Country: | United States |
Regions: | California California (Napa) |
Winery: | Carlisle Winery |
Grape Type: | Petite Sirah |
Vintage: | 2014 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
True to its name, Inkblot Petite Sirah is dark and inky in color with huckleberry, Maraschino cherry and cedar on the nose. Rich and weighty, this full-bodied wine reveals flavors of boysenberry, dark chocolate and peppery spice carried through by a long finish with smooth, polished tannins.
Review:
Find rich, robust notes of overripe blackberry, black plum and blueberry—reminiscent of mixed-berry pie—alongside integrated oak notes and plush, mouth-coating tannins. For lovers of big, bold wines, this sip is for you.
-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points
is made from 74% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Vineyard Notes
Early to bud and early to ripen, the 2014 vintage was our third drought year in a row. Dry, even temperatures marched the grapes along at a steady clip all year and created a wine with beautifully integrated fruit, acidity, and tannin.
Dense and dark magenta in color, this is a lithe and energetic vintage with lifted aromatics and a purity of fruit that lights up the medium-bodied tannin structure. The nose promises fresh black fruits, cherries and a touch of graphite, and the palate completely delivers. Juicy blackberry, plum, and bright cherry explode in the mouth, and develop into savory notes of baked black fruit and fresh pencil shavings on the mid-palate.
Eagle Summit Vineyard’s signature eucalyptus appears on the back palate to brighten the fruit, showing fragrant peppermint and warm, toasty spices through the finish. Whether you open it young or wait a few decades, this vintage does Howell Mountain proud--sophisticated and smart, with a rustic wild side.
Cresta Velia Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aged in 100% French oak (86% new)
• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Eagle Summit Vineyard on Howell Mountain
• Equal amounts of clone 4 and clone 7
• unfined and unfiltered
Review:
"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet aged 20 months in 86% new French oak, with the typical suspects in terms of cooperage – Darnajou, Taransaud, and Remond. This opaque purple-colored wine has plenty of mulberry and blackcurrant fruit along with hints of blackberries, camphor and incense. The are some notes of unsmoked cigar and licorice as well. Ripe, medium to full-bodied and luscious, it is a classic to drink over the next 15 or more years. - RP"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #228, December 2016), 90 pts
The Cabernet Sauvignon Casey’s Lakeview is similarly inky bluish/purple to the rim. Tasting like blood, this wine is dense and rich with lots of chocolate, espresso, earth and spice. It is deep, full-bodied, and again, a masculine style of wine that needs at least 4-5 years of cellaring and should keep for 25 or more years.
Lakeview Vineyard is the winery’s mid-block vineyard planted to a combination of clone 6 & 337 Cabernet Sauvignon on 101-14 rootstock. Excellent drainage from the rocky and chalky soils plus plenty of sunlight throughout the day produces wines of bold character with mouth filling flavors.
Organic farming methods are used to produce this Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview vineyard. Vines are 17 years old. Ageing in French oak barrels (85% new) for 20 months, then 12 months in bottle prior to release. Non-filtered.
Review:
"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview Vineyard is the most overt of these wines. Superripe black cherry, plum, chocolate and licorice add to an impression of flamboyance that sits on the edge of being too much. The effects of the drought are felt in the wine's slightly roasted profile. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 91 pts
Heritage School Julies Creekside Cabernet Sauvingon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Cabernet Sauvignon Julie’s Creekside Vineyard is an impressive, opaque purple colored wine that is super-concentrated and extracted with relatively sweet tannins, a touch of chocolate and espresso, a full-bodied mouthfeel and pure, dark, primordial fruits. This is a big, masculine, concentrated wine set for long-term aging. Saying that, it has a certain accessibility, but won’t hit its prime for at least another 8-10 years and keep 25-30.
Review:
"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Julie's Creekside Vineyard is dark, sumptuous and surprisingly open-knit for such a young wine. Black cherry, plum, game, rose petal, sage, smoke and earthy notes underpin a core of intense dark red cherry and plum fruit. Soft contours and generous, super-ripe fruit add to the wine's near and medium-term appeal. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 93 pts
Heritage School Missiaens Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
A steep, rocky site with red volcanic soils results in our most structured and concentrated wine. Planted in 1998 using 110R rootstock and clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon our Hillside Vineyard produces wines as breathtaking as the views from its slopes. These tiny, dark blue berries ripen near the end of September thanks to cool afternoon temperatures allowing for increased hang time and developed flavors.
