Medium garnett With medium plus intensity developed aromas of violets, ripe raspberries, nutmeg, black licorice, wet cedar, black cherries, and briar. This is a dry wine with medium + body, high alcohol, medium acidity, and medium tannins. It has medium + intensity flavors of violets, raspberry, blackberry, anise, nutmeg, briar, and cedar. This wine has a medium plus finish and is a very good wine at its peak.
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very similar to 11/29/20 TN. Still a bit porty/ pruney on the nose, which does blow off after 1+ hours. Excellent Zin in a really nice place. Still has superb structure, but as this appears to have hit a plateau I encourage other owners to drink up this year to maximize enjoyment!
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Decanted 45 minutes. Much better than previous bottle (which may have suffered from some traveling bottle shock). The plumminess on the nose blew off quickly to reveal deep, sweet black raspberry with some herbs and spice aromas. Complex jammy (but not overripe) flavors of rich blueberry, black cherries, cracked pepper. Full-bodied, yet fairly well-balanced with some nice minerality, and a bit of licorice, forest floor and mild tannins on the finish. This bottle was at peak, but likely has the structure for a couple more years.
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A bit plummy upon opening, but expanded to reveal dark cherries and black raspberries and herbs on the palate with a bit of smoke a smidge of heat at 15.3%. Still a bit of tangy acidity on the finish, but what a deep, rich finish it is! At peak - drink now!
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PnP after another Zin was corked. Huge nose. Medium body. Semi-opaque ruby-black. Even mixture of red and dark fruits. Hints of licorice, but big spice. Long finish. Very nice. Would have been better with something other than pizza.
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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
Consumed over two nights.
While this wine is 11 years old, it's still young, compared to the 2007. This year has more of everything, but not too much of anything. More intensity, plums, dark cherries, earthiness/smoke, and tannins. No evidence of 15.3% -OH, nor is this wine heavy. Night one, consumed with a Margherita pizza and the combination of this wine and the garlic was perfect. Night two, more fruit and more acid to balance the fruit out. Just more intensity on night two.
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Last bottle and still delicious over two days. The texture and refinement of this wine is far beyond what one would expect from a zin. Still plenty of glossy fruit. This was great now and I would say it isn't getting any better so drink up.
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Blackberries, truffle, red cherry, creosote and damp earth. Long and with a thrilling amount of concentration, the finish sails on and the age is showing very well. There’s a full middle and quite a few years left. Drink now - 2023.
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Nose of black berry and red cherry, more of the same on the palate, big body, very tasty, rich and mouth filling fruit, opened to enjoy over the last two evenings, at its peak and will easily last another five years but why wait, easy to sip and savor with or without food, and a long, long finish.
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Nice body...beautiful tannins. It is time to open if you haven't. I am not sure how much longer it will hold. I get a hint of blackberry or cherry. Very chewy and long legs. It stays with you and last awhile. Higher alcohol content than usual 15.3%. I love this one but this vintage is about out.
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Nose of black cherry and red cherry, black berry, a touch of heat, more of the same on the palate, big body, very rich and mouth filling fruit, almost elegant, terrific Zinfandel enjoyed over both evenings, at its best and will easily last another five years but why wait, a long, long finish.
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Smoky Cherry and raspberry notes on the nose. On the palate perfectly resolved tannins, nice acidity and round, ripe fruit. Red fruits, some dark cherry, raspberry, bit of eucalyptus. Everything in balance and just lovely. Nice gradual finish with dark fruit and spice. Drinking beautifully right now, no need to wait. Probably good for the next couple of years. Nice stuff.
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Deep jammy fruit in the nose and flavor with hints of licorice in the nose. Black cherries, blackberries, and black raspberries in the flavor. Well balanced wine with a medium to long finish.
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Revisiting after a year and a half. The wine is inky colored with a purple berries and spice notes.
Unabashedly fruity with lots of red and purple fruits, spice, tobacco and some purple flowers that I didn't detect previously. Very smooth and a little less sweet than I remember from my previous bottle. A big wine, but one that is balanced and hides the alcohol well.
The people I shared this with really enjoyed this tremendously.
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Fantastic, complex, lots of different scents going on, medium bodied and lithe on the palate. Delicious, but a tad hollow at times (vintage?). Zin has struggled in California since 2000 so to be expected, still, a stellar performance tonight.
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Jonathan T's Oct note captures this wine very well. Has the RRV old vine siganture that really only Carlisle and a couple others choose to display through vineyard selection. Wine was in a wonderful spot, the '09s across Papera/Carlisle Vin/Montafi etc have been so good and the structure carried then so showing peak performance now. Rich flavor but more lithe mouthfeel. Excellent. Relative to the Papera, which I opened now so long ago, this is a darker wine.
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This was one of the tastiest Carlisle zins I've had. Very pure and authentic blue and black fruits, dried plums, and many complicated flavors I can't quite identify. The hints of pretty lavender floral notes and provencal herbs add lift to the nose. There is zero heat from the alcohol. An honest, gimmick-free old-vine zin. I'm really liking this 2009 vintage for Carlisle.
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Blueberries on the nose, with subtle bramble. Big fruit on the palate, but not jammy. Tasted alongside three other very good reds, I was most impressed with its structure and balance. Not particularly complex (no spices, etc.), but just a really solid, well made wine.
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First, I am a Zinfandel lover. The aroma of this bottle was the most intense and lovely I have encountered! Carlisle and Turley are in a class by themselves and I have been on both mailing lists for many years. This one topped them all. Incredibly complex. Wow!
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Maybe my favorite Carlisle to date. Balanced with a long finish. Full palate of raspberries, plums, vanilla, and spice. Perfect match for pulled pork tacos. Nicely buzzed when the bottle was empty but didn't notice the heat on the nose or palate.
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Terrific nose - all kinds of black and blue fruit plus a healthy dollup of what I characterized as "bramble" (which I think is what other commenters described as "peaches"). Same good stuff on the palate. Tongue-tingling fruit and a really good finish. Upon opening, it was a little too port-like and hot, but after 30 to 60 minutes of air, it was well balanced. Really good structure and serious tannins. I think it will be better in another year or so.
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With Demitri and family at Croc's. Great dark juicy fruit coming from the second swirl in the glass. Really retained it's rich fruitiness until the last drop 1.5 hours later. Love these Carlisle wines.
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I feel so inadequate keeping this wine out of the 90s for the third time while the love for it gushes mid-90s all over the board. Montafi is one of my favorites but this one just keeps leaving me thinking it is tasty, enjoyable, absolutely nothing wrong with it, but just not quite there....
