Carlisle, Sierra Mar Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands

Spicy, meaty, big. A beautiful wine that I would happily drink every day, but will still get better with time. Stood up well to spicy Pork adovado.

2019 vintage

Quick decant. Nose of dark purple fruits and smoked beef with a boozy character. Supple sweet black fruit palate with black olive, smoked brisket, dried oregano, and peppery minerals. Tacky tannins, a strong saline bite, acidity, black licorice, and sweet vanilla oak. Very drinkable but shows varietal character.

2019 vintage

Nice -- some similarities to Paso Syrahs we like.

2019 vintage

Perfect spot to enjoy with the fall weather.

2019 vintage

Last bottle of this. Even though evolved this has more acid and tannin than the last one. Now 92 points and good to leave on a high note. Drink up.

2019 vintage

1 hour slow ox. Nose: Black and blue fruited with some camp fire, stone minerals and traces of mint after air time. Palate: As another reviewer noted this is quite low on tannin levels but there is ample acidity giving the needed lift IMO. Blackberries abound with blueberrries and a very plush richness that the acids keep in check. Quite different than other Sierra Mar vintages I've had in that they always had pretty large scaled tannins, but yet somehow …

2019 vintage

1 hour in glass. Deep purple. Mostly black currant, blackberry and pepper. For me, the pepper was stronger in this vintage than in previous - probably wonderful if you prefer the strong pepper style - but alas I was drinking it without food.

2019 vintage

Beautiful nose, light rip red fruit, cherry I would say, taste light with balanced tannins and medium finish.

2015 vintage

Another amazing Carlisle. Opaque. Pop and pour. Plenty of swirling in the glass. Nose of predominantly blackberry, floral, and cocoa notes. Creamy fruit on the palate. I'm sure the backbone is solid here, but the tannins are not overly pronounced. Beautiful wine that went fro. 93 to 94 in the time it took to type this. This wine is a baby that could have sat several more for years. No regrets.

2019 vintage

Gifted a partial bottle from my oenophile neighbor to try. Deep purple red on the pour; opaque in the glass. Plum and Blackberry on the nose, carrying over to the palate. Full-bodied. Subdued, but noticeable tannins. Elevated alcohol (14.6% abv) is not particularly noticeable. Long Pleasant finish. Elegant, Smooth and Refined. ''Please may I have just one more sip."

2019 vintage

Coravin by the glass. Aromas of blackberry jam, blueberry, black plum, gamey meat and spice. Ripe black and blue fruit, gamey meat, spice and mineral notes on the palate. Very long finish. Full bodied. Served with chili.

2019 vintage

Nicely balanced with lots of red cherry on the palate. Not normally a big Syrah fan but this was very easy to drink and enjoy. 92 points

2015 vintage

Another winner from Carlisle, which always seems to taste better on the patio on a cool summer night. This wine showed beautiful notes of blue fruits, kirsch, violets, and iron. Rich, medium to full-bodied, with good concentration, it has a silky, elegant texture, fine tannins, and a nice finish.

2019 vintage

Très primaire, beaucoup de tout dans l'instant mais j'y vois un potentiel intéressant, la matière est présente. Attendre un bon 7 voir 10 ans avant la prochaine.

2019 vintage

Drinking beautifully; nice savory notes

2015 vintage

Lovely. Fresh, with lots of red and some darker fruit. Spicy, maybe cinnamon. Long pleasant taste.

2019 vintage

Youthful but came alive with not too much prompting. Two hours of bottle air brought it into its primary sweet spot. Aromatic, silky body, med long finish. Blue fruits and in the middle of the sweet/savory styling. Delicious. Lots of small tastes made this one disappear quickly.

2019 vintage

Nose: Graphite, cassis and earth abound with assorted spices. Really pretty aromas. Palate: Very soft and plush yet with good tension brought about via solid acid levels and tannins that are just right. The balance on this is off the charts, and the flavor profile shows blueberries and blackberries with subtle minerals and spice. Fabulous showing on a pop and pour basis, and as others have noted, this is ready to go now. Enjoy!

2015 vintage

this wine great !

2019 vintage

Nice wine at the moment. Still fruit and dark. Layers. But has a bit of life. Totally enjoy

2015 vintage

Tasted alongside the Rosella's. Definitely a 'teeth stainer". Strong fruit; serious backbone; southern rhone in style.

