The aroma of this wine remains at a 93+ . . . but sadly (and unsurprisingly for a 13 year old zinfandel) it has thinned a bit and is not as great as the aroma advertises. Still - fun to drink.
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I found two bottles in my admittedly poorly maintained inventory. I wondered what I'd get, and was pleased when I opened the first bottle: a bit past its prime, but nevertheless delicious. Carlisle Zins manifest a nearly perfect balance between flavors and weight, and these two bottles were true to that pattern. Spices, berries, and plums are evident in the glass, along with silky tannins. The first bottle was perfect with a number of cheeses and some homemade sourdough. The second bottle paired up well with shrimp in a spicy red sauce. I enjoyed these two, but if you have some of this era, I recommend you drink up.
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The 2007 Carlisle Vineyard is showing beautiful with an intense mix of fresh strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry, with brown sugar, sweet spice, dusty cedar, sage, and hints of moist earth. On the palate, I found soft textures with zesty acidity, showing ripe red and blue fruits, sweet herbs, tobacco, and spice. The finish was long and soft with lingering notes of cinnamon, sweet citrus, and candied cherry.
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Dinner with Eric and Susan G.: ripe, powerful zin showing plums and black fruit. on the nose the wine is really expressive - with sweet spices and berries. The palate is bright, keeping the dark fruit and sage at bay with its zesty touch. The long finish is full of plums, cinnamon and black cherry. Love this vineyard.
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A weird Carlisle Zin, possibly because of the age. The vibrancy and energy common to young Carlisle Zins is gone, but the richness of fruit is still there, making the wine unbalanced and, most importantly, without interesting secondary and tertiary notes. Drink up.
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With pizza. Passing its peak. Still has lots of rich, intense black fruit with pepper and spice. But has lots a bit of intensity and energy. Good, but I'd drink up.
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Better than previous tastings and a perfect match to stuffed peppers. Lots of fruit in the nose with a pleasant touch of herbaceousness, raspberries, cherries, and licorice. Jammy fruit in the flavor. Long finish
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One of the best bottles of Zinfandel I have tasted. Not overpowered by heat or fruit. Red fruit (cherry, raspberry), and some floral notes. Nice smooth finish. Drank over two nights - opened just a bit for the second night.
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Delicious on day one and day two. This leads me to believe that while in prime time there is no particular rush for those of you who have any of these remaining
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Rich and unctuous, plum and cherry flavors with a distinct cherry finish. I had this in the cellar for five years, and looking at my old notes this got smoother with age but did not lose its flavor. A wonderful zin!
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No formal notes. Bottle #5 of 5. This was on point, and laden with bright red raspberry, cream, bramble and a touch of deft vanillin. Brilliant. Fading quickly after a couple hours in glass. Goodbye old friend.
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Working my way through some old-ish bottles, last spin with this one was late 2012. Opened this about 2 hrs ago, put a light chill to it and then poured off a taste just now. This is good. Lots of fresh berry fruit here still, plenty of spice and some zesty quality while cool. As it warms, the fruit takes center stage and then some tannin emerges. There is some structure hanging around here, some acidity too which is kind of where I was going with the 'spicy' remark. I don't see any fade or secondary notes in this wine, remains quite lively. it's not lithe or lean, but it does have a good amount of freshness still here. Retried over dinner, no real change and the bottle remained with the host so nothing to re-taste. My thinking is that this wine is ready to go, and like other 2007s, I'd enjoy these now and catch them at their pinnacle.
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Decanted through an aerator and strainer for one hour and then returned to the bottle to take to a party, along with other serious wines. No detailed notes. Well received.
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This bottle a little more faded from my last tasting 18 months ago. Nice acidity and bright fruit. Enjoyed over two nights, but never really sang. This seemed young on one hand - muted. But didn't come together in glass the way I thought it would. I kept waiting, tick tock, but it just sat there. Hmmm. Different than almost every other Carlisle Zins I've had. A conundrum. Headed down?
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Deep red in color. 14.8% ABV. Red fruits, flower and briar on the nose. Full bodies with juicy acidity. Raspberry compote, boysenberry, cherry and white pepper on the palate. Refreshing Zinfandel with a mouth watering finish. As good as I have come to expect from the Estate Vineyard. Drink over the next year or two.
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Last bottle! Fragrant nose of raspberry coulis, cherry pie filling, plum and soy sauce. Dry on the palate, with refreshingly tart acidity - somewhat lighter in body than the nose might suggest, but packed with red fruit, most notably fresh raspberry - as concentrated as jam, but without any of the sweetness. No discernible oak. The length is long. Just wonderful. Drinking beautifully now.
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Trotted my final bottle of this one out for Turkey Day. These are ready to drink now. This was at peak, fruit very present, but all the edges are nicely buffed on the wine, very nice mouthfeel. Drink 'em up, once the fruit recedes there's not the acidity or structure remaining on this one all that dynamic.
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So much to like with this full flavored yet balanced and even elegant zin. Age has treated it well as the blue / red fruit, while full flavored, has mellowed a bit. Good juicy acidity. Pepper and spice adds complexity in the finish.
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Totally open for business from the moment the cork is pulled. Intense cherry pie filling and raspberry jam on the nose, not showing any sign of age. Slightly off-dry on the attack. Full-bodied but not at all overbearing, with balanced acidity and no discernible tannins. Unapologetically exuberant red fruit from beginning to end, but without ever seeming hot, flabby or overripe. Yes, there is some oak, but the wine has more than enough stuffing to keep it in check. The wine walks a fine line, but never comes close to crossing it. A very fine effort indeed.
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45 minute decant. Jammy black and blue fruit, plum, baking spice , and just incredible balance. Long finish, with sweet , integrated tannins. This is stellar. Consistent with my previous notes.
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From last weekend, my friend brought this over along with a 08 Two Acres and wondered which one we should open. Ha. There was precisely a 0% chance of this not being drunk once it crossed onto my property. This was just ridiculously good, one of the best Zinfandels I've ever had. Best of all, it turns out that I have a remaining bottle, my oldest Carlisle Zin. Drink now through 2016.
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Is it fair to use the word "classic" when labeling something not that widely tasted? Who knows. This was a great expression of RRV Zin because of its balance. Fresh acidity offseting purple/black fruit, with dusty earth in the background. A food friendly wine and very engaging. Frankly, the bottle performing almost like a Right Bank Bdx in terms of the evolution in glass we got through the dinner. While always having depth it changed and showed nuances and different front notes. A lot of fun and extremely well made. One more in the cellar, will look to enjoy no later than 1-2 years from now, don't want to miss this window.
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Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of potpourri, talc, berries and cherries. Flavors of red berries, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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I should have decanted, but it was a pop-n-pour and took a couple hours to open up in big-bowl glasses. Bigger than other Carlisle zinfandels I have had. Dark, angry, brooding, good complexity, great fruit. I'm on the edge of giving it a 93, but will stick with 92, since it is still driven primarily by fruit.
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Sad this was my last bottle. Classic Carlisle Zin goes perfectly with a foot of snow. I'm not great with the descriptions but I can tell you it has a nice nose and tastes like more. The true measure of how good the wine is how much is left at the end of the night... If the bottle is empty it was good... This was really good!
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Give this baby time. Very bright and spicy red fruits, almost tangy with acidity and delineation. Settles in after 45 minutes in glass, but tight, clumsy and unyielding before that. Really superb, and right at the top of its game. Nice length as well. Consistently my favorite Carlisle Zin vineyard, this is supporting evidence. I'd echo my 1/24/13 note, and I have to say I'm still in the same place regarding this style from Mike - I'm increasingly enjoying the cut of the more refreshing style, as opposed to the riper, fruitier, more extracted renditions. And the graham cracker note is gone :-). Good for another 3 years at this high level then a quick slide, would be my guess.
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Consistent with previous bottle. Popped and poured, so it was initially a little tight. Really opened up with air and with food. Beautiful zin, with no raisins or obtrusive heat. Fairly rich texture and a terrific finish. Holding up very well.
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Inspired by a friend's note on the '09 version decided to check in on the '07s. I had opened '07 Papera recently which was a brute and too young, but this one was ready. Fresh blackberry/blueberry, rich loam. Enough acidity to hold it together. A good showing, but not a show stopper. Drank well on night two, think this is good now but could be enjoyed in the next 1-2 yrs.
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Pn'P in Asheville NC at Modesto. BYO corkage $10. A dark shimmering color. Some heat to start. Smooth and elegant, with a bit of spice. After 60 minutes the wine was opening up. The label said Grand Noir added for color and complexity. 550 cases produced. Drinking with a little less heat in the mouth on Day 2. Drink or hold. Dinner waas pasta (rigatoni) with a delicious combination of meat sauce.
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Drinking very well right now. Good flavor and balance. I would recommend drinking between 64-68 degrees. At temps above that the wine tends to flatten out a bit.
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The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color. The enticing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, smoke, licorice, violets, a touch of earthiness, and a slight note of eucalyptus. This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid ripe tannins and good acidity. The finish is very long and flavorful. This is in a prime drinking window but should last a few more years in the cellar.
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One point more than the 92's being offered of late, as I really liked this, my first of the '07s C Squares. Not my fave Carlisle vyd (Montafi is ), but a really fine, almost profound Zin (What?? Can a Zin be thus???) red wine. A bit red-ish for my tastes, but ready to go 5 years on, with a huge nose balanced by huge lingering finish (such a surprise...as if...). A balanced, great wine...so be it. It'll be great in '20 (13 years), as my '01 and '02 CSquares have been great with similar times in cellar this past year.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Drank at friends' house, so did not take detailed notes. Wonderful wine. Big fruit, but not sweet. Just rounding into maturity. Will get better with more age.
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P&P and enjoyed over two nights. Brash, deep, purple and red fruited nose, accented with (I've never found this before) distinct notes of graham cracker, soars from the glass on opening. This becomes more subdued over time. The palate initially shows almost syrup-like body and a sweet finish, so my first take is to not like this almost over extracted style, but this is balanced by a growing crispness and cutting acidity, and the fruit is so pure - fresh baked loganberry pie - that this is stupendous. Eventually this evolves into a precise, bright, beautifully sour, briary delight. Still, not my favorite Carlisle Zin style, but WAY good. Good for another 5 years at least.
