So the 2007 Papera zin is easily a top 5 zin for me ever, so I was excited to pop a Carignane from the same vineyard/variety. I had this wine years ago but didn't take a note, but I recall digging it.....just like I did this bottle. Deep purple color with little/no bricking but throwing a ton of fine sediment. On the palate it's medium bodied and almost juicy thanks to all the acidity. Red fruits and a hint of leather on the palate. Tasty but a tiny bit rustic....which is often par for the course with Carignane. Really enjoyable but definitely a drink now kinda wine, as the fruit will continue to fade in the near/mid-term. Great stuff @carlislewinery !!
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Bright, translucent cherry red in color. Not much on the nose, faint cherry aroma. Soft on the palate, cherry, some black cherry accents. Deepens with air. Fine tannins, decent acidity, good balance. Nice minerality. Finishes short and undistinguished. Perfectly nice, not great. Better than my last bottle a year ago, but I don't think it's going to get better with more aging. I'd drink over the next 2 years.
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Still plenty of life left in these bottles. Decanted for 45 min and let the alcohol blow off a little. Better balance than the previous bottle I opened last year. Nice spice and a long finish. Second night was more fruit filled but still very good.
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Ruby red in color. Strawberry/cherry nose. Opened, tasted and left for 60 minutes. After being open that time, the palate showed cherry, sharp spice. The fruit was varietally correct, but not impressive. Seemed just a tad hot (14.1% ABV which isn't that high). Soft tannins, harsh acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes moderately long with muted cherry and spice notes. Not bad, but probably better 2 to 3 years ago.
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The Carignane grapes is usually used as a small additive to blends, but this wine features this grape instead. Light nose and a palate of tart cherries, herbal notes, spices, and good acidity that paired wonderfully with Guinness Shepherds Pie. As always, wonderfully balanced with no heat on the finish...the hallmark of Carlisle wines.
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Wines with Friends (and Game 4) (Chris and Renee's): I won't score it as it ha been opened the night before (kept in the fridge and allowed to warm up). It seemed about 88/89 which is pretty good for this wine at 9 years from vintage. It had some nice cherry fruit with a charred/earthy undertone. Good acidity. Still plenty of fruit. No tannins. Nice finish. Went well with food. I meant to ask Chris if it was better or worse on Day 2.
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I love single varietal wines of blending grapes. First time trying a Carignane. Splash decanted and drank over next two hours. Medium body. Purple-red. Tart cherries, cranberries, nice spice. Too tart/sour to drink without food, but good with pizza. Interesting.
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Carlisle (Shari's condo): This has been a nice wine to follow. It never really changed that much since the first bottle I opened in 2011. There is a Carlisle profile on a leaner frame. Some herbs, tar. Higher acids than their zins or syrah, which to me is a positive.
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Carlisle Tasting (Shari's, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. Tasting pour. Cherry, plum, deep, nose, spice, dried spice, pepper; some wood and cedarbox, medium plus bodied and a consistent palate overall. Just well done and balanced. mOne of my favorites of the tasting.
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Carlisle Papera Ranch Carignan 2007: the rim of bottle around the cork had a white, crystalline lining, which I wiped off with a towel. The cork was "squishy" and semi-saturated with wine. Nevertheless, this 8 year old wine was a good, if not great, showing for Carlisle. Color was very deep purple. One guest declared that it was the best Carlisle she'd tasted so far (previous experience of 4 others). I tasted a pleasant "tart cherries stomped on by muddle work boots" flavor, with a long, slightly alcoholic finish. I bought the bottle from an online auction about six months ago. I would guess that my Carlisle bottle probably saw a little rough handling in its lifetime, but it performed better than many wines on the market today.
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Upon p&p the nose had some sulfur funk which blew off after about 30 minutes. Nose is rich with a mix of red and blue fruits. The palate is also rich with excellent structure and weight. There's plenty of spicy, dark red fruit flavors here supported by mouthwatering acidity that has a salty edge to it. Very enjoyable wine though CA Carignane may best be suited as a blending grape given the somewhat monolithic flavor profile of this wine.
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Date is approximate. At a football tailgate. I am writing this 5 months later as I clean up my cellar records and realize this is no longer down there. I remember this wine well because one of the guests kept referring to this a Car-IG-NayNee. It was dark and brooding. It was acidic. I just checked the acidity compared to the 2007 zinfandels and the Carginane is 20 ph basis points lower. I thought there was a citrus component to this, almost like grapefruit. I had noticed that in previous South American Carignanes. there was also dark fruit and some meatyness to this wine.
