This was delicious, albeit past its prime. Well-balanced pepper, tannins, and fruit, lacking the earthiness of the recent Gold Mine Ranch wines. I scored this at 92 a few months ago, and 91 now, but this score is in the context of the series of "last bottles" I'm having, and this wine is consistent with them.
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With local Virginia lamb rib chops on the grill. Plush nose of blackberries. Intense blackberry and blueberry fruit on the palate, peppery notes. Brighter raspberry notes come in on the midpalate. Tannins are firm, brilliant acidity, great balance. The tannins need another two years or so to fully resolve, but are not overbearing at all right now. Long finish of dark fruits and a bit of pepper. Great right now, but not at peak. Give it another two years and it will easily last for 5 years.
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Agree with other posters this has perect integration and is at the point of drink now or soon. The berries and bramble on the mouthfeel are terrific and are delightful through finish. Drinkable all the way through a sealed glass the second night was still great. Only detraction and what kept it from a higher score s the ZIn kick has begun to fade and that is why I urge you to drink now versus hold
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This 9 1/2 year old zin was delightful. Taking on that elegant character that I really like. Everything seamlessly integrated and hedonistic. Just outstanding wine. Drink now or hold. I will probably drink my last bottle in the next three years.
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Some bitter tannins at first, then softening in an hour to show a more earthy flavor profile to the big fruit than usual for a Carlisle Zin. Plenty of red and black fruits, this still has a couple years in the tank.
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Briary, earthy, herbal and spice are what this Zin brings to the table. Very good but for those of you that are using the Coravin you need to know that the cork didn't heal quite as well as it should so that in 3 to 4 days there was a definite change in the maturation of the wine. It was still good but on the way out. If you use the Coravin drink up within 3 days. Of course I could have had a bad cork but there is no way to tell.
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Classic Carlisle dark fruit and bramble on the nose. Polished mid weight mouth feel. Dark fruit and spice on the palate. Delicious. Drink now or over the next 3-5 years.
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Well defined black fruit supported by a delicious suite of spices that almost took on their own sense of texture. Balanced and very friendly with the Alaska king salmon with zinfandel reduction (no, I did not) tarragon butter sauce.
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Elegant and earthy. Would not have picked this blind as a zinfandel. Fruit was muted, even after two hours. Served perhaps too cold, and it improved with air, but I don't see this as getting a whole lot better with age. Tasty for sure, with some black fruits and a hint of smoke. Poor QPR.
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Just perfect balance!! Nice pepper nose, with a great cherry/orange rind taste, with the 15+ alcohol completely hidden. Unexpected but now I wish I had more.
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15.2% alcohol. Dark red color. Lovely nose of briary black fruit, spice, and earth. In the mouth, impeccable balance. A wine of terrific size but surprisingly little weight. It does not get bogged down at all, which makes it such a fine example of excellent Zinfandel. The black fruit explodes from the glass, immediately backed up my spice and earth notes, solid acidity, and a long, tightly knit finish. Just delightful. A-
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Dark ruby red with expressive, mainly black fruit aromas. Black cherry, blackberry and spice dominate a balanced palate impression. Smooth and sleek. Lingering aftertaste. Several delicious years ahead of this one.
With the Carlisle offering coming up 8/2, I just had to check in!
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Pretty good Carlisle, but wish I had held this for 2 more years. No formal notes taken, but this seemed a little less fruit forward compared to Mike's other zins. Still very well made.
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Soft, round, medium-bodied mixed berry fruit with raisony and slightly smokey flavors, ample length, not as fruit forward, rich, and chewy as other Carlisle Zins
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From a Sonoma Valley vineyard planted in 1910. A great year for wine and a notable year for baseball: Cleveland Indian Cy Young gets his 500th win, beating the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings.
15.2% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. Smooth palate entry is followed by rasberry, black cherry, white pepper and just a touch of smoke and asian spice. Rich, lush, very well balanced, lingering aftertaste.
Great now and should continue to evolve nicely. I should admit that I have little experience with aged Carlisle Zins aside from an '01 Gum Tree Ranch (an historic vineyard now defunct) that I tasted last year. It was sensational.
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12/11/2021 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still going strong at 13. Drunk over two days. Elegant fruitiness.
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5/31/2020 - operaboy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Jammy, hammy Zin. a perfect accompaniment to some smoked baby back ribs.
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5/24/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consumed in a series of Carlisle Zins, these are my last bottles:
1. 2008 Lingenfelder
2. 2008 Sonoma County
3. 2007 Sonoma County
4. 2007 Papera Ranch
5. 2007 Montafi Ranch
6. 2009 Montafi Ranch
7. 2009 Gold Mine Ranch
8. 2008 Gold Mine Ranch
9. 2008 Rossi Ranch
This was delicious, albeit past its prime. Well-balanced pepper, tannins, and fruit, lacking the earthiness of the recent Gold Mine Ranch wines. I scored this at 92 a few months ago, and 91 now, but this score is in the context of the series of "last bottles" I'm having, and this wine is consistent with them.
