Tasted as a vertical with the 2016 and 2017 Carlisle Vineyard Zinfandels. All three were excellent and had similar aromatics and tasting profiles. The 2015 and 2016 were blood red in color, the 2017 more of a ruby red, with more translucence. All three were healthy, youthfully mature, loaded with fruit.
The 2016 is probably the most poised and harmonious of the three. The 2015 seems more powerful, dramatic, and savory; the 2017 more lithe, feminine, and supple.
For all three, liqueur-like (Chambord, Grand Marnier) aromatics mingle with aromas of blood orange and minty mulberry; palates are richly inviting, plush and juicy, structured, and with a modicum of grip. If in a Brunello mood, I would head to the 2015; if the cuisine were classic Provençal, the 2016; the 2017 would be great with Indian or California contemporary, either veg or nonveg.
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Coravin by the glass. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, blood orange, bramble and spice. Ripe blackberry, blood orange, bramble and spice on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with baked macaroni and cheese.
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The Paso Robles is, as always, 100% Zin. The Carlisle is a field blend from vines planted in 1927 that includes Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet and a host of others. Both wines sit prettily in the glass, but the Ridge Pagani is deeper and richer in every way: color, nose, attack and finish. The Carlisle is clearly the lighter wine, with cranberry and boysenberry. The Pagani has molasses, brown sugar, brambly Zin notes, coffee and a bit of mocha. Additionally, the Pagani has distinct black pepper notes. The Carlisle carries 14.4% alc. while the Pagani clocks in at 14.9% alc. Both wines are excellent examples of what they are, but they are different examples Neither of these bottles throw much sediment; just a shadow from the Pagani and nothing from the Carlisle. With grilled beef tri-tip (while PMB stops in for a an evening). 05.03.23. Recommended, but the Pagani is the clear winner.
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Big full bodied Zinfandel showcasing black and red raspberry fruit, cherry, and blackberry. Earth and subtle oak spice notes emerge mid-palate adding some complexity. Finish is long with more black fruit, but the alcohol is also a bit noticeable and slightly detracting. Mature, drink now -2025
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Dark crimson in color. 15% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, peach and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity and balance. Lush, juicy fruits in spades. Raspberry, strawberry, mulberry and pepper on the palate. Nice length on the finish. Delicious Zinfandel that is all about charm and elegance. Best over the next year or so.
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Took to a wine-centric party, so no detailed notes. Very well balanced, rich, and vibrant, unlike a bottle 18 months ago that seemed muted and a little flat. Probably at its peak, so it's probably time to drink up.
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Nose of black cherry, boysenberry, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, delicious, rich fruit, lovely fruit, at peak, suggest you enjoy soon, vineyard planted in 1927 with 40 grape varieties, a long, flavorful finish.
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Nose of black berry, black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, delicious, better the second night than the first suggest you decant for an hour or cellar for two more years, from a vineyard planted in 1927 with 40 grape varieties and resulted in a heritage history, and a long, flavorful finish, and lovely aftertaste, from a $42 auction bottle.
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Lovely classic Zin dominant field blend, all bramble. Nose is a delight. Palate is enjoyable, but the alcohol burn (no wonder, 15pct) definitely detracts. Rustic, charming, enjoyable, but a bit of a brute. Probably at peak, or close to.
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No formal note on this one, but it was just as tasty as the bottle we opened in September. The fruit here is just delicious and this is drinking very well at the moment. A joyful wine.
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I’ve increased my score for this wine. Time since my first bottle has helped it mature and evolve into a really complex, compelling Zin. I must admit that last night, the first night, it didn’t meet my last score. Tonight, it was fabulous at a new level. Such deep and interesting flavors of dark fruit, earth, pepper, smoke. And a very long finish. So darn good. Sadly that was my last bottle. If you own some of this, it’s definitely ready now but give it at least two to three hours after opening before you let it grace your lips. Oh, and save some for the second night - it gets to a point where you can’t believe how blessed you are to drink it. Cheers!
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A little thin on opening but it filled out to a medium + bodied wine with lots of red/raspberry fruit and a very slight savory note on the finish that adds interest (I find that often in Carlisle Vineyard). Really good zin, but maybe not my favorite vintage.
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Surprisingly this field blend is not inky black. While dark indeed, the color is a deep purple but nevertheless allows some light through. From 95 year old grapes of Zin, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir, Alicante Bouschet, Tempranillo and Peroursin, comes this lithe, very approachable Zin. Not at all a bruiser despite its 15% alc., that instead delivers some boysenberry, light rhubarb, a hint of brown sugar and a finish of coffee and cinnamon. Compared to the Ridge Pagani Zin before it, this was tame and a touch underwhelming. No sediment, but a very slight shadow on the bottom of the bottle. 15% alc. With pork barbeque from BBQ Exchange. 10.06.22. Recommended.
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Maybe not as complex as some other vintages of this wine, but the Russian River zin goodness is there on full display. I could happily drink this all night. I don't think additional cellaring will serve it well, though, so go ahead and drink up if you're holding any. I'll likely drink my last bottle within the next 6 months.
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It looks like my 7/30/22 note wasn't my last bottle. Opened, poured and let this one sit about 40 min. Then: Pretty much the same tasting note as the 7/30 note. Still disappointed that it isn't more than this, but after about an hour, when the warmth disappeared and the fruit smoothed out, I think that I liked it about a point better.
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A little disappointing, largely due to high expectations (I had expected to see God). Initially, it was overextracted and noticeably hot. After about an hour of air, it had settled down, although it still came across as slightly hot. Like previous vintages, it offerred a lot more complexity and polish than most other zins - hints of herbs and forest floor to go with the mostly dark berries. Medium body, nice texture, and a solid finish. Still, it wasn't quite as racy and vibrant as I had expected, and the heat was a little problematic. My best guess is that it's time to drink up.
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Opened, poured and let sit about 30 min. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose. First sip tastes of slightly overripe red fruit and warmth on the finish. Over time, still red fruit, the overripeness lessens a bit, and the warmth on the finish pretty much disappears. Tannins not an issue; acidity OK; decent mouthfeel. OK, but not a lot to recommend it at this point. Last bottle, and that's OK.
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Pop and pour, this took 30 minutes or so for the alcohol to blow off and to resolve itself. Again, world class zinfandel, I don't see anyone making better for my palate. Full-bodied and fruity with spice, not jammy or heavy.
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Fourth time tasting Carlisle zin. Probably the most impressive ahead of Papera Ranch and Mancini Ranch. So composed, with layers upon layers of raspberry, sweet blackberry and rhubarb, coffee and dusty minerals. I find it less strawberried than the before mentioned bottles, with this one giving more in direction of earth and spice. As always, perfectly balanced. Never over the top. Just great!
