I am a Carlisle fan but this one was a miss for me. Blueberry and cherry, dark tart red fruits palated in a very extracted and saturated full bodied and concentrated wine. The acid is high but disjointed from the wine somehow, lacking any real secondary characteristics, very punchy and jammy. Ok wine. Fruit and sweetness calmed down a bit the second day but was replaced with a hotter, more tannin driven finish. Just didn't come together.
Opened, poured and let sit about 40 min. Then: Red fruit on the nose. Taste starts out with red fruit, almost a bit of tartness, but any middle & finish is overtaken by the warmth/heat (15% abv). Tannins and acidity are OK; medium mouthfeel; not too ripe or over-extracted. By the end of the glass (about 40 min from first sip), the warmth has mostly receded, giving way to a decent finish with almost a hint of sweet fruit. Not noticeably spicy and, at least to my taste, lacking the juicy/berryish zin profile I prefer. This bottle is different from my 7/23/2023 bottle note and could go longer. Give this one some air if drinking soon. The last few sips were pleasant/tasty; the first 3/4 not so much due to the warmth.
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Tasted as a vertical with the 2015 and 2016 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. 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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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of blackberry, blood orange, spice and bramble. Blackberry, blood orange, licorice and spice on the palate. Long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled pork spiedies.
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Opened, poured and let sit about 1/2 hr. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose. Taste is red fruit, but nothing to identify it as zinfandel. Sort of light body; softish mouthfeel; tannins and acidity not an issue; not too ripe or extracted; maybe some spice, but not spicy. Drinkable, but disappointing for a Carlisle/Carlisle Vyd zin. Hard to see any reason to hold onto this any longer.
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There is so much going on in the glass. Red and dark fruit combine with potpourri, wild herbs and flowers. With 41 grape varietals in this blend, it is one of the most exciting wines coming from California. Good juice.
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Blueberry, bramble, some vanilla. Ripe black fruit up front, giving way to some crunchy red fruit at the end. Light tannins, holds the alcohol well. Nice old vine zin.
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The wine was decanted for approximately 90 minutes then poured back into the bottle and drank over 2 nights. The wine was stored overnight in a Eurocave Wine Bar 2.0. Both nights the wine was consumed out of Grassl Liberte stems at approximately 55-61 degrees each night. There was no sediment in the bottle at the time of the initial decant.
My tasting notes from 3/2021 still apply but the wine was better balanced than the last bottle i opened. As stated before, the color is a medium to dark purple. The nose was of red, blue and black fruits with some spice. The palate matched the aromas with red, blue and black fruits. There were notes of slight earth, spice and pepper. There was beautiful acidity that was better integrated than a year ago. There was medium(-) tannins and there was no real signs of heat/alcohol like I previously noted.
This wine is just entering its prime drinking window and should remain at its peak for at least 7+ years front vintage.
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A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied Zin, with black cherry, cranberry, peppery flavors on finish. www.winelx.com
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Decanted for an hour. Fruit forward zinfandel, yet maintained good acid backbone and firm tannins. Good depth and finish. Drinking well now with a quick decant.
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Popped and poured. Black raspberry, blood orange, anise and spice aromas and flavors. Ripe and dense with a very long finish. Full bodied. Served with wood fired pizza.
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Pop and pour. Aromas of boysenberry, raspberry, wild cherry, potpourri and hint of blueberry. Flavors of boysenberry, tutti-frutti, cherry, tomato and hint of raspberry. Ends with a 25-30 second finish with raspberry and tomato notes. Best Carlisle vineyard in recent memory. Got the senses going for sure.
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If Carlisle is nothing else, they are consistent, even in difficult years. Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rose petals, cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar, black pepper, great balance and length. No hint of green…
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Higher acidity especially with air. More mineral driven fruit notes. The acidity knocks the wine off balance a bit. Have had better Carlisle, Carlisle’s. Decanted <2 hours.
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A bit of bramble upon opening that settled over time to pepper & spice. Red fruit dominant without being jammy. Acidity kept the pepper notes in check. A very enjoyable wine.
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This Zin is a field blend from old vines planted in 1927. In addition to Zinfandel, this bottling includes: Petit Sirah, Grand Noir, Alicante Bouschet, Tempernillo and Peloursin.
The wine was decanted for 1 hour and drank over and additional 3 hours. The color is a medium to dark purple. The nose is of red, blue and black fruits with some spice. The taste is primarily blue and black fruits but there is a hint of red fruit as well. There are notes of spice and pepper. There is medium to medium plus acidity that takes grip of your tongue and there is just a bit of heat on the finish (15.0% ABV).
