2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

Community Tasting Notes (106) Avg Score: 90.1 points

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  5/3/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Consumed in a series of Carlisle Zins:
  
  1. 2008 Lingenfelder
  2. 2008 Sonoma County
  
  Consumed over three nights. On night one, immediately fragrant upon opening (twist-cap, not a cork), seemingly lighter in color than the Lingenfelder, but more prominent fruit (lots of blackberry) and acidity. Lighter tannins than the Lingenfelder. Night two, the wine lost some fruit but picked up a distinct earthiness and a bit of -OH evidence--still very enjoyable. Night three, alcohol had dissipated, but the wine retained the modest fruit and earthiness, with a bit more pepper than in prior nights.

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  8/21/2018 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 90 Points

  What a remarkable bargain this has been! Holding up incredibly well at the age of ten and with seemingly at least five more years of ageing capacity. Still lots of primary zinfruits on display, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry and liqueured berry notes. Also some spices, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves. Full bodied and rich. Only minor drawback to me was an okay vanilla component sticking out a little bit akin to what I find in wines such as modern, aged Ribera del Duero. I find it to be less integrated today than in a bottle consumed 1½ year ago. I am afraid this will only get worse with age and it causes me to rate it a point below my last bottle, which didn't have this problem. It'd advice to drink up because of this, but all else in the wine seemed to be so sound and age worthy still

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  6/10/2017 - ljl203 wrote: 91 Points

  SineQuaNon nailed it. Sensational value 91+ worth of berry, choco goodness.

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  1/21/2017 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 91 Points

  OMG what a sensational value! Outperformed my expectations with a healthy margin and provides a good case for a reason to age Mike's Zin's. Fully resolved with no structural components out of place but not lacking in any way, just perfectly balanced, with a full body and full, rich finish. Pronounced intensity nose and palate, still juicy, energetic and bright. Fresh and candied red berry notes (raspberry, blackberry), typical zin-spices: cinammon, cloves, cardamom, bit of vanilla, nice hints of evolution with a bit of tobacco leaf development, hints of malo-milk and chocolate, yet still so zingy, fresh, intense and lively. I might be underrating it with a 91. I am wowed and in a state of slight disbelief. -And so happy with the apparent quality of my passive cellar hovering around the 54F/12C degrees year around because this bottle has stood there for almost seven years (stood because of the screwcap closure) and it is still so fresh.

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  5/8/2016 - MoreWinePlease Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Tasty Zin with v.good fruit in a fat and satisfying mid palate and a satisfying finish. This has held very well. Great w/gas broiled beefalo strip steak...a steal at $21.

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