Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann

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2012 vintage

Going super strong! Wouldv'e never guessed 12 years old, performed very lively, vibrant and energetic while being full bodied+. Zin character squared. 93 is probably too stingy

2012 vintage

Tannins smoothed out. Fruit still plentiful. Dark purple in the glass. Perhaps a bit more time left, but the wine is drinking beautifully now.

2012 vintage

Still drinking very well

2012 vintage

What a Zin masterpiece! All is there, fresh, bright lively, brambly fruit, red fruited still with pronounced intensity in both nose and on the palate. Juicy finish that makes me immediately long for the next sip. Should probably rate it a 94 actually. Makes a mockery of the belief that Zin cannot age. If all Zin was this good, it would be regarded as one of the worlds premier grape varietals

2012 vintage

Popped and poured, beautiful crystalline ruby, quite similar to how juice from this fantastic vineyard tends to express itself (albeit a bit deeper in comparison to Bedrock/Sandlands/etc.). Explosive nose...where to even start? Stone fruits (apricot in particular), well-ripened cherry, curry powder, black & milds, autumnal vegetation, vanilla bean...could go on! Deceptively concentrated, this profound Zinfandel is so utterly CA it's almost stereotypical, although the high quality most certainly is not, almost reminiscent of a great vintage of Cortina from Seghesio …

2012 vintage

Light, translucent red in color. Dusty spice and cherries on the nose. Almost delicate on the palate, cherries, raspberries. Fine tannins, lovely acidity, good balance. Lingering, light finish of spice and cherries. Quite nice but not typical Carlisle. Probably better 2 to 3 years ago but will still give pleasure for 2 to 3 years more.

2012 vintage

From Magnum. The first of two Carlisle 2012 Mags I purchased in honor of my son's birth month. We held the Zin for 10yrs and will hold the Syrah for 21! And the cellar age did not disappoint. A very good showing with silky purple fruit and good structure. Not as loamy as other Montafi versions, but then I've never held one until 10yrs post vintage date. Bit of black pepper, rich plum, blackberry and slight darker char notes. A …

2012 vintage

Rich and velvety axon. Red pepper, earthy with tobacco blackberries and plum. Great rich nose of pepper. Still has years to go. Wish I had more.

2012 vintage

Fantastic zin! Very rich, with lots of blackberry fruit and cocoa notes. This is still drinking very well & is probably at its peak.

2012 vintage

Drinking absolutely beautifully now. Incredible nose from the offset. Fruit-packed, yet fresh and elegant. A real treat! This was my last bottle and I think this wine is peaking now, but with no signs of decline in the immediate future.

2012 vintage

Super high zinfandel score for a super high quality zinfandel! How long will the 2012 last??? This is so good right now that I likely will not wait to find out.

2012 vintage

A remarkable zin. Huge nose of red and black fruits, beautiful still youthful and full of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberries. Super long finish. Drink now or hold for another 6 years.

2012 vintage

Lots of blueberry, black fruit and spice

2012 vintage

Mike officer is a Zin master ….9 years okd and can go longer ! Same as my other note …

2012 vintage

Oh my gosh does this get better with age. Stewed red fruits and maybe a little licorice underneath. Excellent qpr

2012 vintage

Less intense than most Carlisle Zins, but very well balanced and broad food pairings should work. Should be at peak drinkability but not fading.

2012 vintage

creamy zingy blueberries and cassis....layered fruit...integrated and not hot at all...nice!

2012 vintage

Just as good as it ever was. Softer but the fruit is still bright and juicy

2012 vintage

Opaque purple color with intoxicating red cherry liquer, white pepper, baking spice aromas accented hints of leather, licorice and an interesting minty notes. On the palate it's on the lighter side of medium-bodied, and very elegant, dare I say Pinot Noir-esque with supple well integrated tannins and vibrant acidity which beautifully moderates it red cherry, boysenberry jam, spice, and subtle orange peel flavors with a long finish. 15.3 % abv.

2012 vintage

Bright crimson in color. 15.4% ABV. 89% Zinfandel and 11% Mixed Blacks. Sublime nose of ripe red and blue fruits, citrus and anise. Full bodied with enough acidity to keep everything in balance. Rich, plush and concentrated. Black cherry, blueberry, raspberry liqueur and a hint of pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Big, bold Zinfandel. Polarizing perhaps, but count me as a fan. Best over the next 1-2 years.

2012 vintage

This is still good with a lot of spice and complexity, but the alcohol is starting to peek through the massive wall of fruit. Drink up!

2012 vintage

Medium purple. Blackberry, sweet plum fruit. Hints of black pepper on the finish. Very smooth- definitely has a bit of a muted character though. Drink now.

2012 vintage

As per Danseng, waited too long, flat, tawny, the lively fruit is no more.

2012 vintage

Very nice fruity zin. Open an hour before drinking. Drink or hold.

2012 vintage

Probably at it near it's peak. Smooth all the way around...feel, fruit, structure. Enjoyable.

