2017 - sp4388 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still has rich delicious fruit that seems to be mostly primary...raspberry jam (in flavor more than weight), mandarin orange, great structure- both acid and still a decent amount of tannin, not hot despite 15.9%. If this is past it's peak then it must have been some peak...I think it still has some great years left in it
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11/13/2016 - wiscgrad wrote: 93 Points
Not sure what this was like in its youth, but today it is showing all red fruit and medium+ acidity. Tannins are still present but in a good way. A lovely aged zin. Carlisle continues to impress
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5/4/2013 - jvanasco Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still holds up, weakens after an hour or two.
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6/3/2012 - PortFanatic wrote: 90 Points
A good Zin. This is obviously Zin and not Syrah (or some other varietal) which is how I like my Zin. Big and bold, but the structure its starting to dominate. Also server sllightly chilled because this is showing a bit HOT. The 15.9% alcohol is becoming noticable. Drink up!
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5/27/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 91 Points
15.9% ABV. Translucent dark garnet in the glass. Ripe boysenberry nose with a touch of raisin. This is starting to fade, but still drinking pretty well at nine years old.
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10/10/2011 - btock wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle of this. Held a bit too long but still interesting and complex. More red fruit than black fruit vs. memory. Still balanced and good structure, making it food friendly. This wasn't the best vintage of the Carlisle Vin but still great to see how it held up 8yrs post vintage. Will click through my remaining 04s soon, thinking that these do well with 5+ yrs but why waste perfectly awesome zin seeing how long they'll hold up? :)
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11/1/2010 - btock wrote: 92 Points
What a fantastic zin, great structure and length. I continue to be very impressed with the Carlisle Vineyard bottlings and am happy to be long on those. This one had a red fruit core with dust and spices. For all skeptics that say zin can't/shouldn't age this is one foil to that theory. Not a plush wine, instead focused and serious. Very contemplative, and if I may, terrior-driven. Very enjoyable now, will drink my last bottle within the next year.
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9/18/2010 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 92 Points
15.9% ABV. Dark ruby garnet, slightly translucent in the glass. Aromatic muted clove spice nose, something like clove toned down with an earthier brown spice, along with a slight raisin/dried fig note. Medium full bodied with spicy, tangy black raspberry and black cherry fruit. This is still tasting great, but is showing a little heat and I do get the sense that it is slightly past its prime, given a tiny nuance of tea I thought I noticed and the fading of the fruit on the nose to a more dried fig/raisin aroma.
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5/30/2010 - jasonh wrote: 92 Points
EWG does Zins and Sliders @ Conrad's: A big and ripe Zin with no heaviness and not too much heat. Still showing very young and has the acid to keep it going. This was one of my favorites. Great with food too. Seems like a drink one now and save one for 6-8 more years type wine.
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5/30/2010 - WetRock wrote:
EWG does Zinfandel and Sliders (Conrad Green's Abode): Ripe, clean Zinberry nose. Juicy palate showing dark berries. Very clean with great acidity. This was terrific and reminiscent of the '97 Ravenswood with its fresh expression. Big Zin done right.
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5/30/2010 - Nanda wrote: 87 Points
Memorial Weekend BBQ at the Shaffer's (The Shaffer's - Highland Park, IL): Medium classic zin nose shows a touch stewy. Smooth palate has medium body. Drinks like a down the middle of the road zin.
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5/4/2010 - JFish wrote:
Paired with BBQ chicken pizza. Popped and poured. Brambly (word?) raspberry fruit and the structure that is typical has softened. Very smooth and balanced at first. Over 2 hours, the wine began to show a bit of heat. Good, but not as enjoyable as my first bottle. I'll drink my remaining bottle soon.
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2/14/2010 - Monkb8 wrote: 96 Points
Full bodied smooth
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12/16/2009 - zheem wrote:
Long time since trying this wine, started out very tight-but opened over several hours. very elegant and delicious.
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11/2/2009 - Mr T wrote:
Very nice wine. Time to say good bye to the last one. No heat and very pleasant
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10/10/2009 - subir wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful expressive nose, pretty good structure and a 40 second finish.
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9/25/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 95 Points
15.9% ABV. Sweet bramble boysenberry toasted pie nose. Rich sweet blackberry pie fruit. Really nice despite the brevity of my notes. This went quick, so I didn't get to spend long with it. Probably WOTN.
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1/11/2009 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My last one. I'll save final judgment until tomorrow but tonight, there's licorice, brambly fruit and no trace of heat. We'll see tomorrow, with the last 5 ozs waiting for the end of the work day. At 24 hours, enjoying the last glass, there is an interesting top note to the wine tonight, almost like a tar or bbq sauce, maybe mixed with a whiff of heat. It kind of obscures the typical brambly notes on this wine, and I didn't get this note last night. Palate-wise, still true to form with the juicy/jammy black raspberry and dark berry note. Still some tannin on the finish, maybe a little iron-like in quality so I'd say it has some more time left to carry but given all things, I'd drink it now.