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Opend, poured and let sit 45 min. Then: Maybe some darkish fruit on the nose, but not much. Darkish-reddish fruit on the taste until the finish, then a bit hot/alcoholic. Taste is fairly one-note, without any layers; no distinctive zin favor to my taste. Maybe a bit Bordeaux-like. Good balance up to the finish, then the heat takes over. After 45 min from first sip it smoothed out a bit on the finish, although it still had a bit of alcohol in it. Not bad, but disappointing for this svd. Day 2: Poured and let sit 1/2 hr. Then: Even less nose than Day 1. Fruit is more reddish; taste still pretty much one-note; still good balance and even a bit smoother, even on the finish. Still a slight bit of heat on the finish, but not as noticeable as Day 1. Still a bit disappointing, but better than Day 1. Up to 89 on Day 2.
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Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, bramble, tangerine peel and spice. Ripe blackberry, orange, licorice and spice on the palate. Long finish. Full bodied. Served with a baked pasta casserole.
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As always with Carlisle zins, more claret/blend like than the other high end zins; makes for great drinking over several nights. Smooth, great flavors, doesn't coat the tongue and teeth. Nice stuff.
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Tried another experiment decanting half the bottle for 90 minutes, then served both in identical stemware at ~ 68F. Wife said the un-decanted smelled of cherry cough syrup (I didn't get that...). My view was that the decanted version opened up much more, revealing deep blueberry aromas with some mint and pepper. On the palate, plush and juicy but showing lively black raspberry with some herbs and pepper flavors. Long, rich finish with some added tar, toasty oak and maybe a little licorice but with enough zingy acidity to go great with food. Seems to be nearing peak but with plenty of structure to reward another 2-4 years of aging. Yum!
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Prune color in the glass. Nose of dried fruits--possibly biased by the prune color. Very subtle black fruit--blackberry--on the tip of the tongue. Some mid-palate minerality. A somewhat lean or thin mouthfeel, but, make no mistake. this is a full-bodied wine. Fairly stiff tannin. The tannin level and the good acid level leads me to disagree with some of the other posters. I think there is no downside to letting this one have a few more years of rest. In my case, I am running out of storage space, and the 2018s will be arriving at my doorstep in a couple weeks. 🤣
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Drinking really well after a decent. Fragrant roses followed by medium subdued fruit with a classic zin profile. This is drinking really well, but don’t think it will get better.
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Blackberry and cherry, bramble on the nose Juicy, mouth filling tannin with black cherry, blackberry and a touch of cigar spice on the palate with a very lengthy finish. Drinking like a gem now and can go for another 5-7 easily.
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The 2015 Carlisle Vineyard continues to impress. Really singing at this stage and seems even better than in June. Nicely balanced but bold red fruits, integrated tannins and "just right acidity. Still fresh and youthful it may have a few more years left but why wait.
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Rich, delicious dark mixed berry fruit with raison flavors, toasty, tight, heighten viscosity, excellent structure, long finish, this may be the best Carlisle Zin I've tasted
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Popped and poured...light in color with light red fruit notes of strawberry preserves with a little spice...minor acidity that paired well with food. Missing structure of other Carlisle.
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This is my first bottle of the 2015, a blend of 83% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, and 7% Petite SirahJust as last year we pulled a ‘11 Pagani as a 2nd bottle for dinner, we pulled this as a 2nd bottle after the Carlisle Carlisle Vnd Zin. We may not be pulling it first, but Ridge Pagani is not a “second best” ... ever! We love our Pagani. Just ast the ‘11 was very different from the Lagier-Meredith Tribidrag 2011, this is very different from the Carlisle 2015! This is brighter and a bit jammier with a sweetness from the fruit and without the earthiness that the Carlisle displays. The wines are simply different; not necessarily better than the other. However, we both preferred the Carlisle’s finesse. At only 5 years of age, both wines are probably too young, but they are both approachable. The Ridge shows as a dark plum-to-purple wine with Zin funk, brown sugar, cinnamon, boysenberry and vanilla leaping and scampering. Definite Draper perfume; it’s a more effusive wine than the Carlisle. Plum, and brown sugar (but less so) with more herbaceous (rosemary?) notes. The mouthfeel is more complete and put together than the Ridge. The finish is longer and silkier. A shadow of sediment on the shoulder and neck of the Ridge but none on the Carlisle. Both wines clock in at 15% alc. Yes, we fell asleep in our chairs with the TV on. With rubbed, oven-roasted-grill-finished pork ribs for Independence Day, both a delicious recipe and a delicious pairing. Recommended.
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This is on point! Amazingly well made Zin and just on fire right now. Finished off bottle 10 days later and 91 even then. These people make sick wine, keep em coming plz.
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Number 5 out of 6 and it gets better every time. Full throttle but not over top Zin with just right levels of ripeness. Showing both structure and suppleness. One of the highlights of the 2015s.
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I second the current notes for this one. For me, this is almost a perfect zin. Great integration of dark fruits and peppery spice. I'll need to get some more of this, I hope the follow on vintages are just as good.
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In one word, "wonderful juice" which is really saying that it's not a wine that can be described succinctly. This is definitely the most balanced Carlisle vineyard zin I've had to date, and has shed off most of that rich baby fat from two years ago. I don't know which component I like more the rich dark fruits (mostly plum and then blackberry) or the briary taste of the spice and terroir. I was going to rate it even higher because of the current meld of softening tannins and the zesty zing of the fruits but decided to hold off until I have my last bottle. Regardless, this is in a beautiful place right now and will definitely improve over the next few years. A great success story for Mike and co. in 2015.
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Really nice zin with some mail order pizza from Lou Malnotti in Chicago. Great nose of flowers and dark fruit to come. Tannins reflect that we are just at the start of the drinking window: grippy and not yet what I’d say is velvety, as the wine press likes to say. Flavors are really superb- dark with blackberry and blueberry and hints of earthy terroir, and a resounding peppery finish. Long too. I think this has the stuff to be great for another 3-4 years. Pizza was pretty amazing too- makes sheltering in place a little more civilized!
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Not one of my favorites, a little disjointed, more earthy than most , maybe just an off or oxidized bottle. Retasted on a second night with consistent notes.
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Light black cherry and raspberry with smooth integrated tannins slight pepper finish. It seems the fruit is fading, do not see this wine developing more or lasting to 2024.
Decanted for one hour. Blackberry, blood orange, black licorice and spice aromas and flavors. Very long finish. Full bodied. A pretty Zin. Served with wood fired pepperoni pizza.
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A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied Zin, with black cherry and smoky peppery flavors, jammy with a long finish, needs to be decanted. Always good every year. www.winelx.com
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Coming along nicely at this stage. The tannins are soft and the rasberry-dark fruit notes are forward. Good acidity. Should continue to develop but ready to drink now.
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Musky and intense nose of boysenberry and plum - it's zinfandel alright. Intense and focused on the rich palate with flavors reflecting the aromatics and firm but lush texture. Finish goes on and on. This doesn't have quite the refinement this bottling has demonstrated historically (which I prefer) but this will surely be a crowd pleaser. Likely better with another couple of years in a good cellar.