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Enjoyed with Thanksgiving dinner. Was gone pretty quickly - I didn't get much of a taste, but what I did, was classic Carlisle zin. Though probably could use another couple of years.
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Opened last night, finishing tonight. I'll admit I am getting at this now as next to it I am making an Aztec soup with a lot of dried chili, onion and tomatoe, which this would be doomed next to! The flavors of this 2007 are nice and deep, with zesty berry and a smoothing out texture. I'll concur with others about the absence of heat here, even at room temp. Juicy and luscious. Really good Carlisle.
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Big hit at a party last night. Perfectly balanced old-school Zin. No raisins, no Port-like characteristics, no overwhelming heat - just a very solid wine. Holding up fine - should last another couple years.
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Very nice. High acid. Medium body. Minimal briaryness that I usually get in Carlisle Zins. Long clean finish. No heat. Red fruited all the way. Open 1 1/2 hrs. Acidity mellowed. Wildness emerging. Very nice. Still no heat.
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First bottle I have tried - worth the wait - wonderful, but I agree with others that there is no hurry. Some iron, did not detect any pepper but ripe raspberry for sure - and nice dirt.
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Tasted non blind. Opened and decanted about one hour before serving. Followed over the next 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, flowers, currants and plums. Flavors of berries, raspberries, a little cherries and a hint of minerals. Medium to tart acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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I thought this was excellent. Wonderful briary character. Big and full but not over the top and jammy. Beautiful acid. Peppery. No hint of heat. Glad to have more.
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Gained soft weight and acidity has softened since my last note. Very complex nose of iron ore, rich raspberry and some earthiness. In the mouth, smooth and precise finish with lots of flavor. Very tasty and at its peak of the drinking window.
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From a bottle that had been opened a couple of hours. Deep, dark, ruby color. Brambly berries, black pepper, licorice, dark chocolate, wood smoke, black cherry, and a nice floral note. Full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Big, bold, spicy, peppery berries on the palate with a nice lift from the acidity. Long finish that shows a touch of alcohol, but not that noticeable. A great zin in a perfect drinking window, but no hurry on this one.
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Big and tasty, but but just seemed a little flatter than previous bottles. Still excellent. Beautiful, dark fruit. Very smooth now. Long, delicious finish.
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34th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2007s (Rich & Dana's): Deep ruby/crimson color. Notes of raspberry liqueur, chocolate, herbs and mint. Develops red fruit, florals and spice qualities as it opens in the glass. Flavors of spicy red fruit, boysenberry, lingonberry and spices. Lengthy finish.
My #4 Group #8, 59 pts
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Rich and juicy like you would expect from a good zinfandel. Crimson red with a plum, cherry jam nose. Opulent. Little tannin but spicey in the mid palate with a mouthwatering finish. Needs food, preferably bold food, but quite good.
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A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied delicious Zin, with black cherry and smoky pepper flavors, jammy with good acidity, long finish. A classic Zinfandel, well worth the price.
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I'm not sure this bottle was flawed, but the cork, which otherwise was in good shape, came out too easily, and the wine tasted somewhat stewed. With that said, the nose was very good. Comparable: Joe Pepitone.
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After seeing some pruney notes on the WB board, I decided to crack open a bottle and see where it was. Brambly and some crushed violets on the nose. Raspberry, blueberry, and blood orange on the palate. A little cracked pepper and no vanilla on the finish. A great bottle. Saved glass for day two, similar notes. Looking forward to trying a vertical of the vineyard.
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14.8% alcohol. This is drinking perfectly. Dark red color. Spicy, brambly nose coupled with robust black fruit. In the mouth, superb delineation of Zinfandel's bold fruit and endearing spice characteristics. This is about as good as it gets in the classic, American style. A
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Popped and poured and served with takeout Smoque barbecue; so smooth; not a trait you expect much from a zin, but this one has such great depth and balance and is not overwhelming with the dried raisin, pepper flavors you might expect from a zin. this wine is tasting great now; great with food and went really fast for us too.
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Decanted for several hours before dinner. Intoxicating aroma of red and blue fruits with pepper jumped out of the decanter. Big, rich, yet good acidity balanced this out. A nice touch of pepper, and a kiss of earth. It disappeared quickly.
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Another great bottle. Joan loved it as much as I did. Seemed to have more alcohol than it showed on the label. So good it must be in it's prime. Glad to have a couple bottles left.
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Joan and I loved it. So good it seems to be in it's prime but might improve over the coming two years. Should hold for at least the next three year. A beauty.
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Given to me as a gift...probably more than I deserved. This was nice. Maybe a bit too much fruit and jam, but in the grand scheme a pretty good wine. Raspberry and cherry fruit, with some licorice and chocolate. Not too much tannin, and good enough acidity it can be a food wine as well as a cocktail wine. Didn't notice the nearly 15% alcohol. Good mouth feel and rich blue-purple color.
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Kids back from camp. Pouring rain outside the hotel. This may be a biased review, but this tastes absolutely wonderful. Popped and poured. Slight chill, but well integrated and nice full ripe fruit.
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full bodied and full of luscious fruit, strawberry, bing cherries, plums and hints dark chocolate. might be a bit too fruit forward for my personal taste but is a well made wine, balance is very good and alcohol is not present in the palate (but will hit you in the head). long finish and great mouth feel. if i were to improve this wine i would add more minerality and spiciness to give it additional complexity.
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Very good wine on it's own. But we had this directly after having the 2001 Lisini Brunello and it doesn't hold up against that wine. I know they're completely different, but after having a (somewhat) aged, gorgeous Brunello, this felt a bit overdone. Note: I LOVE Carlisle and have quite drunk quite a few, so I'm not bashing it.
Anyway, dark fruits, spice and oak on the nose. BLackberries shining on the palate with chocolate underlying it all. Leading to a nice long somewhat spicy finish.
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14.8% ABV. Quick note - PnP. Deeply colored, translucent dark garnet in the glass. Tight spicy nose with a nuance of dry slate minerals. Rich dark fruit on the palate with a tangy backbone and an additional suggestion of minerals. Very good.
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A very nice zin. Slightly jammy, rich berry fruit with some spices and briar/brambly notes. Not over the top and not too much vanilla. My last of 4 bottles. I wish I could keep one around long enough to let them age a little.
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Straight out of the bottle at cellar temperature (~11 C) the nose is soaring with all the good stuff... Brambly raspberry and blackberry compote with other red and black fruits too, mixed with cinnamon spice, chocolate and a bit of cloves and nutmeg. Outstanding! Really the nose I had hoped for! Taste is a bit unresolved, so I'll give it an hour or two before I consume the rest, but by then this PC will be turned off, so the result won't be posted:-P ...At the moment it is really wonderful but with a bit too much salty licorice for my taste, hope air will let this blow off. This keeps it from being extraordinary. It is sooooo delicious! Highly recommended and in no risk of going downhill anytime soon. 92+
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Dark garnet color. Gorgeous dark fruit aromas with plum and blackberry, sweet tobacco, loam, a little bit of black pepper. The fruit is just beautiful. Full bodied, some nice depth, good balance. On the ripe and soft side, but there's enough structure to keep it together, and the fruit is just so gorgeous that the end result is fantastic.
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14.8% alcohol. Tasted at Zazu Restaurant in Santa Rosa. My “re-entry” wine after a six-week hiatus. My 3rd and final 07 Carlisle “Carlisle” and one of the most satisfying Carlisle’s I’ve ever tasted. Vines planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. A field-blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir.
Expressive red and black fruit aromas. Raspberry, black cherry cardamom spice and pepper highlight a bright, concentrated, yet nuanced palate. Very rich with great balance – even though I hadn’t tasted wine in weeks I detected no heat. Dry and complex with great length and finish. In a wonderful place at the moment, just lovely.
Zazu was a find. Had the salumi, cheese plate with dates, grilled chicken with mushrooms and BACON. Not a place for a romantic dinner – too loud and vibrant, but a foodie paradise. Considered by some to be a showy, stand-alone Prima Donna, this Zinfandel was a beautiful complement to Duskie’s exceptionally deft meal.
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Dark fruit and blood on the nose. This wine exhibits classic Carlisle juiciness on the palate and in mouth feel. More dark fruit on the palate, fine tannins, and a hint of mint on the finish. A solid effort as we've come to expect each vintage from Mike.
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Note to self: buy full allocation of Carlisle Zins every year. Exceptional for the price. Does not taste or act like a Zin at all. Well integrated fruit, monster nose, beautiful dark red color with a bright nose. Enjoyed during Super Bowl.
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This is Greenblanket's favorite recent Carlisle zin. It featured beautiful ripe fruit that was lucious in it's concentration backed by delicious earthy/brambly/spicy flavors.
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Nice color and nose with pleasing smooth berry on the front end and a considerable length into the back palate. Tanins seem to be well balanced and after just a few minute decant the wine opens and climbs to a new level of enjoyment. This is a very nice wine to enjoy everyday. Without a doubt well deserving a 90 rating by anyone's standards. Nice wine at a very reasonable price, well worth the cost. May be just a little on the young side but I would speculate this will cellar well over the next several years.
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Purchased in July 2009, was surprised I had yet to even log a note on one of these. I opened this last night, we enjoyed it over dinner but we left about 1/3rd to go today, so over a nice simple lunch of dried apricot, havarti cheese and marconi almonds, I drained most of it for this note. What I consistently get (and appreciate) about Mike's vineyard is the mix of fruit, earth and acidity of this bottling. I have been tracking this wine each vintage, posting notes on it since the 2001 vintage, somehow missing 2002, and then onward through this 2007. Some years have been bigger, in the earlier years some heat mentioned in my notes, but this 2007 doesn't show any of that. Juicy, broad shouldered, the acidity I mentioned is there, along with the boysen and black raspberry. Really went well with my bare bones lunch today. Mike, been another great year buying and drinking your wines, look forward to another in 2011.
