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.
Pelkan Ranch is located in the Knights Valley AVA at 1000′ elevation on a rocky ridge top facing Mount St. Helena.
Bright crimson in color. 14.9% ABV. Savory nose of black and blue fruits, olive brine, grilled meats and charcoal. Full bodied with ample acidity. Rich, layered and complex. Blackberry, black cherry, cracked pepper and mint on the palate. The finish is long, rich and creamy. Stunning Syrah. Drink over the next 2-4 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 2016 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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