Consumed in a series of Carlisle Zins, these are my last bottles:
1. 2008 Lingenfelder 2. 2008 Sonoma County 3. 2007 Sonoma County 4. 2007 Papera Ranch 5. 2007 Montafi Ranch
Previously reviewed. This wine still has a lot of life in it and given my other recent experiences, I'd reiterate the "drink now" suggestion. Strong pepper notes in this one, contributed nicely to the chicken & apple sausage & cheese ravioli I scarfed down with it!
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Who would think a 13 year old California Zin would still be kicking ass? I discovered three bottles of this in storage, and consumed the first tonight with a bowl of Plan Check chili. The wine was an incredible balance of cherries, blackberries, acidity, tannins, and body. Perfect compliment to the not-too-spicy chili. If you have it, drink it now.
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Old Vines Offline III (Mi Casa): The youngest red of the evening and the first bottle to be emptied. What does that say for our palates? Montafi/TomFeeney Ranch may be Carlisles best fruit source. It sure produces exceptional wines that not only age gracefully but drink great young. One of the best, if not the the best, RRV Zinfandels you can buy. Layers and layers of fruit, wonderful acidity and abundant tannins all interacting in harmony.
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Standard-bearer for zin. I could make an argument for a couple Bedrocks (Pagani, Bedrock, Monte Rosso), and maybe Raveswood Old Hill - but this is basically the peak.
And the 07 is basically perfect right now.
Everyone comments on the fruit - plums and wild blackberry - and it's there and it's beautiful and round, but here there's an overall lightness to it... which I've not gotten in younger Carlisles. Maybe they need a few years to shed opulence and reveal the cleaner elegance beneath. Beautiful cocoa notes, red pepper spice, just wonderful.
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This was paired with a mixed fruit cobbler and its was probably one of the best cobblers and a perfect match for this wine because of all the berry flavors. I wish I could have spent some time with this glass because this might be one of the better Zinfandel I've tasted, it has it all. BTW - fret not on the drinking window, this is holding up superbly.
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Last bottle and 3 years since my last note. Has been a sentimental favorite of mine for a long time so it's cool to see this bottle go to a dinner tonight with great friends. This has some chill on it to start, yet the black raspberry and acidity poke right through that cool temp. As it warms to room temp (72f), this continues to drink with a nice spine of acid, dark fruit but no shortage of acid. We'll see what it does in about 4 hours when we do it with a light dessert.... roll forward 24 hrs, enjoying this again tonight. Man, this is so good. It does have a density, a lot of black and blue fruit purity and very little acidity left IMO so sitting right in a sweet spot for drinking, this is really a joy. Dark, decadent, just laser pure RRV Zin that Mike does so well from a rich vintage. As I know many folks still have these bottles in their cellars, my advice....drink it now, I'd not age these. For me, this wine is not going to age much longer and with the fruit so sexy, decadent and pure, I'd just pull the cork, see the dark wine hit the glass and get at it. FWIW, paired the wine tonight with a chicken, fennel sausage, a little yellow mustard and the whole pairing was lights out.
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Violet in color. 14.9% ABV. Crazy good nose of jammy red fruits, tar and white pepper. Light on its feet with just enough acidity. Raspberry compote, strawberries, pepper and lavendar on the palate. Gritty tannins on a super finish. Ready to drink. Montafi is my favorite of the Carlisle single vineyard Zinfandel lineup.
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A real pleasure to drink - spicy black cherry fruit compote with fully resolved tannins and a nice kiss of acidity. Year in and year out this vineyard delivers the goods.
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Pop and pour. Deep, dark ruby with purple rim. At first, the nose is almost entirely savory - bloody meat and Thanksgiving spices (rosemary and sage). With some air, the fruit begins to emerge. It evokes strawberry-rhubarb, without the overt sweetness of pie, and a touch of heat on the back end.
On the palate, rich and dense with lush, silky mouthfeel. Still more savory than fruity but with some definite kirsch and "zinberry" in the mix. Reminiscent (in a good way) of a nice old world grenache. Very, very tasty.
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This bottle is crazy good. I was worried because there was leakage around the cork. One of the darkest sins color wise I have had in a while. Beautiful red fruits and a beautiful nose. This baby is ready to go but has a couple of years ahead of it. Enjoy this great bottle.
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This bottle seemed unbalanced. Nose fine, but a bitterness had set in that detracted from the general enjoyment of Mike's Montafis. Not comparable to earlier '07 Montafis. Deal with it.
Tasted over two nights (2 nites) stored in one of those reverse plunger thingees and refrigerated...this is for all of those who need to know this shit in making their determination whether to drink or...not drink, I guess.).
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I hope this is an off bottle (I have a lot of Carlisle in the cellar!), and my note is in the minority here, but this is one of the only Carlisles that I found too jammy and hot. I note that Carlisle's suggested drinking windows for this bottling have often been shorter than most of its other wines, so maybe I would have preferred this bottling earlier on.
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Balanced, full throttle, rich, just great stuff. My last bottle of this one and we went out with a bang. Benchmark zin, showing the depth I like from what Mike does with RRV fruit. What a treat. Enjoy now.
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Proves again and agin why Carlisle is my favorite Zin producer. Perfectly balanced berry pie fruits mingle elegantly with supple tannins and a juicy mouthfeel.
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Ah, the tell-tale Montafi (ex-Feeney) nose, deep fruit compote with a unique dried herb note; palate is rich and intense, but somehow maintains an elegant restraint, dark, spicy zinberry, bit of tar and anise, and fascinatingly complex notes of what must be the far upriver source of that dried herb nose, with good acidity that adds a mouthwatering zing through the finish. Hard to put down, an outstanding Zin, seemingly in a great sweet spot for drinking. I wouldn't hesitate to open one now, or hold for several years, but I love the freshness this shows at the moment.
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Got a bit more of a stewed nose on this one - but the bottle had traveled with me overnight. Was not the blockbuster I remembered from the winter and would argue these are ready to go now. Deep purple fruit, smooth tannins. I like Mike's RRV Zins and this was no exception. I find the Montafi picks up just enough white pepper and verve to carry the fruit. Grill something and get these open this summer!
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of aspirin, pepper and berries. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium to bright acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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Drank this my final bottle of this beauty last evening. The wine is delicious and IMHO drinking at it's peak. Full of dark fruit, spice and with a little earthiness.
Have to agree with unctuous. Thick, rich, ripe, dark berries with briary and foresty notes. Tiny touch of heat which disappeared with chilling below 60 degrees. Complex with subdued, yet present acidity. Delicious. Not over the top.
