Maybe Mike will join in. Anybody know what’s in it?
The WineRelease website shows items and prices. I hope the pricing is incorrect, as it appears there is an increase on some of the traditionally less expensive wine(s). I don’t know how the 2015 yields affected the pricing of grapes, nor am I an economist. Either way, at any price, the wines’ quality is sure to be superb.
Carlisle Winery Release (January/April):
• 2015 Sonoma Mountain Steiner Vineyard Grüner Veltliner (166 cases, $30)
• 2015 Napa Valley Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah (586 cases, $50)
• 2015 Russian River Valley Papa’s Block Syrah (422 cases, $44)
• 2015 Sonoma County Syrah (361 cases, $25)
• 2015 Sonoma Valley Compagni Portis White Wine (95 cases, $30)
• 2015 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (380 cases, $37)
• 2014 Mendocino Ridge DuPratt Vineyard Zinfandel (407 cases, $47)
• 2014 Napa Valley Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel (302 cases, $52)
• 2015 Russian River Valley Limerick Lane Vineyard Zinfandel (108 cases, $47)
• 2015 Russian River Valley Mancini Ranch Zinfandel (246 cases, $47)
• 2015 Russian River Valley Montafi Ranch Zinfandel (664 cases, $47)
• 2015 Sonoma County Zinfandel (595 cases, $27),
• 2015 Sonoma Valley Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel (261 cases, $47)
Drew, this is just a guess, but those prices may reflect the retail price that kicks in after the initial allocation period is over.
Thanks, Bud! I hope you are right!
I’ve fallen for Palisades, and always dig Papa’s and Montafi. I’ll grab some Compagni white too.
Carlisle always presents one of my biggest challenges when it comes to being selective with each offering. Would love to buy them all…but unfortunately that’s not going to happen.
Definitely in for some palisades PS, Campagni-Portis, Montafi, and SC zin. Have to figure out my plan of attack from there (i.e. how much more I can buy without having to sleep on the couch for a couple nights)
God this is gonna be an expensive couple of weeks.
My goal this year is to keep Carlisle, O & F, and Bedrock to 5 cases total. That is basically replenishment as we drink 1-2 bottles/week
I’m rooting for you buddy…but that’s a tall order just given ln the fact that Carlisle and BR have 3 releases per year…not to mention a massive variety of amazing wines 
This is the big one for me. Looking fwd to it
Pardon me for being obtuse. What is O & F?
Phil Jones
Once and Future
Aha! I should have been able to figure that one out. Thanks for curing my less-than-lucid moment.
Phil Jones
Does anyone know if Mike lost Monte Rosso after 2015 like Morgan did?
Can anyone compare the Compagni Portis to the Bedrock version? I’ve only had the latter once and the aromatics on that wine were amazing.
Date is January 18 according to the site. Plus, Turley, B-Day…this is why I have PTSD from last January.
I am putting all my January funds into Carlisle and Berserker Day. Turley and O & F, unfortunately are the odd men out this year.
Release letter has been posted.
January 2017
Godt Nytår! Bonne Année! Ein Glückliches Neues Jahr! Feliz Año Nuevo! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! Xin nian yu kuai!
No matter what the language, we wish you nothing but the very best for the New Year. And to start things off on the right foot, we are pleased as punch to present our 2017 Winter Pre-Release, offering the first of our 2015s and two late-released 2014s. Before getting into the wines though, just a few items to cover.
First, shipping. We are very happy to announce that we are now permitted to direct ship to Pennsylvania. No more third parties! Also, with last year’s change to Arizona law, we are back again to direct shipping to the Grand Canyon State. Yea!
