The wine is a deep, saturated maroon color with a touch of bricking at the edge. The very pleasing and inviting nose features blackberries, licorice, tree bark, leather, meat juices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of Asian spices. The wine is fairly full bodied with nice, ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there are nice, spicy berries with just a touch of earthiness and a hit of dark chocolate. Even though the nose and palate are top notch, the finish is probably the best part of the wine. The finish is very long and loaded with berries, chocolate, dried herbs, and earthiness with just a bit of a meaty element. The length is incredible! There are absolutely no rough edges or any overly dominant taste or aromas in this wine. This wine is in a perfect drinking window, if I had more I'd recommend drinking over the next year or two.
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Enjoyable with a great QPR. Not as balanced and complex as some, but quite nice for the price. Solid fruit and fully mature at this point with perhaps a bit too much alcohol to be well-balanced.
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Decanted about 20 min. While quite purple and dark, this was actually quite medium bodied. Sort of on the raspberry side of blackberry - gee black raspberry I guess. I had not had this in over 2 years, this now seems fully mature to me, no particular tannins, even starting to fade a bit. Still some nice spice though. Interesting change of pace. 75% Mourvedre, with the rest mainly PS, with some Alicante Bouchet and 5% 'Valdepenas'. On the Carlisle website this is referred to as Carignane while others seem to think it is Tempranillo.
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Ultra dark red purple to the rim. This wine is thick, meaty, leathery, and brackish on the nose just oozing dark berry aromas along with notes of cinnamon, leaves, asphalt, and violets. I think it would be very hard to mistake the nose for anything but Mourvèdre. The palate offers gorgeous ripe berry flavors and what I suspect are astringent tannins but you wouldn't know because of the concentrated fruit. There is also great acidity, leathery tones to the fruit, and sweet flowery currant through the finish. This has to be one of the most unique wines coming out of California. Decanted and followed over several hours.
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a nice wine but it didn't wow me. Joan liked it more than me. I guess I'm not a fan of Cali Mouved. a very well made wine like all Carlisles that should drink well for at least the next few years and probably more.
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Superb again. Intoxicating nose of perfectly ripe blackberry, intense white pepper, licorice root and a funky, animal edge. The palate adds juicy raspberry and a floral element. The finish has a wonderful agility with dusty stone and pepper. After a couple of hours the alcohol showed just a little and it became slightly porty. Drink now.
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This wine is delicious! Dark dark purple with a sweet nose of spice and cherry fruit. The palate is amazing with in-your-face fruit galore, raspberry, cherry, spice. This has the depth and backbone to go many more years. Wish I had enough left to follow it's development. (only have one more) great bottle now. I will try to wait a few year for the last bottle.
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This is often one of my favorite wines and this bottle was no exception. Rich and complex with a rustice finish-complemented Chez Panisse soup and pizza perfectly.
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love the carlisle very dark this is an interesting blend and the flavors that come at you are as well. some light purple fruit tied up in some mediteranean type herbs. Raspberry acidity and a nice high note going from attack to finish.
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Wow, one of the best Carlisle's I have had, a stunning wine and for... 29 bucks. Mike Officer RULES! A nice enough nose, but nothing I would write home about. Then... YES! The blue and blackberry fruit is perfectly presented, not too in-your-face, but not too in-the-background for my admittedly new-world palate. Very welcome pepper and spice coming from the Alicante(??), a bit of mocha from the Petite, delicious Mourvedre body to this wine.
Some herbal, maybe stemmy notes that actually integrate perfectly into this brambly, balanced southern-styled wine that will drink well for years to come. That said, I don't know if I can keep my hands off the other bottle I have.
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Wow, another fabulous Carlisle nose - intense blackberry and brambly raspberry, bubblegum, wild flowers and a dark, deep animal funk. Forceful palate of blackberry and cherry fruits, white pepper and licorice. Peppery, lively finish. Much improved from a year and a half ago. Incredible QPR.
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Certainly enjoyable, but just not my cup of tea. Great color, fruit, and intesity. Yet, I can't get past the herbal, almost foxy, notes which seem to overpower the fruit. I don't remember them being so pronounced last time I tried this.
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This has come together quite well, and is no longer hot and disjointed as I found it a year ago. It is still a big, somewhat monolithic wine, but it's loaded with fruit and personality. Still quite tannic, I think this actually has the stuffing to age for another 5 to 10 years, and may improve significantly more.