Reviews:
"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Missiaen's Hillside Vineyard is the darkest and richest of these wines, but it also has enough structural breadth to handle all of that intensity. Superripe plum, bittersweet chocolate, tobacco and licorice all flesh out over time. This is an especially rich, seamless style, yet all the elements are in the right place. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 92 pts
Wowie zowie! Hands down the finest Petite Sirah we have ever produced. This wine is special. Black as night, the hi-toned aromas of blueberries, blackberries, and flowers explode from the glass. What a sniff! Full-bodied, flavors of blackberry and cassis completely saturate the palate. Plenty of tannin in the long finish but buffered by the copious fruit. Breathtaking! I enjoy Pets young for their power and fruit but this will also age well. Enjoy young with a decant or let it age until 2032. Who knows, it may even make it to 2042! (MRO – 01/19/16)
Review:
"I’ll just briefly summarize the 2014s. It was the earliest vintage ever for Mike Officer and probably he’ll beat that early harvest record in 2015. In this case, he was finished by October 6, which was a first, and it will be interesting to see if he eclipses that in 2015, which was looking even earlier. The production levels were relatively abundant for Mike Officer and the wines fruit-forward, although softer and less reserved than some of the 2013s. While not quite as opaque in color, they are loaded with fruit, supple and luscious. The only white wine, the Grüner Veltliner Steiner Vineyard, makes an appearance in 2014, and it’s another beauty – it’s crisp and the only wine in bottle. The other wines all stood out and will, no doubt, merit outstanding ratings across the board for their intensity, richness, and full-bodied power. If you already know what Mike Officer does, and the style of his wines, you won’t be disappointed in his 2014s. You may even like them as much as any vintage, given the fact that this year shows a lot of up-front fruit and charm. - Robert Parker"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #221, October 2015), 95-97 pts
"The 2014 Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard emerges from one of the best sites for Petite in California. All the classic signatures of Palisades are in the glass; intense, dark fruit, powerful tannins and explosive sense of energy. The long, seamless finish suggests a bright future once the elements have a chance to fully come together. - Antonio Galloni"
- Vinous (February 2016), 93-95 pts
Carlisle Winery is a small Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated Zinfandels and red Rhone varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah). They have also recently added their first whites, two blends from historic, old-vine vineyards plus Sonoma County's first ever Grüner Veltliner.
"While we like our wines to be bold and intensely flavored, each reflecting its vintage and vineyard, we also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and nuance. Our goal is always the same - grow and source outstanding fruit, do as little as possible to it, and bottle outstanding, pleasurable wine at the fairest price possible."
Date Founded: 1998
"It was with our meager savings and some family support that Kendall and I launched Carlisle Winery & Vineyards in 1998, concentrating on our two loves, old-vine Zinfandel and red Rhone varieties (Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre). Our goal was simple but ambitious: to create small lots of distinctive, world-class wines from some of California’s most exceptional vineyards. With the belief that great wine begins in the vineyard, we sought out Zinfandel from some of the finest vineyards in the county, planted between 1885 and 1934, including our own vineyard planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti. For our Rhone varieties, we contracted with small, family growers, just as dedicated and passionate about growing grapes as we are about making exceptional wine.
Using vacation from my “real” job in San Francisco, we produced 650 cases in our first vintage, 1998. However, after growing to nearly 1000 cases in 2000, I found myself over-extended in trying to balance the demands of our growing business and my career as a software developer. It was obvious that if I wanted to be a full-time winemaker, production needed to increase. The catch, however, was that in order to increase production, we needed my salary! The solution? Enter Jay Maddox, an old college friend who had just finished getting a second degree in viticulture and enology (with honors!) from U.C. Davis. Jay joined Carlisle in February 2001, bringing a wealth of knowledge, a keen palate, and a desire to produce nothing but the best without compromise. Together, we have been able to grow to nearly 7000 cases, quickly approaching our desired maximum of 8000. With the increase in production, I finally shed myself of the commute and said goodbye to corporate America in March 2004."
- Mike Officer
Carlisle Vineyards:
It's said over and over: "Great wines begin in the vineyard." Although the winemaker’s bag of tricks has grown considerably over recent years, these tools and techniques can only take a wine so far. For a wine to be exceptional, it must be intrinsic to the grapes. Given this simple fact, we strive to work with only the best vineyards, vineyards that consistently produce grapes of quality and distinction, vintage after vintage. For our numerous zinfandels and Two Acres mourvèdre blend, we source fruit from some of the finest old-vine Sonoma Country vineyards, planted between 1885 and 1952. For our other varieties – syrah, petite sirah, and grenache – we work diligently with small family growers who share our passion for great wine. Although some of these vineyards are quite young, the care and attention they receive ensures exceptional, distinctive fruit with each vintage.
