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1257 Kensington Road NW
1 (403) 283-8000 / atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
47% Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Papera Ranch; 44% Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Carlisle Vineyard; 3% Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Mancini Ranch; 3% Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Montafi Ranch; 3% Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Saitone Vineyard. 11% new, 89% neutral French oak.
A five-vineyard blend of some of the best vineyards in the Russian River Valley, and a truly staggering release from Carlisle. Lively, bright and captivating.
While drinking beautifully now, this Zinfandel proves that good things come to those who wait, and is best enjoyed from 2024 through 2028.
750ml mlProducer Tasting Note (2019 Vintage)
"Brilliant medium to medium-dark garnet-ruby. Very captivating, hi-toned aromas of macerated cherries, raspberry, and sweet brown tobacco. The nose alone makes it hard to leave the glass! The wine enters smoothly, displaying medium to medium-full body and flavors of red cherry, raspberry, and blood orange. By no means a light wine but with plenty of natural acidity, the wine dances delicately across the palate on its way to a lively, mineral-tinged finish."
"It all started innocently enough. When I was 19, my older sister who was throwing a dinner party offered me a small glass of amber-coloured syrup. “Ambrosia!” I exclaimed upon tasting the late-harvest Riesling. That was it. I was hooked."
-Mike Officer
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Eschewing a job in software development and the city hustle & bustle in favour of making wine in their garage, the Carlisle husband-and-wife team of Mike and Kendall Officer has been making wine under the Carlisle Winery name since 1998. From these humble beginnings, Carlisle Winery & Vineyards has become a Sonoma County gem, producing genuine world-class wines.
Largely specializing in old-vine, vineyard-specific Zinfandels and red Rhone varietals. Carlisle wines are bold and assertive yet impeccably balanced. Differences between vintages and vineyards showcase the deviances amongst Sonoma terroir, which is further expressed by Carlisle's ethos of minimal intervention. Expect impeccable, nuanced wines at an outstanding price.
Carlisle's Estate Vineyard was planted in 1927 and features a field blend of 40 different varietals with Zinfandel being predominant. Mike does no advertising and sells his wine through a mailing list that is over-subscribed. The real advertising is through word of mouth (literally) as his wine’s reputation of affordability and value for such unparalleled quality have sold themselves.
Carlisle produces approximately 9,000 cases annually and does not want to increase from this level. With very few retail shops carrying Carlisle products, if you find it that is enough reason to purchase.
Kensington Wine Market is honoured to be one of the few wine shops anywhere able to carry Carlisle.
Above: Zinfandel from Papara Ranch Vineyard just before harvesting.
$74.99
In the last 20 years, Carlsisle has bottled Alicante Bouschet only four times – 2004, 2013, 2016, and now, with this vintage, 2021. While the variety is one of their favourites for blending, providing ample colour and adding a bit of complexity, it can fall short as a complete wine but in these particular vintages, every component is in place, a beautiful nose, delicious flavours, and a long finish. Aged in all neutral oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note: Black as a moonless night deep in a bamboo forest (trust us, that’s black!) Blackberries and boysenberries abound in the deep, concentrated aromas. A touch of dark earth as well. Medium-full to full-bodied with plenty of fresh blackberry, ample acidity and suave tannins. While there is plenty of fruit to this wine, it is by no means jammy thanks to its low pH and high TA. This will age well.
$84.99
94% Zinfandel, 6% Mixed Black Varieties (Petite Sirah, Peloursin, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, and Tannat). Harvested in mid-October. 17% new, 83% neutral French oak.
Grown and managed by the Sonoma legend Phil Coturri, this Zinfandel is a stunning example of Carlisle's mastery of adapting to growing conditions from vintage to vintage. Rossi Ranch Zinfandels can sometimes be challenging in their youth, but the 2019 vintage is ready to be enjoyed now through 2028.
Papera Ranch shows what Zinfandel is capable of and is highly regarded by wine critics vintage after vintage.
A KWM exclusive.
$84.99
In Mike Officer's words:
I started with five gallons of Zinfandel in my kitchen. Over the next several years, I made a barrel of Zinfandel each vintage with the help of some friends and my wife, Kendall Carlisle. The results were encouraging. Kendall and I moved to Santa Rosa in Sonoma County to be closer to the “source”. I found myself increasingly drawn to the old-vine vineyards of Sonoma County. There was something special, even magical, about those ancient, twisted vines with their deep roots and long histories. By 1997 we were producing over 300 cases of “garage” wine, mostly vineyard-designated old-vine Zinfandels, and winning numerous gold medals in amateur competitions. Hence, it was with our meagre savings and some family support that Kendall and I launched Carlisle Winery & Vineyards in 1998, concentrating on our two loves, old-vine Zinfandel and red Rhône varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah). Our goal was simple but ambitious: to create small lots of distinctive, world-class wines from some of California’s most exceptional vineyards. With the belief that great wine begins in the vineyard, we sought out Zinfandel from some of the finest vineyards in the county, planted between 1888 and 1934, including our own vineyard planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. In February of 2001, Jay Maddox, an old college friend who had just finished getting a second degree in viticulture and enology (with honors!) from U.C. Davis, joined Carlisle, bringing a wealth of knowledge, a keen palate, and a desire to produce nothing but the best without compromise. Together, we have been able to grow to nearly 10,000 cases, garnering high praise from wine critics and consumers alike.
$59.99
Perfecting the old California classics, Robert Biale Vineyards has become a revered standard of heritage vineyard Zinfandel and Petite Sirah in the Napa Valley. From the winery’s inception, the Biale's ounders have cherished the tradition of historic old vines (some dating to the 1880s!) and prize the small quantity of concentrated and intense fruit that they produce. Diligent farming, expressive terroir, and superb elegance are the winery’s hallmarks.The Biale Party Line Zinfandel is a lighter red by Zinfandel standards that is made to enjoy now.
