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.
Sourced from Teldeschi Ranch, Mounts Ranch, Oddone Vineyard and Del Carlo Ranch. 86% Zinfandel, 8% Grenache and 6% Petite Sirah.
Bright purple in color. 15.7% ABV. Brambly black fruits, plums, iron and pepper on the nose. Heady and decadent. Not quite Port like…but pretty close. Blackberries, blueberries, plum and spice on the palate. Not for the faint of heart, but right in my wheelhouse. Just enough acidity to keep everything in balance. A triumph from a tough vintage for Zinfandel. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 92 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 and The Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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