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Opened this bottle not remembering that I had tired this in 2011. Boy, this wine has blossomed in four years.
Cork was a bit soft, which surprised me, but the wine was really nice. Color was quite dark. Unlike my 2011 note, both the nose and palate were full of red currant. Red fruits and spice too. Really lovely. Amazing how things improve with age. Forgive the brevity, but I was cooking and could not pay too much attention to this bottle except to say: enjoy it. Clearly a new world (in a good way) representation of this grape varietal without the excess oak.
Convinced that anything form this vineyard gets the nod.
Notes on back of bottle say: " From vines planted in 1934 by Charley Papera. A splash of Zinfandel for aroma and body. Approximately 150 cases produced. Enjoy!" I did!
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Medium-bodied, soft dark red fruit, slightly chewy, touch of spice, backbone of tannin, very good structure, medium finish, wine lacked the complexity and richness of fruit found in Carlisle Zins and Syrahs
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Given the vintage, I expected this may have some bigger tones, and it did mainly in the aromatics. It's got a bit of that cologne/soapy aromatic that I associate to wines that exude higher ABV. A bit of that was here. What I found cool with this bottle, however, is that when I paired it up with food, it for me transformed. The red fruit, the cracked spice and the remaining acidity went great with the spinach salad we had, which may sound odd. It was dressed with a poppy seed dressing, raspberry and strawberry. And, I found the wine still very youthful, in that the finish reflected some real structure. Not much of this was made but for whomever may still own these, my advice would be to decant, recognize there is some size here but this went well with dinner and I enjoyed it.
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Book Club (Maro Grill, Laguna Beach): Blind - guessed Syrah and California, and felt good about it. Not. This likes like a big syrah in the glass. There's some heat and the legs are streaming down the glass but it's only 14+% ABV. Nose is blood, iron, stone, and dark fruit. Palate is prickly tannins and tart blackberry, ripe raspberry, and brush. Cool wine.
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Has an awesome violet, slightly perfum-y nose. Tastes like a purple jolly rancher minus the sweetness, plus a bit of a tart cranberry/pomegranate thing and some rusticness. Medium to high acid, little tannin. Pretty cool wine. Kind of like half malbec for the purpleness, half Grenache for the candy. More concentrated and delicious on day two. Bargain price.
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Purple, lots of purple. I found this more interesting than delicious. Feel like it highlights why Carignane is a blending grape more than a stand alone.
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This does in fact go well with food, although it still has that classic Carlisle nose and taste, and it has taken on weight since I last had it. For $23 including shipping this is a fabulous wine. I would drink these now or within 1 year just to be on the safe side.
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Solid, but not a standout. Deep purple coloring. Black fruit and a touch of tar. Some at table wondered about TCA but I thought the wine was clean. An interesting bottling, but needed a bit more brightness to balanace the depth of fruit.
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Consistent with earlier notes, this was enjoyable accompaniment to dinner (ribs and salmon--worked with both) with the acidity making it very food friendly. Not familiar with Carignane, and it would have been fun to follow this bottle over a longer period; but drinking well now.
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I didn't know what to expect with this one as I'm not familiar with carignane as the main varietal. Right off the bat you get classic Carlisle aromas and flavours. Lots of fruit, more black and darker at first that turned to red fruits as it opened. I love the lighter body and the healthy dose of acidity in the wine. I would buy this every year. I see I paid 17 bucks - are you kidding me?!
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Went from good to very good with about an hour of air. Dark cherries and blackberries on the nose. Blackberry/black currant up front on the palate, then a wave of acid hits followed by structured tannins and a long acidic red fruit finish. Complex, structured and very nice for the price.
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14.1% alcohol. From the historic Papera Ranch vineyard planted in 1934 by Charlie Papera. This is an exceptional vineyard that produces wonderful wines by the likes of Carlisle, Williams Selyem, Bedrock and Novy. About 88% of this 14 acre vineyard is Zinfandel with 10% Carignane and the rest “mixed blacks.”
Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, black cherry with an appealing back palate tease of concentrated raspberry. Exceptional balance with a bracing acidic backbone. Lingering aftertaste. As delicious as it is fascinating.
By the way I have discovered a few Carignane’s from historic vineyards lately. Of course there is Ridge’s iconic “Geyserville” blend, which is usually about ¼ Carignane. Neyers makes a delicious one from the historic Evangehlo Vineyard in Contra Costa County. I just discovered another one from Santa Clara County, which I’m keeping to myself for the time being!
