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. Many of these vineyards are heritage sites planted by Italian immigrants and date back to the late 1800s . They have also recently added their first whites, two blends from historic, old-vine vineyards plus Sonoma County’s first ever Grüner Veltliner.
Papa’s Block is a special section of Atoosa’s vineyard and is located in the Russian River Valley.
Dark crimson in color. 15.2% ABV. Super nose of black fruits, olives, pepper and grilled meats. Medium body with medium acidity. Silky, rich and scrumptious on the palate. Flavors of blackberry, licorice and blueberry liqueur. Great finish with light but noticeable tannins. Aging gloriously. Drink over the next 1-3 years.
My rating: 93 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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