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Had my first bottle of the 15 in March and this is very similar. Plenty of soft black and red raspberry with some mild black pepper. Consistent across three nights. Long finish. Two more bottles to drink over the next few years.
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Worth waiting a year to try this bottle. The 2015's are on a slow aging curve. The fruit and acidity are coming together and the always supple tannins are in the back ground. Briary spice and a nice core of raspberry fruit round things out. Should continue to improve for several years.
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Good mixture of strawberry and black raspberry with some black pepper and mixed herb. More complex than most Zin blends. I get the feeling this will continue to improve for a few more years.
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87% Zinfandel and 13% mixed black and white varieties; all French oak (22% new). Yum! Beautiful balance between sweet and tart red raspberry fruit in addition to loads of blood orange. Very lively and penetrating on the nose, almost pungent (in a good way). Pepper and spice add complexity. Long, playful finish.
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1.5 hour decant. Excellent Zin. I like the layers on this. Easy entry that evolves with delineated flavors. Well made. Balances richness with elegance. Drink now with decant or hold 5+.
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Similar to my prior notes - - perhaps it is the vintage, or I just may be more inclined to other Carlisle Zin Vineyard offerings, which I personally find to be more substantial and impressive. Make no mistakes, though, still a solid Zin.
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Young wine, but still ready. Nose is big full red fruit, taste is tart cherry and raspberry, lighter, with a light pepper note. Finish is clean and smooth, tart fruit carries through til the end. Let is breath for 30 minutes and enjoy.
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Nose of tart red cherry/raspberry and a whiff of alcohol. Dark ruby in the glass, ample pepper/spice, not overdone at all. Good depth to the fruit and decent acidity. This went very well at home with pepperoni pizza and homemade grilled Brussel sprouts ala Coopershawk. More tart red fruit on the end. A decent zin with an ending that goes on for at least 30-40 seconds.
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Initially a bit sappy, hot and one dimensional. The heat subsides, but the wine stays singular in flavor: red fruits. With air a bit of spice comes into play and purple fruits as well. The sappiness returns with air. Will save some for day 2. Not my most favorite Carlisle, Carlisle.
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Drank over three nights. Probably the best on night two. A bit tight on night one and starting to unravel and become a bit soft on night three. I think it was probably a mistake not to decant this. Lots of raspberry fruit and vanilla in classic Carlisle style.
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Ripe jammy berries all over the palate followed by black pepper. A bit one dimensional for me, but still quite tasty. Drink now-2022. Not very tannic but does come in a but hot from the alcohol.
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Very berry driven and spicy, with strong “zin-like” character. Shows mostly blue and black with red fruit poking through. Quite large scaled, shows the alcohol a bit. Great typicity here but I find it a little big and ripe. Time may help.
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One of the more interesting zins I've had... When first opened, this was a big, dark, heavy and brambly wine. Nothing seemed out of place but there was plenty of dark purple fruit and pepper galore. After giving it about 4 hours it became much lighter. Turned more to strawberries and cream with some of the pepper but not as intense. The density was there but the profile changed noticeably. I would say for the better too.
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Nose of raspberry, raspberry tart, dusty gravel, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, mouth filling fruit, sweet and sour fruit like a Pinot Noir, probably better with two years cellar time, only a medium/long finish which hurt its score.
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Somewhat underwhelming for a Carlisle Zin, but still very solid when compared to Zins in general. This bottle was closed and did not offer much on the nose or palate. Will write it off as an aberration, and suspect that the next bottle will be much better.
This wine is one of several Carlisle 2015s that seem to be a moving target. I.e., out of two bottles of the same wine, purchased from the same source, one will provide a much different experience than the other. I don't think it's bottle variation either -- maybe more like bottle...evolution?
Anyway, opened a bottle of this about six months ago, and it was pretty closed down. Very nice, and plenty of fruit, but not as generous as you'd expect. This bottle is freaking en fuego. Gobs of ripe raspberry, black cherry, strawberry, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and some orange peel trimming. Absolutely loaded with delicious fruit, but it's light and energetic, not jammy. One of the best zins I've had so far this year, and as always, a price that puts most other producers to shame.
Historic Vineyard Society Tasting, nose of red berry and black berry fruit, same on the palate, big body, intense concentration of fruit, needs three year to peak drinking, tasty, rich fruit, and a long finish.
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Ok...I'll take the incoming arrows on this one. Apparently I'm missing something here. I found this to be a higher-register, linear, sour example of the varietal. Yes, it's young, but the lack of depth was so disappointingly flat and superficial that I really couldn't get any sense of the overall would-be flavor profile of this wine. Some unripe purple plum, sour cherry, imitation vanilla extract, alcohol, citrus rind (which I'm not sure really belongs in a Zinfandel), and maybe some dusty earth - if I imagine this actually came from a vineyard planted in dirt where grapes grow and not some processing factory in Omaha.
I know Mike Officer has a strong following, and they are super swell folks, but I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go with this wine. As this label spreads itself thin with the amount of different wines being put out there, it seems to be subsequently producing thin wines. I'm not mad about it; I just don't understand it. Disappointing I suppose for someone like me who wants greater concentration and complexity, especially from some of these seemingly spectacular old-vine sites. Don't fear the fruit people! Flavor is ok. We don't live in France. Global warming should be helping us here (ok, maybe that's a little too far)...
Like the Papera bottling, this is an absolute stunner. Red fruit galore, blood orange and lemon oil, with a little red lava rock. The palate is festive, yet almost linear. With all of the focus on the lovely fruit, you cannot ignore the lavishly long finish. This is a different animal from the illustrious 2012, yet just as delightful. Drink now - 2030.
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Agree with Rdf58 and Overhill (excluding the sour note). More of a jammy version of Carlisle Vineyard Zin. I like it. Notes of rich cherry , red raspberry and a touch of licorice. Nice acidity in the mouth, but packed with fruit.
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Couldn't wait any longer to pull the cork. Can't argue with Mr. Overhill's note (but no sourness detected). Really nice juice that is beginning to come together with gorgeous old vine Zin character. Youthful and a bit primary but difficult to resist at this stage.
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Dang but is this ever a slutty and oh so sexy wine. A smorgasbord of dark red fruit flavors, red raspberry meets prune and definitely some macerated cherry on the back end. It somehow holds all of these rich sugars in check, but just barely and really is drinking beautifully right now. My only real complaint is that the finish is somewhat hollow, the midpalate was somewhat sour as well. Have half a bottle left, will see if it changes on day two. Am hoping for some M.O. magic to ensue! Good news from day two, the extra air time reduced the sugars somewhat and added more midpalate complexity, deepening the tannins on the back end and adding some zesty spices. This is definitely a big winner from both vintage and this vineyard. Congrats to Mike for another killer performance in '15.
