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Carlisle
Carlisle 2019 "The Derivative" White Wine, Sonoma County
$ 32.00
A rare white release from Carlisle. Limited.
previous vintage 95 Points and 'Editor's Choice' Wine Enthusiast: "This unusual blend combines old-vine Sémillon from the Monte Rosso Vineyard with Muscadelle and Palomino. Voluptuous on the nose, the wine is restrained on the palate, with inviting layers of licorice, beeswax and stone fruit. Exotic and long lasting, it’s an intriguing wine. Alcohol 14.2%. 330 cases produced.
Carlisle's White Wine The Derivative is a blend of Semillon, Muscadelle and Palomino, a modern-day version of Hock, a white blend that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Almonds, hazelnuts, dried flowers, mint and licorice all blossom in an inviting, textured white long on personality and class. Dried flowers, honey and mint add nuance on the finish. It is amazing to consider that these vineyards were planted between 1886 and 1920.
Carlisle 2020 "Steiner Vineyard" Grüner Veltliner, Sonoma Valley
$ 32.00
A rare white release from Carlisle. Limited.
In this vintage, we picked the older terraced portion of our Grüner on September 5th at 21.9 Brix and the younger, rolling hill portion on September 9th at 24.2 Brix. Our goal here was to produce very different wines to give us a broader range of “colors” for blending. Sure enough, through multiple blending trials, we found that a blend of all of each lot produced the finest wine. The first pick provided backbone and verve; the second pick provided fruit and palate volume. No malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness. Filtered but unfined.
The Carlisle 2020 Gruner Veltliner is medium straw-yellow. Intense, fragrant aromas of green apple (I’m reminded of Laffy Taffy!) Crenshaw melon, and white pepper. This is classy stuff! On the palate, medium bodied with flavors of quince, green apple, and quinine. Finishes with a pleasing chalky minerality. We’re finding our whites to be more age-worthy than we anticipated so this can be enjoyed over a number of years. Drink from release through 2028.
Carlisle 2017 Sonoma County Zinfandel
$ 38.00
Fantastic new Zin release from Carlisle, one of our favorite small producers!
Robert Parker: "...The personality-filled Michael Officer and his beloved Carlisle Winery & Vineyards continues to turn out a gorgeous portfolio of exuberant, lovingly made, stunningly fruity and outright beautiful wines from historic vineyards and iconic grapes that, until the last generation or so, had tended to be forgotten in the early days of California winedom, after the repeal of Prohibition."
Carlisle 2019 "Piner-Olivet Ranches" Zinfandel, Russian River Valley
$ 39.99
95 Points
Limited new Zinfandel from Carlisle.
previous vintage 95 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "One of the stars in this range, the Carlisle Zinfandel Piner-Olivet Ranches is a blend of several vineyards that is meant to capture this specific district within the Russian River Valley. In 2018, those sites are Papera, Carlisle and Mancini, a combination that works brilliantly. Dark red /purplish fruit, lavender and menthol flesh out effortlessly, with bright acids that punctuate the finish."
Robert Parker: "...A great success story, Mike Officer’s Carlisle Winery continues to not only protect heritage old-vine sites in Northern California, but to also turn out a bevy of realistically priced, delicious, consumer-friendly wines, primarily from Zinfandel, although Officer can also turn a trick or two with Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah."
Carlisle 2017 "Two Acres" Red Wine, Russian River Valley
$ 42.00
Fantastic new Red from Carlisle, one of our favorite small producers! Very limited - only 300 cases produced.
93 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "I've always loved the Two Acres cuvée from Officer, and his 2017 Two Acres doesn’t disappoint. Mostly Mourvèdre from deep loam and clay soils, it offers tons of smoked dark fruits, licorice, olive, and plenty of meatiness to go with a ripe, textured, sexy style on the palate. It has plenty of tannins and it certainly offers pleasure today, but 2-3 years of bottle age are going to be your friend."
92 Points Antionio Galloni (Vinous): "The Mourvèdre-based 2017 Two Acres is creamy, supple and inviting. Soft contours and silky tannins add to the wine racy personality and overall appeal. Labor Day heat spikes bumped up the amount of Mourvèdre and lowered the mixed blacks. This is another delicious wine from Carlisle."
