After the BareFoot went down the drain, wanted something w/ some flavor so cracked:
1. Carlisle Zin AlexVlly (15.1%; + Carignane; very old vines; 130 cs) 2001: Med.color w/ some bricking; rather cedary/pencilly/oldZin some spicy/raspberry/Zin light pencilly/oak light earthy bit alcoholic fairly complex nose; soft some cedary/oldZin fairly hot/alcoholic light raspberry/strawberry compote/Zin/lightly spicy bit tired/dried out bit complex/oldZin/cedary flavor w/ light smooth/bit astringent tannins; very long slight tangy/drying out rather cedary/pencilly/oldZin light raspberry/strawberry compote/Zin bit tired alcoholic finish w/ light gentle tannins; clearly on the downside & drying out a bit but lots of cedary/oldZin character and still offering up some pleasure.
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2. Carlisle Zin CarlisleVnyd/RRV (15.9%; Plntd: Alcide Pelletti in 1927; + PS/AlicanteBouchet/GrandNoir) 2002: Dark color w/ slight bricking; beautiful very strong blackberry/black cherry cola/boysenberry/classic RRV Zin/quite spicy rather smokey/pungent/oak quite dusty/OV bit graphite/mineral quite complex nose; lightly tart very rich/ripe/lush blackberry/black cherry cola/RRV Zin/bit licorice quite dusty/OV some charred/smokey/oak quite complex flavor w/ light smooth/gentle tannins; very long pencilly/smokey/toasty/oak strong very spicy/blackberry/black cherry cola/RRV Zin rather dusty/OV fairly complex finish w/ light gentle tannins; carries the alcohol well and no signs of drying out; a lovely fully-mature or beyond Carlisle/Carlisle.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. You just can't go wrong w/ a Carlisle Zin. The guy knows something about making wine.
I was not expecting a lot from the AlexVlly Zin, but it was better than I'd hoped. I've never been particularly impressed by AlexVlly wines, even though the GeyservilleVnyd borders on it.
Tom