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Perfect time to open this. Has been cellared since release (aprox 3 years). Nose: Big, sweet red fruits with blackberry, earth, minerals and tree bark. Assorted spices are also present. Just a great nose! Palate: Bright red fruits along with cassis, raspberry jam and a long finish. This has aged wonderfully and is perfect right now. A phenomenal Zin that is balanced and multi-faceted. Best Carlisle Zin I've ever had! Kudos to the Officer/Maddox team! 93+ points.
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Rich, unctous, a beautifully integrated zin. Purple fruit aromatics and good knitting. A pleasure and in a good spot. Held up on night 2 as well. Will look to drink remaining bottles within next 2 years. The power of the fruit is part of the fun here.
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Once this opened up it was very nice. Nose of boysenberry, raspberry, brown suger and spice. This had flavors of raspberry, boysenberry, blueberry with a touch of cherry on the finish, which lasted at least 30 seconds. A very impressive wine that I believe is just entering it's drinking window.
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Wow! This wine was a huge mouthful of ripe red fruit. What legs and such a long delicious finish. Can't imagine it getting better but who knows. Needed 30 min to fully open.
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14.9% ABV. Mostly opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe nose of blackberry fruit with some spice and graham cracker nuances. Full bodied with lushly textured, somewhat jammy, blackberry fruit and some sneaky acidity toward the finish. Very nice.
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Decanted 20-30 min. and began drinking. Dark ruby color. Plums, dark berries and licorice, with red berry overtones. A little hot. Wish I had waited longer or decanted more.
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Opened about an hour before drinking. No mistaking what it was - an old-school Zin, just like I expected. Nice "zinny" nose. Very dark. Lots of blackberries and a ton of spices - black pepper, coriander, and maybe even a hint of lemon zest. Full body and a very good, long finish. As noted above, a solid, old-school Zin, but somewhat lacking in the "Wow" factor I was hoping for, considering its reputation and the miserly allocation I get from Carlisle.
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14.9% % ABV. I had previously listed this as 15.9 that was mistake on my part. Pretty much opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe but mineral driven nose of dark fruit, a savory spice component and black friuit. Time has been kind to this... 92+
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The aroma was evident from several feet away and it was awesome! Full bodied and perfectly balanced. Lots of dark fruit, moderate spice, and with a long finish. One if the highest ratings I have ever given in 25 years.
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Bright purple in color. A mixture of red/blue fruits dominate the nose. The taste was very grapey with a slightly darker profile than the nose. Plenty of tannin and some noticeable alcohol. Probably would age a little longer but is drinking very nice at present.
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Alcohol very present but lots of wild blackberry to support. Exotic spice, sweet flowers and a little dried fruit. Cough syrup notes lend to a "pointy" finish. Still has a lot going on.
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14.9% ABV. Mostly opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe, sweet nose of blackberry fruit. Full bodied with ripe sweet, somewhat jammy blackberry fruit. My first 2007 from this vineyard, and I think I will make this one I drink up fairly early as they drink so well now.
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Dark berry nose with bacon and earth. Smmoth and very balanced with long finish. Dark berries and cherries. Wonderful but will clearly improve with age.
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15.9% alcohol. Drinking beautifully. Spicy black fruit bouquet, a touch of pepper, and another burst of vigorous fruit on the nose. In the mouth, plush and slightly jammy, with great energy and balance on a big frame. The acidity is lively and helps complement the unabashedly ripe fruit. A-/A
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Pop n pour: this was absolutely mouthwatering! Dark maroon in color. The nose consists of dark berries and bacon. On the palate, amazingly smooth and balanced from start through the long finish. Just loads going on here. Only my second rating of 95 ever, the other being the 08 Carlisle Papa's Block Syrah. Great job Mike Officer, you're dialed in for my tastes!!!
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Zinfandel with a syrah profile - big, rich, powerful and intense. Very well balanced with a long finish. Somewhat primary still, but can easily stand another few years (though unlikely to see them here...)
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Pop and pour. Big embracing nose of black fruit, with high praarie flowers and partly cooked bacon on the skillet. In the mouth, big black fruit with violet and other floral elements. Great mouthfeel. Tanins and acidity begin early and support throughout. As outstanding a wine as others comment.
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This wine is rightly lauded as a superb specimen of old vine Zinfandel and last Saturdays showing did little to derail that mojo. Popped and poured, this had the most amazing nose of floral tones that had me thinking of a high end Nebbiolo, not a literal comparison, but more an intoxication of heady perfume that was such a delight to the senses. Oh, and the palate wasn’t too shabby either, certainly shy of being jammy, it carried a Syrah like intensity of pressed berry skins and roasted corn on the cob (which I often taste in CA Syrah), spicy to the hilt, and such an easy wine to like. Impressive, wow.
What can I say, this is textbook Carlisle zinfandel. So thick and fruity that it's almost cloying and jammy but not quite. Cooling the wine down to 55F seems to help this. Loaded with fruit, I always get a ton of blueberry. Smells better than it tastes, but it tastes pretty darn good.
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Much different and in my opinion better than the 08 version. This one has quite a bit of structure with the acid and tannin to hold all of the fruit. Really l think this might be the most tannic zin Ive encountered recently. Rich dark fruit with tons of brambly spikes, I like my Zin a bit on the wild side and this one has it.
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Who would have thought, of all people, that Charlie Fu would have the first TN on a Carlisle wine? Hey Fu, nice going, and it's not even a Gevrey! Anyway, to the wine. This is real pure zin. Classy, full bodied, packed with flavor, yet has structure, acidity and nice finesse at the same time. Neither hot nor overdone, really classy. All of this with about 45 mins of air. I then gave the wine another day to sit and tried another glass last night. This drinks with great class, all the parts in check and in complementary fashion...dark, a balanced yet generous feel, a nice snap of acid that pins the wine down and keeps it fresh with no booze anywhere on this wine at all. I don't drink a lot of zin anymore, and really haven't had one in a while that impressed me, but this Montafi drinks with class and flare. Terrific.
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2 hour decant. A delicious wine. Layered with great red fruit, red plum skin (more red fruit than bottle opened a year ago), hint of blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, tart cherry, perfect hint of cinnamon and baking spice on the transition to the finish, well integrated and sweet, refined tannins. Incredibly balanced with a soft, lasting finish and the acidity needed to round the wine out. 93-94 Another killer.
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This wine reawakened my interest in Zin. I was over the black chicken, inky, overlyr-alcoholic style I've had in the last few years. This is a refined Zin with hints of pepper, grilled meat, dusty yet fine tannins. This is drinking great right now.
