Carlisle Winery & Vineyards was founded in 1998 by Mike and Kendall Officer. Their passion is clear: Small lots of Zinfandel and Syrah from exceptional, historic vineyards.
The 2011 version of the Sonoma County Zinfandel is sourced from Fanucchi Wood Road, Carlisle, Rowe, Rossi Ranch, Lingenfelder and Bedrock Vineyards.
Garnet in color. 14.9% ABV. Red fruits, vanilla and a touch of pepper on the nose. Rich and creamy. Strawberry, raspberry, white pepper and minerals on the palate. Light acidity and soft tannins. Ready to drink. As always a complete bargain for around $22 but a step down from both the ’10 and ’12 versions of this wine.
My rating: 90 points.
Current vintages of the various Carlisle wines are available via the mailing list, which is exceptionally long. Several retail outlets in California stock Carlisle, but you need to check with them at the time the winery releases their wines in the Spring and Fall.
I’ve wrote about Carlisle previously in Winery Mailing Lists: The Fab 5.
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