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Madly consistent, won't even go into it because the past 4-6 reviews have it called cold. I'm somewhere between tomlee and David_T here. Wonderful bottle.
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The aromas are a nice blend of red, blue and black fruit. I too get the peach others mention on both the nose and palate. The flavors also showcase red & black raspberry and cherry with a bit of cola. Medium acidity though a bit light on the tannins. Medium-length red fruit/cola finish. The alcohol is balanced; an enjoyable wine if a bit fruit-forward. Drinking well now, I don't see this improving further though it should last a few more years.
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15.3% ABV. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Ripe nose of zinberry fruit with some baking spices. Full bodied and plump. Perhaps just a touch lacking in acidity, but very tasty. Probably about time to drink up.
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Nose of blackberry and peach with a touch of heat, more of the same on the palate, mouth filling, big body, almost elegant, more blackberry and less peach, touch of graphite, long, long, flavorful finish, at its peak.
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I sent my daughter to the cellar to select a bottle for dinner and she came up with this, which turned out to be one of the nicest Carlisle's in my collection. A special occasion wine that fit the moment during the holiday week. Unlike the previous bottle I opened a couple of years ago that needed some air time, this was ready to go out of the chute. Refined, balanced, and elegant. Not the jammy style but then again it's from a producer not known for having jammy characteristics.
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Opaque purple in color. 15.3% ABV. Big, expressive nose of brambly black fruits and a touch of graphite. Rich and plush with tremendous mouthfeel. Great depth to the fruit. Blackberry, raspberry, pepper and a hint of citrus on the palate. The finish is absolutely glorious. Drink over the next 2-4 years. Just about as good as Zinfandel gets!
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Aromas of blueberry, raspberry, clover and boysenberry. Bursting with flavors of blueberry, raspberry, wild cherry and a touch of earth. Finish sails on for at least 35 seconds. Always my favorite wine for Carlisle!
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This had pepper, red fruit, no obvious alcohol, and was smooth on the palate. Nice nose of pepper and fruit. Three days later, the pepper was much more pronounced in a good way and the fruit was prominent in a good wasy as well. Really good wine. As I try to get rid of my lists, I keep drinking wines that I probably couldn't get if I was not on the list...such as Carlisle.
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My last 2009 Montafi. Poured for some colleagues, was well received, no surprise there. The peach remark that Mike makes on the website in his tasting notes is spot on. This is here. Early on, the wine had a bit of an orange rind/peel note but the peach is square center now. Good load of berries, vanilla, creamy and a finishing lick of acid. Fruit centric, vivid and juicy.
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From the RRV's great Montafi Ranch vineyard (Tom Feeney) planted in 1926. Damn, my last one. 15.3% alcohol. Medium dark ruby red. Exceptionally expressive aromas of mostly black fruit. On the palate, a stream of beautiful raspberry engulfed by black cherry and blackberry with a hint of pepper and spice for good measure. Luscious mouthfeel, wonderful depth and a deliciously long aftertaste. This wine is strutting, laughing and dancing right now, but should continue to evolve for several more years.
Carlisle Montafi's are always special for me and this one stands out.
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I really liked this wine - probably the star of the night. Decanted over an hour. Deep purple hues. Full rich black and blue fruit. Long finish. A bold wine but complex.
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Pours a dark inky purple. Nose of purple fruits and a hint of spice.
This is a big, full bodied wine. Bushels of purple fruits and red berries attack the palate. There's a bit of spice and a nice tobacco note to add complexity. Well balanced with ample acidity, despite carrying a high degree of alcohol (15.3%). Tannins are almost imperceptible.
A touch sweet for me, I liked it better on the second day when the sweetness receded and was replaced by a pleasantly sour note.
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Very intensive fruit on the nose with plums and dark berries. Initially a little to acid for my taste, but after a few hours - and with food - it really starts to shine. Gorgeous with pulled chicken with apple/licorice relish.
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Popped and poured. Pleasant, full nose of darker fruits/berries and a little spice. Full and plush on the palate, with mostly dark and some red berries, some bramble, and just a touch of booze. Good acidity, pretty well balanced, and overall another nice wine from Carlisle. (Montafi Ranch usually is my favorite of the zin line-up.) Paired with burgers.
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Big, ripe and lush and despite that and my shift in taste I enjoyed it. Zinfandel has become a variety that I rarely drink anymore but Ann still loves them so we keep some Carlisle around. This one has good acidity to balance the fruit and there is some spice and a peach note of all things to keep it interesting. Ann and Kelly loved it.
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First bottle of two, having not realized until now that I had let these sit since the original shipment. Open about 1/2 hour, shows some metal shaving on the aromatic and then the lush, fruit packed palate of Montafi. Wow, this is stacked with flavor, that brambly, dark fruited thing that Mike does with this vineyard, yet he gets acid into the wine, too. In terms of acidity, not say 2011 vintage Carlisle but this is more like 2009, showing the richness and heady profile and yet if you asked me to find an aromatic or flavor flaw, I can't--no booze, no oaky tones, just plush, juicy and like fresh picked dark fruit. And in this vintage, whatever the % component may be, the petite shows through, as it has some Switchback Ridge tones inside the palate, that lovely thing petite does. And, in reading Mike's tasting note on the wine from his wbe page, the remark about peach, you know, that is dead on. Can't say I've identified this quality in zin before but that expression is here. I paired this with a butternut squash risotto with sage... marvelous! Drinking great now too, BTW!
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Fruit forward and spicy nose, full body but gives lots of fruit without the prune flavors that high alcohol zins present. Great balance and drinking well and wish I had another to see how it would fare in another 2 years.
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Big aromatic nose of black and red fruit, spice and herbs. Palate is full-bodied and richly fruited, but with deft balance. Persistent and light on it's feet. Terrific Zinfandel.
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Complex, substantial, bramble goodness, but also a youthfully uneven texture and presentation on the palate. I guess the baby fat has receded and that this was more luscious earlier and will be more perfect in 1-3 years. This is my favorite Zinfandel bottling by any producer.
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Decanted, excellent, one of the best Zins I've had, although it tasted a little more like a Syrah than a Zin to me, smooth- my last bottle of the Montafi Ranch
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Loads of strawberry and sweet raspberry. There is a lot of oak but is well integrated with the fruit at this point. Good acidity, especially through the mid-palate giving it great lift. This is very nice.
