4/20/2024 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

This wine commands food, otherwise it is completely unenjoyable.

4/18/2024 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This is drinking beautifully! Such an elegant, fragrant, floral nose.

We drank this basically as a PnP. Fortunately, the bottle was stored properly and the restaurant didn’t know what they had, we received a great deal on the bottle. Unfortunately, they were not prepared to remove the cork properly with 20+ years of age.

Regardless of the obstacles, this was drinking great. Light bricking at the edge of the wine in the glass but the aromatics just gave and gave. Some tannin is still there but they’re not super grippy, just right to enjoy with a steak or to ponder thoughts while you enjoy a glass.

1/5/2024 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

PnP, this wine is ready now. Delicious wine, compels me to take another sip, then another, and another.

Nose: strawberry, chocolate covered nuts, baby powder?, maybe a medicinal note is fighting to come through?

Palate: funk, minerally, chocolate, feminine, drinkable, sense of place, terroir comes through prominently.

Finish: medium/medium long, a touch drying, makes me want to go back for another sip

Very glad I have two more, I worry they will not last long.

11/21/2023 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Took two days to open up. Opened on Sunday as a replacement for another bottle but tasted out of balance and a little green. Left to breathe on the counter then recorked and placed in cellar.

Much better now, tasting as a Zin should. Not sure what happened here.

11/20/2023 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Surprisingly, this needs a lot of air and can probably lay down a few more years.

Opened night before to pair with pepperoni pizza and it was an unbalanced acid bomb. Left on the counter overnight to see what happens.

Acid is now restrained, some plum and raisin notes have emerged, the wine has smoothed out on the palate significantly. A bit disappointed as the previous bottle was outstanding.

Still a Nicora fan. One off bottle does not make a vintner.

10/13/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Always a great wine! Delicious from PnP over two hours.

9/22/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This wine benefits from significant time in the decanter, 2 hours plus.

PnP was tight and not enjoyable. We were rewarded after several hours in the decanter.

9/22/2023 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Very stemmy and green. Either a bad bottle or needs to lay down for several years.

9/12/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

PnP and this was singing. A really outstanding wine, wish we had a couple more.

8/26/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Drinking great from PnP. Wish I had a couple more.

8/3/2023 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Stemmy, green. Did not enjoy. Improved a touch with food but this was not an enjoyable wine.

7/15/2023 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Not good

4/23/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Ten years on and this is drinking beautifully. Elegant, spicy, almost no tannin.

PnP and an hour in the decanter, this is ready to go and only improved with air.

Paired with dry rubbed, grilled ribs.

I only wish I had more in the cellar!

4/22/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This wine was fantastic on PnP. Surprisingly light/medium bodied, a very pleasant surprise!

Paired with bleu cheese crusted filet mignon and this was a perfect pairing.

Enjoy now or lay down for 3-5 years

2/9/2023 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

PnP. As others have noted, this is in a very good spot. Paired nicely with an ahi tuna filet and a rotisserie chicken.

Very smooth, typical Cali RRV pinot. Rich but not overwhelming. Very enjoyable.

I think you can drink now or leave this laying down for another 3+ years easy.

12/15/2022 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Sweet, raisiny, big and bold. Drank over two nights. It’s fine, but not what I expect in a quality Zin.

11/19/2022 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

PnP this is ready to go! Shame this was my only bottle as it will develop nicely in the next few years.

10/28/2022 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Not for me, others enjoyed it. I can’t put words to it other than it just missed the mark for my palate. More yeasty than fresh, which is not how the salesperson described it to me.

10/28/2022 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

My last 2009 and how sad I am to see you go!

Beautiful, inky, black petite that has mellowed with age and rewarded the patient. A one hour decant was all that was needed for this wine to blossom into something elegant.

10/23/2022 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This really opened up a fragrant bouquet on the nose and resolved some tannins after a decant of just over an hour. A very nice wine that is drinking well with some air.

7/26/2022 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Drink up, this tasted fine but felt like it was at the beginning of the decline from peak enjoyment. I felt like it began to fall apart a touch as dinner progressed as well.

7/15/2022 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Very herbaceous, I thought a bit delicate, floral. Medium/high tannin, definitely a wine made for rich food, paired with a grilled ribeye.