Next up, harvest 2016. In a nutshell, short on quantity, long on quality. After five years of drought, many of us were excited to see a monster El Niño developing in the late fall 2014/early winter 2015. Forecasters predicted a winter with rain and storms of epic proportions. Alas, none of it came to pass. The big El Niño was the big El Bust. Nevertheless, we did end up with close to average rainfall and soil moisture was fully replenished for an early bud break comparable to 2015. In fact, for most of the growing season, 2016 tracked quite closely to 2015, all the way up to the start of harvest on August 22nd. But that’s when 2016 took a different course. Rather than continuing to be very warm as it had been in 2015, the weather cooled dramatically. For three weeks in fact. Sugar accumulation stalled, even retreated in some cases, allowing us to hang the fruit longer for additional flavor and color development. The added hang-time, however, came at a price. Warm weather returned in mid-September and then BOOM! Suddenly, everything was ready – whites, Zins, Syrahs, Petite Sirahs. You name it. You know things are whacked when you’re picking Piner/Olivet Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley before Zinfandel in Dry Creek Valley. Crazy! Anyway, tanks filled fast and furious, so much so that for the first time ever we had to borrow a few tanks (thank you Chris!). In the end, we crushed nearly 80% of our fruit in the last two weeks of September. We’ve experienced compressed harvests before but nothing quite like this! Our team handled the onslaught like champions though and based on what I’ve tasted from barrel, there is plenty to look forward to from 2016.
And finally, let’s discuss 2015 in a bit more detail. Similar to 2016, 2015 was warm, early, and compressed. Yields were quite variable. If a vineyard bloomed early, like Zinfandel at Monte Rosso, yields were down considerably. But if the vineyard bloomed later (as did our Piner/Olivet Zinfandels), tons per acre were off only a tenth or two from the generous yields of 2014. And just how early was 2015? Our earliest ever, with both Compagni Portis and Limerick Lane Zin coming in on August 18th. Were it not for two vineyards picked in early October, we would have been completely wrapped up in September. There have been vintages in which we haven’t even picked our first fruit until October! As for the resulting wines, our reds, especially our Zinfandels, are very red-fruited (lots of cherry in this vintage) with alluring textures that provide plenty of upfront appeal. That is not to say that these wines will not age. They most certainly will! It’s just a vintage that, in general, will not demand aging for optimum enjoyment. They are wines that can be enjoyed now while some of the more brooding 2013s and 2014s sleep. Whites from 2015 are especially successful, displaying highly perfumed aromatics and very juicy, refreshing palates. Perfect for summer sippin’!
We hope you enjoy our notes below.
2017 Spring Releases
2015 Sonoma Mountain “Steiner Vineyard” Grüner Veltliner It could be that the vines are getting older. It could be that our winemaking is improving. Heck, it could even be some of both! Whatever the reason, our Grüner Veltliner from Sonoma County’s only vineyard of the variety continues to improve with each vintage. Unlike past years, our two blocks ripened at the same pace so they were both picked on September 1st at 3 AM. (Picking at night ensures the fruit arrives early and cold to the winery, a good thing for wine quality.) Whole cluster pressed, the wine fermented very slowly in stainless steel for two months before finishing completely dry. As usual, no oak and no malolactic fermentation. Fined only with bentonite so suitable for vegans.
Tasting Note: Medium-light to medium straw-yellow. Gorgeous, head-turning aromas of white grapefruit, acacia, and lime. As someone who drinks a lot of Austrian Grüner, I’m amazed (and thrilled!) with how classic this smells. Medium-bodied with flavors of grapefruit, lime, honeydew melon, and just a soupçon of honey. An Austrian Grüner of this quality would set you back at least $40 to $50, making this wine an absolute bargain. Enjoy this beauty from release through 2023.
2015 Napa Valley “Palisades Vineyard” Petite Sirah Ho-hum. Another stunning Palisades Petite Sirah. Our first block was picked on August 31st while the second block was picked on September 10th. Both lots were fully destemmed, cold-soaked for five days, and given very long macerations (50 and 40 days respectively) to soften the tannins. Twenty-nine percent new French oak to further round the palate. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note: Shimmering black-purple in the glass. Opaque. A beautiful nose of black raspberry and huckleberry complemented by notes of violets and black licorice. On the palate, medium-full bodied with flavors of blackberry and blueberry that linger through the long and gently tannic finish. Very civilized and polished, showing a more genteel side of the variety. (Petite Sirah in its youth can sometimes be a bit rough and surly.) Enjoyable now with a decant, this will age well. Drink from 2018 through 2034.
