Community Tasting Note
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csimm wrote: 85 points
October 15, 2017 - Linear and flat across the palate from start to finish. Some purple berry fruit and fleeting hits of black olive (like the kind on a Roundtable pizza). Lackluster indeed (and not "off" in terms of being technically flawed in any way that I could tell). Fairly one-note, even after an hour+ of air.
This is unfortunately a product of a style transition from the late 90's to present, where what would be the core, ripe fruit seems to be pulling back so much in the name of balance that it has been robbed of some of its flavor and concentration potential. More than a bit of a bummer really, as Carlisle used to be my go-to for PS and Syrah for the last 15 years. Maybe I just need to rethink what Carlisle brings to the consumer now: a more basic table wine that isn't designed for geeking-out on or displaying flavors that might offset the medium and easy going balance it is apparently trying to achieve.
85-ish? points. I suppose leaving this alone for 2-3 years might allow it to put on some weight, but who knows what the fruit will be up to then. I was hoping that after having this a year ago, some time would broaden its spectrum. Not so. In fact, the opposite effect has occurred. Either it's in a dumb phase, or I'm in a dumb phase. Regardless, this wine and I didn't jive.
...It's always hard to break up with a wine when you have more bottles still sitting in the cellar.3 people found this helpful 3,074 views
2 Comments
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jeagle commented:
10/16/17, 6:50 AM - I rarely comment, but after your review a couple of years ago of the 2012 KB Russian River being pedestrian which was also my impression (I dropped them), I had to offer support. Here I am again. I became so tired of writing negative Carlyle reviews, I dropped them, too. I think I have one bottle of Pallisades PS left. You will probably receive a few responses from their avid fan base. No group has been more moved to respond to my negativity than them, typically polite but with a sense of restrained anger. I started to write one person back, but then I noticed their picture had them posing with a Carlyle magnum. Keep up the good fight. <John
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csimm commented:
10/16/17, 10:44 AM - Thanks very much for the comment. I truly appreciate it. Contrary to what some might think, the last thing I want to write is a seemingly "negative" review. I know there are those who love to scorch the internet with negativity in some passive-aggressive attempt to air grievances and be heard by the masses. However, I'm not trying to be negative, but rather articulating (usually poorly) my experience with a wine and impressions (or sometimes flat-out guesses) about what happened with a wine's performance. I'd love to love Carlisle, but I can't deny whatever shift is going on with them that I as a consumer am not aligned with. KB was the same way. If I have an amazing Carlisle or KB wine tomorrow, I'll write how great it was. Unfortunately, the trend doesn't seem to be going that way for me at least.
You're 100% right about those who are "fans" of certain wineries and how "their" winemaker can do no wrong. Not much to do about that I guess. I just figure that even wines that I totally love could display differently for someone else...and if that person writes a "negative" note in Cellar Tracker, who am I to judge what their experience of a wine was. People get so lost in their own certainty about something so subjective. Hell, I might love a wine one day, and the same wine the next month will show differently and I'll have a less exuberant experience. The notes should reflect those two juxtapositions in experience (in my silly opinion). Sorry for the long response. I appreciate the comment and always love to hear any feedback/info. Thanks again!