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I only had a sip of this from ann's glass but this seemed rather simple to me with ripe berry fruits and a touch of sweetness on the finish. I was drinking an 05 honig cab at the time. Ann and others liked the wine.
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I'm a hugh fan of Carlisle wine. Earlier in the day, we visited with Mike Carlisle, and this bottle was to be a celebratory bottle with dinner in Napa. It was a dark grape color and sweet, in a pleasant way. Alch is 14.9. It was hot going down. For whatever unknown reason, this affected my enjoyment of the wine. FYI, the '09 lineup is awesome!
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14.8% alcohol. This wine is so much fun to drink and report on. One of California's great old vine, field blend wines, planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. 1927 was a good year from the NY Yankees and Babe Ruth. 2010 was a great year for the Gigantes. There must be some sort of symmetry for a Giant fan drinking this wine.
A field blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir. Expressive nose of red fruit. Intense and well balanced flavors of rasberry, cranberry, pepper and spice. A little more red-fruit focused, slightly more lively than a typical Carlisle Carlise. It is superb!
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Blackberry and stone fruits perhpas plum with licorice flavors noted by several in our tasting. Smooth and balanced with nice finish, although the finish was not as long as others in the tasting. Not the worse, but not the best in the group we tasted. Better the next day as it seemed more balanced with time.
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Showed more closed than previous bottle. Red-fruited with lots of acidity showing . . . more tart than ripe. Light to medium bodied. Wait on remianing bottles.
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14.8% alcohol. Drinking beautifully now. Red-purple color, with a nose that is anything but shy: blackberry, briary, spicy black fruit, and a light mineral note. In the mouth, striking balance for a wine of this concentration and size, putting gobs of black fruit up front but with enough restraint to allow the complexity to shine through. Really coming out of its youthful shell. A-/A
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I brought this wine to a friend's house to drink during a meeting. It was right on the edge between excellent and outstanding. Dark color, very smooth mouth feel, lots of red fruit and pepper spice. You want to say it was jammy? Go right ahead. Jam has flavor and so does this wine. There was no residual sugar in this wine, although there was a bit of apparent sweetness due to the strong fruit component. Nothing in the wood department, because I think the fruit has pushed the wood to the background. Maybe a tiny bit of vanilla, but only a faint touch. Moderate finish. No astringency, no bitterness, no mouth implosion. I could drink this wine three times a week and still enjoy it.
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What a scrumptous nose. Pretty much pop and pour. Blackberry, juniper berry, crushed high-mountain flowers, dirt and cedar bark. Brought to mind the freshness and fruit of a high mountain berry patch. In the mouth, the briary elements came across more strongly up front, followed by blackberry, then back to the briar and brambles with dark orange/red fruit and plenty of acidity. This gets even better in 2 years.
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Wonderful nose of briary dark fruit. Pop and pour. Palate delivers wonderful old vine zin flavor and balance. Was a bit hot on the finish on night one, but much better balanced on night #2.
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Gasp. I was dissapointed in this bottle. The nose had motor oil and berries. I kept expeting the motor oil thing would blow off but it did not. The palate was simple and straight forward, with a medium body that was less spicy than I expected. Clean finish. Not something Id dump down the sink, but not what Im used to from Mike. I hope there was something wrong with the bottle.
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Deep ruby color. Intense nose of black pepper and tart mixed berry syrup. Full bodied on the palate with excellent presence and balance; the acidity really cleans things out on the back end. Great Zin.
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This is the one Carlisle Zin which I usually think needs some bottle time and tonight confirmed that. I dig this wine though with it's big fruit yet very clear acidity and quite a bit of tannin to boot. Red spicy pomegranite like fruit with good lift, no heaviness and really rather medium weight. I really like what I imagine the field blend brings here. If you like them a bit brambly and rough its good now but if smoothness and roundness if your appetite I would wait several years on this one.
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Crushed berry nose. Dryish, yet massively red fruit laden palate. Crisp for such a big wine - pomegranate and currant oriented red-fruitedness, almost a sour, unripe component that bodes well for future development. Starting its window, but will be better, at least for my palate, in 3 years. 92+ pts.
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This is the famous Carlisle Carlisle Zinfandel. Vines planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. A field blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir. 14.8% alcohol. Exceedingly expressive nose of red fruit. Intense and well balanced flavors of rasberry, cranberry, pepper and spice. Typical Carlisle richness and lushness with a nice acid backbone. Lingering aftertaste. As was the case with an 07 Gold Mine Ranch tasted last night, this seems more red-fruit dominated and feminine than previous Carlisle offerings. I like this a lot!
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EWG does Zins and Sliders @ Conrad's: Seems like the Carlisle Vineyard is one I should pay attention when it comes to Carlisle zins. I liked this wine. Big ripe red raspberry and a fairly thick mouthfeel. This also had a brambly/spice that created a complex wine. The acidity keep everything fresh and preventing the wine from becoming fatiguing. Good structure. A drink some save some wine.
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EWG does Zinfandel and Sliders (Conrad Green's Abode): Crisp nose with vanilla and red berries. Juicy and clean but clearly tight. Like the other 07 this seemed to show some good acidic structure. Give it a couple years.
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Blackberries and faint coffee on the nose. In the mouth there were both black and red fruits, some pepper and spice and just a little bit of vanilla. I didn't enjoy this as much this time (probably because I just got back from a golfing trip with the guys in which I drank way too much) but Ann loved it.
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Deep rich fruit buttressed by spice and and enough acidic lift to ward off any heaviness. Just a bit of sweetness which is no way overbearing. Drinking well now.
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It's been three months since I last visited this wine (and I really need to get the others to the off site). Details on the wine are on my first TN, so no need for duplicity. Perfect cork. Color a nice garnet ruby. Nose was explosive when first opened. Reminded me of my first Turleys that just had the classic zin nose. The wine was a bit sharp/shrill at first, so i poured a small glass, corked the rest and revisited in an hour... if an hour helped, two hours helped more. I completely misjudged this wine the first time since this is built for the long hall. Blackberry, ripe raspberry, briar and some floral quality. I get some spice on the long finish... that coupled with the acidity give it some lift and snap. Not a heavy wine at all, but could use a little more time in the bottle to intergrate.
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Very different from the last bottle - could be the prep. 4 hour decant. Round and very approachable. None of the rusticity noted previously. Black, plummy fruit with subtle notes of tea leaves. Almost delicate, yet still quite rich. Tannin and acid well concealed, yet sufficently offset the fruit. Nice.
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Really pleased with this wine, although I would hold addl bottles for another year or two. Bright, purple color, and a fragrant nose of dark fruit, brambly spices, with a hint of baking spice. A little lighter on its feet than I expected (medium-to-full bodied) with lively flavors that were not deep and complex but delicious nevertheless, showing blackberries and a hint of baked piecrust. Developed some earthiness over time, but held its balance all night.
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14.8% ABV. My second bottle of this wine and this bottle seemed more tightly wound than the bottle from mid-January. Dark garnet, translucent in the glass. The nose on this bottle seemed to speak a bit more of earth with a complex brown spice note like earthy coriander seed as opposed to a more clove spice. Rich dark fruit with a suggestion of dried black fruit. Good.
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2-3 hour decant. Crimson, see-through. Great deep black (blue?) fruits, balanced beautifully by raspberry, red plum, spice and a suvtle floral note with a hint of vanilla cream wrapped in good acidity. Well integrated tannins. This is outstanding zin.
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Dark ruby color. Nose of pure and fresh raspberries, some brambly underbrush. Whiff of oak, which was not dominant (thankfully). Very broad and smooth, covering the palate well. Juicy but not fruit-bombish. Very enjoyable. A touch sweet, but really really nice.
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Consumed along side a 1999 Voerzio Cerequio Barolo with a fantastic lamb dinner.
Opaque purple. A powerful nose of dark fruit and brambly spices, spot-on for a zinfandel. Full bodied, tannic, with massive fruit and classic zinfandel elements. No heat and a long finish. This wine is exactly what I look for in a Zinfandel.
The Voerzio's subtlety better complemented the food. The Carlisle actually came across too sweet. After the meal was done, the Voerzio seemed a little too acidic, and the Carlisle truly shined.
I am fascinated by how wines taste with and without food. I suspect if we didn't have the Voerzio, nobody would have noted excessive sweetness in the Carlisle with food. And if we didn't have the Carlisle, nobody would have noticed acidity in the Voerzio after the food was done.
I enjoyed the Carlisle more than the 2006 Carlisle Vineyard drunk at Thanksgiving. Excellent zin.
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This beautiful wine makes a strong case for the value of the field blend. It was bright and lively with big but impeccably fresh fruit accented by a delicious suite of brambly/zinny flavors. Outstanding.
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This was opened last after a night of a fair amount of wine.
Dark purple, big purple fruited nose with some brambly spice, coffee, and vanilla; big, tannic and not giving much in the mouth. IMO no where near as good as the '05 and '06 at this point in time, but maybe to soon to drink.
I am also finding liking my zins a bit less big, more syrupy. This was certainly zin, but had a Cali syrah scale to it.
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really enjoyed this wine. Great nose of dark fruits and cherry. Color much darker than I anticipated. Great mouth feel and finish. Tons of fruit but not overpowering. Similar to a syrah.
Nice nose with really an interesting mix of fruit and smokiness. This wine really seems like more of a field blend than a straight Zin. Darker fruit quickly takes over for the cherry red. Rustic and brambly almost like a light(er) Petite sirah. Finish and structure continues the same as it's framed by good tannin and acid. I think this Zin may benefit quite a bit with some age ( and I typically like to drink my Carlisle Zins young ).
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Not the overripe jammy style as with some Cali zins but a more refined version that continues to possess the varietal's distinct profile. Elegant yet very expressive on the palate and finish. All components seem well harmonized at this stage. Excellent.
