Zinfandel of the Month is a regular feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list.
The January Zinfandel of the Month is the 2017 Carlisle Zinfandel Mancini Ranch.
I chose this wine as my Zinfandel of the Month as the Carlisle Winter Release is just a little over two weeks away and this wine should be one of the highlights of the offering.
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 .
Mancini Ranch is situated at the intersection of Piner and Olivet. The vineyard is kitty corner from Papera Ranch and not far from other acclaimed vineyards such as Saitone and Montafi. The 16 acre vineyard was planted between 1922 and 1924 by Luca Mancini and consists of mostly Zinfandel vines, although it is interplanted with a mix of different mixed black and mixed white varieties.
Purple in color. 15.2% ABV. Sublime nose of red and black fruits, licorice, cocoa and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Exceptionally rich and plush. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, cranberry and blood orange on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Big, bold Zinfandel with a compelling array of flavors that is aging beautifully. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 94 points.
I can make an argument that Carlisle is the best Zinfandel producer in the state of California. Current vintages of the various Carlisle wines are available via the mailing list, which is exceptionally long. Many select retail outlets stock Carlisle, but you need to check with them at the time the winery releases their wines in the Spring and Fall.
I had a chance to visit Mike Officer recently and wrote about that in The 2022’s Out of Barrel with Mike Officer at Carlisle.