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I tried one of these after reading the glowing notes. I have always loved what Mike does with the Montafi fruit and this bottle was no exception. It's a beauty that's for sure. So good it has to be in it's prime. A wonderful zin. Sure happy to have a couple bottles left. If you are lucky enough to have some of these in your cellar I would suggest you try one. You won't be sorry.
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Oh my, the nose on this is incredible, with deepest crushed blackberry compote, savory herbs, touch of tar. The palate continues the theme with intense, dark berry compote, creosote, multi-layered and complex, palate saturating, with good acidity, some nice tannic structure, hints of herbs and spice. Traditional, classic Zin? Not quite, but one of the best Zins I've had, and probably the best Carlisle bottle I've had (and I've had almost all of them since the 99 vintage). Another remarkable effort from the 2007 vintage, which produced so many brilliant Carlisle wines at lower brix levels. Fantastic.
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Brian and Karen IV - La Barroche, Valdicava, Flaccianello, Carlisle (Our House, Avondale, PA): After drinking a bunch of old world wines I was a little worried that this would be too much of a fruit bomb for me. While there were loads of rich fruit, there was also a lot of acidity. Wow was this nice. There was some vanilla, chocolate, brambly fruit and spice. I really loved how the acidity kept this fresh. The best zinfandel I have had in a long time.
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Zin tasting with friends - Brief notes: This bottle was the first of these that I have tasted and I must say it was an exceptional bottle of Zinfandel. It required about 45 minutes to settle down and start strutting its stuff... but what a big, complex and concentrated wine. Wish that I had more of these to follow over the next ten years. This wine and the '97 Geyserville were certainly the stars of the tasting. Tied fro WOTN.
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Outstanding wine, but on the heavier spectrum. Deep, mouthcoating flavor of sweet, dark fruits and the right amount of "zin-spice." Wine would be better if it was a little "lighter on its feet." Otherwise, another great Carlisle Montafi zin.
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No specific notes taken, but this might be the best zinfandel I've ever had. It has as much going on as the best of the classic Turleys and Martinellis but is far more balanced and actually worked really well with food. It *might* get better, but I doubt I'll wait on this any longer. Fantastic, special wine.
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I'm don't usually post TNs but I had to write something about this wine after enjoying a bottle this evening. This wine is just a rock star. Big and concentrated and so well balanced. You just want to keep drinking it. Mike hit this one out of the park. I loved the 2006, but this is better. Delicious!!
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Intoxicating nose of cassis, cherry pie, damp soil and a little underbrush. Powerful but controlled. The focus continues onto the palate with a nice peppery licorice note addition. The strong finish has serious acid, vitality, spicy oak, mineral beam. A succulent, juicy, complete wine. Wish I had more.
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From the Russian River Valley's historic "Montafi Ranch" vineyard, planted in 1926. A great year for winelovers and a great year for children's fantasy. In October, Milne's Winnie the Pooh is released!
14.9% alcohol. Deep and rich red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, concentrated blackberry, blueberry, cherries, spice and white pepper. Exceptionally balanced, wonderfully satisfying. Drinking this tonight with Costco "Prime" New York strips.
Here we have Mike Officer working his magic with one of the world's oldest and most distinctive vineyards. It's great - what did you expect?
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A beautiful zin that has lots of upside and should drink well for at least 4 more years. A beautiful nose especially for a zin. I love zins from the Tom Feeney vineyard and this one is no exception.
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Without question one of the finest Zinfandels I have experienced. There is a ton of material here, compacted but not heavy, with a mineral laden melange of red berries and creamy blackberries with underbrush and oak spice on the side. I don't think this is showing its best yet.
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60-70 minute decant and consumed over 2 hours. A great zin. Loads of dark plum and black briar fruits, a touch of spice - but not OTT at all, as there is great balance and structure here. ( A great almost floral note coupled with licorice on the mid-palate that is really interesting) Just delicious at this point. Definitely a fruit forward luscious drink, but not clumsy at all - amazingly well made. Congrats on this one, MO. 93-94
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15.9% alcohol. This is really drinking phenomenally. Briary, spicy black fruit leaps out of the glass with earthy notes underneath. Slightly jammy on the palate, with awesome concentration. The archetype of a big Zin. This plain rocks. A-/A
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Purple ink. Nose has tons of berries, spice and some sandalwood (but maybe that's the alcohol talking). Initial palate impression is loads of sweet fruit and with notes similar to the palate (and some earthiness). Nicely balanced yet so rich/lush. Almost OTT but doesn't quite go over the edge. Moderate acidity and tannins. Probably my favorite young Carlisle Zin ever. Well done.
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Dark purple. Great zin nose of mixed fruit and spice. Sadly, I didn't get that mint/menthol smell you sometimes get from the eucalyptus trees at the top of the field. Full bodied with good tannins, I think this is more ripe and sweet than the basic Sonoma zin. We wanted to save half the bottle for the next day, but... it was gone.
Being a Carlisle Zin drinker gives you some of the pleasure of being a Burg drinker. You can appreciate the differences in terroir. Personally, I don't think this is much better than the Sonoma bottling, but it is great fun to drink and compare and contrast. Oh yeah, great zin is a lot cheaper than great burgs...
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Rich, delicious full-bodied mixed berry fruit with spice flavors, elegant, extremely well balanced, ample tannins and acidity, long finish, does Zin get any better?
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Drunk like a big, beautiful, but not OTT Carlisle Zin the first night but just got better and better over the next couple of days. Ended up being just wonderfully integrated and seamless. Amazing and made me realize again that all these fantastic wines from Carlisle are only just getting going.
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Ultraripe nose of blackberry liqueur, bramble, chocalate liqueur, mint, smoke, and oak spices. Palate is lithe in spite of the overall richness, with lively midpalate and long finish. Not a trace of heat to be found. Almost like an amarone, but still unmistakenly zin.
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Bold, swashbukling, over-the-top boisenberry compote with smooth, white pepper finish that lasts an eternity. Drank very nice on first night and exceptional on second. Top 3 zins I've ever drank!
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Popped and poured and really showed young. Acid and tannins seem unintegrated. The great fruit is there, but some hard edges at this point. Hold for a year or try a healthy decant
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Great zin. Wonderfully complex nose of black raspberries, charcoal, dark fruits and some spice. In the mouth, seamless - very well integrated. I had planned on having a couple glasses and before I knew it I took the bottle down. Just so completely drinkable. Tasty zin by officer as always.