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The nose was a little tight. It may be too young. I decanted it about 5 hours. I did get some raspberry and cherry, a little chocolate, and a hint of bramble towards the end. The palate was more explosive than the nose. It had raspberry and chocolate, and a nice cherry and bramble finish. The acid and tannins were very strong, making me think it needs a few more years. Still good now, though.
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Powerful Zin that doesn't come across as kirschy or heavy or overly sweet. Rich, with lots of fruit and some structure on the back end, yet quaffable given its nice sense of lift. Black fruited at the core with touches of spice and earth and purple for complexity. Delicious, and it held my interest. I consider this to be a good QPR (at early release prices).
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Dark redish purple in color with a sweet nose of alcohol and black fruit. Upfront flavors of spice, bright blackberry with a sweet cherry syrup finsh. For me there was not enough varietal characteristic and I thought the finsih was just to sweet and extracted for my taste. The wine is nicely constructed and balanced - this was just not my style.
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Bitter and hot. On the third day it started to smooth out a bit but this needs time. Out of all of the Carlisle that I've had, this one is my least favorite.
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14.8% alcohol. Lovely wine, just like all the 2007s from Carlisle. Big, briary nose of blue and black fruits, with a slight hint of oak. In the mouth, just beautiful and pure, with big fruit all the way. Solid acidity and a deliciously long finish. Sure, it's young and still a bit tight, but this is awesome stuff. A-
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14,8% ABV. Dark black and pretty much inky in the glass. Classic Carlisle Zin nose of bright spicy boysenberry mixed with clove/backing spices. Rich juicy zinberry/mulberry. Concentrated and approaching full bodied but with acidity to keep it bright. Really lovely aromatics. 93-95.
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Needs to be decanted...after a few hours this wine really opened up. Strawberry, brambly red raspberry, white pepper framed with nice tannins. Needs a couple of years to come together, but awesome right now.
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After trying to enjoy a bottle of wine over the last two nights (lord knows i tried), i needed a mini slump buster, and this wine did not disappoint.
The 2007 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard (which was planted in 1927) is a blend of 92% Zinfandel and 8% mixed blacks (meaning Carignane, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir, and Alicante Bouchet). 14.8% Alcohol. 550 cases made.
Reddish purple in color. A fantastic nose sweet raspberries, flowers and a touch of brambry earth immediate upon opening (then faded). Not the most complex/extracted Carlisle I've had, but it has great ballance between sweet fruit (more red), acidity and tannins/spice. It may get a little better over the short term, but IMHO this is not a long term ager... i'll drink my other bottles in 1-5 years.
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Very nice and balanced zin. Not nearly as heavy as some of the high alc high extraction zins from California that have been making the rounds recently. This a is strong but comparatively restrained zin. Excellent quality, but not sure it's worth the price.
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Dark raspberry/cherry and some fresh earth on the nose. Some serious lift in the mouth, with charcoal on the palate. A lighter style than I am used to with a Carlisle zin. The acid level is borderline obtrusive, would go well with some bbq.
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Youngish but very very good with noticeably lower levels of alcohol and overall ripeness than most of Greenblanket's other Carlisle experiences. "Only" 14.8% alcohol. It brought a bouquet and flavors of dark raspberry, pepper and spicy underbrush. The flavors and fresh acidity went well with leftover chili and osso bucco.
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What can you say about Carlisle zins? They always seem to deliver. Big and bold brambly flavors but also a "freshness" that really defines their wines to me. Great baking spices as well and very smooth. Great wine, but I think I prefer the 2007 Papera Ranch bottling just a bit more.
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Very disappointed the first night. May just not be made in a style that I look for in a Zin but even so this just wasn't all that great for the money. On the nose really just reminded me of a syrah quite a bit and as I drank more reminded me of some of the 07 Rhones I've been drinking. Dark fruit some earth but rather tart. Saved a bunch for second night and if better will update.
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Cheers to the Record Snowfall (Roberts House): very fruity, with lots of plum and boysenberry. jammy fruit, but also somewhat restrained and not overly sweet. medium(-) finish is a little disappointing.
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Full spectrum of high notes to low notes on the nose. Raspberry, blackberry, white pepper, orange peel, violets, green spices, vanilla on the nose. Creamy full entry lifted by nice acidity, med long finish. Really a fantastic wine. Could go a long time, but I like it right now.
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Juicy, rustic black fruit. Loaded with peppery extract. Very Syrah like in its flavor and aromatic profile. Huge, with a firm structure sets this up for some needed short term cellaring. Very interesting wine, both primal, and serious. Excellent.
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3/1/2021 - JBD wrote: 90 Points
The aroma of this wine remains at a 93+ . . . but sadly (and unsurprisingly for a 13 year old zinfandel) it has thinned a bit and is not as great as the aroma advertises. Still - fun to drink.
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12/27/2019 - rldixon Likes this wine: 91 Points
I found two bottles in my admittedly poorly maintained inventory. I wondered what I'd get, and was pleased when I opened the first bottle: a bit past its prime, but nevertheless delicious. Carlisle Zins manifest a nearly perfect balance between flavors and weight, and these two bottles were true to that pattern. Spices, berries, and plums are evident in the glass, along with silky tannins. The first bottle was perfect with a number of cheeses and some homemade sourdough. The second bottle paired up well with shrimp in a spicy red sauce. I enjoyed these two, but if you have some of this era, I recommend you drink up.
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8/4/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The 2007 Carlisle Vineyard is showing beautiful with an intense mix of fresh strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry, with brown sugar, sweet spice, dusty cedar, sage, and hints of moist earth. On the palate, I found soft textures with zesty acidity, showing ripe red and blue fruits, sweet herbs, tobacco, and spice. The finish was long and soft with lingering notes of cinnamon, sweet citrus, and candied cherry.
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8/4/2018 - Mlermontov wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with Eric and Susan G.: ripe, powerful zin showing plums and black fruit. on the nose the wine is really expressive - with sweet spices and berries. The palate is bright, keeping the dark fruit and sage at bay with its zesty touch. The long finish is full of plums, cinnamon and black cherry. Love this vineyard.
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4/19/2018 - Slaz wrote: 90 Points
A weird Carlisle Zin, possibly because of the age. The vibrancy and energy common to young Carlisle Zins is gone, but the richness of fruit is still there, making the wine unbalanced and, most importantly, without interesting secondary and tertiary notes. Drink up.
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5/25/2017 - Nanda wrote: 89 Points
With pizza. Passing its peak. Still has lots of rich, intense black fruit with pepper and spice. But has lots a bit of intensity and energy. Good, but I'd drink up.
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3/25/2017 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Better than previous tastings and a perfect match to stuffed peppers. Lots of fruit in the nose with a pleasant touch of herbaceousness, raspberries, cherries, and licorice. Jammy fruit in the flavor. Long finish
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12/31/2016 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Raspberries and earthiness in the nose. Black cherries and blackberries in the flavor. Medium to long finish. Drink up, will not get any better...
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12/28/2016 - dhammer53 wrote: 92 Points
Drank this with Jay in Rye NY. There's still life left to this very drinkable and enjoyable bottle.
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10/22/2016 - mdahar wrote: 93 Points
a great bottle of zin. cork was falling apart.
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6/30/2016 - Rangstrom wrote: 93 Points
It smells like a zin and tastes like a zin, but this wine is remarkably smooth. Just an amazing texture. Did I mention that it is smooth?
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2/5/2016 - tederf wrote: 94 Points
One of the best bottles of Zinfandel I have tasted. Not overpowered by heat or fruit. Red fruit (cherry, raspberry), and some floral notes. Nice smooth finish. Drank over two nights - opened just a bit for the second night.
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1/1/2016 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious on day one and day two. This leads me to believe that while in prime time there is no particular rush for those of you who have any of these remaining
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12/31/2015 - RobbieD68 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and unctuous, plum and cherry flavors with a distinct cherry finish. I had this in the cellar for five years, and looking at my old notes this got smoother with age but did not lose its flavor. A wonderful zin!
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11/9/2015 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
No formal notes. Bottle #5 of 5. This was on point, and laden with bright red raspberry, cream, bramble and a touch of deft vanillin. Brilliant. Fading quickly after a couple hours in glass. Goodbye old friend.
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7/10/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Working my way through some old-ish bottles, last spin with this one was late 2012. Opened this about 2 hrs ago, put a light chill to it and then poured off a taste just now. This is good. Lots of fresh berry fruit here still, plenty of spice and some zesty quality while cool. As it warms, the fruit takes center stage and then some tannin emerges. There is some structure hanging around here, some acidity too which is kind of where I was going with the 'spicy' remark. I don't see any fade or secondary notes in this wine, remains quite lively. it's not lithe or lean, but it does have a good amount of freshness still here. Retried over dinner, no real change and the bottle remained with the host so nothing to re-taste. My thinking is that this wine is ready to go, and like other 2007s, I'd enjoy these now and catch them at their pinnacle.
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6/5/2015 - Ed B wrote: 91 Points
Decanted through an aerator and strainer for one hour and then returned to the bottle to take to a party, along with other serious wines. No detailed notes. Well received.
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6/1/2015 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
This bottle a little more faded from my last tasting 18 months ago. Nice acidity and bright fruit. Enjoyed over two nights, but never really sang. This seemed young on one hand - muted. But didn't come together in glass the way I thought it would. I kept waiting, tick tock, but it just sat there. Hmmm. Different than almost every other Carlisle Zins I've had. A conundrum. Headed down?
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4/15/2015 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Deep red in color. 14.8% ABV. Red fruits, flower and briar on the nose. Full bodies with juicy acidity. Raspberry compote, boysenberry, cherry and white pepper on the palate. Refreshing Zinfandel with a mouth watering finish. As good as I have come to expect from the Estate Vineyard. Drink over the next year or two.
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1/23/2015 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle! Fragrant nose of raspberry coulis, cherry pie filling, plum and soy sauce. Dry on the palate, with refreshingly tart acidity - somewhat lighter in body than the nose might suggest, but packed with red fruit, most notably fresh raspberry - as concentrated as jam, but without any of the sweetness. No discernible oak. The length is long. Just wonderful. Drinking beautifully now.
