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.
Cardiac Hill Vineyard, in the Bennett Valley, runs on a very steep hillside at an elevation ranging from 500 to 900 feet hence the peculiar but appropriate name.
Opaque purple in color. 14.2% ABV. Heady aromas of blue fruits, olive brine, barbecued meats and flowers. The palate belies the nose somewhat as the wine is less opulent than I expect from Carlisle. Elegant, savory and complex nonetheless. Flavors of blueberries, smoked meats and iron. Medium length on the finish. At nine years of age this Syrah has definitely taken on some secondary characteristics. Drink over the next year or so.
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 and The Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
If you enjoyed this post please consider subscribing to Zinfandel Chronicles updates by email.