first of 2 days in Sonoma. I have been less planned on this trip than ever before, with only Carlisle a sort-of appointment. Nevertheless, had a great day.
LANDMARK WINES
I hadn’t been in here in a very long time, decided to check in. I was fortunate that Greg, the long-time winemaker here, was around and even remembered me from my last visit. For changes in 6 years, he is another in the chorus of securing and buying vineyards for control. He has started to do some work with concrete and Hop Kiln vineyard is now theirs and he’s very excited about producing pinot from there.
2017 Landmark Estate Pinot Gris
8 months in oak from 10 year vines. Fragrant perfume with sprinkles of apple and melon. Quite sweet and rich with a bit of butterscotch. Not sure if typicity is made here, but odd/interesting duck.
2015 Landmark Overlook Chard
10 months in 35% new oak. Nice light toast to pineapple and plantain. This continues in the vein of past vintages with excellent balance and restraint. Very good, with good length.
2015 Landmark Hilliard Bruce Chard
14 months in 35% new. Full malo and batonnage every 2 weeks. Some princess to this with light floral accents to very light peach and pear. On the tongue, light but fresh with some lemon cake and repeat pear.
2014 Landmark SRH PN
An equal blend from John Sebastiano vineyard, La Encantada and Dierberg’s Drum Canyon. Pommard, 667 and 115. A fresh kind of almost stony bouquet hiding crisp red berries. Has a good run of acid and some light smokiness to cranberry fruit, it’s a bit stiffer than most SRH I’ve had.
2015 Landmark SLH PN
This is all Escerolle road vineyard. 115 and 667 in this (they make a Single-clone SVD of 943 from here). Baking spices here alternate with red and black plum. Chewy fruit, still a bit green, more structured and can still get some stemminess here.
2016 Landmark Grand Detour Sonoma Coast PN
Luscious red cherry and strawberry fruit, which is from Lakeville Highway and Hop Kiln. Smooth as silk, very Sonoma with sarsaparilla notes around cherry and light strawberry.
CARLISLE WINERY
Mike was unfortunately not around, getting ready for the craziness of a release, but Sarah was terrific in having me for the tasting. 6 years from now is hard—they are at a cusp point in some ways and are waiting to see where things settle. They are thinking about adding a tasting room and diverge a little from the mailing list centrics. She also reiterates that Mike will never compromise on what the wines will look like—they have to match his own palate preferences. I asked about the 17 fruit and she said all seems well, they did get everything in before the fires. That is a comment that is echoed throughout the next 4 days, that people feel quite lucky to have gotten most of their fruit into the wineries in time. I did also meet their cellarmaster and said a quick hello to Jay.
2015 Carlisle Rossi Zin
15.4%, 9-10 year vines. Sugar and spicy cinnamon back up some plum here. To taste, plenty of follow with thickness to the wine.
2016 Carlisle Piner-Olivet Ranch Zin
A new idea for them, it’s a blend of 67% from Papera, 26% from Carlisle and 7% from Montafi. Mike wants to make a “Carlisle AVA” with this wine. 15.7% alcohol, it’s 90% zin. Cocoa-raspberry nose here, the sarsaparilla and spices come later. Juicy yet restrained, black fruit in the main. A little minerally in the middle.
2016 Carlisle Dry Creek Zin
Mounts and Teldeschi vineyards for the Zin, Mounts for the Petite Sirah, which is about 15%. More smoky meat here, dark cocoa, plum and cassis. Le gout is much the same profile, with front-end being very black plum. Lots of structure and a second level lurks in the background.
2016 Carlisle Papa’s Block Syrah
15% alcohol, Papa’s block is part of a larger vineyard. 2 years in oak. Bouquet is made up of blackberry, blueberry, chocolate and some grapeyness. Wow. This is friggin’ good. It has such faithful follow-through and again fine, fine length and dusty tannins to counterbalance the richness. Yummylicious.
2016 Carlisle Palisades Petite Sirah
14-16 months in oak. Dark as motor oil and there are hints of that in the scents along with beef blood and plum. My stars—not grippy per se, but super-strong lines. Another P.S. that will last a long time.
