Pretty dark fruit on the nose with no one thing standing out. A beautiful medium bodied mouth feel with everything melding together perfectly. A very enjoyable bottle that was ready to drink but in no danger of dropping off.
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PnP ~ Medium light body, dark crimson color. Black cherry, oak, pepper and baking spice make for an interesting Zin. Plenty of acidity to stand up to food without an overpowering pepper. This wine is balanced, nuanced and unique.
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Crimson in color. 15.4% ABV. Scintillating nose of red and black fruits, peach, cocoa and pepper. Medium body with perfect acidity. The palate is intriguing with dark fruits framed by a touch of oak. Flavors of black raspberry, black cherry, salmonberry and white pepper. Tremendous length on the finish. Atypical from what I expect from Carlisle with the exotic dark fruit profile, but absolutely delicious nonetheless. Best over the next 1-2 years.
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I opened this at my 7/6/19 birthday dinner. It had a deep, rich, fragrant and elegant nose of blackberry, blueberry, plum, smoke, licorice, pepper, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dense, lively and nicely structured with flavors that followed the nose.
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We had this with grilled burgers on 6/14/19. It had a deep, fragrant nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoke, licorice, herb, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was dense, elegant and somewhat prickly with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, toast, mocha, licorice, herb and spice.
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PnP with Lamb chops, sweet nose of spice and cherries, well balanced with nice fruit but not over powering. I have been opening up most of my 2012 carlisle zins lately and this one would fall under medium bodied and more structure than other vineyards.
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Pop and pour, shared the bottle with my wife over 2 hours, starting from refrigerator temperature. I actually liked this wine best AT refrigerator temperature, because it is a full-bodied zinfandel. It is also quite spicy. The spice is the most pronounced aspect of this wine. Other than that, I'd like to think I could identify this blind as a Carlisle, as it has that classic lush fruit that does not end up jammy. Slightly hedonistic.
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What can I say? It's opulent, loaded with flavor and backed with structure. Besides all that, remarkably complex.
A dark fruit scented nose, bramble and Framboise and traces of oak. Nocino, roasting walnuts, cherry pie, chorizo, and incense also kept coming to mind as I grasped for a descriptor to convey a spicy/smoky/woodsy/outdoor quality. Mouth is plush satin with firm acidity keeping it interesting. Consistent over Day One and Day Two. At its peak?
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I agree that this wine is drinking very nicely right now. We didn't decant the wine, but did pour it and let it sit for a while in our glasses. It was loaded with rich fruit and spice flavors plus great depth. This is a bit different from previous wines of this vintage because the spice was so prominent (a positive). Nice aftertaste also.
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Dark berry aromas jump out as you pour the wine into the glass. Took this wine on vacation and didn't have a decanter so we drank it slowly. First taste shows prominent berry and plum flavors. Full bodied. With some time, the pepper and smoke notes come through in the long finish. Drinking well now.
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Really nice zin...just about the perfect time to drink it (bottle age, not calendar time). Great, big fruit, lots of depth to the flavors. Blackberry, cherry, and vanilla notes, nice tannins, and a super long finish. I have no more of this great wine...but the memory of it shall linger, just like the amazing taste did more than two minutes after each sip.
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An excellent Zin with notes of raspberry, currant with nice balance and pleasant acidity. Paired very nicely with rotisserie ribs with bourbon BBQ glaze.
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Medium bodied, seemed a bit out of balance. Seemed a bit thin, reedy, acidic. Prominent stemmy, green leaf/green stem taste. Improved with prolonged aeration.
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Drank this way too early should have given it at least a year to show it's true potential. Highly nuanced well made wine with a citrus hint I've never picked up in a zin.
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This bottle was recently purchased at auction for $38. Aromatic nose of raspberry, blackberry fruit, with a hint of plum preserves, more of the same on the palate, very rich, fruit forward taste that is mouth filling, medium/big body, almost elegant especially when you consider it is Zinfandel, at it's best now, long, fruity finish, will hold for 5 years but why wait.