This is a delicious wine but I think it has at least another year before its in a great window, which should last for several years. I have 1 bottle left and I will hold off until 2022-2025. I think this bottle will garner another point our 2 with a little bit of cellaring. If you have patience, it should be rewarded!
This is another fine effort by Mike Officer and a great QPR!
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Yup, this is the real deal! Decanted for a few hours and served perfectly chilled. This was soaring with everything I hoped to find in what I would call an approachable style for this particular vineyard. It might be slightly less full bodied and more translucent than usual, but what is the harm in having a hugely full bodied wine be "reduced" to just being full bodied? It made up for this by being more airy and 'refreshing' - to the extend this is possible for Zinfandel - while being superbly balanced and nothing out of place. One of the best young Carlisle Vineyards I remember having tasted. Rated between 92-93 because of the slightly lighter body. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it 93 because of the exquisite joy it provided me.
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I’d wait on this one, give it a year. Still great now for Carlisle fans. Packed with medium red fruits, long finish, just a touch of heat that will probably settle down.
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Ripe, punchy black and red fruit on the nose, with even a hint of pencil lead. Savory rather than sweet fruit, no roasted notes or any other flaw one might consider given the vintage. It’s clean, not too complex but just bright fruit jam bursting through the seams. If this doesn’t define “crowd pleaser” I’m not sure what would
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Dusty herb and a bit of coffee up front. Decanted 2+ hours. This wine is still young. Bold and brooding yet bright and zesty the way Zins should be. Black- and raspberry flavors are prominent while herbs and pepper notes shine on the finish. Definitely needs more cellar time but it’s already phenomenal.
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Classic mixed berry on the nose and palate. Decanted overnight, which really helped this wine integrate. Seemless tannins with a nice finish. This wine is so clean and fresh, if you don’t like it, it’s a you problem.
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Raspberry jam, pomegranate, cedar, and some weedy undertones. Impactful palate of sweet red fruits, elevated acidity and finely grained tannins to close it out.
It’s well made, but not really my preferred style. Very similar profile to the Papera Ranch I tried a few weeks ago.
Day 2: This is straight raspberry jam with sight hint of something green like tomato leaf.
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Initially tighter than 17 Papera Ranch so tried again the next day and got slapped in the face, Bigger than any Turley I ever had, mega Razzleberry Fruit Bomb with nice balance of Earth, smoked meat and spice. My style for sure...
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Black pepper nose, blackberry jam and earthy aromatics. Medium garnet color. Pallate was very integrated upon opening and changed in thirty minutes. Remainder of baking spice and cedar. It’s a great value. . . . . EG, @WineArchitect @archartistry.com @carlislewines
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2/23/2024 - cacastine wrote: 87 Points
I am a Carlisle fan but this one was a miss for me. Blueberry and cherry, dark tart red fruits palated in a very extracted and saturated full bodied and concentrated wine. The acid is high but disjointed from the wine somehow, lacking any real secondary characteristics, very punchy and jammy. Ok wine. Fruit and sweetness calmed down a bit the second day but was replaced with a hotter, more tannin driven finish. Just didn't come together.
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1/27/2024 - Quiller wrote: 88 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 40 min. Then: Red fruit on the nose. Taste starts out with red fruit, almost a bit of tartness, but any middle & finish is overtaken by the warmth/heat (15% abv). Tannins and acidity are OK; medium mouthfeel; not too ripe or over-extracted. By the end of the glass (about 40 min from first sip), the warmth has mostly receded, giving way to a decent finish with almost a hint of sweet fruit. Not noticeably spicy and, at least to my taste, lacking the juicy/berryish zin profile I prefer. This bottle is different from my 7/23/2023 bottle note and could go longer. Give this one some air if drinking soon. The last few sips were pleasant/tasty; the first 3/4 not so much due to the warmth.
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11/18/2023 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep rich zin with blueberry, raspberry and spice
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11/16/2023 - wilypod Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted as a vertical with the 2015 and 2016 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. 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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8/6/2023 - hoservin wrote: 93 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of blackberry, blood orange, spice and bramble. Blackberry, blood orange, licorice and spice on the palate. Long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled pork spiedies.
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7/31/2023 - 2loyal Likes this wine: 94 Points
So good! Silky smooth now, with a wonderful blend of red and dark fruit, nice aromatics and finish. No need to wait. This is why you buy Carlisle.
