TN: Berry, Berry Good.....2004 Carlisle Syrah Pelkan Ranch Knights Valley

WINE TALK
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Knock knock. Who’s there? Berry. Berry who? Berry this. And berry it is…

  • 2004 Carlisle Syrah Pelkan Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley (11/28/2009)
    Have not tasted since purchase so I don’t have any TN history for reference. TN here formed after an overnight bottle decant. Last night the wine was pretty unctuous–blackberry jam, stone fruits, flowers and dark color. Tasting today, the nose has picked up some graphite but retains the apricot and cobbler-like nose. Juicy and forward, reminiscent of Mike’s zins and if I didn’t know the wine and was poured it blind, I may have guessed zin, save the graphite note. The wine shows off juicy, ripe blackberries, black raspberry, apricot pit along with a big blueberry finish that also carries within it the acidity, like eating ripe blueberries off the vine, reminding me of the 1999 SQN The Marauder with the blue fruited finish. There is some light structure here (and again, recognize the overnight bottle decant) with a real nice mix of stone fruit, blue and black fruit, in a medium + weighted, forward style. I would differ with Mike’s stated drink window of through 2015…I would say drink now and enjoy through end of 2011. Delicious and fresh.

Posted from CellarTracker

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I pulled another one of these from the cellar. I like the way this drinks but it won’t draw the syrah purist, as it really continues to drink more like a zin. Having posted on this wine last year, figured I would refresh my original post with a new TN and let those of you who may want to talk Carlisle have a chance to have at it.

  • 2004 Carlisle Syrah Pelkan Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley (7/14/2010)
    I’ll echo my 2009 note on this wine. However, what I find new this time is a Foley-like note of powdered cocoa. Say this, if someone put this wine in front of me blind, said taste it, I’d call out Pride or Foley. This is the early impression, right out of the bottle, pop and pour. Fast forward 90 mins and the wine gets closer to my 2009 note, with apricot pit, berry cobbler and fresh fruit, along with some emerging graphite. No blood, no smoke or cooked meat, this is a juicy, zin-like wine that is fresh and zesty…and 24 hours of the wine open, finishing tonight with some bean stew, maybe showing a bit of syrah character tonight with some leather but really this wine is a about black fruit flavor and feel. The cocoa and decadent notes have receded back tonight, leaving the juicy blsakberry and black cherry behind. Given the way this wine now shows, I don’t see any gains by aging it further, although there is enough stuffing to carry it. Like the 2004 Bennett Valley bottling, as much as that one is ready to drink, IMO, so is this one. Let it rip.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Yum.

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Excellent. I have two left. Only one will remain after this weekend. Cheers. [cheers.gif]

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Sounds fantastic. Looking forward to having my first next month. Thanks for your notes!

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Thomas and Chris, since I am the only red drinker in the house, this wine survived another night and the last glass I am now enjoying. I would enjoy hearing back from you on what you think of this wine but it’s hanging on just fine, even with some finishing grip that still survives after all of the O2 time it has seen since Wednesday night. A big juicy and broad shouldered wine. As a result, I’ll probably hold the last one to 2011 and check back in, modifying my comment to drink now. Let’s say drink now or give it another six months to a year.

Drop back with a note when you drink yours.