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. Mike recently announced his retirement and subsequently 2024 will be the last vintage of wines produced by Carlisle.
Bedrock Vineyard, formerly known as Madrone Ranch, was first planted in 1854. Senator George Hearst purchased the property in 1888 and planted most of the vines that exist to this day. Located in the Sonoma Valley the vineyard is also a fruit source for Turley, Robert Biale, Limerick Lane, Carlisle and Bedrock of course.
Ruby red in color. 14.7% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, citrus and flowers. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Exceedingly light and fresh. Bing cherry, cranberry, blood orange and earth on the palate. The finish is long and smooth. Delicious and easy to drink but decidedly different from what I expect from Mike Officer. Certainly a reflection of the challenging vintage. Understand that this is tasty but just far afield from what I consider the Carlisle house style. Best over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 92 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. 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.