2011 Carlisle Zinfandel Pagani Ranch


Bright nose of red fruits. The palate echoes the nose with bright red fruit, raspberries and cherries. A bit of spice and black pepper. Tannins are still prominent and could stand another 4 or 5 years of aging. Nice acidity and decent balance. For a Carlisle I find the tannins just a bit too dominant, but not enough to take away from the pleasure of the wine. Finishes long, but a bit simple with dark fruit and an bit of licorice. A very nice zin, but not the top of Mike's zinfandels by any means. Of course, Mike's best is a pretty high bar to get over. B+


Charlie