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Greenblanket loved this wine - it brought nice juicy red fruit and spice backed by a slight but gratifying undertow of rustic complexity that is all too uncommon in American wines. A very well made and seemingly honest California table wine.
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Fruit forward, spicy and meaty. A bit raw and needs some more time to smooth out, but still a very enjoyable wine. This is an old vine Caginane. We visited with Mike Officer and tw weeks ago and he told us about the fireld blends in some of the old vine zins that involve as many as 35 different varieties. The back of this bottle says there is some zin in it, but I don;t know whether that's just a field blend or a deliberate blending decision by Mike. Regardless, this wines got enjoyable complexity that may be a function of the blend. There is a bit of citrus flavor in the overall flavor profile that reminds of grapefruit, which is a flavor I noticed once before in Carignane from South America. I checked the alcohol level and its something in the low 14s. Not especially notable. All in all, a very nice and enjoyable wine that I think will flower with some patience.
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Lighter in color and weight than I would have expected. Pleasant, but not terribly complex. Red fruits with dusty tannins. I would drink this in the near term.
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Very enjoyable wine with nice sour cherry fruit. I often think of cranberries when tsting this varital especially those from France, but this has earth and sour cherries. Very pleasant but rustic compared to other full throttle wines from Carlisle. Great for price and I would enjoy it anytime.
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What can I say? Just delicious. Like a petite sirah with a california pinot body, to wit, a bit one dimensional and somewhat light-bodied but very appealing. Comparable: Twiggy or Ron Guidry. I'll edit with second night tasting. Kudos to Carlisle for bottling this varietal in 2007.
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Really enjoyed this, plus it's an absolute bargain. It's a bit lighter in body than most Carlisles, and easier to drink and especially versatile at the table. I like the Carlisle style but there is a bit of "less is more" going on with this bottle. While apparently a one-off bottling, I would gladly purchase it again.
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Purchased directly from the winery and pulled from cellar. Nice red color with a few years to go. Nose out of the gate is closed with some dustiness, but it does open up with about ten minutes of time. Flavors include cherry, ham, citrus, some tea, red apple/watermelon and a finish of red cherry and an ever so slight element of star anise. Finish is a bit short, with some lean tannins rapped in cherry and a bit of citrus. Perhaps that is typical for Carignane and for a wine that has only been an open for about an hour. More to come tomorrow night.
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A very nice bottle - rustic, with an earthy core that finishes with a distinct sour cherry note. I am glad I have four more. Paired very nicely with bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with fennel and apricot.
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14.1% ABV. Slightly translucent dark garnet in the glass. Slightly rustic and seemingly italian on. This occasion with a red fruit, leather, pepper, and rocky nose. Medium full bodied with more black fruit On tHe palate. Decent.
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14.1% alcohol. Served blind. Dark red color. Pretty nose of dark fruit with a bit of floral and herbal notes that are quite light. In the mouth, this drinks with a bit more rusticity than the Swan, which was served side-by-side. Overtly fruity and not overly complex, but a good drink for sure. A-
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Has the Carlisle mouth-feel and blue fruits. A bit more acidic and lean than others. This may actually go well with food instead of drinking it by itself. A decent value at $23.
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interesting inky nose w a little earth and soy. the palate is medium and dusty with earth...bright berries and a bit of herbs. very gripping tannins. good w food but needs time
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Dark garnet. Beautiful, lightly perfumed aroma. Soft, ultra-rich body. Impeccably smooth and well balanced. Blue & red fruits. Fruity without being overly so. Super delicious. Food friendly & versatile.
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Nose: Some rustic aromas of tree bark, prairie meadow, flowers and moss. The aromas are very understated. Palate: As many others have noted this is a very soft styled wine, typical of the predominant varietal Carignane. Bright and persistant acid mingles deftly with blue and red fruits and a soft landing of a finish. While somewhat un-Carlisle like this is a very nice wine that has impeccable balance.
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14.1% alcohol. 91% alcohol, 9% Zinfandel from RRVs historic Papera Ranch Vineyard, planted in 1934. Carignane is a staple in some of California's iconic field blend wines (Ridge Geyserville tends to be about 20% Carignane for example) and I was interested in tasting a fairly pure example of the variety. Along with excellent fruit character and balance (a Carlisle trademark) the key takeaways for me were the rich, silky mouthfeel and the nice acidic backbone. A fascinating and very enjoyable wine.