Montafi Ranch – Russian River Valley
Planted in 1926, we originally designated our zinfandel from this ranch as Tom Feeney Ranch, as Tom purchased this ranch from the Bernardo Montafi in 1999. But with a new owner in 2006, we have returned to calling this vineyard by its proper name, Montafi Ranch. Located farther up the eastern bench of the Laguna de Santa Rosa flood plain, literally bordering Santa Rosa city limits, this vineyard is mostly Zinfandel but does contain a healthy amount of Alicante Bouschet and Grand Noir de la Calmette. A little Petite Sirah, Peloursin, Syrah, and Petit Bouschet are interspersed as well. Being a higher up the bench, Montafi Ranch tends to be picked earlier, generally around the first week of October.
Rossi Ranch – Sonoma Valley
Planted in 1910 by the Rossi Family, this must be one of the most picturesque vineyards in Sonoma County. Farmed organically, there are a variety of hills, undulations, and exposures, all surrounded by a mix of oak and pine/fir forest. Unfortunately, after the death of Val Rossi in 1999, the vineyard fell into disrepair and many of the old vines were lost, including large tracts of Alicante Bouschet and Grand Noir. New owners have completed a massive renovation of the vineyard , preserving as many of the old vines as possible. Some of the new blocks are even being head-pruned. Blocks of Petite Sirah have also been re-introduced. (The original Petite Sirah blocks were destroyed by deer.)
Although further inland from our Russian River Valley sources, this vineyard is in a very cool microclimate, often necessitating October picking. The wine from this ranch reflects the wildness surrounding the vineyard. The aromas and flavors exhibit a briary, peppery, spiciness intertwined with the smell of the native plants in the vineyard. Rossi’s own version of garrigue if you will!
Betz Family Besoleil is made from 55% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and the rest Cinsault,
Grenache is the star of Besoleil, but it's not the whole story. Additional southern Rhone varieties have found their way into the blend and today the wine includes Counoise, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre . Our cellar treatment has also evolved in several ways in order to promote additional nuance from these southern Rhone gems. Larger, neutral oak cooperage of 300 and 500 liters provides less surface-to-volume ratio, resulting in slower evolution and less oak influence in the final wine. Aging up to two-thirds of the blend in concrete vessels helps maintain a bright, fresh fruit character.
The story of Besoleil begins with our long-held belief that a precise marriage of soil and site can produce a profound expression of Grenache in Washington. We put that belief to the test with Besoleil's first vintage in 2003. While the Grenache in the earliest vintages of Besoleil was sourced from various vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley, two sites in particular (Olsen Vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Upland Vineyards on Snipes Mountain) have excelled as uniquely distinctive for Grenache. These two sites are the sources for the entirety of the Grenache in Besoleil today.
Besoleil is our Spanish/French whimsy for "kissed by the sun". It alludes to the warm, sunny days in the south of France that impart an intensity of character to the Grenache grape and its southern Rhone relatives. Imagine the windswept vineyards of Chhateauneuf-du-Pape, the inspiration for this wine, where Grenache thrives alongside a dozen or more other grape varieties.
Review:
"Grenache makes up 46% of this wine, with Mourvèdre and Counoise each accounting for 24% and the balance being Syrah. With the majority of the fruit coming from Olsen Vineyard in Yakima Valley, the aromas explode from the glass, with notes of raspberry, smoked meat, huckleberry and white pepper. The palate has dense, textured, layered fruit flavors but still remains fleet of foot. There is a compelling sense of freshness and texture to it. It's a complete dazzler. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN"
- Wine Enthusiast (March 2020), 94 pts
The Marjorie vineyard sits in the center of the Cristom Estate with a gentle slope from 480 feet to 600 feet over some of the most consistent volcanic soils on the entire Estate. A little bit unique to itself, most of the Vineyard is planted over a moderately deep volcanic soil with some very rocky areas in the north and southeast corners. The vineyard wants to produce elegant wines of finesse with bright red fruit and succulent acidity.
Review:
Dark ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard takes on a darker mineral profile with forward aromas of wet stone, black raspberry preserve, and layers of baking spices and crushed purple flowers. Moving to the palate, the wine is medium-framed, with ripe tannins, an angular texture, fresh acidity, and a spicy finish. This certainly needs more time and will gain complexity with time in cellar.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Darkly alluring, the 2021 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard is perfumed with dusty violets and lavender, giving way to dried black cherries. Luxuriously round, with juicy acidity, this cascades across the palate with crisp raspberry fruits as rosy inner florals amass toward the close. Hints of blood orange pucker the cheeks as the 2021 finishes staining and long with long lingering chalky mineral tones.
-Vinous 95 Points