2019 vintage

Tasted after a 90 minute decant. Dark ruby in colour with a purple hue. Lovely aromas of sweet black fruit, cured meat & slightly herbaceous. On the palate, medium to full bodied mellow black fruit, blackberry/cassis/blueberry, floral/lavender, milk chocolate, well integrated background oak, high acidity, medium soft tannins with a long finish to black pepper & an aftertaste of tea leaves. Even though this wine is young, it is approachable now & balanced & complex. Well done Carlisle!

2019 vintage

Great wine !

2019 vintage

Dark and concentrated, with fine, round tannins and a solid middle. Blackberries, blueberries, cassis, black pepper and chocolate. Finishes long and rich. Not quite the same level as ‘16 or ‘18, but still a stunning wine that could really benefit from some age. The body is full, and there’s a welcomed lift. Drink 2025 - 2035.

2019 vintage

Good drinking window. Great example of Cali syrah.

2015 vintage

Delicious and nicely in window. The harsh, alcohol layer has integrated but the meaty fruit is still strong and flavorful. Nothing to complain about with this bottle. I am fading on the style of US syrah.

2015 vintage

Fresh with complexity. Purple/blue fruit with hints of red - peppercorn, green long bean.

2015 vintage

Delicious stuff. PnPd and paired with pot roast from the slow cooker. Boysenberry, sweet pipe tobacco, white pepper, nice acidity and integrated tannin make this a very tasty sipper. Drink now - 2030.

2015 vintage

Another wonderful selection from Carlisle. Well balanced. Full bodied. Oak, leather, vanilla and red fruit. Supple with rounded tannins. Drinking beautifully now and for several years to come.

2015 vintage

Such a great inflection point of age and fruit. Have a lot of syrah that I age, but this is super-enjoyable at the 6-year mark. Bravo, again, Carlisle.

2015 vintage

Better the 2nd night after stored with Vac-u-vin.

2015 vintage

One of my best qpr's in a long time. Great bottle from Carlisle. Black and red fruit. Smoked meat on the nose. Full bodied. Tannins are integrating nicely. Can go longer. Great finish of blackberry and hints of tar.

2015 vintage

Really nice Syrah. Expressive floral aromatics with violets and typical purple fruit. Ripe palate, somewhat high-toned but well integrated and seamless at this age. Purple fruit with some red fruit highlights and white pepper. Tannin mostly resolved. Moderate length finish. Probably in a lengthy peak platieau.

2015 vintage

Dark ruby/purple color. Opened up after about 30 minutes, offering strawberry and blackberry notes on nose and palate. Very nice wine.

2015 vintage

Very rich and earthy aromas on the nose that were big and generous. Velvety plums not over ripe. Pepper and eucalyptus. Mild and interesting acidity tannins fully resolved. Day 1 92

2015 vintage

Had this bottle over a couple nights - it was even better the 2nd night. Super full bodied, smooth with a nice long finish. A bit of smokiness with the dark fruit and a touch of pepper on the finish. Was great!

2015 vintage

No notes written. Still early. But beautiful already.

2015 vintage

From reading some previous comments, I must have gotten the better batch because this tasted wonderful. One-hour decant, then down the hatch. Drink or hold.

2015 vintage

Enjoyed over 2 nights. PnP, enjoyed with homemade french onion soup on a cold night here in Philly on night 1. Plenty of power / fruit left on night 2 when I had with lamb rib chops marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Great with food. It's not going anywhere - has the ability to go 7-10 more years in my opinion.

2015 vintage

Completely agree with Jeffmudd before me. I drank this over 2 nights and it stayed about the same. A bit medicinal with an over extracted fruit profile. Not bad, but no where near the glowing reviews of earlier CT notes. Is Carlisle all Hype?

2015 vintage

Not sure where this is, a bit syrupy and not much balance.

2015 vintage

Still young and showing some rustic tannins. Varietally correct savory-blue fruit notes but lacking some of the plushness of earlier Sierra Mar syrahs. Try again next year?

2015 vintage

Dark red fruits, cinnamon, all spice, great floral notes, silky texture and perfect balance. Hides the alcohol well.

2015 vintage

previous to this Carlisle syrah, I had a Carlisle Willow Creek, james berry vineyard 2015 Syrah (95pts) that blew this one away. Interesting that one was so far superior, maybe just bottle variation,

2015 vintage

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Carlisle, Sierra Mar Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands

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