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14.1% ABV. Brief note - Slightly translucent dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of red fruit, a chocolate note, and a bit of pepper. Medium full bodied with dark red fruits. This is a satisfying wine, but not one that really made me sit up and take notice. That said, it is probably the best Carignane-dominant wine I've had out of the dozen or so I've tasted over the years, which I guess I should have expected from Mike O.
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Good stuff and a very good QPR. I'd say drink over the next couple of years. The first Carignane I've ever had; I must say I was pleasantly surprised here, though I guess it's not all that surprising given it's a Carlisle.
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One of the most impressive QPRs of recent memory. Cocoa and black fruits are complemented by light herbs, soy, and pepper. Has a nice sense of lift on the nicely tapered and medium length finish. Versatile wine that is showing well now; recommend 1-2 hour decant.
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Really a change of pace type of wine for Carlisle drinkers and very nice at that. Very Carlisle in that it has the fruit extraction and depth but the varietal makes an interesting match. Definitely has a bit of a green/lean streak, but not overwhelming so. If you can handle some leanness then the wine really has good underlying fruit and nice acidity and structure. I could see this lasting quite awhile, but for me I think it best in the near term.
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Really enjoyed this bottle. Deep, inky purple-black color. So much Chocolate and Root beer on the nose. I wanted to just sniff this glass for hours!! Really nice on the frontal attack, with loads of chocolate covered berry and oak, this finished with some spice that I found quite nice as a drink alone wine. Not sure what to pair this with, but very enjoyable on it's own!~
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Reminiscent of Northern Rhone-style juice, with nice depth and concentration. First night was a bit green, lacking fruit. Second night really opened up with raspberry and boisenberry, medium finish with white pepper on back end. One of the top food-friendly Carlisle's I've drank.
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This needs quite a bit of air, as there is a good dose of sulfur on the nose. What an interesting wine, chocked with dark, dense, but reserved black raspberry fruit, hints of tar and camphor, finishing with a wash of beautiful acidity that helps saturate the palate and bring zip and freshness. There is a lot going on here, with interesting complexities weaving in and out. Just terrific.
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1/29/2023 - RichEB1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
So the 2007 Papera zin is easily a top 5 zin for me ever, so I was excited to pop a Carignane from the same vineyard/variety. I had this wine years ago but didn't take a note, but I recall digging it.....just like I did this bottle. Deep purple color with little/no bricking but throwing a ton of fine sediment. On the palate it's medium bodied and almost juicy thanks to all the acidity. Red fruits and a hint of leather on the palate. Tasty but a tiny bit rustic....which is often par for the course with Carignane. Really enjoyable but definitely a drink now kinda wine, as the fruit will continue to fade in the near/mid-term. Great stuff @carlislewinery !!
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9/24/2022 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 88 Points
Bright, translucent cherry red in color. Not much on the nose, faint cherry aroma. Soft on the palate, cherry, some black cherry accents. Deepens with air. Fine tannins, decent acidity, good balance. Nice minerality. Finishes short and undistinguished. Perfectly nice, not great. Better than my last bottle a year ago, but I don't think it's going to get better with more aging. I'd drink over the next 2 years.
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8/29/2021 - Zvillan Likes this wine:
Still plenty of life left in these bottles. Decanted for 45 min and let the alcohol blow off a little. Better balance than the previous bottle I opened last year. Nice spice and a long finish. Second night was more fruit filled but still very good.
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4/26/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 90 Points
MDANIEL describes it perfectly below. Check their note. My bottle was nicely fresh and I think it just made it into outstanding territory.
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2/11/2021 - Charlie C wrote: 85 Points
Ruby red in color. Strawberry/cherry nose. Opened, tasted and left for 60 minutes. After being open that time, the palate showed cherry, sharp spice. The fruit was varietally correct, but not impressive. Seemed just a tad hot (14.1% ABV which isn't that high). Soft tannins, harsh acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes moderately long with muted cherry and spice notes. Not bad, but probably better 2 to 3 years ago.
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6/3/2018 - Ed B wrote: 90 Points
PnP at a potluck. No detailed notes. Very interesting. Throughly enjoyed, but not an everyday wine. Now softened up enuf to drink without food.
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12/18/2016 - mdaniel wrote: 89 Points
The Carignane grapes is usually used as a small additive to blends, but this wine features this grape instead. Light nose and a palate of tart cherries, herbal notes, spices, and good acidity that paired wonderfully with Guinness Shepherds Pie. As always, wonderfully balanced with no heat on the finish...the hallmark of Carlisle wines.
