2015 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch- USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (5/9/2018)
My tastes run to aged wines and I usually wait a 2-4 years before I start drinking my Carlisle zins. After seeing a lot of high praise for this wine I decided I would try one young. I opened it last night and, again for my tastes, the wine was way too primary. As I type this the next day I am sipping on the leftovers which to me are way better than the wine last evening. Even though still pretty primary the flavors have mellowed a bit and the tannin has moved to the background. So I guess I will stick with my “let them age a few years” philosophy for these zins.
Hey Don, Thanks for the note - I have actually had this twice (my dad opened one) since release, and for the most part I agree with your take on giving these a few years to settle in. Yet, as with Bedrock, given the friendly pricing and limited storage space, I’ll often rip one right away as sometimes they are great from the word go. The new Carlisle POR is one such recent example and the Dolinsek and Evangelho wines from Bedrock usually show well early on. Good times!
I have not tried any of the Carlisle '15 zins (or '14’s), but my own general experience after buying for well over a decade is that the zins are where I like them beginning 5 years past vintage. I have been working through the 12’s and have also opened the '13 Sonoma County appellation bottling, and have been very pleased with how they are drinking. I can’t recall ever thinking that I wished I had opened one of Mike’s zins sooner, but I do remember many years ago thinking I drank them too early. Personal preference, of course.
I completely agree with that 5 year rule for Carlisle and Bedrock zins (definitely the single vineyard wines and even the OVZ’s for the most part). As Sherri mentioned, the Carlisle 12’s are absolutely crushing right now.
I had the same exact reaction to the '15 Papera, and even on night 2 it still wasn’t singing.
Last week I opened a bottle of '15 Rosella’s syrah, expecting it to show similarly unready. But while it’s pretty obvious it will get better with a few years, it was darn tasty now.
Agree with the 5-year rule. Opened a 2012 Rosella’s Syrah last night and the nose blew me away and the palate evolved even more after only 30 minutes of air. Looking forward to checking in on it tonight.
I have had the '11 and quite honestly I am having a hard time loving the cool year 2011’s. To me they do not have the “depth” of the warmer year wines. I am hoping this changes with cellar time. I know for a fact that others have exactly the opposite view and think the '11’s are the greatest thing since buttered bread.
I haven’t drank a '13 Papera yet but the other '13’s that I have drank have been outstanding.
I am right with you Sherri. Looking back on the 6 Carlisle Zins I have drank since the beginning of the year, all but the "15 Papera have been '09-'13. I even try to hold a few bottle to the 10 year mark. When I have succeeded, my patience has been richly rewarded.
On the Syrahs I try to wait even longer. Although I start at vintage +5 years I would say my average Carlisle Syrah is Drunk 8-12 years from vintage. Had a '07 James Berry a few weeks ago that was just amazing.
So I will be the dissenting voice in this thread. I absolutely, positively LOVE the 2015 Papera right now. Had a six-pack and am down to two. After letting the 2006-2009 wines age a bit, I didn’t care for them as much as I do when they’re straight out of the box, 2-4 years from vintage. I love the pleasure these wines afford and how open and hedonistic they are. Carlisle makes some of the most pleasing wines out of California.
Well, I’m not really a dissenting voice. I’m just offering a counter-point. I like them now. The 16s, I think, need another 6-12 months, but I’ll drink those up early, too. But they are so full of pleasure. I’m just a drink-now guy on the Carlisle wines. Note: I only do the Zins and the whites. I’ve just stopped buying and drinking Syrah mostly.
A few weeks ago Peter Petersen and I had the 2012 - 2016 Papera’s at our annual dinner with Mike Officer. We also had five year verticals of the Papa’s Syrah and Palisades Petite, but I thought the Papera’s stole the show. While there is little doubt about the (future) greatness of the 2015 and 2016 Papera’s, the 2012 and 2013 were wine of the night for most of us in attendance (2013 for me). I later tried the 2011 Papera and think it’s less ready than the 2012 and 2013.
I tend to age the Zinfandels several years but, based on comments from others, have been trying a few of them earlier. With rare exceptions (the 2012 Montafi comes to mind) I prefer them at least five years from the vintage.