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11/27/2014 - btock Likes this wine: 91 Points
Trotted my final bottle of this one out for Turkey Day. These are ready to drink now. This was at peak, fruit very present, but all the edges are nicely buffed on the wine, very nice mouthfeel. Drink 'em up, once the fruit recedes there's not the acidity or structure remaining on this one all that dynamic.
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11/2/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 91 Points
So much to like with this full flavored yet balanced and even elegant zin. Age has treated it well as the blue / red fruit, while full flavored, has mellowed a bit. Good juicy acidity. Pepper and spice adds complexity in the finish.
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10/11/2014 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Totally open for business from the moment the cork is pulled. Intense cherry pie filling and raspberry jam on the nose, not showing any sign of age. Slightly off-dry on the attack. Full-bodied but not at all overbearing, with balanced acidity and no discernible tannins. Unapologetically exuberant red fruit from beginning to end, but without ever seeming hot, flabby or overripe. Yes, there is some oak, but the wine has more than enough stuffing to keep it in check. The wine walks a fine line, but never comes close to crossing it. A very fine effort indeed.
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9/13/2014 - VinoDiver Likes this wine: 93 Points
2014 Fall Wine Dinner - Chicago (Chicago): A more refined style the wine was decanted a couple hours and this really opened up the fruit.
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8/17/2014 - Grape Stuff Likes this wine: 93 Points
45 minute decant. Jammy black and blue fruit, plum, baking spice , and just incredible balance. Long finish, with sweet , integrated tannins. This is stellar. Consistent with my previous notes.
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7/26/2014 - silton Likes this wine: 94 Points
From last weekend, my friend brought this over along with a 08 Two Acres and wondered which one we should open. Ha. There was precisely a 0% chance of this not being drunk once it crossed onto my property. This was just ridiculously good, one of the best Zinfandels I've ever had. Best of all, it turns out that I have a remaining bottle, my oldest Carlisle Zin. Drink now through 2016.
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7/20/2014 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine:
Tasted very informally but enjoyed immensely!
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6/14/2014 - skinut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great fruit on the nose, hint of sweetness but complex on the palate. Shared at a party and went pretty quickly. Good stuff!
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5/11/2014 - btock Likes this wine: 92 Points
Is it fair to use the word "classic" when labeling something not that widely tasted? Who knows. This was a great expression of RRV Zin because of its balance. Fresh acidity offseting purple/black fruit, with dusty earth in the background. A food friendly wine and very engaging. Frankly, the bottle performing almost like a Right Bank Bdx in terms of the evolution in glass we got through the dinner. While always having depth it changed and showed nuances and different front notes. A lot of fun and extremely well made. One more in the cellar, will look to enjoy no later than 1-2 years from now, don't want to miss this window.
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5/10/2014 - budman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best bottle yet!!
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4/10/2014 - texaswinelover wrote: 92 Points
Very similar notes to last. A little closed on opening but blossomed with air.
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3/22/2014 - wineismylife wrote: 93 Points
WIML93
Tasted non blind at a wine dinner.
Garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of potpourri, talc, berries and cherries. Flavors of red berries, raspberries and cherries. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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1/22/2014 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
I should have decanted, but it was a pop-n-pour and took a couple hours to open up in big-bowl glasses. Bigger than other Carlisle zinfandels I have had. Dark, angry, brooding, good complexity, great fruit. I'm on the edge of giving it a 93, but will stick with 92, since it is still driven primarily by fruit.
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1/21/2014 - lek55 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Highly extracted, fruit forward, jammy, with supple tannins & lingering finish
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1/21/2014 - gr8r84u wrote: 92 Points
Sad this was my last bottle. Classic Carlisle Zin goes perfectly with a foot of snow. I'm not great with the descriptions but I can tell you it has a nice nose and tastes like more. The true measure of how good the wine is how much is left at the end of the night... If the bottle is empty it was good... This was really good!
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1/19/2014 - ljl203 wrote:
Very smooth. Beautiful spice, cinnamon stick, clove, ginger over red fruit.
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11/28/2013 - snarfglk wrote: 91 Points
Drank at Thanksgiving at FP's.
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11/28/2013 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similiar note, wish I had more. www.winelx.com
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10/23/2013 - sawira wrote: 93 Points
Give this baby time. Very bright and spicy red fruits, almost tangy with acidity and delineation. Settles in after 45 minutes in glass, but tight, clumsy and unyielding before that. Really superb, and right at the top of its game. Nice length as well. Consistently my favorite Carlisle Zin vineyard, this is supporting evidence. I'd echo my 1/24/13 note, and I have to say I'm still in the same place regarding this style from Mike - I'm increasingly enjoying the cut of the more refreshing style, as opposed to the riper, fruitier, more extracted renditions. And the graham cracker note is gone :-). Good for another 3 years at this high level then a quick slide, would be my guess.
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10/18/2013 - Night Train Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent with previous bottle. Popped and poured, so it was initially a little tight. Really opened up with air and with food. Beautiful zin, with no raisins or obtrusive heat. Fairly rich texture and a terrific finish. Holding up very well.
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8/24/2013 - btock Likes this wine: 91 Points
Inspired by a friend's note on the '09 version decided to check in on the '07s. I had opened '07 Papera recently which was a brute and too young, but this one was ready. Fresh blackberry/blueberry, rich loam. Enough acidity to hold it together. A good showing, but not a show stopper. Drank well on night two, think this is good now but could be enjoyed in the next 1-2 yrs.
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7/17/2013 - dhammer53 wrote: 90 Points
Pn'P in Asheville NC at Modesto. BYO corkage $10. A dark shimmering color. Some heat to start. Smooth and elegant, with a bit of spice. After 60 minutes the wine was opening up. The label said Grand Noir added for color and complexity. 550 cases produced. Drinking with a little less heat in the mouth on Day 2. Drink or hold. Dinner waas pasta (rigatoni) with a delicious combination of meat sauce.
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7/5/2013 - dmatley Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking very well right now. Good flavor and balance. I would recommend drinking between 64-68 degrees. At temps above that the wine tends to flatten out a bit.
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5/24/2013 - snarfglk wrote: 92 Points
This is what you want in a zin; balance, power and elegance while delivering flavor without heat.
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4/28/2013 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
The wine is a fairly deep ruby red color. The enticing nose has brambly berries, black pepper, smoke, licorice, violets, a touch of earthiness, and a slight note of eucalyptus. This is fairly full bodied with fairly solid ripe tannins and good acidity. The finish is very long and flavorful. This is in a prime drinking window but should last a few more years in the cellar.
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4/4/2013 - stufis wrote: 93 Points
One point more than the 92's being offered of late, as I really liked this, my first of the '07s C Squares. Not my fave Carlisle vyd (Montafi is ), but a really fine, almost profound Zin (What?? Can a Zin be thus???) red wine. A bit red-ish for my tastes, but ready to go 5 years on, with a huge nose balanced by huge lingering finish (such a surprise...as if...). A balanced, great wine...so be it. It'll be great in '20 (13 years), as my '01 and '02 CSquares have been great with similar times in cellar this past year.
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2/27/2013 - Ed B wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Drank at friends' house, so did not take detailed notes. Wonderful wine. Big fruit, but not sweet. Just rounding into maturity. Will get better with more age.
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1/28/2013 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent wine. Decanted 90 minutes. Deep hues, nice nose. Excellent fruit but muted and integrated. Medium finish.
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1/24/2013 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
P&P and enjoyed over two nights. Brash, deep, purple and red fruited nose, accented with (I've never found this before) distinct notes of graham cracker, soars from the glass on opening. This becomes more subdued over time. The palate initially shows almost syrup-like body and a sweet finish, so my first take is to not like this almost over extracted style, but this is balanced by a growing crispness and cutting acidity, and the fruit is so pure - fresh baked loganberry pie - that this is stupendous. Eventually this evolves into a precise, bright, beautifully sour, briary delight. Still, not my favorite Carlisle Zin style, but WAY good. Good for another 5 years at least.
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1/12/2013 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 92 Points
Good from first taste to last drop. Nice balance of fruit and pepper. Enjoyed by all.
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12/27/2012 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank in Phoenix. Excellent fruit nice nose some felt dry.
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12/22/2012 - emdub wrote: 91 Points
Simply a beautiful Zin. Light pepper, sweet yet not over the top. Slight jam but well balanced. Very, very nice Zin.
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12/21/2012 - budman wrote: 93 Points
Even better than the last bottle. Nose had a hint of eucalyptus and lush dark fruits on the palate. Long finish.
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11/22/2012 - PIntag wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed with Thanksgiving dinner. Was gone pretty quickly - I didn't get much of a taste, but what I did, was classic Carlisle zin. Though probably could use another couple of years.
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11/17/2012 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Opened last night, finishing tonight. I'll admit I am getting at this now as next to it I am making an Aztec soup with a lot of dried chili, onion and tomatoe, which this would be doomed next to! The flavors of this 2007 are nice and deep, with zesty berry and a smoothing out texture. I'll concur with others about the absence of heat here, even at room temp. Juicy and luscious. Really good Carlisle.
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11/11/2012 - Night Train wrote: 91 Points
Big hit at a party last night. Perfectly balanced old-school Zin. No raisins, no Port-like characteristics, no overwhelming heat - just a very solid wine. Holding up fine - should last another couple years.
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11/3/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. High acid. Medium body. Minimal briaryness that I usually get in Carlisle Zins. Long clean finish. No heat. Red fruited all the way. Open 1 1/2 hrs. Acidity mellowed. Wildness emerging. Very nice. Still no heat.
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8/30/2012 - andyrowe wrote: 92 Points
First bottle I have tried - worth the wait - wonderful, but I agree with others that there is no hurry. Some iron, did not detect any pepper but ripe raspberry for sure - and nice dirt.
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8/15/2012 - dsimmons Likes this wine:
About as good as zin gets. delicious!
