We tasted ystrday at Pig+Fig the new releases from MikeOfficer/Carlisle:
1. Carlisle TwoAcres RRV/SonomaCnty RW (15.0%; Plntd: 1910; Mourv/Syrah/PS/Carignane/Peloursin/AlicanteBouschet; 60 cs) Mike Officer/Windsor 2020: Med.dark color; strong plummy/Mourv rather dusty/OV light toasty/oak fairly complex interesting nose; fairly tart/tangy strong Mourv/plummy/blackberry light oak fairly dusty/OV bit complex flavor w/ modest tangy tannins; very long fairly strong plummy/Mourv/blackberry some dusty/OV bit toasty/oak finish w/ light tannins; a lovely if a bit simple expression of OV Mourv. $39.50
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2.Carlisle Mourvedre RadiantRidgeVnyd/BennettVlly/SonomaCnty (14.3%; 275 cs) 2019: Very dark/black color; very strong Mourv/blackberry/licorice bit plummy quite spicy some toasty/Fr.oak bit c-c/black pepper rather complex nose; fairly tart/tangy strong plummy/licorice/blackberry/Mourv some toasty/Fr.oak some c-c/peppery rather structured fairly complex flavor w/ ample tangy tannins; very long structured very strong Mourv/plummy/licorice/blackberry some c-c/peppery some complex finish w/ ample tannins; needs 2-6 yrs of age; a terrific/unusual expression of Calif Mourv. $34.00
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3. Carlisle Syrah RadiantRidgeVnyd/BennettVlly/SonomaCnty (14.9%; 325 cs) 2019: Very dark/black color; intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/licorice/ripe rather c-c/black pepper very spicy some toasty/oak rather complex nose; fairly tart/tangy very strong spicy/Syrah/blackberry/boysenberry some c-c/black pepper light toasty/oak more complex bit lighter/lively lovely flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/licorice/ripe some c-c/peppery structured some complex finish w/ some tannins; needs 2-5 yrs of age yet; one of Mike's best Syrahs at a great price. $34.00
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4. Carlisle Syrah JamesBerryVnyd/WillowCreekDist/PasoRobles (15.0%; 170 cs) 2020: Very dark/near black color; strong boysenberry/very ripe/blackberry/plummy bit overripe strong PR/jammy strong toasty/Fr.oak somewhat simpler fairly intense nose; soft very ripe/plummy/boysenberry/Syrah some PR/jammy strong toasty/Fr.oak flavor w/ modest ripe/lush tannins; very long soft/very ripe boysenberry/Syrah/blackberry some PR/jammy/very ripe finish; loads of PR Syrah fruit but a bit soft & lacking structure & a bit simple. $54.00
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More kikkerspatz from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Twackers: This old vine vnyd is what got Mike starting to make wine. He'd often drive by this abandoned vnyd & one day stopped to visit w/ the owner & offered to adopt/care for the vnyd in exchange for the grapes & a few cases of wine made from those grapes. And the rest is history.
Tasting the Twackers always leaves me w/ a bit of mixed emotions. It's always a good expression of OV Mourv, but I'm always left w/ wanting just a bit more from the wine. A bit more intensity, a bit more complexity, a bit more depth. A vnyd w/ this amount of age should yield a much more profound wine and I just seldom get that from Twackers.
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2. RadiantRidge: I was impressed by both of the RadiantRidge wines. I particularly liked the Mourv as a much more profound expression of Calif Mourv, rather than the softer expression of Mataro you often get from ContraCostaCnty. Definitely a cold-climate vnyd.
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3. JamesBerry: This is usually Mike's most expensive because he must have to pay Justin an arm&a leg for these primo Paso grapes. It's usually better than Justin's Saxum Syrah to my judgement and more interesting, but always leaves me a bit underwhelmed. Mike could drop it from his portfolio & I would not shed a single tear.
Tom