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Excellent Zinfandel with plenty of dark fruit that needs some time to open up. Very good acidity and a backbone of minerality give structure to this wine that is sometimes lacking in big Zins.
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A stunning wine. Very rustic and deep after an hour decant. Throughout the night the fruit would come out more and more. But, it also would go into other amazing flavors. Cannot wait to see where this one goes with my other 2.
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Dark zin-like color, but the mouthfeel was lighter than expected. If tasted blind, I don't know if I would have picked this as a zin - it was very fruity, with no peppery spice. I liked the wine, very much in fact, just confused about the varietal.
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Oak saw dust on nose. Very aromatic. Medium to full body with lively acidity. Round, medium tannins. Dusty spicebox with black raspberry compote. Spicy briar patch on long finish. Incredible complexity with layer upon layer of intense flavors. Has legs to hold up for 10 years!
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Bottle was opened an hour prior to drinking and had a glass left for the next night. Great flavors of dark fruit, bramble, black pepper. Nice smooth finish. Great on both nights...i think it hit its peak at about 2 hours open.
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Reticent nose and palate on first pour; opened up nicely after 1-2 hours. Second night shows the typical cornucopia of Carlisle black fruit with a side of black pepper. No floral notes on this one. The difference from night 1 to night 2 is remarkable. I would decant for a couple of hours if drinking one soon.
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Whoa Nelly!! This is not your fathers Zin! Very rich and intense, smooth, dark jammy fruit with some herbs, long finish. At 15.3% alc this is a nice sipper. Drink now with a decant or hold.
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Popped and poured. I wasn't getting the spice that others were but this was quite complex with plush raspberry fruit. Nice balance and layered finish. An excellent Zin. Suggest decanting as this was tight for the first 30 minutes.
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Damn, wish I read Cubswinws review first. This was smooth and nice but I kept saying its just not giving up what I believe is in the bottle. Nice well made with good potential. Light tannins that should make this a nice drinking wine in short notice, but I think I'll give my last bottle a good year before opening. Emjoy!!!
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Big and fruity nose out of the gate with raspberry and jammy notes. A crowd pleasing nose followed by deep red and black fruits and a hint of oak. Delicious wine with a long finish and a longer upside.
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Brought this to Pizzetta 211 - which doesn't employ proper wine glasses, no decant, but it didn't matter. This wine has gobs of fruit on the nose and palate, a little pepper/spice, great balance and long smooth finish.
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Another outstanding showing for this. Drank about half bottle after a 2004 Pride reserve Merlot and held up to it. It is rich and dense with dark fruit and strong structure. There was a glass left over, so I corked the bottle and revisited on night 2. It held up perfectly.
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- It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Big, typical zin, but smooth. If grabbing a zin out of the cellar, this is what I want to end up with.
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Big, bold, lush, rich, bit of sweetness, but held together very well with good acidity, and the signature Montafi dried herbs and anise. Long, deep, lush finish.
24 hours later: Interesting, some of the lush sweetness has dropped, with more structure coming to the fore, more classic zinberry fruit coming out. I liked it on opening, and I like it now, but two different wines.
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there is a beautiful bouquet which is very evident while decanting (maybe more so since I used a Vinturi), lots of blackberry, with creosote. A bit of funk, spice.
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Great deep dark rich nose with brambly notes of boysenberry, blackberry and a touch of licorice. In the mouth, totally delicious and seamless, with the notes from the nose carring through. This is one of the best of the best zins out there. Amazing ability to combine power, richness and potent flavors in an elegant way. It really has it all for this varietal. I agree with Gutt22 below, ready to go!
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Well made, tasty wine from a very difficult variety. Essentially a field blend, this wine comprises 89% Zinfandel and 11% other varieties from vines planted in 1926. The wine itself is deep, dark, purple and jammy with blackberry and licorice characters. Well balanced with good acidity. Parker 92-95 points.
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15.3% alcohol. This might be my favorite Carlisle Zinfandel, and certainly this vintage doesn't disappoint. Dark red-purple color. The bouquet doesn't suffer at all from being so young. This is rocking out of the glass with a black-blue fruit profile, ample spice, and a whiff of creamy oak. In the mouth, a big wine but one that carries itself well. Balanced impeccably on this big frame with spicy black fruit, good acidity, and well-controlled back end structure that is ripe and tightly knit. Delicious. A-
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2 hour decant and the wine is continuing to evolve. Dark berry, spices, and distinct aromas of crayons. a touch Of pleasent oaky carmel seems to peak through. It's powerful, but suprisngly light on it's feet. Deep and dark blackberry reveals itself first with some chocolate mixed in. A chalky minerality and zing of acidity pulls balances it out and makes you take another sip. No noticeable alcohol this time, this is drinking better than my last bottle.
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- Aromas of cherry. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry and blackberry with a medium body. Fleshy texture with a long finish - Fantastic Zin, lots of fruit on the nose and the palate. Well integrated. Look forward to buying more!
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This was a great bottle, showing dynamic and broad evolution in the decanter. The first glass, on opening showed dark, rich and brooding black fruit. Dense, concentrated and a bit sweet, I fully expected this to fill out into a lush, opulent drinker. Instead, with 3 hours of air, this became more delineated and energetic. It gained a refreshing, acid beam. The fruit moved from black to red, and the finish gained a chalky, mineral character. I usually expect a wine that starts like this to loosen up with air, but as this unfurled, it gained focus and complexity, as if a conduit for site specificity. Having let this evolve a bit in the decanter, I say a couple years in the cellar will improve it.
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Disappointing, compared to last bottle. Tastes candied. Not sure what's wrong here, bottle was stored well... not flawed.. but could pass for a $10 Vons special, if served blind.
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15.3% ABV. PnP. Brief impression. I was expecting this to be rather tight and was pleasantly surprised to find it open for business. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Sweet zinberry nose. Plump, ripe and open knit with sweet red berry fruit. Very good.
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Incredibly tannic monster. Gobs of blue fruit but quite astringent at this time. I know I opened this early but I wanted to have a treat on vacation. Try to wait until 2013 for the next bottle.
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From vines planted in 1926. 15.3% alcohol. 520 cases produced.
Medium dark purple. Red and blue fruit aromas erupt from the glass. Rich and concentrated rasberry, blueberry and black cherry flavors. Extremely well balanced, fantastic fruit intensity, lingering aftertaste.
Wow. Montafi is always one of the stalwarts of the Carlisle lineup. This is excpetional and will continue to improve for at least 3-5 years. Glad I have three more.