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15.9% alcohol. This is just superb. Purple-tinged color. Beautiful, spicy nose of black fruit and earth. Plush and mouth-watering on the palate, with gobs of fruit, a touch of creaminess, loads of minerals and spice, good acidity, and a long finish. An archetype of the style. Really well put together, balanced, and powerful without being plodding. A-/A
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Jane wanted something she would really like. This worked. An inky purple wine with a Zinfandel nose that explodes bramble and black raspberries. There is a lot of alcohol, but you don't notice it until you stand up. This is lush, hedonistic and delicious. Exactly what I look for in a Zin, especially a young one.
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The most expressive Montafi I've yet had, but I think it will be better in year or two. Chalky purple fruit, raspberry, oak, and bramble on the nose. Full and broad in the mouth. Acidity is in balance with the rest of the wine. Finishes with some chalky tannin.
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The nose had bramble and raspberry, pepper, cherry, dirt, and a little vanilla. The palate was rich and juicy, with raspberry, dirt, cherry, pepper, and a pleasant oak finish.
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Very dark purple, opaque. The nose is brimming with blackberries, boysenberries, wet stone, and lavender. On the palate, it's big, ripe, and rich but in balance. The acidity cuts things nicely, and the length is long and vinous.
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This was a deep dark color, and smooth. A dash of tannins. The wine was full bodied, rich, and tasty. We went to dinner with friends that know wine. Marty exclaimed WOW! I have to agree.
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A nose of briary red and black wild berry, damp underbrush, flint and kirsch. Sharply focused on the palate if not slightly lean and shows flavors of licorice, prickly acid, mixed red and black fruits. Steely, flinty finish with very good length. A tight, serious Zin that needs another 2-3 years.
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15.9% alcohol. This is rocking already. A hell of a Zin. Rich, brambly nose of black fruit. Delivers it all on the palate with oomph, in spite of the fact that it is too youthful and tight to show its best right now. Carlisle knocked it out of the park in 2007. A-
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Glad I have one of these left--what an awesome Zin. Popped and poured, this is rich, but with plenty of backbone and structure, and it's Zin, but it has some elegance and completeness that is often missing in big, burly Zins. I get some deep red fruits, a hint of licorice, and plums. Definitely has some tannins that need to resolve, but it's really good even now. UPDATE: The second night, for a period of 15-20 minutes, this nose smelled very similar to some of SQN's Syrahs from the early 2000's. Very interesting...
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TN: I kill babies. 07 Peter Michael Belle Cote, 07 Carlisle Montafi, 06 Arcadian SH chard (My pad): I liked this wine, it's interesting because it's "ready to drink" but at the same time you know it's going to get better with time. Drank this over the course of 4 hours. A huge nose of peanut butter chocolate with hints of mint, strawberry, little bit of fresh bread/oak and a tinge of heat. Dark lush berries with cocoa powder and eucalyptus, with a light streak of green. Incredibly easy to drink, it almost tasted like a really nice fruit forward grenache. I actually thought it tasted it's best with the most interesting nose right when it was opened. You could smell the wine from 5 ft away when you first pop the cork. I won't be touching my last bottle for awhile.
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5/14/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consumed in a series of Carlisle Zins, these are my last bottles:
1. 2008 Lingenfelder
2. 2008 Sonoma County
3. 2007 Sonoma County
4. 2007 Papera Ranch
5. 2007 Montafi Ranch
Previously reviewed. This wine still has a lot of life in it and given my other recent experiences, I'd reiterate the "drink now" suggestion. Strong pepper notes in this one, contributed nicely to the chicken & apple sausage & cheese ravioli I scarfed down with it!
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2/22/2020 - rldixon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Who would think a 13 year old California Zin would still be kicking ass? I discovered three bottles of this in storage, and consumed the first tonight with a bowl of Plan Check chili. The wine was an incredible balance of cherries, blackberries, acidity, tannins, and body. Perfect compliment to the not-too-spicy chili. If you have it, drink it now.
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4/8/2016 - buckeye76 wrote: 94 Points
RICH BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH BLACK CHERRIES, CHOCOLATE, AND HINTS OF CINNAMON. VERY SMOOTH LONG FINISH.
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2/2/2016 - cookie7 wrote:
Time to drink up.
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10/17/2015 - River Rat Likes this wine:
Old Vines Offline III (Mi Casa): The youngest red of the evening and the first bottle to be emptied. What does that say for our palates? Montafi/TomFeeney Ranch may be Carlisles best fruit source. It sure produces exceptional wines that not only age gracefully but drink great young. One of the best, if not the the best, RRV Zinfandels you can buy. Layers and layers of fruit, wonderful acidity and abundant tannins all interacting in harmony.
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10/13/2015 - EMTAME wrote: 91 Points
Best on opening. With air, the fruit fades on the finish, leading to an acidic close. Drink up, as there's no additional upside at this point.
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9/22/2015 - Jahull03 wrote:
Standard-bearer for zin. I could make an argument for a couple Bedrocks (Pagani, Bedrock, Monte Rosso), and maybe Raveswood Old Hill - but this is basically the peak.
And the 07 is basically perfect right now.
Everyone comments on the fruit - plums and wild blackberry - and it's there and it's beautiful and round, but here there's an overall lightness to it... which I've not gotten in younger Carlisles. Maybe they need a few years to shed opulence and reveal the cleaner elegance beneath. Beautiful cocoa notes, red pepper spice, just wonderful.
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9/1/2015 - Bob & Sue Atlanta wrote: 94 Points
Big, bold and jammy. Awesome zin. Holding up very nicely.... Last bottle unfortunately.
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3/29/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
This was paired with a mixed fruit cobbler and its was probably one of the best cobblers and a perfect match for this wine because of all the berry flavors. I wish I could have spent some time with this glass because this might be one of the better Zinfandel I've tasted, it has it all. BTW - fret not on the drinking window, this is holding up superbly.
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3/28/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Last bottle and 3 years since my last note. Has been a sentimental favorite of mine for a long time so it's cool to see this bottle go to a dinner tonight with great friends. This has some chill on it to start, yet the black raspberry and acidity poke right through that cool temp. As it warms to room temp (72f), this continues to drink with a nice spine of acid, dark fruit but no shortage of acid. We'll see what it does in about 4 hours when we do it with a light dessert.... roll forward 24 hrs, enjoying this again tonight. Man, this is so good. It does have a density, a lot of black and blue fruit purity and very little acidity left IMO so sitting right in a sweet spot for drinking, this is really a joy. Dark, decadent, just laser pure RRV Zin that Mike does so well from a rich vintage. As I know many folks still have these bottles in their cellars, my advice....drink it now, I'd not age these. For me, this wine is not going to age much longer and with the fruit so sexy, decadent and pure, I'd just pull the cork, see the dark wine hit the glass and get at it. FWIW, paired the wine tonight with a chicken, fennel sausage, a little yellow mustard and the whole pairing was lights out.
