2002 Carlisle Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Community Tasting Notes (32) Avg Score: 91.9 points

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  5/12/2020 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points

  Bursting with black fruit, cassis, dried herb, and melted licorice intensity, this is one of the most flamboyant Zinfandels I’ve had. It’s unapologetically big and unctuous, and yet tremendously balanced, striking a chord between youthful freshness and bottle age complexity. Layers of decadent fruit successfully mask the whopping 15.9% ABV, while notes of barbecue and a galore of spices segue into a long, sapid, crushed rock finish.

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  4/2/2016 - klmarshall wrote: 92 Points

  Tasted at the Carlisle pickup. I can't add much to the good descriptions already noted, other than to say that I really enjoyed this wine and agree that it almost had a cabernet like profile. If I knew they were all going to age this well, I wouldn't drink any of the Carlisle I just picked up for the next decade.

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  4/2/2016 - csimm wrote: 91 Points

  Carlisle Pickup Tasting (Windsor): Poured at the Carlisle pickup alongside the 2014 Carlisle Rosella's Syrah and 2014 Carlisle Saitone Zinfandel.
  
  As noted by SAWIRA (3 years ago), this is truly an aged Zinfandel on its downward slope. However, even today it still had a little verve and energy left to make for an interesting sip. Purple-brick in color, with a hint of reduction (a little brine) and leather. The secondary and tertiary notes have now been pushed to the forefront, with more red currant, ripe red plum, muddled ripe black cherry, wet brick, and leather notes. MATT SCOTT called it perfectly with the vermouth note as well.
  
  Surprisingly, nothing hollow mid-palate nor astringent; just a nicely aged red wine all the way around. Drank almost like a classic Cabernet with 20 years on it.
  
  Personally, I would drink now before it totally loses its spine and falls apart. It could likely go a number of years, but I would worry about it becoming a little too thin and leathery for my palate.

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  4/2/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Kalamata olive, vermouth, tart cherry, white pepper and black fruit. Suave and still very youthful. Long and polished, with still some silky tannins. Drink now - 2020.

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  1/16/2013 - sawira wrote:

  The last of nine bottles, I've chased this since release every time it shows up on wb.c or elsewhere. A great wine comes to the end of its run. This remains, after many years on Mike's list, my single favorite zin he's ever produced. (Some have been close.) This bottle is just beginning to fade, and lose its Pet oriented structure. Still outstanding however, with huge, fat, almost cab-like notes of red and black fruit with deliciously granular tannins fading to the background. Mike, if you're reading this, go for the high Pet formula at Dry Creek again when the vintage permits. This wine is a revelation, thank you for the great run. Drink up, and enjoy!

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