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Carlisle

The Winery

Carlisle

“Mike Officer, a former home winemaker, is now making Zinfandels, Syrahs, and some compelling field blends from old, old vines in Sonoma and the Russian River. He’s not as well-known as he should be, but then again, he’s only been doing this job full time for several years. Glory has already descended, and he’s the kind of person who will only keep pushing the envelope of quality.” -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Carlisle Winery & Vineyards is a small Sonoma County winery that is best known for their single-vineyard, old-vine Zinfandel while also specializing in Rhone varietals. Although owners Mike and Kendall Officer have been making “garagiste” wines for most of their life, the winery was not officially founded until 1998. The winery owns an estate in the Russian River Valley that has Zinfandel vines that were planted in 1927, and they have become the unofficial soul of the winery. With the addition of Winemaker Jay Maddox’s attention to detail, Carlisle is producing some of its best old-vine Zinfandel as well as focusing heavily on Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre that are opulent and characteristic to their specific vineyards.

www.carlislewinery.com

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Tasting Notes

WS96
Zinfandel doesn't get much better than this. Rich aromas of black raspberry and orange zest open to balanced, complex and luxurious flavors of blackberry, mint and baking spices. A knockout. Drink now through 2027.
RP93–95
I’ll just briefly summarize the 2014s. It was the earliest vintage ever for Mike Officer and probably he’ll beat that early harvest record in 2015. In this case, he was finished by October 6, which was a first, and it will be interesting to see if he eclipses that in 2015, which was looking even earlier. The production levels were relatively abundant for Mike Officer and the wines fruit-forward, although softer and less reserved than some of the 2013s. While not quite as opaque in color, they are loaded with fruit, supple and luscious. The only white wine, the Grüner Veltliner Steiner Vineyard, makes an appearance in 2014, and it’s another beauty – it’s crisp and the only wine in bottle. The other wines all stood out and will, no doubt, merit outstanding ratings across the board for their intensity, richness, and full-bodied power. If you already know what Mike Officer does, and the style of his wines, you won’t be disappointed in his 2014s. You may even like them as much as any vintage, given the fact that this year shows a lot of up-front fruit and charm. Range: 93-95

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