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3/15/2015 - Ali wrote: 88 Points
this bottle seemed to be a bit out of balance. the oak overpowered the red fruit profile
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2/25/2015 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Violet in color. 14.9% ABV. Crazy good nose of jammy red fruits, tar and white pepper. Light on its feet with just enough acidity. Raspberry compote, strawberries, pepper and lavendar on the palate. Gritty tannins on a super finish. Ready to drink. Montafi is my favorite of the Carlisle single vineyard Zinfandel lineup.
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1/31/2015 - bound4er wrote: 93 Points
A real pleasure to drink - spicy black cherry fruit compote with fully resolved tannins and a nice kiss of acidity. Year in and year out this vineyard delivers the goods.
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12/16/2014 - Not Levine Likes this wine:
Pop and pour. Deep, dark ruby with purple rim. At first, the nose is almost entirely savory - bloody meat and Thanksgiving spices (rosemary and sage). With some air, the fruit begins to emerge. It evokes strawberry-rhubarb, without the overt sweetness of pie, and a touch of heat on the back end.
On the palate, rich and dense with lush, silky mouthfeel. Still more savory than fruity but with some definite kirsch and "zinberry" in the mix. Reminiscent (in a good way) of a nice old world grenache. Very, very tasty.
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10/17/2014 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very pleasant drinking Zin!
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8/16/2014 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Saved the best for last!
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7/28/2014 - daveo6313 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This bottle is crazy good. I was worried because there was leakage around the cork. One of the darkest sins color wise I have had in a while. Beautiful red fruits and a beautiful nose. This baby is ready to go but has a couple of years ahead of it. Enjoy this great bottle.
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4/25/2014 - stufis wrote: 89 Points
This bottle seemed unbalanced. Nose fine, but a bitterness had set in that detracted from the general enjoyment of Mike's Montafis. Not comparable to earlier '07 Montafis. Deal with it.
Tasted over two nights (2 nites) stored in one of those reverse plunger thingees and refrigerated...this is for all of those who need to know this shit in making their determination whether to drink or...not drink, I guess.).
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4/23/2014 - MJHDC wrote:
I hope this is an off bottle (I have a lot of Carlisle in the cellar!), and my note is in the minority here, but this is one of the only Carlisles that I found too jammy and hot. I note that Carlisle's suggested drinking windows for this bottling have often been shorter than most of its other wines, so maybe I would have preferred this bottling earlier on.
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1/4/2014 - btock Likes this wine: 94 Points
Balanced, full throttle, rich, just great stuff. My last bottle of this one and we went out with a bang. Benchmark zin, showing the depth I like from what Mike does with RRV fruit. What a treat. Enjoy now.
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10/19/2013 - atilathehun wrote: 94 Points
As good as Zin gets. Could smell the open bottle from a few few away.
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10/5/2013 - tkoby11 wrote: 93 Points
Proves again and agin why Carlisle is my favorite Zin producer. Perfectly balanced berry pie fruits mingle elegantly with supple tannins and a juicy mouthfeel.
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9/26/2013 - Ladalove wrote: 93 Points
- Garnet color. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, fig and cloves with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish.
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9/17/2013 - alanr wrote: 94 Points
Ah, the tell-tale Montafi (ex-Feeney) nose, deep fruit compote with a unique dried herb note; palate is rich and intense, but somehow maintains an elegant restraint, dark, spicy zinberry, bit of tar and anise, and fascinatingly complex notes of what must be the far upriver source of that dried herb nose, with good acidity that adds a mouthwatering zing through the finish. Hard to put down, an outstanding Zin, seemingly in a great sweet spot for drinking. I wouldn't hesitate to open one now, or hold for several years, but I love the freshness this shows at the moment.
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7/5/2013 - btock wrote: 90 Points
Got a bit more of a stewed nose on this one - but the bottle had traveled with me overnight. Was not the blockbuster I remembered from the winter and would argue these are ready to go now. Deep purple fruit, smooth tannins. I like Mike's RRV Zins and this was no exception. I find the Montafi picks up just enough white pepper and verve to carry the fruit. Grill something and get these open this summer!
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5/23/2013 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
WIML91
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of aspirin, pepper and berries. Flavors of currants, berries and plums. Medium to bright acidity, firm tannin, full bodied. Drink now with some air or continue to hold.
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4/25/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank this my final bottle of this beauty last evening. The wine is delicious and IMHO drinking at it's peak. Full of dark fruit, spice and with a little earthiness.
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4/22/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 93 Points
Have to agree with unctuous. Thick, rich, ripe, dark berries with briary and foresty notes. Tiny touch of heat which disappeared with chilling below 60 degrees. Complex with subdued, yet present acidity. Delicious. Not over the top.
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3/23/2013 - Mattshank wrote: 93 Points
Perfect time to open this. Has been cellared since release (aprox 3 years). Nose: Big, sweet red fruits with blackberry, earth, minerals and tree bark. Assorted spices are also present. Just a great nose! Palate: Bright red fruits along with cassis, raspberry jam and a long finish. This has aged wonderfully and is perfect right now. A phenomenal Zin that is balanced and multi-faceted. Best Carlisle Zin I've ever had! Kudos to the Officer/Maddox team! 93+ points.
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3/16/2013 - btock Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich, unctous, a beautifully integrated zin. Purple fruit aromatics and good knitting. A pleasure and in a good spot. Held up on night 2 as well. Will look to drink remaining bottles within next 2 years. The power of the fruit is part of the fun here.
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2/10/2013 - dsimmons Likes this wine:
My second of threes and simply a delicious zin. Drinking beautifully. Lots of fruit and spice. Everything in balance. Yummy
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1/18/2013 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Once this opened up it was very nice. Nose of boysenberry, raspberry, brown suger and spice. This had flavors of raspberry, boysenberry, blueberry with a touch of cherry on the finish, which lasted at least 30 seconds. A very impressive wine that I believe is just entering it's drinking window.
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1/13/2013 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 94 Points
Wow! This wine was a huge mouthful of ripe red fruit. What legs and such a long delicious finish. Can't imagine it getting better but who knows. Needed 30 min to fully open.