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Pop 'n pour - consumed over 1 hour. Big, concentrated, thick brambly zin. Heat came through on the finish a bit. Young and primary right now, this one could use a couple years in the cellar.
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P&P. Blueberry pie and spice in your dome. Powerful And i am loving it. Jammy zin? sure, its got some there. However, the fruit seems pure. its got interesting spices and restrained oak and it really is just delicious. There was a nice creamy, long peppery finish. A tad hot but hey, it's young! 92
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Decanted for an hour. Opaque and a crystalline, violet rim. A juicy nose of blackberry, white pepper, chalk, soy sauce and iodine. Such a soft palate, with juicy tannins that possess a welcoming grip. A finish of cream and brown sugar. Seductive and long; this is an "Old-World Zin." Mike Officer is one of the best vintners for this Cali-centric varietal. Drink 2012 - 2020.
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I can see why Mr. Tanzer gave this a 94. Not what you'd expect from many of the other CA zins out there. Borderline extraordinary. Perfectly made, balanced, and all that. I agree with Nutty08's notes below.
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Popped and poured, really started to open up after 2hrs or so. Lovely open nose of concentrated dark "briary" fruits, currants, and wild berry, with a little vanilla cream and pepper mixed in. Ripe concentrated fruit palate, with similar flavor profile and the pepper note coming through a little more. Despite the concentration, this was restrained, balanced, with nice acidity. Lengthy creamy finish with some chocolate notes coming through. Really nice wine that's approachable now, though needs a few years. I'm not usually a Zin fan, but this was impressive for its balance and restraint, while showing the varietal. No hint of alcohol or heat.
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Pop and pour but first put in a brown paper bag marked "On the Waterfront" along with a 2005 Amarone and a 2008 Saxum JBV. Rich chocolate and cherry flavors; some were thinking this was the Amarone. Doesn't show much of the pepper and spice one would expect from a ZInfandel. Good structure. It's big and juicy. 15.3% on the label.
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5/23/2022 - lewisrise wrote: 94 Points
Medium garnett With medium plus intensity developed aromas of violets, ripe raspberries, nutmeg, black licorice, wet cedar, black cherries, and briar. This is a dry wine with medium + body, high alcohol, medium acidity, and medium tannins. It has medium + intensity flavors of violets, raspberry, blackberry, anise, nutmeg, briar, and cedar. This wine has a medium plus finish and is a very good wine at its peak.
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5/7/2021 - BHRH Likes this wine: 92 Points
very similar to 11/29/20 TN. Still a bit porty/ pruney on the nose, which does blow off after 1+ hours. Excellent Zin in a really nice place. Still has superb structure, but as this appears to have hit a plateau I encourage other owners to drink up this year to maximize enjoyment!
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11/29/2020 - BHRH wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 45 minutes. Much better than previous bottle (which may have suffered from some traveling bottle shock). The plumminess on the nose blew off quickly to reveal deep, sweet black raspberry with some herbs and spice aromas. Complex jammy (but not overripe) flavors of rich blueberry, black cherries, cracked pepper. Full-bodied, yet fairly well-balanced with some nice minerality, and a bit of licorice, forest floor and mild tannins on the finish. This bottle was at peak, but likely has the structure for a couple more years.
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11/7/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit plummy upon opening, but expanded to reveal dark cherries and black raspberries and herbs on the palate with a bit of smoke a smidge of heat at 15.3%. Still a bit of tangy acidity on the finish, but what a deep, rich finish it is! At peak - drink now!
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10/19/2020 - Ed B Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP after another Zin was corked. Huge nose. Medium body. Semi-opaque ruby-black. Even mixture of red and dark fruits. Hints of licorice, but big spice. Long finish. Very nice. Would have been better with something other than pizza.
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8/7/2020 - jlgnml wrote: 90 Points
Pleasant to drink with food and then faded. Drink up.
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7/5/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 90 Points
last bottle drank with grilled sausage on 4th.
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5/15/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 92 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
Consumed over two nights.
While this wine is 11 years old, it's still young, compared to the 2007. This year has more of everything, but not too much of anything. More intensity, plums, dark cherries, earthiness/smoke, and tannins. No evidence of 15.3% -OH, nor is this wine heavy. Night one, consumed with a Margherita pizza and the combination of this wine and the garlic was perfect. Night two, more fruit and more acid to balance the fruit out. Just more intensity on night two.
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3/29/2020 - megropolis wrote:
Zingy bing cherries, cant escape a bit of alocohol burn but otherwise a very nice juice with very few signs of age but no reasons no hold longer.
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9/19/2019 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Last bottle and still delicious over two days. The texture and refinement of this wine is far beyond what one would expect from a zin. Still plenty of glossy fruit. This was great now and I would say it isn't getting any better so drink up.
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8/2/2019 - Lockareff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful zin!
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12/1/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blackberries, truffle, red cherry, creosote and damp earth. Long and with a thrilling amount of concentration, the finish sails on and the age is showing very well. There’s a full middle and quite a few years left. Drink now - 2023.
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9/20/2018 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Very accessible and nice fruit up front softens as it goes to the back. No reason to wait for pruning, drink now
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7/9/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of black berry and red cherry, more of the same on the palate, big body, very tasty, rich and mouth filling fruit, opened to enjoy over the last two evenings, at its peak and will easily last another five years but why wait, easy to sip and savor with or without food, and a long, long finish.
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7/7/2018 - au96alum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice body...beautiful tannins. It is time to open if you haven't. I am not sure how much longer it will hold. I get a hint of blackberry or cherry. Very chewy and long legs. It stays with you and last awhile. Higher alcohol content than usual 15.3%. I love this one but this vintage is about out.
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6/30/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of black cherry and red cherry, black berry, a touch of heat, more of the same on the palate, big body, very rich and mouth filling fruit, almost elegant, terrific Zinfandel enjoyed over both evenings, at its best and will easily last another five years but why wait, a long, long finish.
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6/7/2018 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smoky Cherry and raspberry notes on the nose. On the palate perfectly resolved tannins, nice acidity and round, ripe fruit. Red fruits, some dark cherry, raspberry, bit of eucalyptus. Everything in balance and just lovely. Nice gradual finish with dark fruit and spice. Drinking beautifully right now, no need to wait. Probably good for the next couple of years. Nice stuff.
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2/14/2018 - CoreyE1988 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very jammy. Deep dark almost brownish tint. Cherry, blackberry taste. Long finish. Wish I had more.
