2007 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch
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Tasting notes
Ripe red and black currants intertwined with heady amounts of raspberry, blueberry, and wild berry fruit characterize the 2007 Zinfandel Papera Ranch, a blend of 93% Zinfandel and 7% mixed black varietals. Pure, spicy, and loaded with flavor, this super Zin should drink well for 5-8 years. One of California's most compelling success stories is Mike Officer's conversion from full-time software developer to full-time guardian of old vine Zinfandel vineyards and world-class producer of artisinal wines. Carlisle is a hugely successful winery, not only because of outstanding customer service, but because of the simple fact that it delivers great wines at extremely fair prices. Carlisle's 2008 Zinfandel crop is the smallest to date thanks to the spring frost, which cut yields by 30%. Consequently, production for all of these 2008s is down considerably. That said, the concentration levels are higher than ever, and the alcohol content is slightly higher than in 2007. The 2007 Syrahs (all 100% Syrah) showcase not only Mike Officer's uncanny knack for ferreting out top terroirs for Syrah, but also his artisinal, hands-off winemaking philosophy that seems to coax the finest characteristics out of all his vineyard sources. The 2008 Syrahs are concentrated, powerful reds, and I may be wrong, but it appears that Mike Officer is beginning to use a higher percentage of whole clusters (stems). Tel. (707) 566-7700; Fax (707) 566-7200
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Glass-staining purple. A compelling bouquet of black raspberry, blueberry, sandalwood incense and potpourri is strikingly pure and expansive. Deep, energetic red and dark berry flavors manage to be both powerful and graceful, with silky tannins providing structure and back-end grip. I wouldn't hesitate to drink this sexy wine now but I'd bet it will reward another four or five years of patience.