2015 Russian River Valley “Papa Block’s” Syrah Planted to one of my favorite Syrah clones, ENTAV 470, Papa’s Block was picked on September 21st at a generous 26.3 Brix. Twenty-nine percent of the fruit was not destemmed to add structure and aromatics to the wine. After a 5-day cold soak, both tanks were inoculated with Rhône-isolated strains of yeast (D254 and Syrah respectively for you yeast aficionados) and then pressed on October 12th to all French oak, 29%. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note: Verging on opaque ruby-purple. With swirling, notes of blackberry, cassis, hoisin, and milk chocolate emerge from the glass. Very precise on the palate, the wine enters full and rich, offering flavors of blackberry, cherry liqueur, and savory herbs (no doubt from the use of whole cluster). Despite the intensity, the wine closes with plenty of verve and freshness, punctuated by silky tannins in the long finish. Age-worthy. Drink 2020 through 2032.
2015 Sonoma County Syrah Like the 2014, this year’s Sonoma County Syrah is based largely on Syrah from two Bennett Valley vineyards. We included a bit of Papa’s Block to round out the palate and liked what a dash of Mourvèdre and old-vine mixed blacks (mainly Petite Sirah, Carignane, Peloursin, Syrah, and Alicante) added to the aromas. The result is a medium weight, perfectly balanced, age-worthy Syrah. It looks highly unlikely that we’ll have a Sonoma County Syrah in 2016 so now is the time to stock up on this QPR champ. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note: Dark ruby-purple. A very savory nose of herbes de provence, cherry, and spring flowers. Quite sappy and pliant, the wine enters medium bodied with plenty of energy and cut. This could almost pass for a Northern Rhône from a warmer year. Flavors of cherry compote, violet pastilles, and black licorice flow through the
mineral-tinged finish. Don’t be fooled by the “county” designation into thinking this is an early drinker. This wine will continue to develop with age and should have a long life. Enjoy from 2019 through 2032.
2015 Sonoma Valley “Compagni Portis” White Wine After expressing our delight at receiving four tons of Compagni Portis in 2014, Mother Nature slapped us in the face and provided us with only half that amount in 2015. Picked earlier than ever on August 18th, we fully destemmed the fruit before pressing to maximize our juice yields. Alas, even with the destemming, our juice yields were considerably lower than normal, resulting in just under 100 cases of this lip-smacking, refreshing wine. (Fortunately we’ll have a bit more from 2016.)
Tasting Note: Pale white-yellow. An explosively perfumed nose of lychee, rose petal, green apple, and pear. I could sniff this forever! Medium-bodied with intense flavors of lychee, apple, and lime. Finishes crisp and long with less phenolic character than usual. A top-notch vintage for this unique, delicious wine. Drink from release through 2023.
2015 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Unfortunately, the Del Carlo Ranch, our source for Petite Sirah for our Dry Creek Zinfandel, was sold in 2014. But good news! Rich Mounts graciously offered to sell us the same amount of Petite from his ranch, very convenient since we were already purchasing Zinfandel from him. And another bit of good fortune, Rich’s Pet, at least based on the last two vintages, seems to ripen on the same schedule as our Teldeschi Zin. That allows us to coferment the two lots. Cofermentation magic baby! Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note: Very dark ruby-red. Somewhat atypical for this red-fruited vintage, this wine leans heavily towards the black fruit spectrum. Black cherry and blackberry abound punctuated by notes of freshly tilled loam. Speaks clearly of Dry Creek. Similar to the wonderful 2014, the palate is rich and pure with tannins from the Petite Sirah building in the finish. Hold until 2018 and enjoy through 2027.
2014 Mendocino Ridge DuPratt Vineyard Zinfandel With our production down in 2015 and since there is no 2015 DuPratt (due to inclement weather, the vineyard failed to set fruit), we decided to hold on to this wine and release it a year later than normal. We’ve done some of the aging for you! Picked a bit earlier than usual on September 20th, the fruit was fully destemmed and cold soaked for five days before fermentation with local yeasts. Pressed on October 7th to all French oak, only 17% new, the wine was bottled unfined.
