Haha, not off the truck but but within a year of arrival. I liked the Derivative quite a bit - big but still fresh. I did pick up one each of the gruner & CP this time around - perhaps I should wait a bit longer to open them?
Here’s what I wrote about the '15 CP:
“Very conflicted about this wine. It has so much going for it. Gorgeous gewurz aromatics. Spicy, honeyed, white flowers, and many layers of Fuji apple, winesap Apple, Apple pie. Good acid, minerals and a lychee finish that goes on and on. 93 for all of that. On the other hand, abrasive alcohol that can’t be tamed, and a flabiness that turns the apples to boxed apple juice. 78 for that. So 86 combined?”
Gotcha! Everyone has their preferences but i think the CP and Derivative really shine with at least a few years of age on them. Try to hang onto one for a bit or source one with some age - would love to hear your thoughts!
Just opened a 14 Montafi to celebrate the release. I have been buying Mike’s stuff now for over a decade and it’s always a treat when the 2X yearly email arrives. I don’t buy the entire portfolio anymore as I used to, instead now focusing on what I really like, which is the core Zins, the Palisades and Papa’s. I also appreciate and use Mike’s bottling data to help guide my thinking, looking towards the higher acidity, lower ABV things. I don’t dig smelling booze in my wines anymore and have become fragile over the years so things like Mancini make me smile. I still though love Pagani, and even Palisades, with the bigger frame when I want that in my glass.
Mike, you keep making great wines. You’ve built a great brand, with a devoted following, of which I am a part.
The 15s are a bit more “solar”, while I think 16 should be quite a typical, excellent year. Having said that, I’ve often been fooled by what Mike and Jay get into the bottle, relative to “vintage expectations”. There are no weak or bad Carlisle wines, just different expressions year to year.
When I first read today’s release notes, I assumed that the “Piner-Olivet” Zinfandel had more in common with the Carlisle RRV “Old Vine” Zinfandel than with the “Sonoma County” Zinfandel.
Following this this train of thought, the inaugural release of the Carlisle “Piner-Olivet” wine, (composed of Carlisle Vineyard, Papera Ranch, and Montafi Ranch) at $35/btl, is comparably priced with the Carlisle Russian River Valley “Old Vine” Zinfandel at ~$30/btl, which has included vineyards like Saitone, Banfield, Papera, Carlisle, Montafi…
I don’t know what the date of the “Sonoma County” Zinfandel will be, but I don’t think it’s tied to the new “Piner-Olivet” bottling.
This new wine, IMHO, serves as fuel for the meta-sub-AVA argument for further division of the broad Russian River Valley AVA. Mr Rod Berglund of Joseph Swan has spoken on this topic with greater eloquence and knowledge than I can at this moment, but I think wines like Mr Officer’s serve as proof of concept.
“I’m hopeful we can make this a permanent addition to the portfolio as it beautifully showcases the special terroir of this Russian River Valley sub-region.” - Mike Officer
Hi All, I am new to this forum, but have followed for some time. I bought a mixed case of Zinfandels, what should be interesting is the Piner-Olivet Ranches Zinfandel. Looking forward to following threads about wines I know, and learning about wines that I do not know. Best Regards, Chris.
I suggest you try the 2011 and 2012 Derivatives, different in style with the 2012 richer and the 2011 more structured. When a group of us, including Mike Officer, did a 2010 - 2015 Derivative vertical eight months ago, the 2012 was the group favorite, but some preferred the 2011.
Thanks David; will do - sounds like 2011 may be the way to go but a mini-vertical wouldn’t hurt. Do you have a recommendation on the Compagni Portis, as I was already a fan of the Derivative on release but CP less so.
This appears to be sound advice. I don’t have as much experience with the CP as the Derivative and can’t recommend any particular vintages. Next year, when it’s my turn to select the flights for our annual Carlisle-a-Thon, we will have a Compagni Portis vertical and be better able to answer your question.
Some excellent points here Drew. When I read the release letter I didn’t necessarily jump to any conclusions about what happened to the SC Syrah and Zin even though these 2 wines are usually included in the January release. Hopefully this just means they will be included in the July release instead. In the meantime I’m excited about the Piner-Olivet Zin as a new inclusion to the lineup.