When it was gone, the missus asked if we were still on the mailing list. She would be happy only drinking Carlisle wines, but not sure I could get enough. This was an excellent purple/blue fruit wine. Great complexity, a little hot but in its drinking window, with a great finish.
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A large scaled wine with big tannins, but hides the alcohol well. A little subdued upon opening, but after 30-60mins of air is delicious. Very concentrated red fruit with a little 'bramble' and baking spice notes. Fleshy finish that lingers on the palate. Very strong effort.
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Ripe and fruit-forward, jammy with lovely Zin bramble and spice. Ready to go from the pop 'n pour. This is more of a drink now Carlisle rather than a wine that will benefit with aging. A strong acidic streak also present. Very nice match with a hearty pasta with red sauce dish.
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Short 30 minute decant; consumed over 3 hours. Super effort. Feeling a bit lazy so I'll plagiarize from previous notes and state: ridiculously good; dark fruit; good balance; rich and lush; decent acid with soft tannins; raspberry, cherry, bramble, and Zin spice. Might be a bit "hot" right now. Drink now with decant or wait a few years. Scoring in the 93-94 range.
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Pop and pour. No notes taken. But this was ridiculously good and disappeared very quickly. Soaring nose with dark fruit and floral notes (lavender?). Equally great on the palate with great texture, good flavor intensity and really nice balance.
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Large intense nose with exuberant raspberry preserves and fresh strawberry pie. Crisp, complex, and very fruit driven. Did not do well with a fruit sauced, spicy chili pepper salmon dish, but really excelled later. Nice to be on the mailing list!
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15.4% abv. Dark cherry red. Expressive red fruit aromas. Raspberry, cherry, bramble and Zin spice. This is one beautiful, pure expression of Zin goodness.
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WS review pretty much nailed it. Smooth and elegant, with powerful acidity. This paired well with a tomato-based stew. Interesting notes of bramble, fennel, licorice, and spice. At this point, there just isn't enough fruit or complexity to warrant a higher score. I tend to prefer Carlisle's bigger zin's (Montafi, Monte Rosso), as this one was a little bit too light for my taste. Perhaps this will improve a bit more with age.
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Much better than the 2011. Brighter fruit, and more lively. seemed to have more of a red berry experience versus the 2011 Dupratt. Fun to drink side by side from same vineyard different years.
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This bottle was opened last night, enjoyed and refrigerated for the final tasting tonight. Nose of raspberry fruit with a touch of plum and dust, more of the same on the palate, very rich raspberry jam preserves in the mid palate, medium/big body, much more expressive on the nose and palate when compared to last night, age 2-4 more years if you can wait that long to enjoy this wonderful Zinfandel.
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Nose of raspberry tart with spice and touch of earth, more of the same on the palate, very rich, ripe fruit, and tasty, open nicely after twenty minutes in the glass.
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7/15/2020 - pismo45 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pretty dark fruit on the nose with no one thing standing out. A beautiful medium bodied mouth feel with everything melding together perfectly. A very enjoyable bottle that was ready to drink but in no danger of dropping off.
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6/5/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical delicious Carlisle zin. PnP and drank with burgers. Two more to enjoy.
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12/31/2019 - Wine Warrior 1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP ~ Medium light body, dark crimson color. Black cherry, oak, pepper and baking spice make for an interesting Zin. Plenty of acidity to stand up to food without an overpowering pepper. This wine is balanced, nuanced and unique.
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9/20/2019 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 87 Points
Good but light -- higher acidity than expected.
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9/6/2019 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice zin
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9/4/2019 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Crimson in color. 15.4% ABV. Scintillating nose of red and black fruits, peach, cocoa and pepper. Medium body with perfect acidity. The palate is intriguing with dark fruits framed by a touch of oak. Flavors of black raspberry, black cherry, salmonberry and white pepper. Tremendous length on the finish. Atypical from what I expect from Carlisle with the exotic dark fruit profile, but absolutely delicious nonetheless. Best over the next 1-2 years.
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9/2/2019 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 91 Points
really enjoyable Carlisle zinfandel
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7/6/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
I opened this at my 7/6/19 birthday dinner. It had a deep, rich, fragrant and elegant nose of blackberry, blueberry, plum, smoke, licorice, pepper, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, dense, lively and nicely structured with flavors that followed the nose.