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10/30/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote:
Wines with Friends (and Game 4) (Chris and Renee's): I won't score it as it ha been opened the night before (kept in the fridge and allowed to warm up). It seemed about 88/89 which is pretty good for this wine at 9 years from vintage. It had some nice cherry fruit with a charred/earthy undertone. Good acidity. Still plenty of fruit. No tannins. Nice finish. Went well with food. I meant to ask Chris if it was better or worse on Day 2.
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10/18/2016 - Ed B wrote: 90 Points
I love single varietal wines of blending grapes. First time trying a Carignane. Splash decanted and drank over next two hours. Medium body. Purple-red. Tart cherries, cranberries, nice spice. Too tart/sour to drink without food, but good with pizza. Interesting.
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5/22/2016 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
Carlisle (Shari's condo): This has been a nice wine to follow. It never really changed that much since the first bottle I opened in 2011. There is a Carlisle profile on a leaner frame. Some herbs, tar. Higher acids than their zins or syrah, which to me is a positive.
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5/21/2016 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Carlisle Tasting (Shari's, Mpls, MN): Very dark red color. Tasting pour. Cherry, plum, deep, nose, spice, dried spice, pepper; some wood and cedarbox, medium plus bodied and a consistent palate overall. Just well done and balanced. mOne of my favorites of the tasting.
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5/19/2016 - budman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cherries and blueberries. Drinking extremely well now.
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1/15/2016 - DrewGoin Likes this wine:
Carlisle Papera Ranch Carignan 2007: the rim of bottle around the cork had a white, crystalline lining, which I wiped off with a towel. The cork was "squishy" and semi-saturated with wine. Nevertheless, this 8 year old wine was a good, if not great, showing for Carlisle. Color was very deep purple. One guest declared that it was the best Carlisle she'd tasted so far (previous experience of 4 others). I tasted a pleasant "tart cherries stomped on by muddle work boots" flavor, with a long, slightly alcoholic finish. I bought the bottle from an online auction about six months ago. I would guess that my Carlisle bottle probably saw a little rough handling in its lifetime, but it performed better than many wines on the market today.
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11/13/2015 - bound4er wrote: 91 Points
Upon p&p the nose had some sulfur funk which blew off after about 30 minutes. Nose is rich with a mix of red and blue fruits. The palate is also rich with excellent structure and weight. There's plenty of spicy, dark red fruit flavors here supported by mouthwatering acidity that has a salty edge to it. Very enjoyable wine though CA Carignane may best be suited as a blending grape given the somewhat monolithic flavor profile of this wine.
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11/1/2015 - Jay Hack Likes this wine: 90 Points
Date is approximate. At a football tailgate. I am writing this 5 months later as I clean up my cellar records and realize this is no longer down there. I remember this wine well because one of the guests kept referring to this a Car-IG-NayNee. It was dark and brooding. It was acidic. I just checked the acidity compared to the 2007 zinfandels and the Carginane is 20 ph basis points lower. I thought there was a citrus component to this, almost like grapefruit. I had noticed that in previous South American Carignanes. there was also dark fruit and some meatyness to this wine.
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10/2/2015 - John Dunlap wrote: 91 Points
Opened this bottle not remembering that I had tired this in 2011. Boy, this wine has blossomed in four years.
Cork was a bit soft, which surprised me, but the wine was really nice. Color was quite dark. Unlike my 2011 note, both the nose and palate were full of red currant. Red fruits and spice too. Really lovely. Amazing how things improve with age. Forgive the brevity, but I was cooking and could not pay too much attention to this bottle except to say: enjoy it. Clearly a new world (in a good way) representation of this grape varietal without the excess oak.
Convinced that anything form this vineyard gets the nod.
Notes on back of bottle say: " From vines planted in 1934 by Charley Papera. A splash of Zinfandel for aroma and body. Approximately 150 cases produced. Enjoy!" I did!
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7/7/2015 - snarfglk wrote: 90 Points
Very nice rendition of primarily a blending grape in the Southern Rhone Valley of France. I could have more of this if available.
