2014 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard

The 2014 Zinfandel Carlisle Vineyard is wonderfully complete. Deep, dark and layered, the 2014 exudes pedigree from the very first taste. Seamless and polished, with striking depth, the Carilsle is a terrific example of Zinfandel from the Piner-Olivet district of the Russian River Valley. As always, the Carlisle is most accurately described as a field blend, given that there are approximately 39 other varieties interspersed among the Zinfandel.

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.