by TomHill » Tue Jan 23, 2024 4:09 pm
We tasted these four last week at Pig+Fig:
1. Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.0%; Plntd: 1895; + AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignane/PetiteSirah; 485 cs) 2021: Very dark color; strong blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/spicy Zin classic SonomaVlly peppery Zin quite dusty/OV slight rustic/sauvage some toasty/oak some complex lovely/ripe nose; lightly tart classic Pagani/sauvage strong ripe/blackberry/boysenberry/spicy Zin light earthy/rustic bit toasty/oak bit plummy/AB/licorice bit SV/peppery somewhat complex flavr w/ modest rough/ripe tannins; very long/lingering classic SV/peppery Zin bit rustic finish that mimics flavor; a pretty classic Pagani bit rustic/sauvage Zin that needs 2-6 yrs yet; wonderful Zin but not the aromatics of the Carlisle vnyd or RRV Zins. $43.00
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2. Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.2%; Plntd in 1895; + AlicanteBouschet/GrandNoir/Carignan/PetiteSirah; 315 cs) 2018: Dark color; light cedary/pencilly/oak lighter bit aged/mature light blackberry/boysenberry/Zin some complex nose; much the same nose & flavor as the '21 but shows much more maturity & lighter more gentle tannins; still quite a nice Pagani but showing much more maturity than I would expect for an '18; not showing an imminent collapse.
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3. Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch SonomaVlly/SonomaCnty (15.4%; 380 cs) 2015: Dark color; slightly musty/oldZin some cedary/pencilly fairly dusty/OV slightly tired nose; lightly tart slight musty/oldZin/cedary/pencilly bit complex flavor much like the '21; the musty/oldZin character goes w/ airing; showing signs of premature aging but not in imminent collapse; still a pleasure to drink but nothing you should hold much longer.
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4. Carlisle Zin PaganiRanch SonomaVlly (16.3%; Plntd in 1900; +AlicanteBouschet/Carignane/PetiteSirah; 100cs) 2010: Dark color w/ some bricking; slight tired/dried out some blackberry/boysenberry/rather SVZin/peppery fairly cedary/pencilly/oldZin rather complex fairly attractive nose; lightly tart peppery/SVZin spicy/blackberry/Zin rather dusty/OV fairly smooth complex flavor w/ light smooth tannins; very long/lingering rather smooth finish that mimics flavor; not as tired & somewhat more youthful than the '18 & the '15; a bit of drying out on the finish but a more all-together example of a fully mature Pagani & a pleasure of a mature red to drink.
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More pagankrypt from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Pagani is one of my favorite, along w/ OldHill, SonomaVlly vnyds. It has a fair amout of other varieties, including AlicanteBouschet, which gives it a rather rustic/sauvage character that I particularly am attracted to. It doesn't have the perfumed/high-toned character you find in the Carlisle vnyd Zins and other of Mike's Zins.
Of these 4 top-end Carlisle Zins, the OldHill was my favorite for its greater depth & complexity, but the Pagani & Carlisle vnyd Zins were close behind and not worth getting into fisticuffs over. I was a bit surprised in the maturity the '18 & '15 were showing; they should have been much more youthful. But the '10 was pretty much were I expected it to be and a good example of a fully mature Pagani.
Tom