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7/3/2015 - Amerique wrote: 90 Points
Medium-bodied, soft dark red fruit, slightly chewy, touch of spice, backbone of tannin, very good structure, medium finish, wine lacked the complexity and richness of fruit found in Carlisle Zins and Syrahs
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5/7/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Given the vintage, I expected this may have some bigger tones, and it did mainly in the aromatics. It's got a bit of that cologne/soapy aromatic that I associate to wines that exude higher ABV. A bit of that was here. What I found cool with this bottle, however, is that when I paired it up with food, it for me transformed. The red fruit, the cracked spice and the remaining acidity went great with the spinach salad we had, which may sound odd. It was dressed with a poppy seed dressing, raspberry and strawberry. And, I found the wine still very youthful, in that the finish reflected some real structure. Not much of this was made but for whomever may still own these, my advice would be to decant, recognize there is some size here but this went well with dinner and I enjoyed it.
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5/7/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
Book Club (Maro Grill, Laguna Beach): Blind - guessed Syrah and California, and felt good about it. Not. This likes like a big syrah in the glass. There's some heat and the legs are streaming down the glass but it's only 14+% ABV. Nose is blood, iron, stone, and dark fruit. Palate is prickly tannins and tart blackberry, ripe raspberry, and brush. Cool wine.
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2/7/2015 - sp4388 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has an awesome violet, slightly perfum-y nose. Tastes like a purple jolly rancher minus the sweetness, plus a bit of a tart cranberry/pomegranate thing and some rusticness. Medium to high acid, little tannin. Pretty cool wine. Kind of like half malbec for the purpleness, half Grenache for the candy. More concentrated and delicious on day two. Bargain price.
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1/31/2015 - Sennma wrote:
Purple, lots of purple. I found this more interesting than delicious. Feel like it highlights why Carignane is a blending grape more than a stand alone.
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5/4/2014 - andyrowe wrote: 94 Points
Excellent - tannins all in right place, drinking well. Open about an hour, aerated, drinking still enjoying thoroughly. Strong Carlisle signature.
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12/22/2013 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
This does in fact go well with food, although it still has that classic Carlisle nose and taste, and it has taken on weight since I last had it. For $23 including shipping this is a fabulous wine. I would drink these now or within 1 year just to be on the safe side.
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7/9/2013 - btock wrote: 90 Points
Solid, but not a standout. Deep purple coloring. Black fruit and a touch of tar. Some at table wondered about TCA but I thought the wine was clean. An interesting bottling, but needed a bit more brightness to balanace the depth of fruit.
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7/6/2013 - jaumealaska wrote: 90 Points
Consistent with earlier notes, this was enjoyable accompaniment to dinner (ribs and salmon--worked with both) with the acidity making it very food friendly. Not familiar with Carignane, and it would have been fun to follow this bottle over a longer period; but drinking well now.
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12/25/2012 - sma wrote: 89 Points
Deep garnet with good legs. Bright fruit, cranberry, raspberry on nose and palate. Medium finish. Very drinkable.
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8/23/2012 - Outplaying wrote:
I didn't know what to expect with this one as I'm not familiar with carignane as the main varietal. Right off the bat you get classic Carlisle aromas and flavours. Lots of fruit, more black and darker at first that turned to red fruits as it opened. I love the lighter body and the healthy dose of acidity in the wine. I would buy this every year. I see I paid 17 bucks - are you kidding me?!
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7/20/2012 - David_T wrote: 92 Points
Went from good to very good with about an hour of air. Dark cherries and blackberries on the nose. Blackberry/black currant up front on the palate, then a wave of acid hits followed by structured tannins and a long acidic red fruit finish. Complex, structured and very nice for the price.
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7/16/2012 - Mike Dildine wrote: 93 Points
2007 Carlisle Carignane “Papera Ranch” Vineyard, RRV
14.1% alcohol. From the historic Papera Ranch vineyard planted in 1934 by Charlie Papera. This is an exceptional vineyard that produces wonderful wines by the likes of Carlisle, Williams Selyem, Bedrock and Novy. About 88% of this 14 acre vineyard is Zinfandel with 10% Carignane and the rest “mixed blacks.”
Dark ruby red. Expressive red and black fruit aromas. On the palate, black cherry with an appealing back palate tease of concentrated raspberry. Exceptional balance with a bracing acidic backbone. Lingering aftertaste. As delicious as it is fascinating.
By the way I have discovered a few Carignane’s from historic vineyards lately. Of course there is Ridge’s iconic “Geyserville” blend, which is usually about ¼ Carignane. Neyers makes a delicious one from the historic Evangehlo Vineyard in Contra Costa County. I just discovered another one from Santa Clara County, which I’m keeping to myself for the time being!
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5/29/2012 - greenblanket wrote:
Greenblanket loved this wine - it brought nice juicy red fruit and spice backed by a slight but gratifying undertow of rustic complexity that is all too uncommon in American wines. A very well made and seemingly honest California table wine.