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8/11/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Opened and decanted about one hour before serving. Followed over the next 90 minutes.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of soapstone, flowers, currants and plums. Flavors of berries, raspberries, a little cherries and a hint of minerals. Medium to tart acidity, medium tannins, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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7/31/2012 - texaswinelover wrote: 93 Points
I thought this was excellent. Wonderful briary character. Big and full but not over the top and jammy. Beautiful acid. Peppery. No hint of heat. Glad to have more.
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7/20/2012 - dabovino wrote: 93 Points
This is a great example of what a serious, and seriously good wine Zinfandel can be. Balanced, full, layered. Yummy!
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7/6/2012 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Gained soft weight and acidity has softened since my last note. Very complex nose of iron ore, rich raspberry and some earthiness. In the mouth, smooth and precise finish with lots of flavor. Very tasty and at its peak of the drinking window.
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7/4/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
From a bottle that had been opened a couple of hours. Deep, dark, ruby color. Brambly berries, black pepper, licorice, dark chocolate, wood smoke, black cherry, and a nice floral note. Full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Big, bold, spicy, peppery berries on the palate with a nice lift from the acidity. Long finish that shows a touch of alcohol, but not that noticeable. A great zin in a perfect drinking window, but no hurry on this one.
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6/21/2012 - JavaMonkey wrote: 90 Points
Big and tasty, but but just seemed a little flatter than previous bottles. Still excellent. Beautiful, dark fruit. Very smooth now. Long, delicious finish.
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5/27/2012 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
34th Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2007s (Rich & Dana's): Deep ruby/crimson color. Notes of raspberry liqueur, chocolate, herbs and mint. Develops red fruit, florals and spice qualities as it opens in the glass. Flavors of spicy red fruit, boysenberry, lingonberry and spices. Lengthy finish.
My #4
Group #8, 59 pts
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5/17/2012 - smphelps wrote: 91 Points
Rich and juicy like you would expect from a good zinfandel. Crimson red with a plum, cherry jam nose. Opulent. Little tannin but spicey in the mid palate with a mouthwatering finish. Needs food, preferably bold food, but quite good.
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4/1/2012 - corkscrews wrote: 92 Points
A nose of bold sweet black cherry and spice, dark garnet in color. A full bodied delicious Zin, with black cherry and smoky pepper flavors, jammy with good acidity, long finish. A classic Zinfandel, well worth the price.
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3/21/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote:
I'm not sure this bottle was flawed, but the cork, which otherwise was in good shape, came out too easily, and the wine tasted somewhat stewed. With that said, the nose was very good. Comparable: Joe Pepitone.
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2/29/2012 - atun53 wrote: 94 Points
After seeing some pruney notes on the WB board, I decided to crack open a bottle and see where it was. Brambly and some crushed violets on the nose. Raspberry, blueberry, and blood orange on the palate. A little cracked pepper and no vanilla on the finish. A great bottle. Saved glass for day two, similar notes. Looking forward to trying a vertical of the vineyard.
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2/12/2012 - MotoMannequin wrote:
Blueberry, raspberry, pepper and mouth-watering blood orange finish. Very smooth and easy to drink. Classic Carlisle/Carlisle
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2/10/2012 - gutt22 wrote:
14.8% alcohol. This is drinking perfectly. Dark red color. Spicy, brambly nose coupled with robust black fruit. In the mouth, superb delineation of Zinfandel's bold fruit and endearing spice characteristics. This is about as good as it gets in the classic, American style. A
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1/7/2012 - windypinot wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured and served with takeout Smoque barbecue; so smooth; not a trait you expect much from a zin, but this one has such great depth and balance and is not overwhelming with the dried raisin, pepper flavors you might expect from a zin. this wine is tasting great now; great with food and went really fast for us too.
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11/11/2011 - Scott Butler wrote:
Decanted for several hours before dinner. Intoxicating aroma of red and blue fruits with pepper jumped out of the decanter. Big, rich, yet good acidity balanced this out. A nice touch of pepper, and a kiss of earth. It disappeared quickly.
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8/25/2011 - dougsmith wrote: 91 Points
Very pretty, pinpoint Zin. Similar to my last note but with more floral components on the nose. Well balanced on the palate with excellent presence.
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8/25/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Another great bottle. Joan loved it as much as I did. Seemed to have more alcohol than it showed on the label. So good it must be in it's prime. Glad to have a couple bottles left.
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8/24/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Joan and I loved it. So good it seems to be in it's prime but might improve over the coming two years. Should hold for at least the next three year. A beauty.
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7/25/2011 - underwds wrote: 90 Points
Given to me as a gift...probably more than I deserved. This was nice. Maybe a bit too much fruit and jam, but in the grand scheme a pretty good wine. Raspberry and cherry fruit, with some licorice and chocolate. Not too much tannin, and good enough acidity it can be a food wine as well as a cocktail wine. Didn't notice the nearly 15% alcohol. Good mouth feel and rich blue-purple color.
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7/3/2011 - Geoffrey Carter wrote:
Kids back from camp. Pouring rain outside the hotel. This may be a biased review, but this tastes absolutely wonderful. Popped and poured. Slight chill, but well integrated and nice full ripe fruit.
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6/4/2011 - angryphoton wrote: 91 Points
full bodied and full of luscious fruit, strawberry, bing cherries, plums and hints dark chocolate. might be a bit too fruit forward for my personal taste but is a well made wine, balance is very good and alcohol is not present in the palate (but will hit you in the head). long finish and great mouth feel. if i were to improve this wine i would add more minerality and spiciness to give it additional complexity.
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6/1/2011 - yonster24 wrote:
Very good wine on it's own. But we had this directly after having the 2001 Lisini Brunello and it doesn't hold up against that wine. I know they're completely different, but after having a (somewhat) aged, gorgeous Brunello, this felt a bit overdone. Note: I LOVE Carlisle and have quite drunk quite a few, so I'm not bashing it.
Anyway, dark fruits, spice and oak on the nose. BLackberries shining on the palate with chocolate underlying it all. Leading to a nice long somewhat spicy finish.
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5/14/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine: 92 Points
14.8% ABV. Quick note - PnP. Deeply colored, translucent dark garnet in the glass. Tight spicy nose with a nuance of dry slate minerals. Rich dark fruit on the palate with a tangy backbone and an additional suggestion of minerals. Very good.
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4/26/2011 - Outplaying wrote:
A very nice zin. Slightly jammy, rich berry fruit with some spices and briar/brambly notes. Not over the top and not too much vanilla. My last of 4 bottles. I wish I could keep one around long enough to let them age a little.
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4/24/2011 - SineQuaNon wrote: 92 Points
Straight out of the bottle at cellar temperature (~11 C) the nose is soaring with all the good stuff... Brambly raspberry and blackberry compote with other red and black fruits too, mixed with cinnamon spice, chocolate and a bit of cloves and nutmeg. Outstanding! Really the nose I had hoped for! Taste is a bit unresolved, so I'll give it an hour or two before I consume the rest, but by then this PC will be turned off, so the result won't be posted:-P ...At the moment it is really wonderful but with a bit too much salty licorice for my taste, hope air will let this blow off. This keeps it from being extraordinary. It is sooooo delicious! Highly recommended and in no risk of going downhill anytime soon. 92+
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4/15/2011 - JavaMonkey Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark garnet color. Gorgeous dark fruit aromas with plum and blackberry, sweet tobacco, loam, a little bit of black pepper. The fruit is just beautiful. Full bodied, some nice depth, good balance. On the ripe and soft side, but there's enough structure to keep it together, and the fruit is just so gorgeous that the end result is fantastic.
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4/11/2011 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
A beautiful zin that is definitely in it's prime. Always one of my favorite of mikes zins this is no exception. Love ie.
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4/10/2011 - chapel hill wino wrote:
excellent, as was said below, an excellent "mix of fruit, earth and acidity of this bottling". Sadly, it was the only bottle I had ...
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3/20/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 96 Points
14.8% alcohol. Tasted at Zazu Restaurant in Santa Rosa. My “re-entry” wine after a six-week hiatus. My 3rd and final 07 Carlisle “Carlisle” and one of the most satisfying Carlisle’s I’ve ever tasted. Vines planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. A field-blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir.
Expressive red and black fruit aromas. Raspberry, black cherry cardamom spice and pepper highlight a bright, concentrated, yet nuanced palate. Very rich with great balance – even though I hadn’t tasted wine in weeks I detected no heat. Dry and complex with great length and finish. In a wonderful place at the moment, just lovely.
Zazu was a find. Had the salumi, cheese plate with dates, grilled chicken with mushrooms and BACON. Not a place for a romantic dinner – too loud and vibrant, but a foodie paradise. Considered by some to be a showy, stand-alone Prima Donna, this Zinfandel was a beautiful complement to Duskie’s exceptionally deft meal.
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2/20/2011 - EhrlichDY wrote: 91 Points
Dark fruit and blood on the nose. This wine exhibits classic Carlisle juiciness on the palate and in mouth feel. More dark fruit on the palate, fine tannins, and a hint of mint on the finish. A solid effort as we've come to expect each vintage from Mike.
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2/9/2011 - scooter260 wrote: 94 Points
Note to self: buy full allocation of Carlisle Zins every year. Exceptional for the price. Does not taste or act like a Zin at all. Well integrated fruit, monster nose, beautiful dark red color with a bright nose. Enjoyed during Super Bowl.
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1/22/2011 - greenblanket Likes this wine:
This is Greenblanket's favorite recent Carlisle zin. It featured beautiful ripe fruit that was lucious in it's concentration backed by delicious earthy/brambly/spicy flavors.
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1/21/2011 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Better on the second day. Well integrated, a bit oak, a full fruity zinfandel that is almost well balanced. Sweet cherry nose that is really nice.
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1/20/2011 - vinoveritas wrote: 85 Points
Seems to have a bit of an edge to it and not up to the usual fruit levels of a Carlisle. Maybe a somewhat tainted bottle.
