Carlisle 'Carlisle Vineyard' Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, USA

卡爾麗絲卡利斯園仙粉黛干紅葡萄酒

點擊次數：4811

The 2009 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard shows gorgeous purity in its freshly cut roses, sweet red cherries, tobacco, leather and sweet herbs. Here the profile tends towards the redder end of the spectrum. This cooler site within the Russian River yields wines with bright acidity and plenty of freshness. The vines were originally planted in 1927, with 93% Zinfandel and roughly 7% other red varieties. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. This is a fabulous set of wines from Mike Officer and Carlisle. Best of all, the wines remain very reasonably priced considering the quality and passion that goes into the bottle. Along with Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock, Mike Officer is focused on seeking out the finest old-vine sites in California, which have either been neglected over the years, or are being bought by large-scale wineries who have little interest in discovering the quirks of these very old vineyards, most of which are planted with field blends that truly harken back to another era. The wines are made with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak barrels, usually in the 20-30% range. I tasted all of the 2010s from barrel the day before they were scheduled to be moved into tank. Tel. (707) 566-7700; www.carlislewinery.com

The 2009 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard shows gorgeous purity in its freshly cut roses, sweet red cherries, tobacco, leather and sweet herbs. Here the profile tends towards the redder end of the spectrum. This cooler site within the Russian River yields wines with bright acidity and plenty of freshness. The vines were originally planted in 1927, with 93% Zinfandel and roughly 7% other red varieties. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. This is a fabulous set of wines from Mike Officer and Carlisle. Best of all, the wines remain very reasonably priced considering the quality and passion that goes into the bottle. Along with Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock, Mike Officer is focused on seeking out the finest old-vine sites in California, which have either been neglected over the years, or are being bought by large-scale wineries who have little interest in discovering the quirks of these very old vineyards, most of which are planted with field blends that truly harken back to another era. The wines are made with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak barrels, usually in the 20-30% range. I tasted all of the 2010s from barrel the day before they were scheduled to be moved into tank.Tel. (707) 566-7700; www.carlislewinery.com

A sensational buy, the 2009 Zinfandel Sonoma (15.9% alcohol) is an outrageously rich, concentrated Zin that includes 15% Petite Sirah in the blend. This wine over-delivers for its price. Deep, briery, blue and black fruit and spice aromas soar from the glass of this perfumed, full-bodied, pedal-to-the-metal style of Zinfandel that is loaded with fruit. It is a blend of two Zinfandel vineyards, the Rossi Ranch in Sonoma and the Lingenfelder in Russian River. The Petite Sirah component comes from the Teldeschi Ranch in Dry Creek. It is amazing to think that fifteen years ago no one had ever heard of Carlisle Winery and Vineyards or Mike Officer. Moreover, what Officer has done to preserve old vine Zinfandel vineyards in Sonoma is nothing short of astonishing. Add to that success story his sensational line-up of Syrahs, Petite Sirahs and Rhone Ranger blends and it is undeniable that this man and his winery are at the top of their game. These are artisanal, world-class reds that remain among California's most fairly priced high quality wines. Following is a look at the 2008s from bottle as well as a preview of the charming, seductive 2009s. Mike Officer says 2009 is a strong year for his wines, but since he has done nearly everything right, it is hard for me to say his 2009s are better than previous vintages. Certainly he will not have much production in 2010 given all the issues Zinfandel vineyards had in that year. Readers who love these wines are advised to stock up on what is left of the 2008s as well as the upcoming 2009s.Tel. (707) 566-7700; Fax (707) 566-7200