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5/15/2012 - Jay Hack wrote: 89 Points
Fruit forward, spicy and meaty. A bit raw and needs some more time to smooth out, but still a very enjoyable wine. This is an old vine Caginane. We visited with Mike Officer and tw weeks ago and he told us about the fireld blends in some of the old vine zins that involve as many as 35 different varieties. The back of this bottle says there is some zin in it, but I don;t know whether that's just a field blend or a deliberate blending decision by Mike. Regardless, this wines got enjoyable complexity that may be a function of the blend. There is a bit of citrus flavor in the overall flavor profile that reminds of grapefruit, which is a flavor I noticed once before in Carignane from South America. I checked the alcohol level and its something in the low 14s. Not especially notable. All in all, a very nice and enjoyable wine that I think will flower with some patience.
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3/31/2012 - S2 wrote: 88 Points
Lighter in color and weight than I would have expected. Pleasant, but not terribly complex. Red fruits with dusty tannins. I would drink this in the near term.
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2/19/2012 - sma wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable wine with nice sour cherry fruit. I often think of cranberries when tsting this varital especially those from France, but this has earth and sour cherries. Very pleasant but rustic compared to other full throttle wines from Carlisle. Great for price and I would enjoy it anytime.
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1/30/2012 - BklynNeophyte wrote: 91 Points
What can I say? Just delicious. Like a petite sirah with a california pinot body, to wit, a bit one dimensional and somewhat light-bodied but very appealing. Comparable: Twiggy or Ron Guidry. I'll edit with second night tasting. Kudos to Carlisle for bottling this varietal in 2007.
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1/18/2012 - MJHDC wrote:
Really enjoyed this, plus it's an absolute bargain. It's a bit lighter in body than most Carlisles, and easier to drink and especially versatile at the table. I like the Carlisle style but there is a bit of "less is more" going on with this bottle. While apparently a one-off bottling, I would gladly purchase it again.
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12/6/2011 - John Dunlap wrote: 89 Points
Purchased directly from the winery and pulled from cellar. Nice red color with a few years to go. Nose out of the gate is closed with some dustiness, but it does open up with about ten minutes of time. Flavors include cherry, ham, citrus, some tea, red apple/watermelon and a finish of red cherry and an ever so slight element of star anise. Finish is a bit short, with some lean tannins rapped in cherry and a bit of citrus. Perhaps that is typical for Carignane and for a wine that has only been an open for about an hour. More to come tomorrow night.
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12/1/2011 - BrianMc wrote: 90 Points
day three and continuing to open up and show different nuances.
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11/18/2011 - winecharmer wrote:
Not much to add over other notes. Meaty, ripe, and succulent. A bit sour on the finish, but not offensively so. Wish I had more.
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9/29/2011 - Dave Mci wrote: 90 Points
A very nice bottle - rustic, with an earthy core that finishes with a distinct sour cherry note. I am glad I have four more. Paired very nicely with bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with fennel and apricot.
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9/16/2011 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 91 Points
14.1% ABV. Slightly translucent dark garnet in the glass. Slightly rustic and seemingly italian on. This occasion with a red fruit, leather, pepper, and rocky nose. Medium full bodied with more black fruit On tHe palate. Decent.
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8/28/2011 - tkoby11 wrote: 90 Points
Interesting little wine in the Carlisle style.
Rich but not heavy by any means, spicy, floral, red and black fruits mix with some licorice and leather.
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8/15/2011 - gutt22 wrote:
14.1% alcohol. Served blind. Dark red color. Pretty nose of dark fruit with a bit of floral and herbal notes that are quite light. In the mouth, this drinks with a bit more rusticity than the Swan, which was served side-by-side. Overtly fruity and not overly complex, but a good drink for sure. A-
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8/9/2011 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Good wine
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8/4/2011 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Has the Carlisle mouth-feel and blue fruits. A bit more acidic and lean than others. This may actually go well with food instead of drinking it by itself. A decent value at $23.
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8/1/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
interesting inky nose w a little earth and soy. the palate is medium and dusty with earth...bright berries and a bit of herbs. very gripping tannins. good w food but needs time
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7/22/2011 - Oakjeff wrote: 92 Points
Dark garnet. Beautiful, lightly perfumed aroma. Soft, ultra-rich body. Impeccably smooth and well balanced. Blue & red fruits. Fruity without being overly so. Super delicious. Food friendly & versatile.
