2016 Carlisle Zinfandel Montafi Ranch
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Tasting notes
I loved the 2016 Zinfandel Montafi Ranch, another complex blend based largely on Zinfandel. Fresh plums, blueberries, violets, and fresh flower notes all give way to a plump, rounded, beautifully textured effort from Mike that never puts a foot wrong. Shining for its elegance and purity, yet still packing rocking levels of fruit, drink it over the coming decade or more. Winemakers Mike Officer and Jay Maddox have hit pay dirt with these latest 2016s and across the board, they’re the finest set of releases I’ve tasted from this estate. While Mike’s wines are always deeply colored and powerful, the more elegant, balanced style of the 2016 vintage is front and center and these 2016s just glide over the palate, with perfectly integrated fruit, tannin, and acidity. In addition, most are approachable today given their purity of fruit, yet they’re going to evolve beautifully on their balance. Hats off to the team here and readers should not miss these wines!
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A blend of 89% Zinfandel mixed with about eight different other varieties, from vines planted in 1926, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Zinfandel Montafi Ranch offers up a pronounced crème de cassis and blueberry pie nose with touches of camphor, cardamom and dusty soil. The palate is big, rich, full and fruity with loads of earthy notions and a plush texture, finishing with great freshness. 711 cases produced.
A dark, powerful wine, the 2016 Zinfandel Montafi Ranch shows the clear influence of the 11% mixed blacks that are planted here. Black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and leather notes flesh out in a potent, virile wine endowed with serious character and complexity, not to mention tons of potential once the tannins soften a bit further.