Tried these three Carlisles over the last week:
1. Carlisle TwoAcres RRV RW (13.7%; Mourv/PS/Syrah/Carignane/AlicanteBouchet; Plntd: 1910; 295 cs) 2007: Drk color w/ some bricking; strong fragrant plummy/earthy/blackberry/black cherry cola some toasty/oak slight loamy/rustic rather dusty/OV some complex nose; soft rather earthy/loamy/plummy/Mourv/black cherry cola/DrPepper/blackberry bit rustic almost ContraCosta-like/earthy slight drying/metallic bit complex flavor w/ soft tannins; very long soft strong plummy/Mourv/black cherry cola bit earthy/loamy/rustic some toasty/oak some complex finish w/ light soft tannins; reminds a lot of ContraCoasta Mourv but a bit brighter & more complex; a the slight tangy/metallic character that suggests it's a bit beyond its prime.
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2. Carlisle Zin PaperaRanch/RRV (15.2%; Plntd in 1954 by CharleyPapera; 645 cs) SantaRosa 2007: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; strong blackberry/classic RRV Zin/boysenberry/rather spicy quite dusty/OV light pencilly/oak loads of Zin fruit some complex nose; soft slight metallic/tangy fairly dusty/OV slightly hot/alcoholic very strong spicy/blackberry/Zin/boysenberry/ripe light pencilly/toasty/oak bit complex flavor w/ light tangy tannins; very long/lingering strong blackberry/boysenberry/Zin/spicy/ripe bit hot/alcoholic bit complex finish w/ light tannins; quite a classic RRV Zin & still plenty of RRV fruit but starting to show a slight tangy/metallic edge of heading downhill.
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3. Carlisle Zin CarlisleVnyd/RRV (14.8%; Plntd in 1927 by AlcidePelletti; + PetiteSirah/AlicanteBouchet/GrandNoir; 550 cs) SantaRosa 2007: Very dark color w/ slight bricking; stronger more aromatic very spicy/blackberry/RRV Zin rather black pepper quite dusty/OV stronger toasty/oak some complex beautiful aromatic nose; soft rather rich/lush very strong blackberry/RRV Zin/very spicy some toasty/oak quite dusty/OV some black pepper flavor w/ light ripe/smooth tannins; very long/lingering very spicy/blackberry/RRV Zin/peppery slight alcoholic finish w/ light smooth tannins; a beautiful Carlisle/Carlisle w/ lots of aromatics & spiciness; probably as good as it's gonna get & drink up.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Mike's Twackers. It was an old/abandoned vnyd that he often drove by as a home winemaker. He approached the own w/ a deal if he revived the vnyd & kept the fruit to make his ho-made wine, the owner would get a part of it. The deal was struck and it's been a part of the Carlisle portfolio since then.
The Carlisle Zin is consistently my favorite Carlisle Zin and this '07 was no exception.
Tom