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7/22/2011 - Mattshank wrote: 91 Points
Nose: Some rustic aromas of tree bark, prairie meadow, flowers and moss. The aromas are very understated. Palate: As many others have noted this is a very soft styled wine, typical of the predominant varietal Carignane. Bright and persistant acid mingles deftly with blue and red fruits and a soft landing of a finish. While somewhat un-Carlisle like this is a very nice wine that has impeccable balance.
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7/5/2011 - rmodak wrote: 91 Points
Spicy blue fruits, licorice, pepper and a briar note on a crisp frame. Really aromatic and honest.
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7/1/2011 - jfkwines wrote: 92 Points
The color is amazing, the flavor is rich, the wine is just delicious, really an outstanding flavorful delicious wine
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6/29/2011 - Mike Dildine wrote: 92 Points
14.1% alcohol. 91% alcohol, 9% Zinfandel from RRVs historic Papera Ranch Vineyard, planted in 1934. Carignane is a staple in some of California's iconic field blend wines (Ridge Geyserville tends to be about 20% Carignane for example) and I was interested in tasting a fairly pure example of the variety. Along with excellent fruit character and balance (a Carlisle trademark) the key takeaways for me were the rich, silky mouthfeel and the nice acidic backbone. A fascinating and very enjoyable wine.
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5/15/2011 - OneLastSyrah Likes this wine:
14.1% ABV. Brief note - Slightly translucent dark garnet in the glass. Aromas of red fruit, a chocolate note, and a bit of pepper. Medium full bodied with dark red fruits. This is a satisfying wine, but not one that really made me sit up and take notice. That said, it is probably the best Carignane-dominant wine I've had out of the dozen or so I've tasted over the years, which I guess I should have expected from Mike O.
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3/7/2011 - B Paul wrote: 90 Points
Good stuff and a very good QPR. I'd say drink over the next couple of years. The first Carignane I've ever had; I must say I was pleasantly surprised here, though I guess it's not all that surprising given it's a Carlisle.
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1/16/2011 - silton wrote: 91 Points
One of the most impressive QPRs of recent memory. Cocoa and black fruits are complemented by light herbs, soy, and pepper. Has a nice sense of lift on the nicely tapered and medium length finish. Versatile wine that is showing well now; recommend 1-2 hour decant.
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1/14/2011 - budman wrote: 91 Points
Wow. nose was spicy, like zin, but the flavors were very subtle.
I think this needs a lot more time.
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1/8/2011 - scooter260 wrote: 87 Points
A simple, straight-forward wine. Not a ton of complexity but very delicious, bright fruits. Great food wine. Easy drinkin.
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1/7/2011 - Ekoostik wrote: 91 Points
Really a change of pace type of wine for Carlisle drinkers and very nice at that. Very Carlisle in that it has the fruit extraction and depth but the varietal makes an interesting match. Definitely has a bit of a green/lean streak, but not overwhelming so. If you can handle some leanness then the wine really has good underlying fruit and nice acidity and structure. I could see this lasting quite awhile, but for me I think it best in the near term.
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12/31/2010 - wineguy58 wrote: 91 Points
primary at this stage. red currant and blackberries that goes well with food. 91-93
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12/26/2010 - mpricher wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle. Deep, inky purple-black color. So much Chocolate and Root beer on the nose. I wanted to just sniff this glass for hours!! Really nice on the frontal attack, with loads of chocolate covered berry and oak, this finished with some spice that I found quite nice as a drink alone wine. Not sure what to pair this with, but very enjoyable on it's own!~
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12/26/2010 - raydawgone wrote: 93 Points
Reminiscent of Northern Rhone-style juice, with nice depth and concentration. First night was a bit green, lacking fruit. Second night really opened up with raspberry and boisenberry, medium finish with white pepper on back end. One of the top food-friendly Carlisle's I've drank.
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12/20/2010 - jfkwines wrote: 93 Points
WOW. Terrific QPR I loved the pepper, I loved the fruitiness, I loved the drinkability. Get some now.
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12/17/2010 - alanr Likes this wine: 92 Points
This needs quite a bit of air, as there is a good dose of sulfur on the nose. What an interesting wine, chocked with dark, dense, but reserved black raspberry fruit, hints of tar and camphor, finishing with a wash of beautiful acidity that helps saturate the palate and bring zip and freshness. There is a lot going on here, with interesting complexities weaving in and out. Just terrific.
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12/9/2010 - oski wrote: 90 Points
ridiculous qpr, drinking well the second day, smoothed out soft and well rounded
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