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12/26/2017 - jfkwines wrote: 94 Points
Wow, terrific, purple tint, rich texture bramble nose, super drinkable go now it can't possibly get better
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11/20/2017 - Blcmdpa@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
No longer fresh, but still very dense chewy and packed with rich black fruit flavors. Wish I had more.
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4/28/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep jammy fruit in the nose and flavor with hints of licorice in the nose. Black cherries, blackberries, and black raspberries in the flavor. Well balanced wine with a medium to long finish.
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1/3/2017 - CMN wrote: 89 Points
Revisiting after a year and a half. The wine is inky colored with a purple berries and spice notes.
Unabashedly fruity with lots of red and purple fruits, spice, tobacco and some purple flowers that I didn't detect previously. Very smooth and a little less sweet than I remember from my previous bottle. A big wine, but one that is balanced and hides the alcohol well.
The people I shared this with really enjoyed this tremendously.
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12/4/2016 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic, complex, lots of different scents going on, medium bodied and lithe on the palate. Delicious, but a tad hollow at times (vintage?). Zin has struggled in California since 2000 so to be expected, still, a stellar performance tonight.
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11/27/2016 - btock Likes this wine: 93 Points
Jonathan T's Oct note captures this wine very well. Has the RRV old vine siganture that really only Carlisle and a couple others choose to display through vineyard selection. Wine was in a wonderful spot, the '09s across Papera/Carlisle Vin/Montafi etc have been so good and the structure carried then so showing peak performance now. Rich flavor but more lithe mouthfeel. Excellent. Relative to the Papera, which I opened now so long ago, this is a darker wine.
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10/18/2016 - Jonathan T Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was one of the tastiest Carlisle zins I've had. Very pure and authentic blue and black fruits, dried plums, and many complicated flavors I can't quite identify. The hints of pretty lavender floral notes and provencal herbs add lift to the nose. There is zero heat from the alcohol. An honest, gimmick-free old-vine zin. I'm really liking this 2009 vintage for Carlisle.
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9/19/2016 - Recoveringimporter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great zin.
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9/19/2016 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Excellent, and consistent with previous notes. Powerhouse of a Zin.
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7/4/2016 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Powerful, dark purple and black fruits. Delicious. Ready.
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6/12/2016 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Bottle #2 of 4. Deep, rich, delicious. No over the top alcohol or over extraction. Maybe my favorite Montafi to date. Ready now.
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5/9/2016 - sma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberry and brambly red/black/blue fruit. Concentrated fruit flavor but well balanced and but overly sweet. Big dense color. Really enjoyable.
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5/8/2016 - sma Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberry and brambly red/black/blue fruit. Concentrated fruit flavor but well balanced and but overly sweet. Big dense color. Really enjoyable.
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4/9/2016 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blueberries on the nose, with subtle bramble. Big fruit on the palate, but not jammy. Tasted alongside three other very good reds, I was most impressed with its structure and balance. Not particularly complex (no spices, etc.), but just a really solid, well made wine.
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12/31/2015 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome!!!!!
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12/20/2015 - depdoc Likes this wine: 96 Points
First, I am a Zinfandel lover. The aroma of this bottle was the most intense and lovely I have encountered! Carlisle and Turley are in a class by themselves and I have been on both mailing lists for many years. This one topped them all. Incredibly complex. Wow!
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12/20/2015 - Vinsant Likes this wine:
Maybe my favorite Carlisle to date. Balanced with a long finish. Full palate of raspberries, plums, vanilla, and spice. Perfect match for pulled pork tacos. Nicely buzzed when the bottle was empty but didn't notice the heat on the nose or palate.
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11/22/2015 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Ripe and delicious with nice lift of acid and a great black pepper streak. Hitting on all chili dears for me tonight.
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10/2/2015 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
Terrific nose - all kinds of black and blue fruit plus a healthy dollup of what I characterized as "bramble" (which I think is what other commenters described as "peaches"). Same good stuff on the palate. Tongue-tingling fruit and a really good finish. Upon opening, it was a little too port-like and hot, but after 30 to 60 minutes of air, it was well balanced. Really good structure and serious tannins. I think it will be better in another year or so.
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9/12/2015 - Rousanne Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dried red cherry nose spice earth
Juicy red fruit round soft tannins smoke spice smooth finish
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8/28/2015 - ravbik wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful rich fruity zin.
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8/5/2015 - dlduchon wrote: 92 Points
Great Zin. Improved the second day. It has all good Zin qualities an no flaws. As good as it gets for a heavy Zin style.
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7/12/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic zinfandel drinking exceptionally well at the moment. Luscious.
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6/2/2015 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 93 Points
With Demitri and family at Croc's. Great dark juicy fruit coming from the second swirl in the glass. Really retained it's rich fruitiness until the last drop 1.5 hours later. Love these Carlisle wines.
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5/10/2015 - Stumpy wrote: 89 Points
I feel so inadequate keeping this wine out of the 90s for the third time while the love for it gushes mid-90s all over the board. Montafi is one of my favorites but this one just keeps leaving me thinking it is tasty, enjoyable, absolutely nothing wrong with it, but just not quite there....
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3/30/2015 - Xfactor wrote: 93 Points
Madly consistent, won't even go into it because the past 4-6 reviews have it called cold. I'm somewhere between tomlee and David_T here. Wonderful bottle.
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3/2/2015 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Can't beat this producer for consistently delicious bottles.
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2/19/2015 - David_T wrote: 92 Points
The aromas are a nice blend of red, blue and black fruit. I too get the peach others mention on both the nose and palate. The flavors also showcase red & black raspberry and cherry with a bit of cola. Medium acidity though a bit light on the tannins. Medium-length red fruit/cola finish. The alcohol is balanced; an enjoyable wine if a bit fruit-forward. Drinking well now, I don't see this improving further though it should last a few more years.
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1/21/2015 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine:
15.3% ABV. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Ripe nose of zinberry fruit with some baking spices. Full bodied and plump. Perhaps just a touch lacking in acidity, but very tasty. Probably about time to drink up.
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1/17/2015 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of blackberry and peach with a touch of heat, more of the same on the palate, mouth filling, big body, almost elegant, more blackberry and less peach, touch of graphite, long, long, flavorful finish, at its peak.
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12/21/2014 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Awesome!!!