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1/4/2011 - dbonner wrote: 90 Points
Nice color and nose with pleasing smooth berry on the front end and a considerable length into the back palate. Tanins seem to be well balanced and after just a few minute decant the wine opens and climbs to a new level of enjoyment. This is a very nice wine to enjoy everyday. Without a doubt well deserving a 90 rating by anyone's standards. Nice wine at a very reasonable price, well worth the cost. May be just a little on the young side but I would speculate this will cellar well over the next several years.
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12/31/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Purchased in July 2009, was surprised I had yet to even log a note on one of these. I opened this last night, we enjoyed it over dinner but we left about 1/3rd to go today, so over a nice simple lunch of dried apricot, havarti cheese and marconi almonds, I drained most of it for this note. What I consistently get (and appreciate) about Mike's vineyard is the mix of fruit, earth and acidity of this bottling. I have been tracking this wine each vintage, posting notes on it since the 2001 vintage, somehow missing 2002, and then onward through this 2007. Some years have been bigger, in the earlier years some heat mentioned in my notes, but this 2007 doesn't show any of that. Juicy, broad shouldered, the acidity I mentioned is there, along with the boysen and black raspberry. Really went well with my bare bones lunch today. Mike, been another great year buying and drinking your wines, look forward to another in 2011.
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12/30/2010 - cubswinws wrote: 92 Points
Has softened some. Just a great zin and maybe my favorite of the Carlisle line-up.
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12/25/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
I only had a sip of this from ann's glass but this seemed rather simple to me with ripe berry fruits and a touch of sweetness on the finish. I was drinking an 05 honig cab at the time. Ann and others liked the wine.
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12/20/2010 - dhammer53 wrote:
I'm a hugh fan of Carlisle wine. Earlier in the day, we visited with Mike Carlisle, and this bottle was to be a celebratory bottle with dinner in Napa. It was a dark grape color and sweet, in a pleasant way. Alch is 14.9. It was hot going down. For whatever unknown reason, this affected my enjoyment of the wine. FYI, the '09 lineup is awesome!
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12/18/2010 - scooter260 wrote: 95 Points
What a great wine. Pop/pour. Lots of complexity, monster nose, big time fruit. Wow. Enjoyed on its own after Lifetime.
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12/7/2010 - tairanosaurus wrote: 92 Points
Similar to last note. Unlike most Carlisle's, this one was great on the pop + pour. Will get better with time.
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11/26/2010 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
Color: Dark and brooding core, red edges
Nose: Big and beautiful wild blueberry, raspberry, and spice
Palate: Medium to full bodied, big tannins, surprising acidity.
Delicious wine, but I would wait another year or 2...
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11/26/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
14.8% alcohol. This wine is so much fun to drink and report on. One of California's great old vine, field blend wines, planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. 1927 was a good year from the NY Yankees and Babe Ruth. 2010 was a great year for the Gigantes. There must be some sort of symmetry for a Giant fan drinking this wine.
A field blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir. Expressive nose of red fruit. Intense and well balanced flavors of rasberry, cranberry, pepper and spice. A little more red-fruit focused, slightly more lively than a typical Carlisle Carlise. It is superb!
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11/21/2010 - sma wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry and stone fruits perhpas plum with licorice flavors noted by several in our tasting. Smooth and balanced with nice finish, although the finish was not as long as others in the tasting. Not the worse, but not the best in the group we tasted. Better the next day as it seemed more balanced with time.
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11/21/2010 - Li6 wrote: 92 Points
Awesome raspberry and licorice aromas and flavors that become more feral with air contact. Remarkably nimble and fresh.
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11/16/2010 - Haltermr wrote: 89 Points
Not the smae wine I tried some time ago... Typically an amazing wine, not showing that great tonight.
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11/15/2010 - DPMc wrote: 89 Points
Showed more closed than previous bottle. Red-fruited with lots of acidity showing . . . more tart than ripe. Light to medium bodied. Wait on remianing bottles.
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10/24/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
14.8% alcohol. Drinking beautifully now. Red-purple color, with a nose that is anything but shy: blackberry, briary, spicy black fruit, and a light mineral note. In the mouth, striking balance for a wine of this concentration and size, putting gobs of black fruit up front but with enough restraint to allow the complexity to shine through. Really coming out of its youthful shell. A-/A
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10/17/2010 - bmwcarl wrote:
I was hoping to be blown away by this bottle, but I wasn't. It was very well balanced but just struck me as a little flat.
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10/6/2010 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 90 Points
I brought this wine to a friend's house to drink during a meeting. It was right on the edge between excellent and outstanding. Dark color, very smooth mouth feel, lots of red fruit and pepper spice. You want to say it was jammy? Go right ahead. Jam has flavor and so does this wine. There was no residual sugar in this wine, although there was a bit of apparent sweetness due to the strong fruit component. Nothing in the wood department, because I think the fruit has pushed the wood to the background. Maybe a tiny bit of vanilla, but only a faint touch. Moderate finish. No astringency, no bitterness, no mouth implosion. I could drink this wine three times a week and still enjoy it.
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10/5/2010 - vinoveritas wrote: 89 Points
Always a favorite of Carlisle designates. Needed some time to open up, Big brooding zin
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10/1/2010 - tairanosaurus wrote: 92 Points
What a scrumptous nose. Pretty much pop and pour. Blackberry, juniper berry, crushed high-mountain flowers, dirt and cedar bark. Brought to mind the freshness and fruit of a high mountain berry patch. In the mouth, the briary elements came across more strongly up front, followed by blackberry, then back to the briar and brambles with dark orange/red fruit and plenty of acidity. This gets even better in 2 years.
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9/12/2010 - KingSlacker999 wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful nose of briary dark fruit. Pop and pour. Palate delivers wonderful old vine zin flavor and balance. Was a bit hot on the finish on night one, but much better balanced on night #2.
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9/12/2010 - Uglypinga wrote:
Gasp. I was dissapointed in this bottle. The nose had motor oil and berries. I kept expeting the motor oil thing would blow off but it did not. The palate was simple and straight forward, with a medium body that was less spicy than I expected. Clean finish. Not something Id dump down the sink, but not what Im used to from Mike. I hope there was something wrong with the bottle.
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8/25/2010 - dougsmith wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby color. Intense nose of black pepper and tart mixed berry syrup. Full bodied on the palate with excellent presence and balance; the acidity really cleans things out on the back end. Great Zin.
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8/15/2010 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
This is the one Carlisle Zin which I usually think needs some bottle time and tonight confirmed that. I dig this wine though with it's big fruit yet very clear acidity and quite a bit of tannin to boot. Red spicy pomegranite like fruit with good lift, no heaviness and really rather medium weight. I really like what I imagine the field blend brings here. If you like them a bit brambly and rough its good now but if smoothness and roundness if your appetite I would wait several years on this one.
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7/24/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
similar notes to last time
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7/23/2010 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Crushed berry nose. Dryish, yet massively red fruit laden palate. Crisp for such a big wine - pomegranate and currant oriented red-fruitedness, almost a sour, unripe component that bodes well for future development. Starting its window, but will be better, at least for my palate, in 3 years. 92+ pts.
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7/5/2010 - budman wrote: 92 Points
Hitting on all cylinders.
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7/5/2010 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
This is the famous Carlisle Carlisle Zinfandel. Vines planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. A field blend including some Petite, Alicante and Grand Noir. 14.8% alcohol. Exceedingly expressive nose of red fruit. Intense and well balanced flavors of rasberry, cranberry, pepper and spice. Typical Carlisle richness and lushness with a nice acid backbone. Lingering aftertaste. As was the case with an 07 Gold Mine Ranch tasted last night, this seems more red-fruit dominated and feminine than previous Carlisle offerings. I like this a lot!
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6/5/2010 - smphelps wrote: 87 Points
A mix of ruby and purple. Juicy and ripe, with up front sweetness that dominates the overall experience. A jammy finish.
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5/30/2010 - jasonh wrote: 92 Points
EWG does Zins and Sliders @ Conrad's: Seems like the Carlisle Vineyard is one I should pay attention when it comes to Carlisle zins. I liked this wine. Big ripe red raspberry and a fairly thick mouthfeel. This also had a brambly/spice that created a complex wine. The acidity keep everything fresh and preventing the wine from becoming fatiguing. Good structure. A drink some save some wine.
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5/30/2010 - WetRock wrote:
EWG does Zinfandel and Sliders (Conrad Green's Abode): Crisp nose with vanilla and red berries. Juicy and clean but clearly tight. Like the other 07 this seemed to show some good acidic structure. Give it a couple years.
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5/28/2010 - Amerique wrote: 93 Points
Rich, intense, full-bodied, mixed berry fruit with spice and toast, great structure,chewy, long finish, superb Zin
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5/19/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Blackberries and faint coffee on the nose. In the mouth there were both black and red fruits, some pepper and spice and just a little bit of vanilla. I didn't enjoy this as much this time (probably because I just got back from a golfing trip with the guys in which I drank way too much) but Ann loved it.
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5/18/2010 - DPMc wrote: 94 Points
Deep rich fruit buttressed by spice and and enough acidic lift to ward off any heaviness. Just a bit of sweetness which is no way overbearing. Drinking well now.
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5/10/2010 - Neuman wrote: 92 Points
Needed a little time to open and well worth the wait. Great fruit on the nose. Rich texture. Sweet fruit but with good acid to balance.
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5/6/2010 - LikeABC wrote: 92 Points
It's been three months since I last visited this wine (and I really need to get the others to the off site). Details on the wine are on my first TN, so no need for duplicity.
Perfect cork. Color a nice garnet ruby. Nose was explosive when first opened. Reminded me of my first Turleys that just had the classic zin nose. The wine was a bit sharp/shrill at first, so i poured a small glass, corked the rest and revisited in an hour... if an hour helped, two hours helped more. I completely misjudged this wine the first time since this is built for the long hall. Blackberry, ripe raspberry, briar and some floral quality. I get some spice on the long finish... that coupled with the acidity give it some lift and snap. Not a heavy wine at all, but could use a little more time in the bottle to intergrate.