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6/14/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 93 Points
We had this with grilled burgers on 6/14/19. It had a deep, fragrant nose of blackberry, blueberry, smoke, licorice, herb, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was dense, elegant and somewhat prickly with flavors of blackberry, blueberry, toast, mocha, licorice, herb and spice.
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5/29/2019 - Zvillan Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP with Lamb chops, sweet nose of spice and cherries, well balanced with nice fruit but not over powering. I have been opening up most of my 2012 carlisle zins lately and this one would fall under medium bodied and more structure than other vineyards.
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2/18/2019 - kenthargis wrote: 89 Points
Tasty, medium to full bodied. Nice fruit, good spot still.
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10/27/2018 - snarfglk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dropoff in fruit and intensity day 2
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9/5/2018 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour, shared the bottle with my wife over 2 hours, starting from refrigerator temperature. I actually liked this wine best AT refrigerator temperature, because it is a full-bodied zinfandel. It is also quite spicy. The spice is the most pronounced aspect of this wine. Other than that, I'd like to think I could identify this blind as a Carlisle, as it has that classic lush fruit that does not end up jammy. Slightly hedonistic.
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6/26/2018 - wilypod Likes this wine: 91 Points
What can I say? It's opulent, loaded with flavor and backed with structure. Besides all that, remarkably complex.
A dark fruit scented nose, bramble and Framboise and traces of oak. Nocino, roasting walnuts, cherry pie, chorizo, and incense also kept coming to mind as I grasped for a descriptor to convey a spicy/smoky/woodsy/outdoor quality. Mouth is plush satin with firm acidity keeping it interesting. Consistent over Day One and Day Two. At its peak?
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3/22/2018 - Castle Peak wrote: 91 Points
Nice Mendocino Zin.
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2/25/2018 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wonderful well balanced Zinfandel. Nuanced.
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2/9/2018 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
I agree that this wine is drinking very nicely right now. We didn't decant the wine, but did pour it and let it sit for a while in our glasses. It was loaded with rich fruit and spice flavors plus great depth. This is a bit different from previous wines of this vintage because the spice was so prominent (a positive). Nice aftertaste also.
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1/13/2018 - rougeamore Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark berry aromas jump out as you pour the wine into the glass. Took this wine on vacation and didn't have a decanter so we drank it slowly. First taste shows prominent berry and plum flavors. Full bodied. With some time, the pepper and smoke notes come through in the long finish. Drinking well now.
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12/17/2017 - Hover low 64 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice zin...just about the perfect time to drink it (bottle age, not calendar time). Great, big fruit, lots of depth to the flavors. Blackberry, cherry, and vanilla notes, nice tannins, and a super long finish. I have no more of this great wine...but the memory of it shall linger, just like the amazing taste did more than two minutes after each sip.
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12/9/2017 - joet626 Likes this wine: 91 Points
very good. Smooth. LOts of fruit on this
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4/24/2017 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
An excellent Zin with notes of raspberry, currant with nice balance and pleasant acidity. Paired very nicely with rotisserie ribs with bourbon BBQ glaze.
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11/15/2016 - Geoff wrote: 88 Points
Medium bodied, seemed a bit out of balance. Seemed a bit thin, reedy, acidic. Prominent stemmy, green leaf/green stem taste. Improved with prolonged aeration.
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10/14/2016 - zinfomaniac Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this way too early should have given it at least a year to show it's true potential. Highly nuanced well made wine with a citrus hint I've never picked up in a zin.
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5/1/2016 - Mtnmd1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Settled down after first 30 minutes from PnP. Good balance, didn't notice the alcohol.
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4/5/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle was recently purchased at auction for $38. Aromatic nose of raspberry, blackberry fruit, with a hint of plum preserves, more of the same on the palate, very rich, fruit forward taste that is mouth filling, medium/big body, almost elegant especially when you consider it is Zinfandel, at it's best now, long, fruity finish, will hold for 5 years but why wait.