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11/24/2014 - kanab ram Likes this wine:
I sent my daughter to the cellar to select a bottle for dinner and she came up with this, which turned out to be one of the nicest Carlisle's in my collection. A special occasion wine that fit the moment during the holiday week. Unlike the previous bottle I opened a couple of years ago that needed some air time, this was ready to go out of the chute. Refined, balanced, and elegant. Not the jammy style but then again it's from a producer not known for having jammy characteristics.
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11/3/2014 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Opaque purple in color. 15.3% ABV. Big, expressive nose of brambly black fruits and a touch of graphite. Rich and plush with tremendous mouthfeel. Great depth to the fruit. Blackberry, raspberry, pepper and a hint of citrus on the palate. The finish is absolutely glorious. Drink over the next 2-4 years. Just about as good as Zinfandel gets!
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10/17/2014 - slywka7 wrote: 94 Points
Aromas of blueberry, raspberry, clover and boysenberry. Bursting with flavors of blueberry, raspberry, wild cherry and a touch of earth. Finish sails on for at least 35 seconds. Always my favorite wine for Carlisle!
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10/17/2014 - marka wrote: 92 Points
This had pepper, red fruit, no obvious alcohol, and was smooth on the palate. Nice nose of pepper and fruit. Three days later, the pepper was much more pronounced in a good way and the fruit was prominent in a good wasy as well. Really good wine. As I try to get rid of my lists, I keep drinking wines that I probably couldn't get if I was not on the list...such as Carlisle.
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10/15/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
My last 2009 Montafi. Poured for some colleagues, was well received, no surprise there. The peach remark that Mike makes on the website in his tasting notes is spot on. This is here. Early on, the wine had a bit of an orange rind/peel note but the peach is square center now. Good load of berries, vanilla, creamy and a finishing lick of acid. Fruit centric, vivid and juicy.
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7/9/2014 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
From the RRV's great Montafi Ranch vineyard (Tom Feeney) planted in 1926. Damn, my last one. 15.3% alcohol. Medium dark ruby red. Exceptionally expressive aromas of mostly black fruit. On the palate, a stream of beautiful raspberry engulfed by black cherry and blackberry with a hint of pepper and spice for good measure. Luscious mouthfeel, wonderful depth and a deliciously long aftertaste. This wine is strutting, laughing and dancing right now, but should continue to evolve for several more years.
Carlisle Montafi's are always special for me and this one stands out.
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7/6/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I really liked this wine - probably the star of the night. Decanted over an hour. Deep purple hues. Full rich black and blue fruit. Long finish. A bold wine but complex.
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7/2/2014 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pretty much popped and poured. Got home from work late. Bold enjoyable fruit but probably would have benefited from some air. Good substance.
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6/15/2014 - CMN wrote: 89 Points
Pours a dark inky purple. Nose of purple fruits and a hint of spice.
This is a big, full bodied wine. Bushels of purple fruits and red berries attack the palate. There's a bit of spice and a nice tobacco note to add complexity. Well balanced with ample acidity, despite carrying a high degree of alcohol (15.3%). Tannins are almost imperceptible.
A touch sweet for me, I liked it better on the second day when the sweetness receded and was replaced by a pleasantly sour note.
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6/1/2014 - Neras Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very intensive fruit on the nose with plums and dark berries. Initially a little to acid for my taste, but after a few hours - and with food - it really starts to shine. Gorgeous with pulled chicken with apple/licorice relish.
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5/15/2014 - EhrlichDY wrote: 92 Points
Refined and smooth texture. Dark fruit and spice on the palate. This is a gorgeous effort which has just entered its drinking window. Great wine.
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3/23/2014 - Robert R. Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured. Pleasant, full nose of darker fruits/berries and a little spice. Full and plush on the palate, with mostly dark and some red berries, some bramble, and just a touch of booze. Good acidity, pretty well balanced, and overall another nice wine from Carlisle. (Montafi Ranch usually is my favorite of the zin line-up.) Paired with burgers.
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3/15/2014 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Same as before. Great zin!
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3/14/2014 - Outplaying wrote:
Big, ripe and lush and despite that and my shift in taste I enjoyed it. Zinfandel has become a variety that I rarely drink anymore but Ann still loves them so we keep some Carlisle around. This one has good acidity to balance the fruit and there is some spice and a peach note of all things to keep it interesting. Ann and Kelly loved it.
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2/3/2014 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
A nice zin, concentrated fruit with well-integrated tannins, nice finish.
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1/26/2014 - Frank Murray III wrote:
First bottle of two, having not realized until now that I had let these sit since the original shipment. Open about 1/2 hour, shows some metal shaving on the aromatic and then the lush, fruit packed palate of Montafi. Wow, this is stacked with flavor, that brambly, dark fruited thing that Mike does with this vineyard, yet he gets acid into the wine, too. In terms of acidity, not say 2011 vintage Carlisle but this is more like 2009, showing the richness and heady profile and yet if you asked me to find an aromatic or flavor flaw, I can't--no booze, no oaky tones, just plush, juicy and like fresh picked dark fruit. And in this vintage, whatever the % component may be, the petite shows through, as it has some Switchback Ridge tones inside the palate, that lovely thing petite does. And, in reading Mike's tasting note on the wine from his wbe page, the remark about peach, you know, that is dead on. Can't say I've identified this quality in zin before but that expression is here. I paired this with a butternut squash risotto with sage... marvelous! Drinking great now too, BTW!
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12/26/2013 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Agree with 'Nanda'. As stated- light on its feet. Yum!
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11/30/2013 - jaumealaska Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fruit forward and spicy nose, full body but gives lots of fruit without the prune flavors that high alcohol zins present. Great balance and drinking well and wish I had another to see how it would fare in another 2 years.
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11/28/2013 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Big aromatic nose of black and red fruit, spice and herbs. Palate is full-bodied and richly fruited, but with deft balance. Persistent and light on it's feet. Terrific Zinfandel.
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10/5/2013 - silton Likes this wine: 93 Points
Complex, substantial, bramble goodness, but also a youthfully uneven texture and presentation on the palate. I guess the baby fat has receded and that this was more luscious earlier and will be more perfect in 1-3 years. This is my favorite Zinfandel bottling by any producer.
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7/28/2013 - awise45 wrote: 92 Points
Not overly-fruity or jammy, almost understated but still complex. Very nice.
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6/7/2013 - Oakjeff wrote: 92 Points
Rich & lush with nice herbal and spice notes. Will be better in 6-12 months.
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4/9/2013 - sawira wrote:
Had at a Zinfandel tasting dinner. No formal notes, but it won the tasting for younger wines.