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7/23/2023 - Quiller wrote: 87 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 1/2 hr. Then: Maybe some red fruit on the nose. Taste is red fruit, but nothing to identify it as zinfandel. Sort of light body; softish mouthfeel; tannins and acidity not an issue; not too ripe or extracted; maybe some spice, but not spicy. Drinkable, but disappointing for a Carlisle/Carlisle Vyd zin. Hard to see any reason to hold onto this any longer.
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4/22/2023 - Oldmanzin Likes this wine: 93 Points
There is so much going on in the glass. Red and dark fruit combine with potpourri, wild herbs and flowers. With 41 grape varietals in this blend, it is one of the most exciting wines coming from California. Good juice.
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11/21/2022 - Maphill01 wrote:
Blueberry, bramble, some vanilla. Ripe black fruit up front, giving way to some crunchy red fruit at the end. Light tannins, holds the alcohol well. Nice old vine zin.
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9/5/2022 - Mark60 wrote: 94 Points
Holy Cannoli .. This wine is firing on all cylinders. Yummy, Yummy.
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7/19/2022 - JustBreathe680 wrote: 93 Points
The wine was decanted for approximately 90 minutes then poured back into the bottle and drank over 2 nights. The wine was stored overnight in a Eurocave Wine Bar 2.0. Both nights the wine was consumed out of Grassl Liberte stems at approximately 55-61 degrees each night. There was no sediment in the bottle at the time of the initial decant.
My tasting notes from 3/2021 still apply but the wine was better balanced than the last bottle i opened. As stated before, the color is a medium to dark purple. The nose was of red, blue and black fruits with some spice. The palate matched the aromas with red, blue and black fruits. There were notes of slight earth, spice and pepper. There was beautiful acidity that was better integrated than a year ago. There was medium(-) tannins and there was no real signs of heat/alcohol like I previously noted.
This wine is just entering its prime drinking window and should remain at its peak for at least 7+ years front vintage.
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5/21/2022 - corkscrews wrote: 91 Points
A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied Zin, with black cherry, cranberry, peppery flavors on finish. www.winelx.com
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3/19/2022 - westcoastwannabe wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour. Fruit forward zinfandel, yet maintained good acid backbone and firm tannins. Good depth and finish. Drinking well now with a quick decant.
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2/6/2022 - hoservin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Black raspberry, blood orange, anise and spice aromas and flavors. Ripe and dense with a very long finish. Full bodied. Served with wood fired pizza.
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1/19/2022 - Geoff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium to full bodied, floral, balanced tannins. Very enjoyable.
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1/10/2022 - Hover low 64 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Phenomenal. Black cherry, blackberry and pepper in abundance. Wow. Long finish makes the amazing tannins and mouthfeel linger wonderfully.
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1/7/2022 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Aromas of boysenberry, raspberry, wild cherry, potpourri and hint of blueberry. Flavors of boysenberry, tutti-frutti, cherry, tomato and hint of raspberry. Ends with a 25-30 second finish with raspberry and tomato notes. Best Carlisle vineyard in recent memory. Got the senses going for sure.
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12/10/2021 - fredman wrote: 93 Points
One-hour decant. All in balance. No hard edges. Very enjoyable. Drink or hold.
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11/22/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
If Carlisle is nothing else, they are consistent, even in difficult years. Cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rose petals, cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar, black pepper, great balance and length. No hint of green…
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10/4/2021 - Mootsie wrote: 89 Points
Higher acidity especially with air. More mineral driven fruit notes. The acidity knocks the wine off balance a bit. Have had better Carlisle, Carlisle’s. Decanted <2 hours.
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10/2/2021 - PVJC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Terrific zin, really wish I had more
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6/10/2021 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Black cherry and touch of strawberry on the finish with good acidity. Very nice!
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4/21/2021 - eszencia Likes this wine:
A bit of bramble upon opening that settled over time to pepper & spice. Red fruit dominant without being jammy. Acidity kept the pepper notes in check. A very enjoyable wine.
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3/14/2021 - JustBreathe680 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This Zin is a field blend from old vines planted in 1927. In addition to Zinfandel, this bottling includes: Petit Sirah, Grand Noir, Alicante Bouschet, Tempernillo and Peloursin.