Tasting Note: Medium-dark to dark garnet-ruby. A fascinating, complex nose of red cherry, cranberry, pine forest, and orange rind. On the palate, an explosion of red cherry liqueur, briar, and cracked black pepper. Classic DuPratt! Finishes very clean and long with plenty of verve and snap. For a Zinfandel, this will have a long life. Drink anytime from 2019 through 2030.
2014 Napa Valley Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel Another late release. Again, to mitigate the low-yielding vintage of 2015, we decided to release this wine six months later than usual. But does that mean a 2015 Hayne will be released this fall? Regrettably, no. The 2014 is unfortunately our last vintage from this venerable old queen of Napa Valley. Picked September 9th, the fruit was fully destemmed and cold soaked for five days before inoculation with one of our favorite slow fermenters, Assmanhausen. After 20 days on the skins, the wine was pressed to all French oak, only 23% new. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. If you’ve enjoyed our Hayne in the past, don’t miss out on this last opportunity. (Sniff, sniff. L)
Tasting Note: Dark ruby-garnet. Aromas of red cherry liqueur and mint are complemented by a hint of sandalwood. Smells very regal and very Napa. The wine enters full and rich but stays light on its feet thanks to healthy acidity (a characteristic of this incredible 113-year-old vineyard) and polished tannins. The finish is long and smooth. Enjoy from release through 2025.
2015 Russian River Valley “Limerick Lane Vineyard” Zinfandel It was a bit surreal to start harvest on August 18th, picking both Compagni Portis, just east of the town of Sonoma, and Limerick Lane Zinfandel, in the Russian River Valley, on the same day. Makes no sense! But with a light crop on these 105-year-old vines, I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised. Fermented with local yeasts, the wine was aged in all once-used French oak. As usual, unfined and unfiltered. Tasting Note: Medium ruby-garnet, this wine is a bit of a trickster. A deep, concentrated nose of cherry compote and blood orange leads one to expect something fairly full-bodied on the palate. Instead, the wine is remarkably bright and elegant, with beautiful balance and laser-like precision. Certainly one of our most feminine Zinfandels in 2015. While enjoyable now, this wine should continue to improve in bottle for another four to five years and then hold nicely for an additional seven.
2015 Russian River Valley “Mancini Ranch” Zinfandel A new vineyard designate! Mancini Ranch, planted in 1922 (curiously, right after the start of Prohibition), lies kittycorner from Papera Ranch at the corner of Piner and Olivet Roads. Unlike Papera, this vineyard is relatively mixed in its composition with plenty of Carignane, Abouriou, Valdiguié, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, and Petite Sirah. There is even a mixed block of Colombard and Muscadelle that we use for The Derivative! One of our last lots of the year, coming in on September 29th, the fruit was fully destemmed and cold soaked for five days before indigenous fermentation began. After 23 days on the skins, it was pressed to all French oak, 19% new. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Tasting Note: Medium ruby-red. Pronounced aromas of cherry, red currant, and raspberry greet the nose. Fullbodied on the palate but with plenty of acidity to lift the tangy pomegranate and currant flavors. Finishes quite long and clean. If you gravitate towards more of a “cocktail” styled Zin, then this wine is probably not for you. But if you prefer something that wonderfully complements food and will age and develop, look no further! Enjoy from 2019 through 2029.
2015 Russian River Valley “Montafi Ranch” Zinfandel Compared to most of our other Zinfandel sources, Montafi Ranch was pruned a bit later in 2015. As a result, weather at bloom was more favorable, leading to far less millerandage and coulure than some other vineyards experienced. In the end, just over two tons to the acre. Not bad for what is regarded as a low-yielding year! Picked first on September 10th with subsequent picks on September 12 and September 19th, the wine was fermented with a combination of local and cultured yeast strains. Aged in all French oak, 26% new, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Tasting Note: Medium garnet-ruby. True to the vintage (at least for Zinfandel), very red-fruited with aromas of red cherry, currant, and the trademark whiff of eucalyptus (although not as prominent as some previous vintages). The wine enters fresh and snappy with flavors of red currants, cherries, and a touch of pomegranate. Youthful tannins emerge in the fruit-filled finish, indicating that this should age well. Enjoy from release through 2027.