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3/31/2013 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted, excellent, one of the best Zins I've had, although it tasted a little more like a Syrah than a Zin to me, smooth- my last bottle of the Montafi Ranch
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3/30/2013 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brilliant. Sometimes I think Montafi Ranch is the best wine Carlisle makes.
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3/25/2013 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Loads of strawberry and sweet raspberry. There is a lot of oak but is well integrated with the fruit at this point. Good acidity, especially through the mid-palate giving it great lift. This is very nice.
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2/14/2013 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Zinfandel with plenty of dark fruit that needs some time to open up. Very good acidity and a backbone of minerality give structure to this wine that is sometimes lacking in big Zins.
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2/1/2013 - dougie Likes this wine: 93 Points
A stunning wine. Very rustic and deep after an hour decant. Throughout the night the fruit would come out more and more. But, it also would go into other amazing flavors. Cannot wait to see where this one goes with my other 2.
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1/26/2013 - Neras Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stunning. Full-body in total balance and wonderful long taste. Enjoy!
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1/19/2013 - Cow Town wrote: 91 Points
Dark zin-like color, but the mouthfeel was lighter than expected. If tasted blind, I don't know if I would have picked this as a zin - it was very fruity, with no peppery spice. I liked the wine, very much in fact, just confused about the varietal.
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1/1/2013 - ravbik wrote: 90 Points
Fruity, brambly zin. Lighter than some of their other wine. Better after 2 hours
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12/23/2012 - raydawgone wrote: 94 Points
Oak saw dust on nose. Very aromatic. Medium to full body with lively acidity. Round, medium tannins. Dusty spicebox with black raspberry compote. Spicy briar patch on long finish. Incredible complexity with layer upon layer of intense flavors. Has legs to hold up for 10 years!
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12/9/2012 - wineduggery wrote: 92 Points
A solid Zin, but surprisingly tannic. I'd put it down for a couple of years.
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11/20/2012 - Mike Dildine wrote: 94 Points
Carlisle's wine from this exceptional vineyard (1926) has always stood out as one of my absolute favorites. This is a great Carlisle Montafi!
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10/31/2012 - awilliamson4 wrote: 93 Points
Bottle was opened an hour prior to drinking and had a glass left for the next night. Great flavors of dark fruit, bramble, black pepper. Nice smooth finish. Great on both nights...i think it hit its peak at about 2 hours open.
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10/16/2012 - awise45 wrote: 93 Points
rich and dark, very long finish -- wonderfully lush like many Carlisle Zins. Loved it.
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10/10/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 94 Points
Near perfect zinfandel, the extra only improves the balance. Great red berry fruit.
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9/25/2012 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Rich, intense black fruit with ample tannins, earthy, black olive flavors, again very tight, needs hours to open
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8/23/2012 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Fruit is a little tight. Previous tasting notes apply.
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7/6/2012 - vinocerus wrote:
Reticent nose and palate on first pour; opened up nicely after 1-2 hours. Second night shows the typical cornucopia of Carlisle black fruit with a side of black pepper. No floral notes on this one. The difference from night 1 to night 2 is remarkable. I would decant for a couple of hours if drinking one soon.
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6/30/2012 - J2K wrote:
Whoa Nelly!! This is not your fathers Zin! Very rich and intense, smooth, dark jammy fruit with some herbs, long finish. At 15.3% alc this is a nice sipper. Drink now with a decant or hold.
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6/14/2012 - kanab ram wrote:
Popped and poured. I wasn't getting the spice that others were but this was quite complex with plush raspberry fruit. Nice balance and layered finish. An excellent Zin. Suggest decanting as this was tight for the first 30 minutes.
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6/6/2012 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
Damn, wish I read Cubswinws review first. This was smooth and nice but I kept saying its just not giving up what I believe is in the bottle. Nice well made with good potential. Light tannins that should make this a nice drinking wine in short notice, but I think I'll give my last bottle a good year before opening. Emjoy!!!
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5/28/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 90 Points
Nice but a bit closed and not as complete as many of the other of Mike's zins.
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5/20/2012 - Uglypinga wrote:
Big and fruity nose out of the gate with raspberry and jammy notes. A crowd pleasing nose followed by deep red and black fruits and a hint of oak. Delicious wine with a long finish and a longer upside.
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5/4/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful balance and deep purple color. Just a great zin.
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4/26/2012 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely delicious again! Consistent with my prior note.
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4/23/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 94 Points
Spicy aroma with black cherry and raspberry fruit in the nose. The flavors follow thru on the pallet, and the wine finishes balanced and long.
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2/10/2012 - daniel.jay wrote: 92 Points
Brought this to Pizzetta 211 - which doesn't employ proper wine glasses, no decant, but it didn't matter. This wine has gobs of fruit on the nose and palate, a little pepper/spice, great balance and long smooth finish.
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1/30/2012 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 94 Points
Another outstanding showing for this. Drank about half bottle after a 2004 Pride reserve Merlot and held up to it. It is rich and dense with dark fruit and strong structure. There was a glass left over, so I corked the bottle and revisited on night 2. It held up perfectly.
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1/27/2012 - haldolugr wrote: 92 Points
Dense and chewy dark black fruit. Intense but delicious. Full body with a smooth finish. Outstanding Zinfandel.
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1/21/2012 - Lessthanzero wrote:
- It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Big, typical zin, but smooth. If grabbing a zin out of the cellar, this is what I want to end up with.
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1/8/2012 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Smooth, soft, medium-bodied mixed berry fruit with earth, mineral, and slight oak flavors, very well-balanced, good quaffing wine
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1/2/2012 - DavidDay wrote: 94 Points
Everything you could want a zinfandel to be, big berry flavor, ripe red fruit on the nose, long finish.
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12/29/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, bold, lush, rich, bit of sweetness, but held together very well with good acidity, and the signature Montafi dried herbs and anise. Long, deep, lush finish.
24 hours later: Interesting, some of the lush sweetness has dropped, with more structure coming to the fore, more classic zinberry fruit coming out. I liked it on opening, and I like it now, but two different wines.
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12/22/2011 - gzim wrote: 92 Points
there is a beautiful bouquet which is very evident while decanting (maybe more so since I used a Vinturi), lots of blackberry, with creosote.
A bit of funk, spice.