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6/16/2018 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 93 Points
With local Virginia lamb rib chops on the grill. Plush nose of blackberries. Intense blackberry and blueberry fruit on the palate, peppery notes. Brighter raspberry notes come in on the midpalate. Tannins are firm, brilliant acidity, great balance. The tannins need another two years or so to fully resolve, but are not overbearing at all right now. Long finish of dark fruits and a bit of pepper. Great right now, but not at peak. Give it another two years and it will easily last for 5 years.
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2/23/2018 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Agree with other posters this has perect integration and is at the point of drink now or soon. The berries and bramble on the mouthfeel are terrific and are delightful through finish. Drinkable all the way through a sealed glass the second night was still great. Only detraction and what kept it from a higher score s the ZIn kick has begun to fade and that is why I urge you to drink now versus hold
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12/14/2017 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This 9 1/2 year old zin was delightful. Taking on that elegant character that I really like. Everything seamlessly integrated and hedonistic. Just outstanding wine. Drink now or hold. I will probably drink my last bottle in the next three years.
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11/8/2016 - sawira wrote:
No formal notes. I remember it being deep and tasty. About 91pts for me.
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11/8/2016 - sawira wrote:
Bottle # 2 this night. No formal notes. I remember it being deep and tasty. About 91pts for me.
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7/4/2016 - sawira wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with previous note.
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6/25/2016 - wiscgrad wrote: 92 Points
delicious well balanced zin
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6/23/2016 - sawira wrote: 90 Points
Some bitter tannins at first, then softening in an hour to show a more earthy flavor profile to the big fruit than usual for a Carlisle Zin. Plenty of red and black fruits, this still has a couple years in the tank.
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1/1/2015 - dhammer53 wrote: 90 Points
Raisens on the nose. Some acid. Drinkable. Some chocolate on day 2.
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12/4/2013 - Screameagle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Killer juice even with a pop and pour into a restaurant glass. Sure wish that I was allocated more than two bottles.
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11/6/2013 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Briary, earthy, herbal and spice are what this Zin brings to the table. Very good but for those of you that are using the Coravin you need to know that the cork didn't heal quite as well as it should so that in 3 to 4 days there was a definite change in the maturation of the wine. It was still good but on the way out. If you use the Coravin drink up within 3 days. Of course I could have had a bad cork but there is no way to tell.
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8/18/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 91 Points
Restrained briaryness, smoothed tannins, rich brambly fruit. This wine is in a nice place now.
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2/24/2013 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Classic Carlisle dark fruit and bramble on the nose. Polished mid weight mouth feel. Dark fruit and spice on the palate. Delicious. Drink now or over the next 3-5 years.
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1/19/2013 - Vinum Bellator Likes this wine: 90 Points
Polished tannins, nicely balanced, fruit is going. Should drink this one now.
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5/29/2012 - greenblanket wrote:
Well defined black fruit supported by a delicious suite of spices that almost took on their own sense of texture. Balanced and very friendly with the Alaska king salmon with zinfandel reduction (no, I did not) tarragon butter sauce.
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3/20/2012 - winecharmer wrote: 90 Points
Elegant and earthy. Would not have picked this blind as a zinfandel. Fruit was muted, even after two hours. Served perhaps too cold, and it improved with air, but I don't see this as getting a whole lot better with age. Tasty for sure, with some black fruits and a hint of smoke. Poor QPR.
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3/18/2012 - wineguy58 wrote: 91 Points
cream black and blue fruits with a medium bodied feel. very good
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10/31/2011 - pakabear wrote: 94 Points
Just perfect balance!! Nice pepper nose, with a great cherry/orange rind taste, with the 15+ alcohol completely hidden. Unexpected but now I wish I had more.
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8/12/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 89 Points
Nice softness but not as much depth as I usually expect. Still a nice zin.
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7/19/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
15.2% alcohol. Dark red color. Lovely nose of briary black fruit, spice, and earth. In the mouth, impeccable balance. A wine of terrific size but surprisingly little weight. It does not get bogged down at all, which makes it such a fine example of excellent Zinfandel. The black fruit explodes from the glass, immediately backed up my spice and earth notes, solid acidity, and a long, tightly knit finish. Just delightful. A-
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7/19/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby red with expressive, mainly black fruit aromas. Black cherry, blackberry and spice dominate a balanced palate impression. Smooth and sleek. Lingering aftertaste. Several delicious years ahead of this one.
With the Carlisle offering coming up 8/2, I just had to check in!
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4/25/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 90 Points
Pretty good Carlisle, but wish I had held this for 2 more years. No formal notes taken, but this seemed a little less fruit forward compared to Mike's other zins. Still very well made.
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1/25/2011 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Soft, round, medium-bodied mixed berry fruit with raisony and slightly smokey flavors, ample length, not as fruit forward, rich, and chewy as other Carlisle Zins
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1/15/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
From a Sonoma Valley vineyard planted in 1910. A great year for wine and a notable year for baseball: Cleveland Indian Cy Young gets his 500th win, beating the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings.
15.2% alcohol. Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. Smooth palate entry is followed by rasberry, black cherry, white pepper and just a touch of smoke and asian spice. Rich, lush, very well balanced, lingering aftertaste.
Great now and should continue to evolve nicely. I should admit that I have little experience with aged Carlisle Zins aside from an '01 Gum Tree Ranch (an historic vineyard now defunct) that I tasted last year. It was sensational.
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