88+ 2008 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 9/20/10 $29300 cases produced, a little Petite Sirah and Carignane in the mix, 15.2%alc
Color: Dense purple garnet. (3.0) Bouquet: Jammy blackberry and black raspberry with dense briary spice. Rustic, yet shows some elegance. (3.0) Body: Excellent acidity and very good tannins and fruit with some heat. Plenty of flavor, but could be richer and more viscous in the mouth. (2.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with intense briar and perfumy fruit, but also shows a little heat. (3.0) Finish: Parallels flavor, but more rustic. Could use more upfront fruit here to smooth things out. Briar lingers. (2.5)
Overall: Shows classic Dry Creek Valley style with intense briar and jammy black raspberry fruit. Bitter black licorice and heat do hold this back at present for my palate. As much as I like Carlisle’s Zins, their regional appellations such as this are not as impressive for the price as their single vineyard wines. Nonetheless, the spice character here is very promising and I do expect this to improve with 3-5 years bottle age. Decant for 2-3 hours if drinking now. (14.0)
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