2006 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel - Carlisle review tasting

Carlisle is a winery in California that is well known for it's Syrah and stylish high quality Zinfandel. It's vineyard designates are wonderful expressions of both grape varietals of Syrah and Zinfandel. I have always enjoyed drinking and posting tasting review notes with this winery.

The 2006 Dry Creek Valley was an expression of the Carlisle brand that fits into my experience with this Quality producer.

I opened this wine about 20 minutes before drinking. While there are certainly special producers who make quality zinfandel, it is usually not a grape that requires age or many hours of opening. Some like to do a splash or long decant for airing and opening - many tasting notes and reviews will show that. I don't like to do that with Zinfandel very often. I enjoy the strength and power of the grape the way it should be. Certainly Carlisle (including the 2006) shows greater complexity and age potential than 90% of Zinfandel makers IMO. Still, I enjoy these young.

2006 Carlisle Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

Tight nose of some dates, figs and some ash. Tasted like a 2004 or at least a Zin that had some age on it. Tastes of rasberry, sour cherries, and black cherry. No heat at all and that is with near 16% alcohol (this is 15.9%). Clean finish but comes up just a bit short against other Carlisles I have had. Tasted a little aged and peaking. I also had the 2005 of this and posted a review tasting note somewhere...from my hazy memory that I found superior to this.

These vines were planted back in 1885 and there is some petite sirah blended into the dry creek vineyard zinfandel for color and flavor.

My review rating from this tasting note is 90 points. Which while is considered a strong or excellent review on the 100 point scale system, for a $45 single vineyard zinfandel from one of the 5 or 6 best Zin producers in California IMO - I must call this (at least my bottle) a slight pass, mainly for the price to quality ratio.

I'm finding 2006 in general to be not as strong a zinfandel vintage in california (sonoma, Russian River Valley inlcuded) to be not as strong as the great 2004, 2005 vintages.

Carlisle is what is called a "cult wine" of sorts. Most people who get to drink this wine are either on their mailing list (which has a wait time)