Carlisle Pagani Ranch Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, USA

卡爾麗絲帕加尼牧場仙粉黛干紅葡萄酒

點擊次數：4080

The 2017 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch comes from vines planted in the mid-1890s. It aged in 21% new French oak. It's medium ruby-purple and scented of brown sugar crumble, peach cobbler, red cherry, licorice and black berries with savory hints of herbs, olives, prosciutto and potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied and savory with juicy acidity and a soft frame, finishing on an herbal note. 314 cases produced. This bottling includes 2% mixed black varieties including Petite Sirah and Carignane, but the Alicante Bouschet wasn't used this year. "It had smoke damage and we didn't take it," says Jake Bilbro. "So, this is a very unusual expression, very pretty—it's usually big and bold."

The 2013 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch (90% Zinfandel and 10% mixed blacks from a vineyard planted in the 1890s) offers beautiful brambleberry, mulberry and briary fruit notes, with a dense opaque color (one of the deepest-colored of all of these 2013s), and great fruit on the attack and mid-palate. It hits the palate with a cascade of blackberry fruit and earth. This big, thick, juicy Zinfandel (15.8% alcohol) should drink well for another 10-15 years.

The 2012 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch (96% Zinfandel and 4% mixed blacks) comes from 112-year-old vines that Mike Officer personally saved from being ripped out. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered after aging in 30% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet bouquet of black fruits, roasted herbs, baking spices and hints of underbrush as well as licorice. Full-bodied, juicy and succulent, it can be enjoyed over the next 5-7 years.

A wine of tremendous energy and punch, the 2011 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch offers up layers of expressive dark red fruit supported by a vibrant beam of acidity. The tension, vibrancy and freshness in 2011 are a marvel to behold. I very much like the sense of nuance and vitality in the glass. All the elements are in the right place. The Pagani Ranch is old-vine (planted in the 1890s) Zinfandel with a dollop of mixed blacks, including Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Petite Sirah and Carignane. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Proprietor Mike Officer arrived with a bevy of wines for our tasting, all of which I was thrilled to sample. Readers who don’t think terroir exists in California should check out the Carlisle Zinfandels and Syrahs, many of which emerge from old-vine, heritage sites that nearly disappeared until Officer and some of his peers rescued them from the brink of oblivion. In particular, the 2011 Zinfandels are fabulous. Officer describes 2011 as a very late harvest. The Syrahs were all picked after the rains, while the thinner-skinned Zinfandels naturally came in quite a bit earlier. Officer told me he performed a severe selection of fruit that took with it a full 50% of the production. For his efforts, Officer has been rewarded with a set of gorgeous wines, although I imagine his faithful clientele won’t be too thrilled with the lower production levels of these wines, given their already minuscule production. Unfortunately, 2011 Compagni Portis and Gruner Veltliner were to be bottled right after this tasting, so I will have to wait until another opportunity to sample those wines. Carlisle is resolute in keeping his wines affordable, a commendable approach I wish were more common throughout California. Tel. (707) 566-7700

A wine of tremendous energy and punch, the 2011 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch offers up layers of expressive dark red fruit supported by a vibrant beam of acidity. The tension, vibrancy and freshness in 2011 are a marvel to behold. I very much like the sense of nuance and vitality in the glass. All the elements are in the right place. The Pagani Ranch is old-vine (planted in the 1890s) Zinfandel with a dollop of mixed blacks, including Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Petite Sirah and Carignane. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Proprietor Mike Officer arrived with a bevy of wines for our tasting, all of which I was thrilled to sample. Readers who don’t think terroir exists in California should check out the Carlisle Zinfandels and Syrahs, many of which emerge from old-vine, heritage sites that nearly disappeared until Officer and some of his peers rescued them from the brink of oblivion. In particular, the 2011 Zinfandels are fabulous. Officer describes 2011 as a very late harvest. The Syrahs were all picked after the rains, while the thinner-skinned Zinfandels naturally came in quite a bit earlier. Officer told me he performed a severe selection of fruit that took with it a full 50% of the production. For his efforts, Officer has been rewarded with a set of gorgeous wines, although I imagine his faithful clientele won’t be too thrilled with the lower production levels of these wines, given their already minuscule production. Unfortunately, 2011 Compagni Portis and Gruner Veltliner were to be bottled right after this tasting, so I will have to wait until another opportunity to sample those wines. Carlisle is resolute in keeping his wines affordable, a commendable approach I wish were more common throughout California.Tel. (707) 566-7700