2015 Sonoma County Zinfandel Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! Here is a “county” wine that is so good that we must look like fools for not slapping “reserve” on the label and charging twice as much. Seriously. What makes it so good? For starters, 95% of this wine is composed of vineyards planted between 1895 and 1934. And these aren’t just any old vineyards. These are vineyards like Carlisle, Demostene, Kirschenmann, Montafi, Pagani, and Papera. First class stuff! In our 19 vintages, I cannot recall a Sonoma County Zinfandel I’ve liked more. Please don’t miss it. Tasting Note: Medium to medium-dark ruby-garnet. Hi-toned aromas of red cherries, blood orange, and briar. Impeccably balanced with flavors of cherry liqueur, baking spices, and earth. While mouth coating, lively acidity and silky tannins keep the wine fresh and exhilarating. Enjoy from release through 2027.
2015 Sonoma Valley “Monte Rosso Vineyard” Zinfandel Ahhh… Monte Rosso! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Yep, unfortunately the owners have other plans for the fruit going forward. 2015 is our last vintage from this iconic grande dame of California vineyards. Picked August 21st, yields here were off nearly 50% of normal. Fully destemmed, the fruit was inoculated with a local strain of yeast after a 5-day cold soak. Pressed to all French oak, 18% new, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Tasting Note: Medium-dark ruby-garnet. A very complex, multifaceted nose of Christmas spices, plums, and licorice allsorts. Medium-full bodied and surprisingly lithe, red fruits and cinnamon coat the tongue, paving the way for a crescendo of juicy, mouthwatering mountain tannins in the bright and energetic finish. When to drink? I’d give it another year in bottle and then enjoy though 2027.
Thank You
No pre-release letter would be complete without a very sincere and heartfelt thank you. All of us here at Carlisle are truly humbled by your incredible, generous support of what we do. It is something we do not take for granted and promise to never rest on our laurels.
Again, a very happy New Year to you.
Kind regards,
Mike
Shipping Policies and Guidelines:
Pickups: Pick-ups are April 1st and April 8th, 11 AM to 3 PM, or by appointment between April 3rd and April 7th. All pick-ups will be at 6301 Starr Road, Windsor, 95492. (Please note this is not our mailing address.) Orders not picked up by April 8th will be shipped on Wednesday, April 12th at standard shipping rates. The card used for your order will be charged shipping.
Transfers to Third Parties: Two third party storage/shipping companies pick up from us (California sales tax still must be paid). They are:
• All Ways Cool (707-545-7450, ask for Roxanna) • 55 Degrees (707-963-5513, ask for Laura or Denise)
To choose either of these companies (you must have an account with the one you choose), please select “CA - California” in the dropdown list box and on the next page, the appropriate transfer option. We will try to ensure that all transfers to third parties occur no later than mid-March. You will be notified by e-mail when the transfer occurs.
Ship Dates (weather permitting):
State Via Shipping Date CA Ground March 14, 2017 AZ, NM, NV, TX Ground/2-Day Air February 27, 2017 AL*, FL, GA, LA Ground February 24, 2017 2-Day Air February 27, 2017 AK, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MO, MT, OR, WA, WY Ground/2-Day Air April 3, 2017 CT, DC, IN, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI Ground March 31, 2017 2-Day Air April 3, 2017
-
- We must receive a copy of your permit before we can ship your wine. Older permits cannot be used.
Returned Shipments! – Please note that UPS and FedEx charge for returned shipments. You will receive a tracking e-mail when your wine ships but it’s a good idea to note your ship date so you do not miss delivery. An adult signature is required by law! Both UPS and FedEx will make three delivery attempts. If those are missed, they will hold the shipment for five business days for pickup before returning it to us. If it is returned, you will be charged the return fee plus the cost to reship, both of which could be considerably higher than the initial discounted shipping cost. Please be sure your delivery address is correct and you are aware of your ship date! Using a business address
Per the release letter…
" 2015 is our last vintage from this iconic grande dame "