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1/2/2013 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 93 Points
14.9% ABV. Mostly opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe nose of blackberry fruit with some spice and graham cracker nuances. Full bodied with lushly textured, somewhat jammy, blackberry fruit and some sneaky acidity toward the finish. Very nice.
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11/30/2012 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really outstanding zin. Full bodied, dark purple with a smooth integrated flavor profile. Drinking very well right now
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11/1/2012 - Ed B wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 20-30 min. and began drinking. Dark ruby color. Plums, dark berries and licorice, with red berry overtones. A little hot. Wish I had waited longer or decanted more.
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9/17/2012 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Man these are gooodddd
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8/12/2012 - Night Train wrote: 90 Points
Opened about an hour before drinking. No mistaking what it was - an old-school Zin, just like I expected. Nice "zinny" nose. Very dark. Lots of blackberries and a ton of spices - black pepper, coriander, and maybe even a hint of lemon zest. Full body and a very good, long finish. As noted above, a solid, old-school Zin, but somewhat lacking in the "Wow" factor I was hoping for, considering its reputation and the miserly allocation I get from Carlisle.
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5/5/2012 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 92 Points
14.9% % ABV. I had previously listed this as 15.9 that was mistake on my part. Pretty much opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe but mineral driven nose of dark fruit, a savory spice component and black friuit. Time has been kind to this... 92+
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4/9/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Bold fruity big wine that needs to be decanted. Carlisle makes one of he best zins in the valley.
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3/27/2012 - depdoc wrote: 96 Points
The aroma was evident from several feet away and it was awesome! Full bodied and perfectly balanced. Lots of dark fruit, moderate spice, and with a long finish. One if the highest ratings I have ever given in 25 years.
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3/24/2012 - S2 wrote: 90 Points
Bright purple in color. A mixture of red/blue fruits dominate the nose. The taste was very grapey with a slightly darker profile than the nose. Plenty of tannin and some noticeable alcohol. Probably would age a little longer but is drinking very nice at present.
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3/24/2012 - S1 wrote: 89 Points
Alcohol very present but lots of wild blackberry to support. Exotic spice, sweet flowers and a little dried fruit. Cough syrup notes lend to a "pointy" finish. Still has a lot going on.
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3/1/2012 - ogres3 wrote:
Big zin, very good - a bit syrupy and some glycerine for the purists. Lots of fruit.
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2/24/2012 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 93 Points
14.9% ABV. Mostly opaque dark garnet in the glass. Ripe, sweet nose of blackberry fruit. Full bodied with ripe sweet, somewhat jammy blackberry fruit. My first 2007 from this vineyard, and I think I will make this one I drink up fairly early as they drink so well now.
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1/15/2012 - sma wrote: 94 Points
Dark berry nose with bacon and earth. Smmoth and very balanced with long finish. Dark berries and cherries. Wonderful but will clearly improve with age.
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1/7/2012 - gutt22 wrote:
15.9% alcohol. Drinking beautifully. Spicy black fruit bouquet, a touch of pepper, and another burst of vigorous fruit on the nose. In the mouth, plush and slightly jammy, with great energy and balance on a big frame. The acidity is lively and helps complement the unabashedly ripe fruit. A-/A
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12/27/2011 - mdaniel wrote: 95 Points
Pop n pour: this was absolutely mouthwatering! Dark maroon in color. The nose consists of dark berries and bacon. On the palate, amazingly smooth and balanced from start through the long finish. Just loads going on here. Only my second rating of 95 ever, the other being the 08 Carlisle Papa's Block Syrah. Great job Mike Officer, you're dialed in for my tastes!!!
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12/22/2011 - Sellar Rat Likes this wine: 94 Points
Zinfandel with a syrah profile - big, rich, powerful and intense. Very well balanced with a long finish. Somewhat primary still, but can easily stand another few years (though unlikely to see them here...)
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11/16/2011 - tairanosaurus wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Big embracing nose of black fruit, with high praarie flowers and partly cooked bacon on the skillet. In the mouth, big black fruit with violet and other floral elements. Great mouthfeel. Tanins and acidity begin early and support throughout. As outstanding a wine as others comment.
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9/12/2011 - DPMc wrote: 94 Points
Great juice. Complex nose. On the palate, powerful dark fruit balanced with tannins and acidity.
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8/22/2011 - Dale M wrote: 94 Points
This wine is rightly lauded as a superb specimen of old vine Zinfandel and last Saturdays showing did little to derail that mojo. Popped and poured, this had the most amazing nose of floral tones that had me thinking of a high end Nebbiolo, not a literal comparison, but more an intoxication of heady perfume that was such a delight to the senses. Oh, and the palate wasn’t too shabby either, certainly shy of being jammy, it carried a Syrah like intensity of pressed berry skins and roasted corn on the cob (which I often taste in CA Syrah), spicy to the hilt, and such an easy wine to like. Impressive, wow.
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8/16/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 94 Points
From vines planted in 1926. Quite simply, this is absolutely superb old vine Zinfandel.
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8/4/2011 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
What can I say, this is textbook Carlisle zinfandel. So thick and fruity that it's almost cloying and jammy but not quite. Cooling the wine down to 55F seems to help this. Loaded with fruit, I always get a ton of blueberry. Smells better than it tastes, but it tastes pretty darn good.
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7/29/2011 - silton wrote: 94 Points
Not much different from last year, which is to say: amazing Zinfandel, easily in my top 10 Zins ever.
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6/3/2011 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Much different and in my opinion better than the 08 version. This one has quite a bit of structure with the acid and tannin to hold all of the fruit. Really l think this might be the most tannic zin Ive encountered recently. Rich dark fruit with tons of brambly spikes, I like my Zin a bit on the wild side and this one has it.
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5/24/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Who would have thought, of all people, that Charlie Fu would have the first TN on a Carlisle wine? Hey Fu, nice going, and it's not even a Gevrey! Anyway, to the wine. This is real pure zin. Classy, full bodied, packed with flavor, yet has structure, acidity and nice finesse at the same time. Neither hot nor overdone, really classy. All of this with about 45 mins of air. I then gave the wine another day to sit and tried another glass last night. This drinks with great class, all the parts in check and in complementary fashion...dark, a balanced yet generous feel, a nice snap of acid that pins the wine down and keeps it fresh with no booze anywhere on this wine at all. I don't drink a lot of zin anymore, and really haven't had one in a while that impressed me, but this Montafi drinks with class and flare. Terrific.
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5/23/2011 - Grape Stuff wrote: 94 Points
2 hour decant. A delicious wine. Layered with great red fruit, red plum skin (more red fruit than bottle opened a year ago), hint of blackberry, vanilla, cocoa, tart cherry, perfect hint of cinnamon and baking spice on the transition to the finish, well integrated and sweet, refined tannins. Incredibly balanced with a soft, lasting finish and the acidity needed to round the wine out. 93-94 Another killer.