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12/15/2011 - Acohen wrote: 92 Points
Great dark fruit with blackberry, boysenberry and a reasonable amount of spice and pepper. Very powerful and great finish
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12/11/2011 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Great deep dark rich nose with brambly notes of boysenberry, blackberry and a touch of licorice. In the mouth, totally delicious and seamless, with the notes from the nose carring through. This is one of the best of the best zins out there. Amazing ability to combine power, richness and potent flavors in an elegant way. It really has it all for this varietal. I agree with Gutt22 below, ready to go!
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12/4/2011 - gzim wrote: 92 Points
WoW
Big n'plush, nice spice
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11/26/2011 - jamieirving wrote: 92 Points
Well made, tasty wine from a very difficult variety. Essentially a field blend, this wine comprises 89% Zinfandel and 11% other varieties from vines planted in 1926. The wine itself is deep, dark, purple and jammy with blackberry and licorice characters. Well balanced with good acidity. Parker 92-95 points.
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11/14/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
15.3% alcohol. This might be my favorite Carlisle Zinfandel, and certainly this vintage doesn't disappoint. Dark red-purple color. The bouquet doesn't suffer at all from being so young. This is rocking out of the glass with a black-blue fruit profile, ample spice, and a whiff of creamy oak. In the mouth, a big wine but one that carries itself well. Balanced impeccably on this big frame with spicy black fruit, good acidity, and well-controlled back end structure that is ripe and tightly knit. Delicious. A-
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11/5/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 93 Points
2 hour decant and the wine is continuing to evolve. Dark berry, spices, and distinct aromas of crayons. a touch Of pleasent oaky carmel seems to peak through. It's powerful, but suprisngly light on it's feet. Deep and dark blackberry reveals itself first with some chocolate mixed in. A chalky minerality and zing of acidity pulls balances it out and makes you take another sip. No noticeable alcohol this time, this is drinking better than my last bottle.
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10/9/2011 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
nice on the palate, touch of cherry and spice on the finish, yumm
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10/2/2011 - goldscalpel wrote: 93 Points
Dark and rich.
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10/2/2011 - Jab_343434 wrote: 93 Points
- Aromas of cherry. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry and blackberry with a medium body. Fleshy texture with a long finish - Fantastic Zin, lots of fruit on the nose and the palate. Well integrated. Look forward to buying more!
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9/28/2011 - grubmanda wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured, but surprisingly very drinkable right now. I suspect it will excellent by aging for a few more years.
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9/15/2011 - Jody Smith wrote:
This was a great bottle, showing dynamic and broad evolution in the decanter. The first glass, on opening showed dark, rich and brooding black fruit. Dense, concentrated and a bit sweet, I fully expected this to fill out into a lush, opulent drinker. Instead, with 3 hours of air, this became more delineated and energetic. It gained a refreshing, acid beam. The fruit moved from black to red, and the finish gained a chalky, mineral character. I usually expect a wine that starts like this to loosen up with air, but as this unfurled, it gained focus and complexity, as if a conduit for site specificity. Having let this evolve a bit in the decanter, I say a couple years in the cellar will improve it.
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9/9/2011 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 87 Points
Disappointing, compared to last bottle. Tastes candied. Not sure what's wrong here, bottle was stored well... not flawed.. but could pass for a $10 Vons special, if served blind.
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9/4/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 93 Points
15.3% ABV. PnP. Brief impression. I was expecting this to be rather tight and was pleasantly surprised to find it open for business. Somewhat translucent dark garnet in the glass. Sweet zinberry nose. Plump, ripe and open knit with sweet red berry fruit. Very good.
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8/8/2011 - Brsed wrote: 92 Points
Incredibly tannic monster. Gobs of blue fruit but quite astringent at this time. I know I opened this early but I wanted to have a treat on vacation. Try to wait until 2013 for the next bottle.
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8/2/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 94 Points
From vines planted in 1926. 15.3% alcohol. 520 cases produced.
Medium dark purple. Red and blue fruit aromas erupt from the glass. Rich and concentrated rasberry, blueberry and black cherry flavors. Extremely well balanced, fantastic fruit intensity, lingering aftertaste.
Wow. Montafi is always one of the stalwarts of the Carlisle lineup. This is excpetional and will continue to improve for at least 3-5 years. Glad I have three more.
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7/24/2011 - PIntag wrote: 91 Points
Pop 'n pour - consumed over 1 hour. Big, concentrated, thick brambly zin. Heat came through on the finish a bit. Young and primary right now, this one could use a couple years in the cellar.
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7/24/2011 - jdabrowski1027 wrote: 92 Points
P&P. Blueberry pie and spice in your dome. Powerful And i am loving it.
Jammy zin? sure, its got some there. However, the fruit seems pure. its got interesting spices and restrained oak and it really is just delicious. There was a nice creamy, long peppery finish. A tad hot but hey, it's young! 92
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7/21/2011 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth, fruity, cookie dough, light.
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7/1/2011 - Matt Scott wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Opaque and a crystalline, violet rim. A juicy nose of blackberry, white pepper, chalk, soy sauce and iodine. Such a soft palate, with juicy tannins that possess a welcoming grip. A finish of cream and brown sugar. Seductive and long; this is an "Old-World Zin." Mike Officer is one of the best vintners for this Cali-centric varietal. Drink 2012 - 2020.
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7/1/2011 - Drankthewholebottle wrote:
I can see why Mr. Tanzer gave this a 94. Not what you'd expect from many of the other CA zins out there. Borderline extraordinary. Perfectly made, balanced, and all that. I agree with Nutty08's notes below.
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6/21/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured, really started to open up after 2hrs or so. Lovely open nose of concentrated dark "briary" fruits, currants, and wild berry, with a little vanilla cream and pepper mixed in. Ripe concentrated fruit palate, with similar flavor profile and the pepper note coming through a little more. Despite the concentration, this was restrained, balanced, with nice acidity. Lengthy creamy finish with some chocolate notes coming through. Really nice wine that's approachable now, though needs a few years. I'm not usually a Zin fan, but this was impressive for its balance and restraint, while showing the varietal. No hint of alcohol or heat.
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5/13/2011 - t_moderne wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour but first put in a brown paper bag marked "On the Waterfront" along with a 2005 Amarone and a 2008 Saxum JBV. Rich chocolate and cherry flavors; some were thinking this was the Amarone. Doesn't show much of the pepper and spice one would expect from a ZInfandel. Good structure. It's big and juicy. 15.3% on the label.
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4/30/2011 - paulmase wrote: 93 Points
Jammy berry & black cherry on the nose. Berry & charcoal on the palate Good mouth & finish. Drinking well, impressive Zin 93pts.
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