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Opened this after a Dr Loosen Reisling (my wife said it tasted like kool-aid and wouldn't drink it) This wine is the anti kool-aid. Immediatly the color filled the glasswith a dark, almost opaque garnet with purlple near the edges (this has a little alicante bouschet which seems to affer a distinctive color even in small quanities). straight out of the bottle the fragrances jump from the glass, dark spicey brambles, a little dark cherry pie, maybe even allspice and clove. The mouth feel is huge, sticking to your teeth--" chewable". The flavors have much fruit, but are more emphatically "woodland" flavors" with hints of fresh cut wood, mushrooms and leaves--very hard to describe, but very satisfying (almost like an italian aglianico). With time a clear dark chocolate flavor arose which, by the way, complimented the chocolate which we had later in the meal. The fruit seems to come out again more in the finish, clinging in the mouth as if you've never really swallowed. I love this wine!
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Very big wine...There was a great deal of depth, and so many different tastes and smells -- probably from the blend of different grapes. I really enjoyed it, and look forward to my other bottle.
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Following the 03 Carlisle Bennett Syrah this wine seemed rather reserved and even elegant. A restrained nose of funky wet earth, raspberries and a horsey edge. Gentle dark fruits and earthy elements on the palate. Moderate length on the finish. The 04 I tasted last week had much more intense fruit and energy.
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Napa-Noma Trip: Barrel Sample - black appearance in the glass. Lovely, classic Two Acres nose. Peppery, slightly animal, and wild with dense berry fruit. Nice complexity. Added flavors of mint and wax. A bit tannic. Good juice. This is sitting at about 16.2% alcohol this year, I think that is about 1% higher than years past.
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9/24/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 95 Points
The wine is a deep, saturated maroon color with a touch of bricking at the edge. The very pleasing and inviting nose features blackberries, licorice, tree bark, leather, meat juices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of Asian spices. The wine is fairly full bodied with nice, ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there are nice, spicy berries with just a touch of earthiness and a hit of dark chocolate. Even though the nose and palate are top notch, the finish is probably the best part of the wine. The finish is very long and loaded with berries, chocolate, dried herbs, and earthiness with just a bit of a meaty element. The length is incredible! There are absolutely no rough edges or any overly dominant taste or aromas in this wine. This wine is in a perfect drinking window, if I had more I'd recommend drinking over the next year or two.
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3/18/2012 - Erik R. wrote: 87 Points
not giving off any nose really, and the tannins and heat have outlasted the fruit I'm afraid. Just a bit hollow.
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2/8/2011 - MLwine wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable with a great QPR. Not as balanced and complex as some, but quite nice for the price. Solid fruit and fully mature at this point with perhaps a bit too much alcohol to be well-balanced.
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8/9/2010 - jdiv wrote:
Decanted about 20 min. While quite purple and dark, this was actually quite medium bodied. Sort of on the raspberry side of blackberry - gee black raspberry I guess. I had not had this in over 2 years, this now seems fully mature to me, no particular tannins, even starting to fade a bit. Still some nice spice though. Interesting change of pace. 75% Mourvedre, with the rest mainly PS, with some Alicante Bouchet and 5% 'Valdepenas'. On the Carlisle website this is referred to as Carignane while others seem to think it is Tempranillo.
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3/28/2009 - dsimmons wrote: 92 Points
The last bottle of this wine with a pheasant casserole. Delicious. Sorry that I do not have more as this wine still is delicious
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12/31/2008 - Badfish wrote: 93 Points
Ultra dark red purple to the rim. This wine is thick, meaty, leathery, and brackish on the nose just oozing dark berry aromas along with notes of cinnamon, leaves, asphalt, and violets. I think it would be very hard to mistake the nose for anything but Mourvèdre. The palate offers gorgeous ripe berry flavors and what I suspect are astringent tannins but you wouldn't know because of the concentrated fruit. There is also great acidity, leathery tones to the fruit, and sweet flowery currant through the finish. This has to be one of the most unique wines coming out of California. Decanted and followed over several hours.
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12/28/2008 - Screameagle wrote: 90 Points
a nice wine but it didn't wow me. Joan liked it more than me. I guess I'm not a fan of Cali Mouved. a very well made wine like all Carlisles that should drink well for at least the next few years and probably more.
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10/20/2008 - zheem wrote:
Drinking very well right now, and usually one of my favorite wines. Very full flavored but balanced.
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8/1/2008 - Rob A wrote: 90 Points
Big and brooding, yet balanced and not overly heavy. The alcohol was well-integrated, surprisingly. A well made wine, just not my favorite Carlisle.
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2/20/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Superb again. Intoxicating nose of perfectly ripe blackberry, intense white pepper, licorice root and a funky, animal edge. The palate adds juicy raspberry and a floral element. The finish has a wonderful agility with dusty stone and pepper. After a couple of hours the alcohol showed just a little and it became slightly porty. Drink now.