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3/19/2016 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 94 Points
When it was gone, the missus asked if we were still on the mailing list. She would be happy only drinking Carlisle wines, but not sure I could get enough. This was an excellent purple/blue fruit wine. Great complexity, a little hot but in its drinking window, with a great finish.
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2/16/2016 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A large scaled wine with big tannins, but hides the alcohol well. A little subdued upon opening, but after 30-60mins of air is delicious. Very concentrated red fruit with a little 'bramble' and baking spice notes. Fleshy finish that lingers on the palate. Very strong effort.
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2/11/2016 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
Ripe and fruit-forward, jammy with lovely Zin bramble and spice. Ready to go from the pop 'n pour. This is more of a drink now Carlisle rather than a wine that will benefit with aging. A strong acidic streak also present. Very nice match with a hearty pasta with red sauce dish.
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1/13/2016 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great dark fruit with spice, bramble, blueberry and excellent balance and strong finish
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12/23/2015 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
Short 30 minute decant; consumed over 3 hours. Super effort. Feeling a bit lazy so I'll plagiarize from previous notes and state: ridiculously good; dark fruit; good balance; rich and lush; decent acid with soft tannins; raspberry, cherry, bramble, and Zin spice. Might be a bit "hot" right now. Drink now with decant or wait a few years. Scoring in the 93-94 range.
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12/6/2015 - The Count wrote: 88 Points
I generally love this winery for its more traditional wines, but too much alcohol & sweetness in this bottle for my taste at this point.
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11/14/2015 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour. No notes taken. But this was ridiculously good and disappeared very quickly. Soaring nose with dark fruit and floral notes (lavender?). Equally great on the palate with great texture, good flavor intensity and really nice balance.
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8/29/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich, lush, deep and long. Outstanding.
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7/7/2015 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice varietal characteristics in a balanced package. Decent acid and structure with some soft tannins.
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7/1/2015 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Not sure how to describe other than good high end zin. Nothing stands out except good balance and not too alcoholic
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2/7/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice dark red fruit, no specific notes. Did enjoy.
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2/7/2015 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Large intense nose with exuberant raspberry preserves and fresh strawberry pie. Crisp, complex, and very fruit driven. Did not do well with a fruit sauced, spicy chili pepper salmon dish, but really excelled later. Nice to be on the mailing list!
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2/2/2015 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
15.4% abv. Dark cherry red. Expressive red fruit aromas. Raspberry, cherry, bramble and Zin spice. This is one beautiful, pure expression of Zin goodness.
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1/27/2015 - GoBlue2002 wrote: 90 Points
WS review pretty much nailed it. Smooth and elegant, with powerful acidity. This paired well with a tomato-based stew.
Interesting notes of bramble, fennel, licorice, and spice.
At this point, there just isn't enough fruit or complexity to warrant a higher score. I tend to prefer Carlisle's bigger zin's (Montafi, Monte Rosso), as this one was a little bit too light for my taste. Perhaps this will improve a bit more with age.
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11/9/2014 - ravbik wrote: 91 Points
Crisp rich zin. Raspberry , sour cherries, very good carlisle .much better than 2011
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9/29/2014 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another awesome 2012 Carlisle. Dark fruit, full mouthfeel, very smooth. Delicious. Drink now.
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9/27/2014 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Much better than the 2011. Brighter fruit, and more lively. seemed to have more of a red berry experience versus the 2011 Dupratt. Fun to drink side by side from same vineyard different years.
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9/11/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was opened last night, enjoyed and refrigerated for the final tasting tonight. Nose of raspberry fruit with a touch of plum and dust, more of the same on the palate, very rich raspberry jam preserves in the mid palate, medium/big body, much more expressive on the nose and palate when compared to last night, age 2-4 more years if you can wait that long to enjoy this wonderful Zinfandel.
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9/3/2014 - DavidDay Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blueberries and black raspberries, fairly big wine, but you would never know it, very well balanced.
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7/4/2014 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Raspberry and bright red fruit profile. Expressive nose and excellent depth. Really nice
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6/15/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of raspberry tart with spice and touch of earth, more of the same on the palate, very rich, ripe fruit, and tasty, open nicely after twenty minutes in the glass.
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