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5/19/2011 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine reawakened my interest in Zin. I was over the black chicken, inky, overlyr-alcoholic style I've had in the last few years. This is a refined Zin with hints of pepper, grilled meat, dusty yet fine tannins. This is drinking great right now.
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4/14/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 93 Points
I tried one of these after reading the glowing notes. I have always loved what Mike does with the Montafi fruit and this bottle was no exception. It's a beauty that's for sure. So good it has to be in it's prime. A wonderful zin. Sure happy to have a couple bottles left. If you are lucky enough to have some of these in your cellar I would suggest you try one. You won't be sorry.
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4/13/2011 - mwesson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Might very well be one of the best zins I've ever had. Wonderful.
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3/14/2011 - alanr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Oh my, the nose on this is incredible, with deepest crushed blackberry compote, savory herbs, touch of tar. The palate continues the theme with intense, dark berry compote, creosote, multi-layered and complex, palate saturating, with good acidity, some nice tannic structure, hints of herbs and spice. Traditional, classic Zin? Not quite, but one of the best Zins I've had, and probably the best Carlisle bottle I've had (and I've had almost all of them since the 99 vintage). Another remarkable effort from the 2007 vintage, which produced so many brilliant Carlisle wines at lower brix levels. Fantastic.
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2/20/2011 - Outplaying wrote:
Brian and Karen IV - La Barroche, Valdicava, Flaccianello, Carlisle (Our House, Avondale, PA): After drinking a bunch of old world wines I was a little worried that this would be too much of a fruit bomb for me. While there were loads of rich fruit, there was also a lot of acidity. Wow was this nice. There was some vanilla, chocolate, brambly fruit and spice. I really loved how the acidity kept this fresh. The best zinfandel I have had in a long time.
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2/14/2011 - oaxaca90049 wrote:
No formal notes but very impressive zin. Well integrated and rich. Not quite S fruIt driven as previous vintages.
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1/29/2011 - dsimmons wrote: 95 Points
Zin tasting with friends - Brief notes: This bottle was the first of these that I have tasted and I must say it was an exceptional bottle of Zinfandel. It required about 45 minutes to settle down and start strutting its stuff... but what a big, complex and concentrated wine. Wish that I had more of these to follow over the next ten years. This wine and the '97 Geyserville were certainly the stars of the tasting. Tied fro WOTN.
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1/15/2011 - borneman wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for an hour. Nose somewhat surprisingly reticent but amazing complexity on the palette with a long, silky finish.
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12/26/2010 - glg wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding wine, but on the heavier spectrum. Deep, mouthcoating flavor of sweet, dark fruits and the right amount of "zin-spice." Wine would be better if it was a little "lighter on its feet." Otherwise, another great Carlisle Montafi zin.
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12/6/2010 - JP wrote: 95 Points
No specific notes taken, but this might be the best zinfandel I've ever had. It has as much going on as the best of the classic Turleys and Martinellis but is far more balanced and actually worked really well with food. It *might* get better, but I doubt I'll wait on this any longer. Fantastic, special wine.
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12/3/2010 - assaf wrote: 95 Points
I'm don't usually post TNs but I had to write something about this wine after enjoying a bottle this evening. This wine is just a rock star. Big and concentrated and so well balanced. You just want to keep drinking it. Mike hit this one out of the park. I loved the 2006, but this is better. Delicious!!
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11/25/2010 - nectar14 wrote: 91 Points
Nose of raspberry liqueur and brambly underbrush. Good breadth and softness in the mouth. Medium finish.
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10/30/2010 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
Intoxicating nose of cassis, cherry pie, damp soil and a little underbrush. Powerful but controlled. The focus continues onto the palate with a nice peppery licorice note addition. The strong finish has serious acid, vitality, spicy oak, mineral beam. A succulent, juicy, complete wine. Wish I had more.
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10/6/2010 - caboychuck wrote:
Gorgeous nose of bramble and bkack berry. Delicious stuff. Super black fruit, nice acidity, soft tannins, long finish.
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9/17/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
From the Russian River Valley's historic "Montafi Ranch" vineyard, planted in 1926. A great year for winelovers and a great year for children's fantasy. In October, Milne's Winnie the Pooh is released!
14.9% alcohol. Deep and rich red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, concentrated blackberry, blueberry, cherries, spice and white pepper. Exceptionally balanced, wonderfully satisfying. Drinking this tonight with Costco "Prime" New York strips.
Here we have Mike Officer working his magic with one of the world's oldest and most distinctive vineyards. It's great - what did you expect?
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9/3/2010 - zheem wrote: 92 Points
Dreamy aroma that evokes ll good about Zin, but flavor profile is more earthy. Even with high alcohol the stuffing holds off any burn. Delicious.
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8/23/2010 - jtonglet wrote: 92 Points
Very enjoyable zin. Drinking beautifully right now.
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8/1/2010 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful zin that has lots of upside and should drink well for at least 4 more years. A beautiful nose especially for a zin. I love zins from the Tom Feeney vineyard and this one is no exception.
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7/30/2010 - silton wrote: 94 Points
Without question one of the finest Zinfandels I have experienced. There is a ton of material here, compacted but not heavy, with a mineral laden melange of red berries and creamy blackberries with underbrush and oak spice on the side. I don't think this is showing its best yet.
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7/10/2010 - Grape Stuff wrote: 94 Points
60-70 minute decant and consumed over 2 hours. A great zin. Loads of dark plum and black briar fruits, a touch of spice - but not OTT at all, as there is great balance and structure here. ( A great almost floral note coupled with licorice on the mid-palate that is really interesting) Just delicious at this point. Definitely a fruit forward luscious drink, but not clumsy at all - amazingly well made. Congrats on this one, MO. 93-94
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5/16/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
15.9% alcohol. This is really drinking phenomenally. Briary, spicy black fruit leaps out of the glass with earthy notes underneath. Slightly jammy on the palate, with awesome concentration. The archetype of a big Zin. This plain rocks. A-/A
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4/11/2010 - SUN-J wrote: 93 Points
Purple ink. Nose has tons of berries, spice and some sandalwood (but maybe that's the alcohol talking). Initial palate impression is loads of sweet fruit and with notes similar to the palate (and some earthiness). Nicely balanced yet so rich/lush. Almost OTT but doesn't quite go over the edge. Moderate acidity and tannins. Probably my favorite young Carlisle Zin ever. Well done.