Dark red raspberry in the glass, woodsy/briar fruit nose. Plenty of ripe fruit, especially blackberry, kirsch. Supple, almost to the point of being flat or flabby on entry but the acidity then kicks in, in the middle, with a nice minty spice/pepper ending. Reminds me of those little green/mint chocolates left on your pillow at night. Nice.
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I agree with the reviewers comments before me. This is absolutely fabulous wine. It has beautiful dark fruit that coats your mouth and drinks well now. No need to wait on this one.
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15% abv. Dark ruby, expressive aromatics. Silky mouthfeel, boysenberry, black raspberry and clean minty spice. Very deep rich and long. Should develop well over the next 6-10 years. Terrific Zinfandel!
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Dark red and black fruit comes across as if it has been macerated. It’s very supple, with a kirsch-like quality. It envelops more than coats the mouth, and the fruit just builds and builds. There are a few added elements in the mid-palate that add complexity, but overall this is really about ripe fruit, with solid acidity to balance it out. I would prefer to let my remaining bottles age several years to see what additional layers might emerge.
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These just arrived 2 weeks ago. I dipped in for 3 bottles this vintage, and I am jazzed that I did. Opened yesterday, had only a glass so I'll be able to stretch this over 3 days. Tonight's glass is beautiful. Dark colored, with aromatics of ripe raspberry and very floral, perfumey. The texture is plush, approachable. Loads of dark raspberry, blueberry and the classic CV soil/earthy note that is what consistently comes through in the best CV vintages. Overall, this is a bigger-boned version of CV, and in my view (based on this being open a full day for what it's worth) is a wine that can be enjoyed now. I will say that last night it showed more coil and tension, which has integrated into the wine very well today, making it super easy to drink and a real pleasure, too.....a PS is worthy as I wrapped up this bottle on the 3rd day. There is structure here, and the citrusy acidity with it creates a terrific energy. I'd say this is more cellar worthy than I previously commented. Just lovely darkened red fruit, blueberry skin and what Mike called as 'blood orange' on his website (which is pretty spot on), this is a really good vintage of CVZ.
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Well-built and loaded with personality, offering smoky blackberry, dark Asian spice aromas and layered flavors of currant, licorice and fresh pepper that linger to polished tannins, Drink now through 2026. 300 cases made.
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Crisp with a very clean finish. Not an over-abundance of fruit (which is often over-done in standard Zinfandel). Balanced. Didn't wow me, but took some skill to make this as balanced as it is.
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jeez, ripped the cork and this drank beautifully from the start. I'm getting plenty of bing cherry / red fruit flavors. Soft tannins. Have at it the day it's delivered. Pobega!
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Mr Officer joined us for our dinner and brought this wine with him, served non-blind. The aromatics on this were striking--seductive, floral, with lots of berry and even a stone fruit pit note like an apricot. Dark berry, juicy, a little decadent even, yet like with this vineyard, there is some structure although the comments at the table if I recall them correctly seemed to suggest this was drinking fine without much aeration. At the point we had this, it was right at the dessert course and I was starting to feel all the other wines that had preceded it but my basic notes here I stand by. The aromatics and juicy quality of this were evident and delicious.
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12/12/2023 - PANYC Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well over 2 days
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11/16/2023 - wilypod Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted as a vertical with the 2016 and 2017 Carlisle Vineyard Zinfandels. All three were excellent and had similar aromatics and tasting profiles. The 2015 and 2016 were blood red in color, the 2017 more of a ruby red, with more translucence. All three were healthy, youthfully mature, loaded with fruit.
The 2016 is probably the most poised and harmonious of the three. The 2015 seems more powerful, dramatic, and savory; the 2017 more lithe, feminine, and supple.
For all three, liqueur-like (Chambord, Grand Marnier) aromatics mingle with aromas of blood orange and minty mulberry; palates are richly inviting, plush and juicy, structured, and with a modicum of grip. If in a Brunello mood, I would head to the 2015; if the cuisine were classic Provençal, the 2016; the 2017 would be great with Indian or California contemporary, either veg or nonveg.
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11/4/2023 - hanasowner wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured...very dark with nose of black cherry and myriad of spices...full bodied with smooth mouthfeel and medium finish.
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9/26/2023 - imbroglio wrote: 92 Points
Opened up prettily after day 3 under cork
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7/21/2023 - hoservin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin by the glass. Nose of blackberry, black cherry, blood orange, bramble and spice. Ripe blackberry, blood orange, bramble and spice on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with baked macaroni and cheese.
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7/4/2023 - Vinomazing Likes this wine:
Wonderful, PnP, not much has changed since last bottle.
Day 5: Still going strong, just like 1st bottle this holds out. Me and Mom thoroughly enjoyed the remaining 2/3. Really like this wine.
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5/3/2023 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
The Paso Robles is, as always, 100% Zin. The Carlisle is a field blend from vines planted in 1927 that includes Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet and a host of others. Both wines sit prettily in the glass, but the Ridge Pagani is deeper and richer in every way: color, nose, attack and finish. The Carlisle is clearly the lighter wine, with cranberry and boysenberry. The Pagani has molasses, brown sugar, brambly Zin notes, coffee and a bit of mocha. Additionally, the Pagani has distinct black pepper notes. The Carlisle carries 14.4% alc. while the Pagani clocks in at 14.9% alc. Both wines are excellent examples of what they are, but they are different examples Neither of these bottles throw much sediment; just a shadow from the Pagani and nothing from the Carlisle. With grilled beef tri-tip (while PMB stops in for a an evening). 05.03.23. Recommended, but the Pagani is the clear winner.
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4/1/2023 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big full bodied Zinfandel showcasing black and red raspberry fruit, cherry, and blackberry. Earth and subtle oak spice notes emerge mid-palate adding some complexity. Finish is long with more black fruit, but the alcohol is also a bit noticeable and slightly detracting. Mature, drink now -2025
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3/31/2023 - wiscgrad wrote: 94 Points
everything Tom Lee said. best zin producer year in and year out
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3/11/2023 - Castle Peak wrote: 93 Points
Delightful.
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3/2/2023 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Dark crimson in color. 15% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, peach and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity and balance. Lush, juicy fruits in spades. Raspberry, strawberry, mulberry and pepper on the palate. Nice length on the finish. Delicious Zinfandel that is all about charm and elegance. Best over the next year or so.
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2/18/2023 - Night Train Likes this wine: 92 Points
Took to a wine-centric party, so no detailed notes. Very well balanced, rich, and vibrant, unlike a bottle 18 months ago that seemed muted and a little flat. Probably at its peak, so it's probably time to drink up.
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1/28/2023 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black cherry, boysenberry, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, delicious, rich fruit, lovely fruit, at peak, suggest you enjoy soon, vineyard planted in 1927 with 40 grape varieties, a long, flavorful finish.
