Carlisle, Montafi Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

Carlisle · California › Russian River Valley › United States of America

Red · Zinfandel

Critics

94 /100

Reviews

professional

Vintages

No vintages

No vintage-specific entries have been added for this wine.

Community Reviews

Reviews

94.5

Avg Score

100

Highest

Quick decant. Nose dazzles with black raspberry, fresh mint, cracked black pepper, and toasty oak. Wild berries, cocoa, shredded coconut, and zesty acidity, with a fresh thyme accent. Strawberry, baking spice, crème brûlée, and lots of vanilla oak on the finish. Nice now and room to improve. 93+ points.

2021 vintage

This is a really great zin! Being a field blend of six varieties this is a very fruity and complex wine. There's great balance to go along with the complexity. At 15% alcohol, contrary to what one might think, this is not a jammy wine. It gets better with some air time. This wine is very drinkable now and will remain that way for 20 years.

2021 vintage

Packed with berry and cherry fruit, bright and round and juicy, given complexity by zin spices. Classic old-vine field-blend RRV zin.

2021 vintage

A very complex wine. Good color. On the first night, I noticed a subtle note of mocha (probably my palate) along with lingering flavors of boysenberry, plus dry raspberry. The mocha note faded soon after opening, but the boysenberry element remained dominate the rest of the evening. This wine includes 15 percent mixed black varietals, including a bit of Petite Sirah/Syrah, which may be the catalyst for the boysenberry kick -- but then again, this is Zinfandel planted in 1926. …

2021 vintage

Same notes as the last time we had it. Layers of flavor, dark and red fruits, licorice, spices. Med to full bodied with silky tannins. An excellent wine.

2021 vintage

Packed with fruit. Give it 1-2 years.

2021 vintage

Really sensational RRV Zin.

2021 vintage

The 2021 Carlisle Montafi Zin is just outstanding. Beautiful berry fruit and brambly spice. Fleshier and more full bodied than most of their Zins. Will it get better? Probably, but hard to resist now.

2021 vintage

The Montafi is 85% Zin with the rest mixed varietals. The wine is medium ruby with cherries on the nose. On the palate, pronounced notes of cherry with spice. Medium body, medium acidity. All around a nice Zin.

2021 vintage

Wine Rating Methodology 96-100: One of the most enjoyable wines I have ever tasted. I would not hesitate to open this wine for any Master of Wine. 91-95: Extremely enjoyable wine that I would drink and buy again. Fantastic to open up for those who appreciate wine. 85-90: Decent to good wine. Weekday bottle you don’t feel guilty about not finishing. Below 85: would not drink or buy again. ***Price of wine vs. enjoyment (value) is taken into consideration

2021 vintage

Stupid good. Just fantastic.

2021 vintage

Always a great wine, and the '21 is better than most vintages. This is excellent and should continue to evolve well over the next decade.

2021 vintage

Typical Montafi. Just right balance of fruit, body, acid. Not perfect, but damn good.

2021 vintage

Stunningly good Zin. Worthy of 100 point consideration.

2021 vintage

Perfection is an intimidating concept for both the winery and consumer. In this case it is transcendental. Otherworldly. Goddess. Unfortunately, too small of a production. At a measly 220 cases, there are only so many produced. Yet, when you get to experience a Zinfandel of this ilk - of this caliber - your life has become that much more enhanced. Eucalyptus, blueberries, tea leaf, bay leaf, cherries, tangelo and anise. I could inhale this for hours on end. The palate …

2021 vintage

Tasted from barrel 5/28/22. 98 - 100. This has eucalyptus for a fortnight and stunning dark berries, with red as well. This is looking to be the best Montafi yet. (Potentially the best Zinfandel ever from Mike and Jay - which is stating a lot!).

2021 vintage