2008 Carlisle Zinfandel Sonoma County

A great value is the 2008 Zinfandel Sonoma. A cross appellation blend from Sonoma Valley, Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley that contains a small quantity of Petite Sirah, it offers a dense ruby/purple color as well as abundant sweet raspberry, blackberry, and cherry fruit with hints of loamy soil, sandalwood, pepper, and spice in the background. It is a sexy, lush Zinfandel to enjoy over the next 3-4 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