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Carlisle 2019 Radiant Ridge Vineyard Syrah, Bennett Valley
$ 43.99
95 Points - limited
Rare Syrah release from the Radiant Ridge Vineyard from Carlisle, one of our favorite small producers! Very limited. If you’re a lover of Northern Rhônes, you’ll find a lot to like in this cool-ish climate Syrah.
previous vintage:
95 Points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The Carlisle Syrah Radiant Ridge is fabulous. Inky, rich and savory, the 2018 captures all of the signatures of this cool site on the border of the Bennett Valley appellation. Black pepper, lavender, sage and spice add layers of dimension to a core on blue/purplish fruit. The 20% whole clusters are beautifully woven into the wine’s fabric. What I admire most about the 2018 is the interplay of textural richness and cool-climate savoriness. A compelling wine. That’s all there is to it."
93 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "From the cooler Bennett Valley in Sonoma, the Carlisle Syrah Radiant Ridge Vineyard is all Syrah and has a cool-climate, complex, almost Cornas-like vibe that I certainly love. Black and blue fruits, olives, bacon fat, and ground pepper all dominate the bouquet, and this beauty hits the palate with loads of Syrah meatiness, medium to full body, ripe, polished (yet present) tannins, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and is undeniably California Syrah yet seems to have one foot in the Northern Rhône."
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Carlisle 2019 Radiant Ridge Vineyard Mourvedre, Bennett Valley
$ 43.99
95 Points - limited
Rare Syrah release from the Radiant Ridge Vineyard from Carlisle, one of our favorite small producers! Very limited. If you’re a lover of Northern Rhônes, you’ll find a lot to like in this cool-ish climate Syrah.
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "Savory with dried herbs and pine, the Carlisle 2019 Mouvèdre Radiant Ridge Vineyard is introspective, with black fruit and freshly turned soil, while the palate is stony and mineral. It is full, but surprisingly more focused than the aromatics might suggest. Much more restrained and with a gorgeous texture, this is an incredible expression that is worth seeking out and drinking over the next 15 years."
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Carlisle 2017 "Rossi Ranch" Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley
$ 46.99
94 Points - limited
Limited new Zinfandel from Carlisle.
94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "From a well-known site in Sonoma, the 2017 Zinfandel Rossi Ranch offers ripe blackberry and cherry notes as well as complex ground herbs, underbrush, and earthiness. Medium to full-bodied, seamless, and flawlessly balanced, it has fine tannins as well as a great, great finish."
94 Points Wine Spectator: "A compelling wine that balances a distinct personality with a finely crafted texture and structure. Expressive and brambly black and red fruit pairs with toasty sage and exotic baking spice notes. Drink now through 2029. 1,000 cases made."
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Carlisle 2016 "DuPratt Vineyard" Zinfandel, Mendocino Ridge
$ 47.00
Limited new Zinfandel from Carlisle.
previous vintage 93 Points Robert Parker: "From Mendocino Ridge, the Zinfandel DuPratt Vineyard is one of the few Carlisle Zins that is 100% Zinfandel. It carries its 15.6% natural alcohol naturally, with no heat or harshness. It is an elegant, nearly Pinot Noir-like red in its delicacy and grace. Medium-bodied with beautiful ripeness, crisp, tart acids, and a refreshing, cool climate-like character, it offers a complete contrast to the Russian River and Sonoma Zinfandels. Drink now-2020...
...A great success story, Mike Officer’s Carlisle Winery continues to not only protect heritage old-vine sites in Northern California, but to also turn out a bevy of realistically priced, delicious, consumer-friendly wines, primarily from Zinfandel, although Officer can also turn a trick or two with Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah."
Carlisle 2019 "Rossi Ranch" Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley
$ 54.00
54 Points - limited
Limited new Rossi Ranch Sonoma County Zinfandel from Carlisle.
95 Points Wine Spectator: "Vibrant and expressive, with compelling cherry and raspberry flavors laced with spice, cinnamon and orange zest. Builds richness and texture toward refined, briary tannins. Drink now through 2030. 404 cases made."
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Carlisle 2020 Papera Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma
$ 57.00
Limited new Zinfandel from Carlisle.
Robert Parker: "...From humble beginnings in 1998, Carlisle continues to go from strength to strength, growing from a solid philosophy of sourcing mainly Zinfandel and Rhône varieties from ancient vineyards in Sonoma and further afield. So, most of the vines used by Mike and Kendall Officer were planted from 1888 to 1934. From 2013, they have their own winery in which to create their magic—the old Robert Mueller winery in Russian River Valley."
Just a stone's throw from Carlisle Vineyard, this grande dame of the Russian River Valley was planted in 1934 by Celestino (Charlie) Papera. While many old-vine vineyards contain plenty of mixed black varieties, most of the blocks at Papera Ranch are 95+% Zinfandel. One block, however, does contain a significant amount of Carignan with a sprinkling of Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Valdiguié. Given its cool location, this is one of our later Zinfandel vineyards to be picked.
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