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1/4/2009 - RussW wrote:
This bottle was nice but nothing like the last one I opened in May. Drink'em if you've got'em.
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12/7/2008 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 92 Points
BLACK CHERRIES AND SPICE IN THE NOSE WITH A FLAVOR TO MATCH. LONG FINISH.
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10/25/2008 - bound4er wrote: 92 Points
Excellent wine - leaned toward a lighter red fruit expression - raspberry and cranberry come to mind. Nice balance with the perfect hit of acidity and a nice long finish. Drinking well but should hold for a few years.
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8/25/2008 - Erik R. wrote:
Ditto Russ W. Rich balanced flavors.
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8/9/2008 - bahiadave wrote:
eh
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5/17/2008 - RussW wrote:
Absolutely stunning bottle of zin and the best bottle I have opened so far which is saying a lot since the other 4 have all been great. This was for me the quintessential zin. Everything in perfect balance with incredible zinberry brambly fruit and earthiness. the finish offers the perfect balance of acidity and deep delicious fruit which lingers for close to a minute. This may be in the top 3 of all Carlisle zins. Simply wonderful wine.
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5/3/2008 - Dan M wrote:
Electrifying bottle. Need only 30 minutes in the decanter to strut its stuff. Incredible fruit with raspberries and plum. Well balanced with no perceptible alcohol and a great finish. Fabulous stuff.
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4/27/2008 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, but this needed an hour to open up. Brambly nose, with sour cherries and licorice. Black and blue fruits on the palate, with a bit of a dry finish.
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2/22/2008 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Tasted blind amongst a whole range of different wines. I was pretty amazed that I nearly guessed this wine, thinking this was more like the 2004 but when revealed, was the 2003. I make this point because the Carlisle Carlisle is for me distinctive and seems to consistently show for me the expression of heady zin flavors, contrasted with an earthy, crushed fruit perspective--it's got the dreaded terroir! During the tasting, the wine showed the forward opulence and deep mid-palate flavors of rich fruit but like the Carlisle vineyard, shows the crushed raspberry feel and truffle/earthy note on the finish with some reinforcing acidity. In fact, finishing the bottle last night with a full 24 hours of air, the earthy aspects show even more. I really respect the way this wine shows and for me the king of CA zin. Ain't none better.
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2/1/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
The essence of zinfandel - blackberry liqueur, a touch of sappy cherry, white pepper, allspice and brambly underbrush. The finish is bright, stony and peppery. Seems to be peaking now. A superior vintage for this wine.
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12/1/2007 - RussW wrote:
Oh hum, just another wonderful Carlisle wine. Everytime I drink one of Mike's wines it always reinforces why Carlisle makes up the largest percentage of my cellar. This is showing very well and is certainly in its peak window. The nose is full of asian spice and dark blackberry/raspberry fruit. The palate is rich with perfectly balanced blackberry/plum/raspberry fruit with nice acidity that leads into a balanced and very lengthy finish with no sign of any alcohol. This should hold up fine for at least a few more years but drinking so well now that I see little reason to wait.
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12/1/2007 - Badfish wrote: 92 Points
Opaque dark red core to deep purple at the rim with medium thin legs in the glass. Loads of black and red fruits on the nose with notes of currant, raspberry, blackberry, apple skin, and a touch of brown sugar or molasses. More of the same on the palate with blackberry, raspberry, and plenty of brambly character to the concentrated sweet fruit. The long cranberry finish is just gorgeous. There is no sign of heat in this wine which combined with good balance and lightness to the mouth feel yield very attractive restraint for a Zin. This wine still has plenty of life ahead of it due to the great structure from the tannins and acidity.
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11/26/2007 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Anwar and Trigirl opened this at their home last week. This was an exceptionally good Zin and I am not one to heap a lot of praise on Zins. I liked this wine better than the 2003 Carlisle Zinfandel Tom Feeney Ranch that I had 2 years ago. Reddish black color. No heat or alcohol. A round texture with plenty of secondary nuances. Rip berry and cherry notes with an earthy finish. A few years aging have probably been very good for this wine. 92 points.
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10/24/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 91 Points
Still very good. not quite the roundness it had last year but the bramble persists and there is some raspberry and pepper that flow into a nice perppery purple fruit finish.
the flowers i mentioned last year are still there but not quite as noticable, maybe a little drier scent to them.
still have some left for tonight...