The wine was decanted for 1 hour and drank over and additional 3 hours. The color is a medium to dark purple. The nose is of red, blue and black fruits with some spice. The taste is primarily blue and black fruits but there is a hint of red fruit as well. There are notes of spice and pepper. There is medium to medium plus acidity that takes grip of your tongue and there is just a bit of heat on the finish (15.0% ABV).
This is a delicious wine but I think it has at least another year before its in a great window, which should last for several years. I have 1 bottle left and I will hold off until 2022-2025. I think this bottle will garner another point our 2 with a little bit of cellaring. If you have patience, it should be rewarded!
This is another fine effort by Mike Officer and a great QPR!
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1/25/2021 - Brhouts Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great zin
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11/28/2020 - Neras Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bright transparent red. Sweet berries, pomegrate. On the light side, but still plenty of depth. More acidity, less tannins. A joy to drink!
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10/13/2020 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yup, this is the real deal! Decanted for a few hours and served perfectly chilled. This was soaring with everything I hoped to find in what I would call an approachable style for this particular vineyard. It might be slightly less full bodied and more translucent than usual, but what is the harm in having a hugely full bodied wine be "reduced" to just being full bodied? It made up for this by being more airy and 'refreshing' - to the extend this is possible for Zinfandel - while being superbly balanced and nothing out of place. One of the best young Carlisle Vineyards I remember having tasted. Rated between 92-93 because of the slightly lighter body. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it 93 because of the exquisite joy it provided me.
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9/30/2020 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
Bright red fruit aromatics with an interesting graphite note. Delicious red fruit flavors, seamless texture, and a lifted finish. Two thumbs up.
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9/17/2020 - Mike Dildine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great vineyard + great producer = Great!
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9/16/2020 - Adam T 12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
I’d wait on this one, give it a year. Still great now for Carlisle fans. Packed with medium red fruits, long finish, just a touch of heat that will probably settle down.
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8/22/2020 - RobbieC Likes this wine:
Seriously good Zin.
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7/27/2020 - STM82 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice zin. Decanted for 2 hours and it opened up nicely. More peppery citrus than jammy fruit. Was seeking more depth.
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7/22/2020 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
Coravined into a Grassl 1855, tasted 15m later
Ripe, punchy black and red fruit on the nose, with even a hint of pencil lead. Savory rather than sweet fruit, no roasted notes or any other flaw one might consider given the vintage. It’s clean, not too complex but just bright fruit jam bursting through the seams. If this doesn’t define “crowd pleaser” I’m not sure what would
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4/19/2020 - Dionysusx Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dusty herb and a bit of coffee up front. Decanted 2+ hours. This wine is still young. Bold and brooding yet bright and zesty the way Zins should be. Black- and raspberry flavors are prominent while herbs and pepper notes shine on the finish. Definitely needs more cellar time but it’s already phenomenal.
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4/10/2020 - OTTMJ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice zin. Not overly complex. Good fruit and easy drinker. Probably should have given it more time lying down.
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3/27/2020 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Same as my note from 2 weeks ago. Not worth keeping around for later. Drink now to make room for more important wines.
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3/24/2020 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid. Could use a little more time laying down
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3/16/2020 - chanote44 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good Zin fruit but a bit simple. Short finish. Over hyped.
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3/14/2020 - pakabear wrote:
Drank while sick with a cold, so no note.
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3/2/2020 - BobMilton Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good Zin, nice dark fruit.
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2/15/2020 - jcassi01 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Classic mixed berry on the nose and palate. Decanted overnight, which really helped this wine integrate. Seemless tannins with a nice finish. This wine is so clean and fresh, if you don’t like it, it’s a you problem.
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1/27/2020 - poppacork wrote:
Raspberry jam, pomegranate, cedar, and some weedy undertones. Impactful palate of sweet red fruits, elevated acidity and finely grained tannins to close it out.
It’s well made, but not really my preferred style. Very similar profile to the Papera Ranch I tried a few weeks ago.
Day 2: This is straight raspberry jam with sight hint of something green like tomato leaf.
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1/21/2020 - LACERS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Initially tighter than 17 Papera Ranch so tried again the next day and got slapped in the face, Bigger than any Turley I ever had, mega Razzleberry Fruit Bomb with nice balance of Earth, smoked meat and spice. My style for sure...
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12/20/2019 - WineArchitect Likes this wine: 91 Points
Black pepper nose, blackberry jam and earthy aromatics. Medium garnet color. Pallate was very integrated upon opening and changed in thirty minutes. Remainder of baking spice and cedar. It’s a great value.
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EG, @WineArchitect @archartistry.com @carlislewines
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