by TomHill » Tue Jul 16, 2024 4:49 pm
My Carlisle story: I have, of course followed Mike Officer from (before) the very start. I was at one of the early ZAP tastings at FtMason doing my thing. They always had a table for home winemakers to show their Zins they made. I approached this table w/ low expectations...how good could Ho-Made wine be. This shy young man introduced himself as Mike Officer & poured me his Zin. I was blown away by it. "This is better, Mike, than 90% of the Zins out there on the floor". He returned me an "awww...shucks" grin and thanked me for the compliment. Not sure what vnyd that first Zin was from. He had a bit more hair on his head back then. But he still has maintained that sorta "awww..shucks" attitude.
A few yrs later, he & Kendall invited me over for dinner at their home on the South side of SantaRosa.we tasted from a few brls that he had fermenting away out in his garage. He was not yet commercial...still a home winemaker. They fed Rachel & Riley & sent them off to the living room to watch TV. We sat down in the dining room to a great meal of beef short ribs braised in red wine. And lots of good wine. Midway thru the meal, I looked over into the kitchen. Riley (he was probably about 3-4 yrs old) had got into a cupboard, pulled out a box of powdered sugar, and dumped the entire contents on his head. Sugar all over the place. Mike & Kendall were absolutely mortified by Riley's behavior in front of such an important guest. Gawd....what I would have given to have taken a picture (camera...no iPhones then). When I visit out there again, I'm giving Riley a box of powdered sugar for a reprise and so I can get my picture. We'll get it on the front cover of the WineSpectator.
When Mike went commercial, I was first in line to buy his wines. He made them at the Wine Coop out on Piner Road. He was still holding down his day job as a software developer down in TheCite. He was located there for quite a few yrs afore he bought the old Mueller Wnry out West of Windsor, where he is still located.
Mike, Kendall, Rachel & Riley & myself have had lots of good visits & meals & wines over the yrs. My group has been one of the biggest Carlisle customers over the yrs...they are one of our most favored wineries amongst my group. Probably more Carlsle wines, per capita, in LosAlamos than anyplace in the World. Mike & Kendall have always been so good at taking care of their LosAlamos customers. Get more than our fair share of the wines.
So what does the future hold?? Mike & Kendall will have a well-earned retirement. There will be wine involved. I expect the wnry will be sold and the Carlisle brand will come to an end. Mike will probably stay on for a few yrs to help the new owners get started. Probably Jay & Riley will continue w/ the new owners. There will be powdered sugar involved.
I would expect that Mike will get out of the farming business & sell the old Carlisle (formerly Pelletti) vnyd. Would love to see Morgan take it over. It's one of the greatest OV Zin vnyds in the RRV.
So....reflecting back. I've had some great Zins & Syrahs under the Carlisle label over the yrs. But I don't think Mike gets the recognition for his White wines that he truly deserves. His Gruner is easily the best one made in Calif and can go mano a mano with any from Austria. A number of yrs ago, I took one of his Gruners to share w/ Ingrid Grois in Austria and she was amazed that they could make Gruner that good in Calif.
So.....time to go home and pull a Carlisle from my archives and toast Mike & Kendall on their upcoming retirement. It's not like I don't have anythig to choose from!!
Tom