2012 vintage

This is still a very big wine. Need 30 minute decant to allow the alcohol nose to blow off. Still very fruit forward but balanced

2012 vintage

More elegant zin with nice dark fruit and supple tannins

2012 vintage

Agree with those that commented it was overripe. I probably waited too long but this was the most disappointing Carlisle I’ve ever had.

2012 vintage

Terrific,balanced, not over ripe nor over extracted Zin that goes great with food. Drank with 12 Bones blueberry chipotle ribs, and by itself, both with great pleasure. The blueberry flavors in the wine went great with the barbecue sauce. Marvelous match and marvelous wine.

2012 vintage

Decanted for 1.5 hrs and served cool (68F). Big blackberry and cedar aromas. Large but not massive on the palate with delightful full-bodied mixed black and red fruit flavors with nice tannin/acid balance. Served at this temp there were no issues with the alcohol level even as the wine warmed in the glass. Really excellent juice that seems to be at peak! 92-94

2012 vintage

PnP. Three years ago, I described this as lush bold and deep. It started out that way with deep black and blue fruit. With 15 minutes in the glass, it smooth out with more black fruit and bramble and spice. Bummed this is my last bottle.

2012 vintage

The bottle note is quite correct that this is a more elegant, feminine style of Zin. Beautiful wine and such a nice contrast to some Zins out there. Almost pinot like in some aspects (not the fruit). Fun to pair this with one of their heavier Zins as a contrast.

2012 vintage

This was a bit of a fruit bomb but I really liked it. Fruity without being pruney. My first of these and I am looking forward to my other bottle. I would say that this bottle is in prime time so drink up.

2012 vintage

Really nice showing. Restrained style likely due to vineyard. Red zin berry friut profile, alcohol well hidden, polished finish. Drinking well at present.

2012 vintage

Brambly at first, and a bit rustic. The second day I enjoyed it much more and found it has settled into a nice Zin balance that would go well with BBQ or other tangy, acidic food.

2012 vintage

We don't drink much Zin anymore, and other than a bottle or two of Ridge Geyserville, this might be our last bottle. An interesting nose, with floral, spice and potpourri. Smells nice. I am surprised to see so much acidity and to find that the wine is not heavy. Plenty of fruit, spice and a little char. The 15.3% alc is hidden well. A glass of this is a fun change of pace, and the wine is not something that …

2012 vintage

Another great bottle, in zone.

2012 vintage

This is a perfect Zin and I love the Lodi Zin character. Earthy, full body with loads of fruit, with a perfect balance of vest and acid. Nose, taste and finish make this a wonder wine to experience, wish it was not my last bottle.

2012 vintage

LOVE me some Kirschenmann...totally opposite from what you usually get in Lodi wines...these are more feminine with sandy soil finesse. I still can't get over the 12%alc Arnot Roberts Zin which blew my mind! First time with a Carlisle K-mann...15.3abv...bright and zingy red berry fruits...cherry, raspberry, rhubarb, strawberry...liqueured and fully ripe, yet still with finesse and lifted with tart citrus acidity. Brambly and exotic with wood smoke and underbrush. Pretty potpourri florals, white pepper and barrel spices...red licorice...silky smooth with …

2012 vintage

Light bodied for a Carlisle, and I like it! Bits of candied red and purple fruit, some tiny bits of heat on the finish as it warms. Great with grilled burgers.

2012 vintage

WCW Fifteen: From a magnum. Candied plum, licorice, blue and purple berry liqueurs, white pepper, and 'sweet' baking spices on the nose and palate. Ultra fruity and rich. Not especially complex, but there is a lot of it. Likely to pair beautifully with BBQ ribs. 90-91.

2012 vintage

Love Kirschenmann Vineyard zins - just the perfect profile for my palate and Mike does a fantastic job with this fruit. Lovely, midweight, and full of red cherry goodness.

2012 vintage

This didn't show well to me--quite surprising as I've never had a Carlisle Zin come across this way, but also first experience with this vineyard. All vanilla oak and alcohol, with fine fruit underneath. No obvious flaw. I don't have another bottle to compare but may update this note depending on my experience with the 2013 as it was so inconsistent with this producer. On night 3 this finally started to integrate and show some zin character. I get the …

2012 vintage

Very nice in a much different style from what I have come to expect from Carlisle. Lighter but not too light, with great texture and great lingering flavor. Great value.

2012 vintage

Beautiful zin with classic flavors and "sweet" zin-type fruit.

2012 vintage

Zin with amazing character, red berry and field herbs. Fruit lingers on the finish for over a minute. Layered with some fig and sandlewood. Thank you Mike Officer

2012 vintage

Barely translucent ruby color. Ripe berry fruit character in a lighter (but not light) bodied format. Very smooth texture with unobtrusive tannins.

2012 vintage

Consistent with prior notes, very nice indeed.

2012 vintage

Good balance. Lots of raspberry, blackberry, and chocolate with subtle tannins and acid. Best on second of three nights.

2012 vintage

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Carlisle Zinfandel Kirschenmann

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