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4/10/2010 - Brady D Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark purple. Great zin nose of mixed fruit and spice. Sadly, I didn't get that mint/menthol smell you sometimes get from the eucalyptus trees at the top of the field. Full bodied with good tannins, I think this is more ripe and sweet than the basic Sonoma zin. We wanted to save half the bottle for the next day, but... it was gone.
Being a Carlisle Zin drinker gives you some of the pleasure of being a Burg drinker. You can appreciate the differences in terroir. Personally, I don't think this is much better than the Sonoma bottling, but it is great fun to drink and compare and contrast. Oh yeah, great zin is a lot cheaper than great burgs...
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4/5/2010 - Amerique wrote: 94 Points
Rich, delicious full-bodied mixed berry fruit with spice flavors, elegant, extremely well balanced, ample tannins and acidity, long finish, does Zin get any better?
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2/24/2010 - ginfizz wrote: 92 Points
Not the 06, but delicious and built to age. Perfect zin fruit with just the right amount of spice. Real quality...just needs time.
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2/16/2010 - Wop wrote: 93 Points
Drunk like a big, beautiful, but not OTT Carlisle Zin the first night but just got better and better over the next couple of days. Ended up being just wonderfully integrated and seamless. Amazing and made me realize again that all these fantastic wines from Carlisle are only just getting going.
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12/27/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 93 Points
Ultraripe nose of blackberry liqueur, bramble, chocalate liqueur, mint, smoke, and oak spices. Palate is lithe in spite of the overall richness, with lively midpalate and long finish. Not a trace of heat to be found. Almost like an amarone, but still unmistakenly zin.
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12/22/2009 - raydawgone wrote: 95 Points
Bold, swashbukling, over-the-top boisenberry compote with smooth, white pepper finish that lasts an eternity. Drank very nice on first night and exceptional on second. Top 3 zins I've ever drank!
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12/6/2009 - CO CHRIS wrote:
Good wine...fun to drink, not about depth, about pleasure. Drink up!
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11/8/2009 - DPMc wrote:
Popped and poured and really showed young. Acid and tannins seem unintegrated. The great fruit is there, but some hard edges at this point. Hold for a year or try a healthy decant
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10/25/2009 - EhrlichDY wrote:
Absolutely stunning. This wine was lush with layers of fruit.
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10/22/2009 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Great zin. Wonderfully complex nose of black raspberries, charcoal, dark fruits and some spice. In the mouth, seamless - very well integrated. I had planned on having a couple glasses and before I knew it I took the bottle down. Just so completely drinkable. Tasty zin by officer as always.
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10/11/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
15.9% alcohol. This is just superb. Purple-tinged color. Beautiful, spicy nose of black fruit and earth. Plush and mouth-watering on the palate, with gobs of fruit, a touch of creaminess, loads of minerals and spice, good acidity, and a long finish. An archetype of the style. Really well put together, balanced, and powerful without being plodding. A-/A
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10/6/2009 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 92 Points
Jane wanted something she would really like. This worked. An inky purple wine with a Zinfandel nose that explodes bramble and black raspberries. There is a lot of alcohol, but you don't notice it until you stand up. This is lush, hedonistic and delicious. Exactly what I look for in a Zin, especially a young one.
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9/21/2009 - danseng wrote: 95 Points
I've tried most everything from Carlisle the past few vintages and this is by far the best. Well done Mike.
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9/13/2009 - nectar14 wrote: 92 Points
The most expressive Montafi I've yet had, but I think it will be better in year or two. Chalky purple fruit, raspberry, oak, and bramble on the nose. Full and broad in the mouth. Acidity is in balance with the rest of the wine. Finishes with some chalky tannin.
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8/15/2009 - mmurry wrote: 92 Points
The nose had bramble and raspberry, pepper, cherry, dirt, and a little vanilla. The palate was rich and juicy, with raspberry, dirt, cherry, pepper, and a pleasant oak finish.
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8/4/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
Awesome brambly fruit with deft oak, tannins apparent but tollerable. Killer zin.
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7/30/2009 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Very dark purple, opaque. The nose is brimming with blackberries, boysenberries, wet stone, and lavender. On the palate, it's big, ripe, and rich but in balance. The acidity cuts things nicely, and the length is long and vinous.
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7/25/2009 - dhammer53 wrote: 92 Points
This was a deep dark color, and smooth. A dash of tannins. The wine was full bodied, rich, and tasty. We went to dinner with friends that know wine. Marty exclaimed WOW! I have to agree.
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6/28/2009 - shemmy wrote: 93 Points
This is drinking really well. Rich, with verve and energy. Lingering and fabulous finish with nice acidity. Great stuff.
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6/4/2009 - pgordon62 wrote: 91 Points
A nose of briary red and black wild berry, damp underbrush, flint and kirsch. Sharply focused on the palate if not slightly lean and shows flavors of licorice, prickly acid, mixed red and black fruits. Steely, flinty finish with very good length. A tight, serious Zin that needs another 2-3 years.
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5/6/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
15.9% alcohol. This is rocking already. A hell of a Zin. Rich, brambly nose of black fruit. Delivers it all on the palate with oomph, in spite of the fact that it is too youthful and tight to show its best right now. Carlisle knocked it out of the park in 2007. A-
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4/29/2009 - MarkC wrote: 94 Points
Glad I have one of these left--what an awesome Zin. Popped and poured, this is rich, but with plenty of backbone and structure, and it's Zin, but it has some elegance and completeness that is often missing in big, burly Zins. I get some deep red fruits, a hint of licorice, and plums. Definitely has some tannins that need to resolve, but it's really good even now. UPDATE: The second night, for a period of 15-20 minutes, this nose smelled very similar to some of SQN's Syrahs from the early 2000's. Very interesting...
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4/18/2009 - clayfu wrote: 92 Points
TN: I kill babies. 07 Peter Michael Belle Cote, 07 Carlisle Montafi, 06 Arcadian SH chard (My pad): I liked this wine, it's interesting because it's "ready to drink" but at the same time you know it's going to get better with time. Drank this over the course of 4 hours. A huge nose of peanut butter chocolate with hints of mint, strawberry, little bit of fresh bread/oak and a tinge of heat. Dark lush berries with cocoa powder and eucalyptus, with a light streak of green. Incredibly easy to drink, it almost tasted like a really nice fruit forward grenache. I actually thought it tasted it's best with the most interesting nose right when it was opened. You could smell the wine from 5 ft away when you first pop the cork. I won't be touching my last bottle for awhile.
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