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1/20/2023 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of black berry, black cherry, boysenberry, blueberry, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, delicious, better the second night than the first suggest you decant for an hour or cellar for two more years, from a vineyard planted in 1927 with 40 grape varieties and resulted in a heritage history, and a long, flavorful finish, and lovely aftertaste, from a $42 auction bottle.
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1/9/2023 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely classic Zin dominant field blend, all bramble. Nose is a delight. Palate is enjoyable, but the alcohol burn (no wonder, 15pct) definitely detracts. Rustic, charming, enjoyable, but a bit of a brute. Probably at peak, or close to.
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12/26/2022 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
No formal note on this one, but it was just as tasty as the bottle we opened in September. The fruit here is just delicious and this is drinking very well at the moment. A joyful wine.
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10/17/2022 - Hover low 64 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I’ve increased my score for this wine. Time since my first bottle has helped it mature and evolve into a really complex, compelling Zin. I must admit that last night, the first night, it didn’t meet my last score. Tonight, it was fabulous at a new level. Such deep and interesting flavors of dark fruit, earth, pepper, smoke. And a very long finish. So darn good. Sadly that was my last bottle. If you own some of this, it’s definitely ready now but give it at least two to three hours after opening before you let it grace your lips. Oh, and save some for the second night - it gets to a point where you can’t believe how blessed you are to drink it. Cheers!
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10/12/2022 - RichEB1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
A little thin on opening but it filled out to a medium + bodied wine with lots of red/raspberry fruit and a very slight savory note on the finish that adds interest (I find that often in Carlisle Vineyard). Really good zin, but maybe not my favorite vintage.
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10/6/2022 - timewithwine Likes this wine:
Surprisingly this field blend is not inky black. While dark indeed, the color is a deep purple but nevertheless allows some light through. From 95 year old grapes of Zin, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir, Alicante Bouschet, Tempranillo and Peroursin, comes this lithe, very approachable Zin. Not at all a bruiser despite its 15% alc., that instead delivers some boysenberry, light rhubarb, a hint of brown sugar and a finish of coffee and cinnamon. Compared to the Ridge Pagani Zin before it, this was tame and a touch underwhelming. No sediment, but a very slight shadow on the bottom of the bottle. 15% alc. With pork barbeque from BBQ Exchange. 10.06.22. Recommended.
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9/4/2022 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Nice easy drinking with great flavor balance and no tannic bite. Why drink cab?
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9/2/2022 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Maybe not as complex as some other vintages of this wine, but the Russian River zin goodness is there on full display. I could happily drink this all night. I don't think additional cellaring will serve it well, though, so go ahead and drink up if you're holding any. I'll likely drink my last bottle within the next 6 months.
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8/12/2022 - Quiller wrote: 88 Points
It looks like my 7/30/22 note wasn't my last bottle. Opened, poured and let this one sit about 40 min. Then: Pretty much the same tasting note as the 7/30 note. Still disappointed that it isn't more than this, but after about an hour, when the warmth disappeared and the fruit smoothed out, I think that I liked it about a point better.
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8/1/2022 - Night Train Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little disappointing, largely due to high expectations (I had expected to see God). Initially, it was overextracted and noticeably hot. After about an hour of air, it had settled down, although it still came across as slightly hot. Like previous vintages, it offerred a lot more complexity and polish than most other zins - hints of herbs and forest floor to go with the mostly dark berries. Medium body, nice texture, and a solid finish. Still, it wasn't quite as racy and vibrant as I had expected, and the heat was a little problematic. My best guess is that it's time to drink up.
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7/30/2022 - Quiller wrote: 87 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 30 min. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose. First sip tastes of slightly overripe red fruit and warmth on the finish. Over time, still red fruit, the overripeness lessens a bit, and the warmth on the finish pretty much disappears. Tannins not an issue; acidity OK; decent mouthfeel. OK, but not a lot to recommend it at this point. Last bottle, and that's OK.
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7/27/2022 - ogres3 wrote: 91 Points
For some reason, did not seem to live up to previous years. Solid. Lasted several days it might have been better on day 3.
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5/30/2022 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour, this took 30 minutes or so for the alcohol to blow off and to resolve itself. Again, world class zinfandel, I don't see anyone making better for my palate. Full-bodied and fruity with spice, not jammy or heavy.
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5/28/2022 - JVSA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fourth time tasting Carlisle zin. Probably the most impressive ahead of Papera Ranch and Mancini Ranch.
So composed, with layers upon layers of raspberry, sweet blackberry and rhubarb, coffee and dusty minerals. I find it less strawberried than the before mentioned bottles, with this one giving more in direction of earth and spice.
As always, perfectly balanced. Never over the top. Just great!
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3/3/2022 - nickvdm Likes this wine:
16/20 - drink earlier
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2/27/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Top 25% of his zins.
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2/11/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full bodied zin with dense purple fruit. These wines are delicious.
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2/6/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic full-bodied zin. Mike says to "enjoy" and we did.
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11/20/2021 - Quiller wrote: 88 Points
Opend, poured and let sit 45 min. Then: Maybe some darkish fruit on the nose, but not much. Darkish-reddish fruit on the taste until the finish, then a bit hot/alcoholic. Taste is fairly one-note, without any layers; no distinctive zin favor to my taste. Maybe a bit Bordeaux-like. Good balance up to the finish, then the heat takes over. After 45 min from first sip it smoothed out a bit on the finish, although it still had a bit of alcohol in it. Not bad, but disappointing for this svd.
Day 2: Poured and let sit 1/2 hr. Then: Even less nose than Day 1. Fruit is more reddish; taste still pretty much one-note; still good balance and even a bit smoother, even on the finish. Still a slight bit of heat on the finish, but not as noticeable as Day 1. Still a bit disappointing, but better than Day 1. Up to 89 on Day 2.
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5/19/2021 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Nose of blackberry, bramble, tangerine peel and spice. Ripe blackberry, orange, licorice and spice on the palate. Long finish. Full bodied. Served with a baked pasta casserole.
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4/9/2021 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
As always with Carlisle zins, more claret/blend like than the other high end zins; makes for great drinking over several nights. Smooth, great flavors, doesn't coat the tongue and teeth. Nice stuff.
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2/26/2021 - BHRH Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tried another experiment decanting half the bottle for 90 minutes, then served both in identical stemware at ~ 68F. Wife said the un-decanted smelled of cherry cough syrup (I didn't get that...). My view was that the decanted version opened up much more, revealing deep blueberry aromas with some mint and pepper. On the palate, plush and juicy but showing lively black raspberry with some herbs and pepper flavors. Long, rich finish with some added tar, toasty oak and maybe a little licorice but with enough zingy acidity to go great with food. Seems to be nearing peak but with plenty of structure to reward another 2-4 years of aging. Yum!