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7/4/2007 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
Dark maroon in color. Black pepper, spicy, briary berries, a hint of eucalyptis, and a hit or alcohol. Full body with good acidity and ripe tannins. Mouthfilling! Coats your palate with pepper, spicy crushed berries, raspberry, and cherry. Long, long finish full of spicy, peppery crushed berries. This is a fantastic zin, full of body and fruit. There is absolutely no hurry on drinking this wine, it tastes like it was just bottled. As with all the Carlisle wines I've had, I wish I had more of this in the cellar. After a bit of time, the alcohol component on the nose was pretty much gone.
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4/10/2007 - zheem wrote:
Always a favorite, this wine brought to mind many great liquers I've had, without the sweetness. very satisfying!
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3/4/2007 - PinoyNoir wrote: 92 Points
excellent bottle
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12/22/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Satisfying nose of blackberry, pumpkin spice, tree bark and pepper. Brambly, spicy berry fruit on the palate and finish (which lasts for minutes). Still young and slighty clenched. I need to leave my remaining bottles alone for a couple of years. Even better on day two. The fruit is delightfully liqueur-like but still very lively on the palate and finish.
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11/7/2006 - Jay A wrote: 87 Points
Upon first opening this wine was totally one dimensional. A gob of black pepper with very little fruit.
Let it sit and air for about 30 minutes and the fruit started to show up. The wine was still full pepper. I'm surprised that I didn't sneeze when I took a whif.
Little over an hour after I opened it, the red fruit was more prominent. The pepper was still there but not as distracting.
I have to say I was pretty disappointed with this wine, but I"m hopeful that it is a case that I opened this wine way too soon. I have higher hopes for the leftovers a day or two from now.
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10/28/2006 - EPounds wrote:
Drinking the wine on the third day. Forward ripe black fruit and spice. The excellent spice continues on the palate with a very full and juicy finish. This is a great Zin that held up well for three days.
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10/24/2006 - zheem wrote:
This wine is simpley wonderful. The nose on the second day was noticable after pouring before i even put my nose to the glass. previous notes add up to the many personalities of this wine. I am still amazed at how the pleasant flavours stick around and morph into the most fabulous finish. Hurray!
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7/29/2006 - jbposell wrote: 94 Points
Wow. My first Carlisle with a few years of age on it, what a difference! Juicy nose of dust, red fruit, and more fruit. Palate is gushing with cranberry, pomegranate, brambles, and spice (call it cinammon plus others), but in an almost elegant way. Light touch of tannins and a tiny bit of heat at the end, but nothing resembling the 15.9% alcohol this baby is packing. I would say this has another 1-2 years before hitting the perfect drinking window, but no way my other bottle will see that kind of timeline if this one is any indication... Perfect timing for me just before the next mailer!
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7/28/2006 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Showed better than 6 months ago. Delightful nose of crushed berries, blackberry liqueur and browned butter. Brambly fruit on the palate and a vibrant finish. Great now and should improve over the next couple of years.
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6/11/2006 - cookie7 wrote: 91 Points
A touch of heat upon opening and mediocre on the first night. After 24 hours this was quite a bit more interesting and enjoyable. Rich nose of black fruits and plum. Sweet tannins with a lot of black cherries on the mid palate and a long finish.
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5/30/2006 - zheem wrote:
Cuts that close edge of extreme exhuberance and refined balance. Beautiful dark garnet wine with spice, like red hots and allspice, dark brambles on the nose. Flavor is full and rich with some delight for every part of the tongue.There's dark bing cherries, blackberries, something like papaya peel, unsweetened chocolate, cinnamon, blueberry pie with the burnt part on the crust. Finish goes on and on like it's stuck to your taste buds. This is how Zinfandel should be. Was great with BBQ ribs!
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5/25/2006 - Cheryl wrote:
Ben's first zin dinner
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5/17/2006 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Tasted this last night. Neighbor called me down for a glass and I couldn't refuse, as I was bummed to miss the O/Line. Anyway, pretty neutral environment, outside and so the senses were fired up. The bouquet on this wine is pretty sexy. Typical of the Hartford RRV Zins, this too from the same area has the same nose: perfumey, cobbler-like. Wafts out of the glass and is a smell that if I could burn onto one of those dopey x-mas tree car scent boards, I'd hang the thing from my mirror. Love it. The palate, not sweet nor hot. Yes, lots of crushed berry fruits, like a boysenberry or raspberry, along with an earthy quality/complexity. This is not a sweet, alcoholic Zin but instead validates for me again how dope Mike can make Zinfandel. As much as I don't buy Zin anymore, Mike, I'll keep buying yours, bro.