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4/19/2010 - Jody Smith wrote:
Very different from the last bottle - could be the prep. 4 hour decant. Round and very approachable. None of the rusticity noted previously. Black, plummy fruit with subtle notes of tea leaves. Almost delicate, yet still quite rich. Tannin and acid well concealed, yet sufficently offset the fruit. Nice.
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4/19/2010 - pgb67 wrote: 93 Points
Really pleased with this wine, although I would hold addl bottles for another year or two. Bright, purple color, and a fragrant nose of dark fruit, brambly spices, with a hint of baking spice. A little lighter on its feet than I expected (medium-to-full bodied) with lively flavors that were not deep and complex but delicious nevertheless, showing blackberries and a hint of baked piecrust. Developed some earthiness over time, but held its balance all night.
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4/10/2010 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine:
14.8% ABV. My second bottle of this wine and this bottle seemed more tightly wound than the bottle from mid-January. Dark garnet, translucent in the glass. The nose on this bottle seemed to speak a bit more of earth with a complex brown spice note like earthy coriander seed as opposed to a more clove spice. Rich dark fruit with a suggestion of dried black fruit. Good.
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3/27/2010 - Grape Stuff wrote: 93 Points
2-3 hour decant. Crimson, see-through. Great deep black (blue?) fruits, balanced beautifully by raspberry, red plum, spice and a suvtle floral note with a hint of vanilla cream wrapped in good acidity. Well integrated tannins. This is outstanding zin.
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3/21/2010 - nectar14 wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby color. Nose of pure and fresh raspberries, some brambly underbrush. Whiff of oak, which was not dominant (thankfully). Very broad and smooth, covering the palate well. Juicy but not fruit-bombish. Very enjoyable. A touch sweet, but really really nice.
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3/20/2010 - Brady D wrote: 91 Points
Consumed along side a 1999 Voerzio Cerequio Barolo with a fantastic lamb dinner.
Opaque purple. A powerful nose of dark fruit and brambly spices, spot-on for a zinfandel. Full bodied, tannic, with massive fruit and classic zinfandel elements. No heat and a long finish. This wine is exactly what I look for in a Zinfandel.
The Voerzio's subtlety better complemented the food. The Carlisle actually came across too sweet. After the meal was done, the Voerzio seemed a little too acidic, and the Carlisle truly shined.
I am fascinated by how wines taste with and without food. I suspect if we didn't have the Voerzio, nobody would have noted excessive sweetness in the Carlisle with food. And if we didn't have the Carlisle, nobody would have noticed acidity in the Voerzio after the food was done.
I enjoyed the Carlisle more than the 2006 Carlisle Vineyard drunk at Thanksgiving. Excellent zin.
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3/19/2010 - greenblanket Likes this wine:
This beautiful wine makes a strong case for the value of the field blend. It was bright and lively with big but impeccably fresh fruit accented by a delicious suite of brambly/zinny flavors. Outstanding.
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3/11/2010 - slada wrote: 90 Points
This was opened last after a night of a fair amount of wine.
Dark purple, big purple fruited nose with some brambly spice, coffee, and vanilla; big, tannic and not giving much in the mouth. IMO no where near as good as the '05 and '06 at this point in time, but maybe to soon to drink.
I am also finding liking my zins a bit less big, more syrupy. This was certainly zin, but had a Cali syrah scale to it.
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3/10/2010 - stanford88 wrote: 92 Points
really enjoyed this wine. Great nose of dark fruits and cherry. Color much darker than I anticipated. Great mouth feel and finish. Tons of fruit but not overpowering. Similar to a syrah.
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3/3/2010 - cenberra21 wrote:
Kind of convoluted and difficult to figure on the first night. Drinking much better on the second night. Quite enjoyable.
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2/28/2010 - Ekoostik wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose with really an interesting mix of fruit and smokiness. This wine really seems like more of a field blend than a straight Zin. Darker fruit quickly takes over for the cherry red. Rustic and brambly almost like a light(er) Petite sirah. Finish and structure continues the same as it's framed by good tannin and acid. I think this Zin may benefit quite a bit with some age ( and I typically like to drink my Carlisle Zins young ).
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2/25/2010 - kanab ram wrote:
Not the overripe jammy style as with some Cali zins but a more refined version that continues to possess the varietal's distinct profile. Elegant yet very expressive on the palate and finish. All components seem well harmonized at this stage. Excellent.
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2/1/2010 - mmurry wrote: 91 Points
The nose was a little tight. It may be too young. I decanted it about 5 hours. I did get some raspberry and cherry, a little chocolate, and a hint of bramble towards the end. The palate was more explosive than the nose. It had raspberry and chocolate, and a nice cherry and bramble finish. The acid and tannins were very strong, making me think it needs a few more years. Still good now, though.
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1/27/2010 - silton wrote: 92 Points
Powerful Zin that doesn't come across as kirschy or heavy or overly sweet. Rich, with lots of fruit and some structure on the back end, yet quaffable given its nice sense of lift. Black fruited at the core with touches of spice and earth and purple for complexity. Delicious, and it held my interest. I consider this to be a good QPR (at early release prices).
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1/24/2010 - rwstorer wrote: 89 Points
Dark redish purple in color with a sweet nose of alcohol and black fruit. Upfront flavors of spice, bright blackberry with a sweet cherry syrup finsh. For me there was not enough varietal characteristic and I thought the finsih was just to sweet and extracted for my taste. The wine is nicely constructed and balanced - this was just not my style.
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1/17/2010 - WinstonWolfe wrote: 87 Points
Bitter and hot. On the third day it started to smooth out a bit but this needs time. Out of all of the Carlisle that I've had, this one is my least favorite.
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1/16/2010 - Outplaying wrote:
Not extremely jammy or over the top like a lot of the zins I have come to dislike. This is one of the best I have had in a while.
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1/15/2010 - gutt22 wrote:
14.8% alcohol. Lovely wine, just like all the 2007s from Carlisle. Big, briary nose of blue and black fruits, with a slight hint of oak. In the mouth, just beautiful and pure, with big fruit all the way. Solid acidity and a deliciously long finish. Sure, it's young and still a bit tight, but this is awesome stuff. A-
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1/15/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 94 Points
14,8% ABV. Dark black and pretty much inky in the glass. Classic Carlisle Zin nose of bright spicy boysenberry mixed with clove/backing spices. Rich juicy zinberry/mulberry. Concentrated and approaching full bodied but with acidity to keep it bright. Really lovely aromatics. 93-95.
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1/14/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 93 Points
Needs to be decanted...after a few hours this wine really opened up. Strawberry, brambly red raspberry, white pepper framed with nice tannins. Needs a couple of years to come together, but awesome right now.
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1/6/2010 - LikeABC wrote: 90 Points
After trying to enjoy a bottle of wine over the last two nights (lord knows i tried), i needed a mini slump buster, and this wine did not disappoint.
The 2007 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard (which was planted in 1927) is a blend of 92% Zinfandel and 8% mixed blacks (meaning Carignane, Petite Sirah, Grand Noir, and Alicante Bouchet).
14.8% Alcohol. 550 cases made.
Reddish purple in color. A fantastic nose sweet raspberries, flowers and a touch of brambry earth immediate upon opening (then faded). Not the most complex/extracted Carlisle I've had, but it has great ballance between sweet fruit (more red), acidity and tannins/spice. It may get a little better over the short term, but IMHO this is not a long term ager... i'll drink my other bottles in 1-5 years.
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12/30/2009 - neurovino wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and balanced zin. Not nearly as heavy as some of the high alc high extraction zins from California that have been making the rounds recently. This a is strong but comparatively restrained zin. Excellent quality, but not sure it's worth the price.
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12/29/2009 - bubbachumps wrote: 91 Points
Dark raspberry/cherry and some fresh earth on the nose. Some serious lift in the mouth, with charcoal on the palate. A lighter style than I am used to with a Carlisle zin. The acid level is borderline obtrusive, would go well with some bbq.
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12/28/2009 - greenblanket wrote:
Youngish but very very good with noticeably lower levels of alcohol and overall ripeness than most of Greenblanket's other Carlisle experiences. "Only" 14.8% alcohol. It brought a bouquet and flavors of dark raspberry, pepper and spicy underbrush. The flavors and fresh acidity went well with leftover chili and osso bucco.
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12/25/2009 - PIntag wrote: 91 Points
What can you say about Carlisle zins? They always seem to deliver. Big and bold brambly flavors but also a "freshness" that really defines their wines to me. Great baking spices as well and very smooth. Great wine, but I think I prefer the 2007 Papera Ranch bottling just a bit more.
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12/25/2009 - RSK wrote: 91 Points
Peppery rasberry with a bit of heat, good structure.
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12/22/2009 - cmr wrote: 86 Points
Very disappointed the first night. May just not be made in a style that I look for in a Zin but even so this just wasn't all that great for the money. On the nose really just reminded me of a syrah quite a bit and as I drank more reminded me of some of the 07 Rhones I've been drinking. Dark fruit some earth but rather tart. Saved a bunch for second night and if better will update.
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12/19/2009 - ews3 wrote: 90 Points
Cheers to the Record Snowfall (Roberts House): very fruity, with lots of plum and boysenberry. jammy fruit, but also somewhat restrained and not overly sweet. medium(-) finish is a little disappointing.
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12/19/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote: 87 Points
Random Wines on Snowbound Night (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Juicy. Peppery. both white and black. Jammy black fruit. Palate has good fruit concentration. A little over the top. Slight bit of heat. Good wine, but lacking a little complexity.
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12/7/2009 - Haltermr wrote: 93 Points
Full spectrum of high notes to low notes on the nose. Raspberry, blackberry, white pepper, orange peel, violets, green spices, vanilla on the nose. Creamy full entry lifted by nice acidity, med long finish. Really a fantastic wine. Could go a long time, but I like it right now.
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11/24/2009 - Jody Smith wrote:
Juicy, rustic black fruit. Loaded with peppery extract. Very Syrah like in its flavor and aromatic profile. Huge, with a firm structure sets this up for some needed short term cellaring. Very interesting wine, both primal, and serious. Excellent.
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