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2/13/2021 - EMark Likes this wine:
Prune color in the glass. Nose of dried fruits--possibly biased by the prune color. Very subtle black fruit--blackberry--on the tip of the tongue. Some mid-palate minerality. A somewhat lean or thin mouthfeel, but, make no mistake. this is a full-bodied wine. Fairly stiff tannin. The tannin level and the good acid level leads me to disagree with some of the other posters. I think there is no downside to letting this one have a few more years of rest. In my case, I am running out of storage space, and the 2018s will be arriving at my doorstep in a couple weeks. 🤣
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2/10/2021 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 88 Points
Hot, hot, hot with a big oak hit. Try decanting.
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2/7/2021 - Brhouts Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great zin!!!
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2/7/2021 - BigTex22 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking really well after a decent. Fragrant roses followed by medium subdued fruit with a classic zin profile. This is drinking really well, but don’t think it will get better.
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2/5/2021 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 88 Points
Sufficient acidity, but a back end oak flavor that is a touch disjointed. High alcohol shows a bit.
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1/25/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich dark fruit with blueberry, blackberry and slight spice. More elegant
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1/25/2021 - Acohen wrote: 92 Points
Dark rich fruit with blueberry and slight spice
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1/14/2021 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
Reviews by RAYBURN and RDF58 are spot-on, this is a really wonderful Zin and it's drinking well now.
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1/10/2021 - Rayburn wrote: 96 Points
Blackberry and cherry, bramble on the nose
Juicy, mouth filling tannin with black cherry, blackberry and a touch of cigar spice on the palate with a very lengthy finish.
Drinking like a gem now and can go for another 5-7 easily.
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12/5/2020 - depdoc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular! Beautifully balanced, ready.
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11/26/2020 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 95 Points
The 2015 Carlisle Vineyard continues to impress. Really singing at this stage and seems even better than in June. Nicely balanced but bold red fruits, integrated tannins and "just right acidity. Still fresh and youthful it may have a few more years left but why wait.
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11/22/2020 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious dark mixed berry fruit with raison flavors, toasty, tight, heighten viscosity, excellent structure, long finish, this may be the best Carlisle Zin I've tasted
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11/21/2020 - DavidDay wrote: 93 Points
Really drinking well right now, kind of in a sweet spot.
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9/26/2020 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stellar with BBQ ribs.
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9/6/2020 - hanasowner wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured...light in color with light red fruit notes of strawberry preserves with a little spice...minor acidity that paired well with food. Missing structure of other Carlisle.
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9/1/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the better zins I've had in awhile. Drinking great at present.
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7/21/2020 - aaronwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid wine. Some alcohol burn on the finish that got better with time. Better on second day.
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7/4/2020 - timewithwine wrote:
This is my first bottle of the 2015, a blend of 83% Zin, 10% Alicante Bouschet, and 7% Petite SirahJust as last year we pulled a ‘11 Pagani as a 2nd bottle for dinner, we pulled this as a 2nd bottle after the Carlisle Carlisle Vnd Zin. We may not be pulling it first, but Ridge Pagani is not a “second best” ... ever! We love our Pagani. Just ast the ‘11 was very different from the Lagier-Meredith Tribidrag 2011, this is very different from the Carlisle 2015! This is brighter and a bit jammier with a sweetness from the fruit and without the earthiness that the Carlisle displays. The wines are simply different; not necessarily better than the other. However, we both preferred the Carlisle’s finesse. At only 5 years of age, both wines are probably too young, but they are both approachable. The Ridge shows as a dark plum-to-purple wine with Zin funk, brown sugar, cinnamon, boysenberry and vanilla leaping and scampering. Definite Draper perfume; it’s a more effusive wine than the Carlisle. Plum, and brown sugar (but less so) with more herbaceous (rosemary?) notes. The mouthfeel is more complete and put together than the Ridge. The finish is longer and silkier. A shadow of sediment on the shoulder and neck of the Ridge but none on the Carlisle. Both wines clock in at 15% alc. Yes, we fell asleep in our chairs with the TV on. With rubbed, oven-roasted-grill-finished pork ribs for Independence Day, both a delicious recipe and a delicious pairing. Recommended.
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7/2/2020 - Vinomazing Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is on point! Amazingly well made Zin and just on fire right now. Finished off bottle 10 days later and 91 even then. These people make sick wine, keep em coming plz.
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6/20/2020 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Number 5 out of 6 and it gets better every time. Full throttle but not over top Zin with just right levels of ripeness. Showing both structure and suppleness. One of the highlights of the 2015s.
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6/15/2020 - Eatmypixels Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark black plum. Almost tannin. Has depth. Can age longer. Good. Really good. Age longer
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5/28/2020 - gogiants925 Likes this wine: 96 Points
I second the current notes for this one. For me, this is almost a perfect zin. Great integration of dark fruits and peppery spice. I'll need to get some more of this, I hope the follow on vintages are just as good.
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5/26/2020 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious mixed berry fruit with toasty, slightly raisin flavors, excellent structure, long finish, great zin!
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4/14/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine: 95 Points
In one word, "wonderful juice" which is really saying that it's not a wine that can be described succinctly. This is definitely the most balanced Carlisle vineyard zin I've had to date, and has shed off most of that rich baby fat from two years ago. I don't know which component I like more the rich dark fruits (mostly plum and then blackberry) or the briary taste of the spice and terroir. I was going to rate it even higher because of the current meld of softening tannins and the zesty zing of the fruits but decided to hold off until I have my last bottle. Regardless, this is in a beautiful place right now and will definitely improve over the next few years. A great success story for Mike and co. in 2015.
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4/7/2020 - Hover low 64 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice zin with some mail order pizza from Lou Malnotti in Chicago. Great nose of flowers and dark fruit to come. Tannins reflect that we are just at the start of the drinking window: grippy and not yet what I’d say is velvety, as the wine press likes to say. Flavors are really superb- dark with blackberry and blueberry and hints of earthy terroir, and a resounding peppery finish. Long too. I think this has the stuff to be great for another 3-4 years. Pizza was pretty amazing too- makes sheltering in place a little more civilized!
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4/1/2020 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
consistent with prior note
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3/29/2020 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
Seductive aromas, delicious blue/black fruit flavors. Plenty of life ahead, too.
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3/28/2020 - jmh st louis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious blackberry, oak, very nice balance
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3/13/2020 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful peppery full throttled fruit.
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2/14/2020 - slywka7 wrote:
Not going to rate this. Recovering from the flu. Super alcoholic. Taste is totally off.
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2/12/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not one of my favorites, a little disjointed, more earthy than most , maybe just an off or oxidized bottle. Retasted on a second night with consistent notes.
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1/18/2020 - Randito Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light black cherry and raspberry with smooth integrated tannins slight pepper finish. It seems the fruit is fading, do not see this wine developing more or lasting to 2024.
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1/5/2020 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Blackberry, blood orange, black licorice and spice aromas and flavors. Very long finish. Full bodied. A pretty Zin. Served with wood fired pepperoni pizza.