LIMERICK LANE
When I asked Sarah for her suggestion, she suggested here and I said “oh—yeah! I haven’t been there or tasted the wines!”. I was welcomed into the tasting room by their office manager very warmly. She sampled me on a number of wines. They have 26 planted acres and produce a little under 4,000 cases. My thanks for taking me with no notice.
2017 Limerick Lane Rose
62% Grenache, 38% syrah. Done Provencal style. A few hours’ skin contact then cold soak for 3 weeks, then stainless. Very perfumed, pink grapefruit and berry. Refreshing and balanced if a touch sweet and not too authoritative.
2015 Limerick Lane Estate Zin
Field blend, this has a fun berry-filled aroma. On the tongue, replays with all fruit front. I would wish for some more complexity.
2015 Limerick Lane Bedrock Zin
14.8%, 12 months in oak. Bits of bramble, some chocolate-covered black plum. To taste, good solid Zin, more of everything here for me than the Estate.
2014 Limerick Lane Syrah
67% syrah, 23% Grenache, the rest of field blend. 14.4% alcohol. About a year in barrel. Peppery strawberry and plum here. Red peppercorns pop up too. Good, mouthfilling wine. Decent acidity, straightforward red plum with a lick of red licorice. Abut 85 or 86 on the strict Mike scoring scale.
2016 Limerick Lane Hail Mary Syrah
100% whole cluster, a wonderful story from the 2011 vintage. No one had supplies so they did whole cluster in a tarped tank outside the winery. It worked and they’ve more or less done it that way ever since (replaced the tarp with a proper top now!). Deep, almost burnished plum and cedar. Palate is very smooth and voluptuous, but not cloying at all. Nutmeg and cola notes around rich black cherry fruit.
2015 Limerick Lane Rocky Knoll Zin
15.2% This is special in the nose—fruit and cocoa with some mocha and sandalwood. And this is shudderlicious on the palate. Acid, earth, plum and boysenberry fruit, with everything in wonderful harmony. I can’t stop drinking it, had to take a bottle. 94, one of the best Zins I’ve had in a long, long time, and one of the better wines of the whole trip.
MERRIAM VINEYARDS
They were right next door—sort of-- and I hadn’t tasted here either. The owner is committed to quality first and foremost and, interestingly, is only interested in doing French varieties.
They have 23 acres with 5-6 more to be planted. 3,000 cases.
2017 Merriam Pamelle Vineyard SB
Stainless. There are plenty of herbs—sage? Fruit is tucked away. In the mouth, it’s SB, but not much else exciting.
2017 Merriam Rose of PN
Saignee. Very light, with only hints of fruit. Ditto on the palate, no particular definition. Tastes “correct”
2015 Merriam Cuvee PN
Estate grown, 24 months in oak. Exuberant red fruit is quite attractive in the bouquet. It’s Sonoma for sure, very sunny, with red strawberry and cranberry.
2013 Merriam Windacre Vineyard Merlot
Solid red fruit here, plums mainly. Pretty, rounded, a very good food wine. Nice balance.
2014 Merriam Windacre Vineyard Merlot
Slightly more cola and spice to this bouquet. Maybe a dab of cocoa. Palate is more active, bit more tang, a broad spectrum of red fruit.
2015 Merriam Malbec
14.5% Alexander Valley fruit. A nutmeg and wood oil combo to sniff at that’s quite intriguing. Bit of nutmeat gets added to the berry fruit. Dans la bouche, I see why it’s sold out. This is fine. Super length, great balanced acidity, lightness with heft, spiced pepper at the end too. Yum plus and possibly the best Malbec I’ve had from California (not that there’s that many doing a pure).
2014 Merriam Petit Verdot
This is from Sonoma valley. Almost a dried quality to the dark berry fruit in aromatics. Nice, with good cocoa, tobacco parts to this and replays. Very long.
2014 Merriam Windacre Cab Franc
Bits of green herbs, smoky with blackberry. Does grip your mouth, tart black fruit. Decent.
2013 Merriam Rockpile Cab Sauv
I didn’t know Rockpile had any Cab planted to it. Good herbal presentation with black cherry and cassis. Chocolate and coffee is all over this minerally black beast on the tongue. It has terrific tannins. Soooo young, 10 years should make this a classic wine.
A nice surprise visit here to end the day.