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1/12/2008 - Mr T wrote:
quick pour. took a few minutes to blow off the heat and then very pleasant. somehow keeps its balance
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11/2/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 94 Points
This wine is delicious! Dark dark purple with a sweet nose of spice and cherry fruit. The palate is amazing with in-your-face fruit galore, raspberry, cherry, spice. This has the depth and backbone to go many more years. Wish I had enough left to follow it's development. (only have one more) great bottle now. I will try to wait a few year for the last bottle.
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10/27/2007 - zheem wrote:
This is often one of my favorite wines and this bottle was no exception. Rich and complex with a rustice finish-complemented Chez Panisse soup and pizza perfectly.
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10/8/2007 - AlexRed wrote: 90 Points
love the carlisle
very dark
this is an interesting blend and the flavors that come at you are as well. some light purple fruit tied up in some mediteranean type herbs. Raspberry acidity and a nice high note going from attack to finish.
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10/6/2007 - jbposell wrote:
Wow, one of the best Carlisle's I have had, a stunning wine and for... 29 bucks. Mike Officer RULES! A nice enough nose, but nothing I would write home about. Then... YES! The blue and blackberry fruit is perfectly presented, not too in-your-face, but not too in-the-background for my admittedly new-world palate. Very welcome pepper and spice coming from the Alicante(??), a bit of mocha from the Petite, delicious Mourvedre body to this wine.
Some herbal, maybe stemmy notes that actually integrate perfectly into this brambly, balanced southern-styled wine that will drink well for years to come. That said, I don't know if I can keep my hands off the other bottle I have.
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6/28/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 93 Points
Wow, another fabulous Carlisle nose - intense blackberry and brambly raspberry, bubblegum, wild flowers and a dark, deep animal funk. Forceful palate of blackberry and cherry fruits, white pepper and licorice. Peppery, lively finish. Much improved from a year and a half ago. Incredible QPR.
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5/4/2007 - dsimmons wrote: 93 Points
This wine is drinking wery nicely right now. Great bottle
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4/12/2007 - Crackers wrote: 89 Points
Certainly enjoyable, but just not my cup of tea. Great color, fruit, and intesity. Yet, I can't get past the herbal, almost foxy, notes which seem to overpower the fruit. I don't remember them being so pronounced last time I tried this.
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1/22/2007 - Spencer wrote: 89 Points
This has come together quite well, and is no longer hot and disjointed as I found it a year ago. It is still a big, somewhat monolithic wine, but it's loaded with fruit and personality. Still quite tannic, I think this actually has the stuffing to age for another 5 to 10 years, and may improve significantly more.
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8/11/2006 - d7jersey wrote: 89 Points
needs time still
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7/13/2006 - zheem wrote: 95 Points
Opened this after a Dr Loosen Reisling (my wife said it tasted like kool-aid and wouldn't drink it) This wine is the anti kool-aid. Immediatly the color filled the glasswith a dark, almost opaque garnet with purlple near the edges (this has a little alicante bouschet which seems to affer a distinctive color even in small quanities). straight out of the bottle the fragrances jump from the glass, dark spicey brambles, a little dark cherry pie, maybe even allspice and clove. The mouth feel is huge, sticking to your teeth--" chewable". The flavors have much fruit, but are more emphatically "woodland" flavors" with hints of fresh cut wood, mushrooms and leaves--very hard to describe, but very satisfying (almost like an italian aglianico). With time a clear dark chocolate flavor arose which, by the way, complimented the chocolate which we had later in the meal. The fruit seems to come out again more in the finish, clinging in the mouth as if you've never really swallowed. I love this wine!
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7/4/2006 - lorenzo wrote:
chris brian dem
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3/18/2006 - jebbeling wrote: 90 Points
Very big wine...There was a great deal of depth, and so many different tastes and smells -- probably from the blend of different grapes. I really enjoyed it, and look forward to my other bottle.
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2/9/2006 - DCHeel84 wrote: 88 Points
Smooth, complicated, not much of a finish.
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12/19/2005 - pgordon62 wrote: 89 Points
Following the 03 Carlisle Bennett Syrah this wine seemed rather reserved and even elegant. A restrained nose of funky wet earth, raspberries and a horsey edge. Gentle dark fruits and earthy elements on the palate. Moderate length on the finish. The 04 I tasted last week had much more intense fruit and energy.
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11/14/2005 - Spencer wrote: 86 Points
Yikes! I hope this settles down a bit, because at the moment it is very disjointed, hot, and monolithic. Really pushing the ripeness envelope.
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6/4/2004 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Napa-Noma Trip: Barrel Sample - black appearance in the glass. Lovely, classic Two Acres nose. Peppery, slightly animal, and wild with dense berry fruit. Nice complexity. Added flavors of mint and wax. A bit tannic. Good juice. This is sitting at about 16.2% alcohol this year, I think that is about 1% higher than years past.
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