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12/11/2019 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 91 Points
A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied Zin, with black cherry and smoky peppery flavors, jammy with a long finish, needs to be decanted. Always good every year. www.winelx.com
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11/17/2019 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Coming along nicely at this stage. The tannins are soft and the rasberry-dark fruit notes are forward. Good acidity. Should continue to develop but ready to drink now.
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11/17/2019 - jaumealaska Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well but still has firm tannins. Will cellar just fine but it worked great with our heavy fall fare pork cooked in milk, stuffing and squash.
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11/4/2019 - Sellar Rat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Musky and intense nose of boysenberry and plum - it's zinfandel alright. Intense and focused on the rich palate with flavors reflecting the aromatics and firm but lush texture. Finish goes on and on. This doesn't have quite the refinement this bottling has demonstrated historically (which I prefer) but this will surely be a crowd pleaser. Likely better with another couple of years in a good cellar.
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10/9/2019 - cobalt2 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Another winner
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9/21/2019 - DB Lawton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with Anniversary dinner, Butch’s Dry Dock in Holland, MI. Beautiful color and nose, rich, fruit forward. Everyone at the table enjoyed.
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8/3/2019 - fredman wrote: 93 Points
All systems go.
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7/8/2019 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had my first bottle of the 15 in March and this is very similar. Plenty of soft black and red raspberry with some mild black pepper. Consistent across three nights. Long finish. Two more bottles to drink over the next few years.
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5/12/2019 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Worth waiting a year to try this bottle. The 2015's are on a slow aging curve. The fruit and acidity are coming together and the always supple tannins are in the back ground. Briary spice and a nice core of raspberry fruit round things out. Should continue to improve for several years.
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3/19/2019 - JSolo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needs more time. Maybe 1-2 years.
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3/14/2019 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good mixture of strawberry and black raspberry with some black pepper and mixed herb. More complex than most Zin blends. I get the feeling this will continue to improve for a few more years.
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2/16/2019 - Neras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Somewhat light on its feet, but with a great structure and complex taste. Easy drinker, but with lots of layers and complexity.
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2/7/2019 - brettay Likes this wine: 93 Points
87% Zinfandel and 13% mixed black and white varieties; all French oak (22% new). Yum! Beautiful balance between sweet and tart red raspberry fruit in addition to loads of blood orange. Very lively and penetrating on the nose, almost pungent (in a good way). Pepper and spice add complexity. Long, playful finish.
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2/2/2019 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine: 93 Points
1.5 hour decant. Excellent Zin. I like the layers on this. Easy entry that evolves with delineated flavors. Well made. Balances richness with elegance. Drink now with decant or hold 5+.
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1/30/2019 - bradleymichaelharris@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a really well made zin. Guess I'd expect nothing less, but still very pleased.
Probably has another 5 years to peak too
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12/17/2018 - jmcnewjersey wrote: 91 Points
Similar to my prior notes - - perhaps it is the vintage, or I just may be more inclined to other Carlisle Zin Vineyard offerings, which I personally find to be more substantial and impressive. Make no mistakes, though, still a solid Zin.
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11/18/2018 - Cody Cellar wrote: 93 Points
Fruits,berries
Little sweet
Bit heavy
Very good
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11/11/2018 - mwrock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young wine, but still ready. Nose is big full red fruit, taste is tart cherry and raspberry, lighter, with a light pepper note. Finish is clean and smooth, tart fruit carries through til the end. Let is breath for 30 minutes and enjoy.
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11/10/2018 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of tart red cherry/raspberry and a whiff of alcohol. Dark ruby in the glass, ample pepper/spice, not overdone at all. Good depth to the fruit and decent acidity. This went very well at home with pepperoni pizza and homemade grilled Brussel sprouts ala Coopershawk. More tart red fruit on the end. A decent zin with an ending that goes on for at least 30-40 seconds.
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10/23/2018 - Mootsie wrote: 89 Points
Initially a bit sappy, hot and one dimensional. The heat subsides, but the wine stays singular in flavor: red fruits.
With air a bit of spice comes into play and purple fruits as well. The sappiness returns with air. Will save some for day 2. Not my most favorite Carlisle, Carlisle.
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10/20/2018 - Matt T wrote: 91 Points
Drank over three nights. Probably the best on night two. A bit tight on night one and starting to unravel and become a bit soft on night three. I think it was probably a mistake not to decant this. Lots of raspberry fruit and vanilla in classic Carlisle style.
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10/14/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully right now.
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9/24/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Really good.
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9/18/2018 - WineCPA wrote: 90 Points
Ripe jammy berries all over the palate followed by black pepper. A bit one dimensional for me, but still quite tasty. Drink now-2022. Not very tannic but does come in a but hot from the alcohol.
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9/2/2018 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 89 Points
This bottle was rather muted. Don't know if it is a slightly off bottle or just in a dumb phase.
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8/13/2018 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice peppery zin. Has dark fruit to start, a clingy mid palate and mild tannic finish
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8/10/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very berry driven and spicy, with strong “zin-like” character. Shows mostly blue and black with red fruit poking through. Quite large scaled, shows the alcohol a bit. Great typicity here but I find it a little big and ripe. Time may help.
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8/3/2018 - STM82 wrote: 93 Points
One of the more interesting zins I've had... When first opened, this was a big, dark, heavy and brambly wine. Nothing seemed out of place but there was plenty of dark purple fruit and pepper galore. After giving it about 4 hours it became much lighter. Turned more to strawberries and cream with some of the pepper but not as intense. The density was there but the profile changed noticeably. I would say for the better too.
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7/28/2018 - hanratty21 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid, if a bit young. Opened for one hour before. Blue black fruit. Not jammy, well rounded.
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7/22/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of raspberry, raspberry tart, dusty gravel, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, mouth filling fruit, sweet and sour fruit like a Pinot Noir, probably better with two years cellar time, only a medium/long finish which hurt its score.
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7/9/2018 - jmcnewjersey wrote: 91 Points
Somewhat underwhelming for a Carlisle Zin, but still very solid when compared to Zins in general. This bottle was closed and did not offer much on the nose or palate. Will write it off as an aberration, and suspect that the next bottle will be much better.
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6/28/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is one of several Carlisle 2015s that seem to be a moving target. I.e., out of two bottles of the same wine, purchased from the same source, one will provide a much different experience than the other. I don't think it's bottle variation either -- maybe more like bottle...evolution?
Anyway, opened a bottle of this about six months ago, and it was pretty closed down. Very nice, and plenty of fruit, but not as generous as you'd expect. This bottle is freaking en fuego. Gobs of ripe raspberry, black cherry, strawberry, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and some orange peel trimming. Absolutely loaded with delicious fruit, but it's light and energetic, not jammy. One of the best zins I've had so far this year, and as always, a price that puts most other producers to shame.
