I was unpacking my Carlisle and Rhys shipments tonight and I decided I just couldn’t wait to dive into one of these guys (one of 6 I purchased).
Got a blast of oak-ey vanilla on the nose when I poured the first glass which dissipated quickly. After a few minutes, the nose was predominantly blackberry with a hint of vanilla. On the palate, I get blackberry and baking spice, and a touch of black olive. Spice is very soft, with no peppery/hard edge that you get from some ZIns. Finish is nice and chewy, this wine is practically begging to be drunk with a nice piece of tri-tip off of the smoker.
This is a fairly simple, but well made wine. I’ve never had this bottling before (only the svd’s), and I’m glad I bought a bunch. This isn’t one to get overly contemplative with, but one to enjoy for the pure fruity goodness that is California Zinfandel.
Matt