Consumed as PnP. Ready for business but could probably age another 2-3 years

7/14/2022 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Drinking really well right now on PnP. Lots of life left, delicious Zinfandel

6/15/2022 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Not good, tastes like cough syrup

5/11/2022 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Returned to this after approximately 18 months. Still had some dustiness to it that I don't expect from a Zin but the fruit was fighting through. A more enjoyable experience than the previous two bottles but not what I expected from a high-quality producer like Carlisle.

I think I'll sit on my last bottle for a couple of years or share it with people that "like" wine but aren't super into wine.

7/24/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Decant this for several hours or open up the day before. Was very good on PnP but the glass and a half I let breathe over night was next level deliciousness!

A truly fantastic wine!

7/16/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This is really good and is in a great window! I think this could go for a few more years as well.

6/15/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Give this wine several hours to open up and you will be richly rewarded!

5/12/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This has really improved with some bottle age. Nice peppery notes on the palate.

4/28/2021 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Easy drinking, not finding it terribly complex on PnP. Feel as if it's overpriced for what it is.

Good to share with new wine drinkers or on a night you just want something easy to drink.

3/12/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

PnP. Drinking really well. Very light body for a Syrah. Savory.

2/20/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This wine just keeps getting better and better. Fantastic juice.

1/13/2021 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Decanted 2.5 hours. Delicious, in a great spot right now. Alcohol was balanced and not overwhelming. Did not take formal notes.

12/25/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Excellent wine! In a great place. Nicely integrated and ready to drink now.

12/23/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Same outcome as last time with this wine. Unsure why my experience is so different than everyone else’s. Two more in storage, going to leave alone for a couple years.

12/23/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Slow oxed for a few hours. Really delicious, tannins are well integrated. Beautiful perfumes Zinfandel. This is in a really nice spot right now.

12/20/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Decanted for approximately six hours. A decent amount of sediment showed up in the strainer. This showed really nicely, tannins smoothed out and were velvety. Easy to drink. Alcohol is there but did not overwhelm or dominate the wine, integrated nicely. Initial taste to ensure soundness before decanting showed lots of tannins and a closed wine. This wine has many more years ahead of it or can be enjoyed now with a long decant.

12/18/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

A touch on the heavier side for my liking. Low/no acid.

12/14/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

PnP. This is incredible QPR! Ready to go right now and will certainly reward laying down for a few years. One left, will have to check my local Costco to see if they have any stock remaining. Drink and buy with confidence right now.

11/5/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Very soft, very light. Drinks like a pinot noir.

10/31/2020 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Eh, seemed flat and uninspiring. Decanted for two hours. Bitter. Boring.

5/28/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This is a gorgeous wine. Nick did a fantastic job crafting this. Had to pop a baby as all the others are in offsite. Glad I have one more to age for a few years to see how it develops. Nicora is such an excellent producer, glad I found them.

5/29/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

What a difference four years makes! This wine is very much alive and in a wonderful place. PnP.

Very elegant, medium tannin, a joy to drink. Perfumed nose, feminine.

Paired expertly with a grilled ribeye.

5/23/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Might be a bit overpriced but this wine is delicious. This is in a great spot for either a PnP or decant for a few hours. Decanted for 6+ hours and was superb.

5/16/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Decanted for 6+ hours, truly by accident. This wine is singing, smooth, delicious, expressive. Wish I had one more in stock. Biale Petite Sirah is built for the long haul and I'm confident this can go at least to 2025, if not a few more years past. Enjoy!

5/16/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

Corked, unfortunately.

5/6/2020 - Neat Water Back wrote:

This needs time. Not the expressive, juicy, and rich wine I'm used to from this bottling. Two days on and still dry and dusty.

5/6/2020 - Neat Water Back Does not like this wine:

Overly ripe, candied, super sweet. By far one of the worst bottles of wine I've tried. Poured down the drain after less than a glass.

5/4/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

This is in a great spot right now. Nice acidity, cherries. Enjoy!

4/30/2020 - Neat Water Back Likes this wine:

Do yourself a favor and let this open up for 90 minutes. The reward is magnificent.

We did a PnP and slowly drank this with some Pork Pizzaiola. Over the course of the next 90 minutes this bottle just gave and gave some more. The last two glasses at the 90 and 120 minute mark were fantastic. Rich, leathery, spicy, peppery, acid backed. Just a fantastic zinfandel.