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4/21/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Historic Vineyard Society Tasting, nose of red berry and black berry fruit, same on the palate, big body, intense concentration of fruit, needs three year to peak drinking, tasty, rich fruit, and a long finish.
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4/14/2018 - csimm wrote: 87 Points
Ok...I'll take the incoming arrows on this one. Apparently I'm missing something here. I found this to be a higher-register, linear, sour example of the varietal. Yes, it's young, but the lack of depth was so disappointingly flat and superficial that I really couldn't get any sense of the overall would-be flavor profile of this wine. Some unripe purple plum, sour cherry, imitation vanilla extract, alcohol, citrus rind (which I'm not sure really belongs in a Zinfandel), and maybe some dusty earth - if I imagine this actually came from a vineyard planted in dirt where grapes grow and not some processing factory in Omaha.
I know Mike Officer has a strong following, and they are super swell folks, but I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go with this wine. As this label spreads itself thin with the amount of different wines being put out there, it seems to be subsequently producing thin wines. I'm not mad about it; I just don't understand it. Disappointing I suppose for someone like me who wants greater concentration and complexity, especially from some of these seemingly spectacular old-vine sites. Don't fear the fruit people! Flavor is ok. We don't live in France. Global warming should be helping us here (ok, maybe that's a little too far)...
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4/1/2018 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Like the Papera bottling, this is an absolute stunner. Red fruit galore, blood orange and lemon oil, with a little red lava rock. The palate is festive, yet almost linear. With all of the focus on the lovely fruit, you cannot ignore the lavishly long finish. This is a different animal from the illustrious 2012, yet just as delightful. Drink now - 2030.
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3/31/2018 - Gh0zt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big bold and round
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3/8/2018 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Tasty raspberry and blackberry on the open nose and rich palate with pepper and lively acidity on the moderate finish. Drinking well young.
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2/21/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 92 Points
Agree with Rdf58 and Overhill (excluding the sour note). More of a jammy version of Carlisle Vineyard Zin. I like it. Notes of rich cherry , red raspberry and a touch of licorice. Nice acidity in the mouth, but packed with fruit.
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2/15/2018 - rdf58 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Couldn't wait any longer to pull the cork. Can't argue with Mr. Overhill's note (but no sourness detected). Really nice juice that is beginning to come together with gorgeous old vine Zin character. Youthful and a bit primary but difficult to resist at this stage.
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2/13/2018 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dang but is this ever a slutty and oh so sexy wine. A smorgasbord of dark red fruit flavors, red raspberry meets prune and definitely some macerated cherry on the back end. It somehow holds all of these rich sugars in check, but just barely and really is drinking beautifully right now. My only real complaint is that the finish is somewhat hollow, the midpalate was somewhat sour as well. Have half a bottle left, will see if it changes on day two. Am hoping for some M.O. magic to ensue!
Good news from day two, the extra air time reduced the sugars somewhat and added more midpalate complexity, deepening the tannins on the back end and adding some zesty spices. This is definitely a big winner from both vintage and this vineyard. Congrats to Mike for another killer performance in '15.
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2/4/2018 - Slaz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delightful, but 2016 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Heritage Wine next to this tasted measurably better tonight.
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1/27/2018 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark red raspberry in the glass, woodsy/briar fruit nose. Plenty of ripe fruit, especially blackberry, kirsch. Supple, almost to the point of being flat or flabby on entry but the acidity then kicks in, in the middle, with a nice minty spice/pepper ending. Reminds me of those little green/mint chocolates left on your pillow at night. Nice.
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1/27/2018 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I agree with the reviewers comments before me. This is absolutely fabulous wine. It has beautiful dark fruit that coats your mouth and drinks well now. No need to wait on this one.
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1/21/2018 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
15% abv. Dark ruby, expressive aromatics. Silky mouthfeel, boysenberry, black raspberry and clean minty spice. Very deep rich and long. Should develop well over the next 6-10 years. Terrific Zinfandel!
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1/19/2018 - losososjoe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Got to get more of this one in the future.
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12/23/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Dark red and black fruit comes across as if it has been macerated. It’s very supple, with a kirsch-like quality. It envelops more than coats the mouth, and the fruit just builds and builds. There are a few added elements in the mid-palate that add complexity, but overall this is really about ripe fruit, with solid acidity to balance it out. I would prefer to let my remaining bottles age several years to see what additional layers might emerge.
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12/3/2017 - Neras Likes this wine: 93 Points
Light red. Fruity nose. Dark raspberries. Very balanced and ready to drink now.
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12/2/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
These just arrived 2 weeks ago. I dipped in for 3 bottles this vintage, and I am jazzed that I did. Opened yesterday, had only a glass so I'll be able to stretch this over 3 days. Tonight's glass is beautiful. Dark colored, with aromatics of ripe raspberry and very floral, perfumey. The texture is plush, approachable. Loads of dark raspberry, blueberry and the classic CV soil/earthy note that is what consistently comes through in the best CV vintages. Overall, this is a bigger-boned version of CV, and in my view (based on this being open a full day for what it's worth) is a wine that can be enjoyed now. I will say that last night it showed more coil and tension, which has integrated into the wine very well today, making it super easy to drink and a real pleasure, too.....a PS is worthy as I wrapped up this bottle on the 3rd day. There is structure here, and the citrusy acidity with it creates a terrific energy. I'd say this is more cellar worthy than I previously commented. Just lovely darkened red fruit, blueberry skin and what Mike called as 'blood orange' on his website (which is pretty spot on), this is a really good vintage of CVZ.
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11/19/2017 - Olal wrote:
Well-built and loaded with personality, offering smoky blackberry, dark Asian spice aromas and layered flavors of currant, licorice and fresh pepper that linger to polished tannins, Drink now through 2026. 300 cases made.
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11/11/2017 - Brockster303 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crisp with a very clean finish. Not an over-abundance of fruit (which is often over-done in standard Zinfandel). Balanced. Didn't wow me, but took some skill to make this as balanced as it is.
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4/27/2017 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club - Magnumfest; 4/25/2017-4/27/2017 (The Winery, Newport Beach, CA): non-blind - pop n pour after a big line up. Forgive me father...
jeez, ripped the cork and this drank beautifully from the start. I'm getting plenty of bing cherry / red fruit flavors. Soft tannins. Have at it the day it's delivered. Pobega!
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4/25/2017 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Mr Officer joined us for our dinner and brought this wine with him, served non-blind. The aromatics on this were striking--seductive, floral, with lots of berry and even a stone fruit pit note like an apricot. Dark berry, juicy, a little decadent even, yet like with this vineyard, there is some structure although the comments at the table if I recall them correctly seemed to suggest this was drinking fine without much aeration. At the point we had this, it was right at the dessert course and I was starting to feel all the other wines that had preceded it but my basic notes here I stand by. The aromatics and juicy quality of this were evident and delicious.
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