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4/23/2006 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Served with no decanting. Very dark ruby -- almost opaque. Wow - nose of spice, some floral notes and dark stone fruit that you can smell across the room. No signs of heavy oak or alcohol. Wonderful early and mid palate with a smooth entry of cool dark fruit with mocha notes. A bit of acidic bite but with quite a rounded feel nevertheless. More great stuff from Mike Officer.
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4/6/2006 - AlexRed wrote: 92 Points
Damn this stuff is tasty...
no decant
dark, dark garnet color. Nose is awesome. brambley, spicey fruit, "alive"
first sip brings a full and weighty wine with spice and juicy dark fruit, it feels like it is crawling around in your mouth. Complex flavors tumble. some blueberry and blackberry, purple and white flowers, enough acid (or is it the minerality) to keep it perfect and lively. much rounder than the turleys that i have (Juvi and Hayne). Spice/mineral as well. Awesome.
finished it the second night. nose was still there,a little more open, a tad more acid, a tad heat showing, but very enjoyable.
some of the best Zin around. wow. 92.5 there i broke the 92 barrier with a zin...
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4/1/2006 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
($36) Saturated, deep purple garnet with some translucency. Aromas of maple syrup, red fruit and a touch of eucalyptus. Little bit of raisin-prume. Dense, sweet and tangy red fruit with slightly elevated alcohol. The fruit in this vintage seems to veer more towards the red fruit spectrum than my recollection of previous vintages. Good.
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3/15/2006 - NeuroDoc wrote: 92 Points
nice spice/ berry nose, ripe berry fruit, brambly, improved with 30 min decant. Well balanced, complex, dark fruit. Very nice zin, fine finish. Closer to a Turley than I've had before. No oak, no heat! Just great.
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3/3/2006 - olm2000 wrote: 91 Points
knockout nose...slightly acidic...higher score in time?
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2/4/2006 - Lou Briccant wrote: 92 Points
When I had this a month ago, this was my note:
"1/1/2006 rated 92 points: Incredible ripe berry and spice nose. Very full bodied and very complex. A little oaky and acidic at this point, but still a wonderful Zin. Rich flavors of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice and dark chocolate covered macaroons! The wife didn't get the macaroons, but I sure did. Long finish. Great right now, but in a year or two. . ."
I had this again the other night. My notes this time were very close. The only differences being that I picked up a floral component on the nose and the "dark chocolate covered macaroons" were gone! I did get the dark chocolate, but nothing resembling coconut. 92+pts.
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1/24/2006 - prafferty wrote: 92 Points
Drank to celebrate Lella's business school application progress. Decanted 1 hour, probably the best zinfandel beating Radio Coteau, Hartford, Neal and others, though I've never had an Outpost or a Turley (other than Juveniles).
Started off closed in the nose but eventually opened up to reveal dust, fresh flowers and cherry liqueur. In the mouth, it was all black currants and minerality with a creamy, silky mouthfeel. As good as this was, it'll be even better this time next year as it opens further. Great stuff.
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1/6/2006 - pinotdog wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry jam, a touch of mocha, ample acidity and just a hint of heat. I look forward to the evolution of my remaining bottles!
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1/1/2006 - Lou Briccant wrote: 92 Points
Incredible ripe berry and spice nose. Very full bodied and very complex. A little oaky and acidic at this point, but still a wonderful Zin. Rich flavors of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, spice and dark chocolate covered macaroons! The wife didn't get the macaroons, but I sure did. Long finish. Great right now, but in a year or two. . .
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12/15/2005 - pgordon62 wrote: 91 Points
A fat nose of spicy red fruits with a brambly, stony edge. Excellent balance on the palate and finish, with bright acids, high tone fruit and minerals. The tannins build quickly. This sits in between the huge, very ripe fruit of the 2001 and the more earthy, herbal 2002. Needs 1-2 with upside.
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12/3/2005 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Ahhh, the smell of the Carlisle vineyard. Even broader, the smell of really aromatic RRV Zin. I smell this wine and I think of Hartford Dina's, another RRV wine. Great nose of rapsberry and ripe blueberry fruit. This to me is terroir and one of the best few that I can pick as my favorite Zins, yera after year. The '01 version, which we drank a few months back, was really fantastic, too. The palate is medium to full bodied, with great grip and acidity, along with a blueberry pie feel. You know, year in and out, there ain't no better Zin than this wine. Talk Turley all you like, but for less than $40, you get this--ain't no comparison. Mike, just keep making this wine every year. This bottle will sit until tomorrow, at which time I will celebrate my 40th--can't wait to finish it.
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11/30/2005 - Spencer wrote: 92 Points
Big, but balanced and not at all monolithic or overbearing. Beautiful ruby color. Complex with lush, sweet red fruit and floral notes. Nice acidity which really gives it some lift on the midpalate. Very long, lingering finish. Excellent zinfandel.
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