TN: 2003 Carlisle Syrah Russian River Valley (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley)

WINE TALK
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  • 2003 Carlisle Syrah Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (12/14/2009)
    Just 5 notes on this wine in CT for the past 2 years…so adding to the limted history. This is my last 03 RRV and aside from last 03 Pelkan in my cellar, I am done with 2003 for Carlisle. Dark colored with expressive acacia flower and jasmine in the bouquet. Some tension in the wine through the mid palate, with a juicy blackberry and some faint licorice, with a fairly soft finish. As I taste the wine more, it shows some old bones flavors, with a hint of spice box and tobacco leaf, enough to notice but still enough fresh black fruit. As to the alcohol, the bottle lists off @ 15.9% but the wine seems lower, as the bouquet is clean and I can drink a good size glass and not feel like I am floating…and as a final check in on the wine with a 24 hour rest in the bottle, more richness today in the bouquet and palate, as if the wine unfolded more. These rich elements ride over the secondary notes that I experienced yesterday. Even the acidity is a bit fresher, a bit more piercing, helping the big black fruit along. The alcohol is more present today, living up to the listed number so if you age, which given the acidity you can, note that you’ll not want to wait too long. The alcohol fits into the greater whole now, given the structure and fruit freshness but the drink window would be now through 2011. No reason to wait–enjoy now.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Tasted this one twice last spring:

Easter weekend: 2003 Carlisle Russian River Valley Syrah, 15.5% alc.: Looks like a glass of ink and shows substantial oak over deep dark black plum and blackberry on the nose; flavors echo with a balsa-like undertone, and (Alan) Kerr adds impressions of “very peppery, very spicy, and a little eucalyptus.” Kim (Adams) mentions a vacancy on the mid-palate, and it does have a certain flat quality – perhaps it’s in an in-between period? Not over-the-top and not over-ripe; dry, but rich and structured for at least five more years of development. Not as impressive as the Ridges ('99 & '00 Lyttons & '03 Lytton West; all four tasted over two days), but a solid Syrah in its own right with its best days ahead of it.

May: 2003 Carlisle Russian River Valley Syrah, 15.5% alc.: Deep dark color, not quite opaque, and throwing a tarry black fruit nose with a little oak and a hint of balsa showing through; all of these impressions echo and expand on the palate. Sleek, smooth and somewhat creamy, this is in a very good drinking window right now, but by no means in any danger of fading any time soon.

Just my 2 oz.,

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