Assorted Carlisle Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Tasting Lot

“Glass-staining purple. Expansive, strikingly pungent aromas of cherry-cola, blueberry, lavender and smoky Indian spices. Offers palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur flavors enlivened by zesty mineral and spice notes and a hint of fresh flowers. The finish strongly repeats the blueberry and spice notes and hangs on with serious tenacity. Officer says that these vines are now 112 years old.” (05/2014)

“The 2012 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch stands out for its centered, beautifully focused personality. The 2012 is bright, lifted and expressive from the very first taste. Dark red berries, flowers, mint and spices all flesh out on the juicy, inviting finish. The style is all about texture. This is the last Zinfandel Carlisle picked in 2012. (AG)” (02/2014)

“The 2012 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch (96% Zinfandel and 4% mixed blacks) comes from 112-year-old vines that Mike Officer personally saved from being ripped out. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered after aging in 30% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet bouquet of black fruits, roasted herbs, baking spices and hints of underbrush as well as licorice. Full-bodied, juicy and succulent... (RP)” (12/2014)

“Dense and a bit untamed, with dried cherry and smoky pepper beef aromas and briary flavors of wild berry, black licorice and smoky sage. The tannins are big but ripe. (TF)” (04/2015)

“The 2013 Alicante Bouschet Pagani Ranch is round, juicy and absolutely irresistible. Rose petal, mint and cinnamon add nuance to a core of expressive red stone fruits as this dense, exotic wine reveals its considerable charms. This site was planted in 1920, which in and of itself is pretty remarkable given the fast pace of life in today's world. (AG)” (01/2015)

“Inky purple, with plenty of blackberry fruit, pepper and incense, the 2013 Alicante Bouschet Pagani Ranch is a blend of 78% Alicante Bouschet and 22% Zinfandel. The Alicante comes from 93-year-old vines, and, while most people think this wine is somewhat neutral, certainly Mike Officer has turned it into something special. Powerful and concentrated, there is black fruit galore. (RP)” (10/2015)

“The fact that this variety is still in the ground in the county says something; the fact that's it's still in the confines of Pagani Ranch says even more. In this ode to generations gone by, the grower and winemaker find common ground in showcasing a big-bodied, black-purple expression of fig, plum and grippy leather that lands softly on the palate. (VB)” (05/2016)

“This ripe and full-bodied Alicante has a lot going for it with a fine core of focused tannins and acidity, plus accents of licorice, pepper and tobacco. (TF)” (03/2016)

“Captures a distinctive personality, offering expressive black raspberry and red currant flavors, with smoky pepper, orange zest and licorice accents. Finishes with mildly rustic tannins. (TF)” (04/2018)

“From the famous Sonoma Valley site farmed by the same family since 1895, this includes 6% Alicante Bouschet and a touch of Petite Sirah from nearby Rossi Ranch (another of the producer's vineyard designates). Juicy, broad and likably round and soft, it features a grittiness of black cherry and pomegranate. (VB)” (06/2018)

“Always beautiful, the 2018 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch from Mike Officer comes from a site in Sonoma Valley and is 94% Zinfandel and the balance a mix of varieties. Its purple/blue color is followed by a killer bouquet of blue fruits wild strawberries, flowers, incense, tobacco, and cedar. Incredibly complex, with medium body, bright acidity, moderated tannins, and great balance, this Zinfandel prioritizes complexity and elegance over power and opulence (which is not always the case with this cuvée), yet still has plenty of fruit and texture.” (05/2020)

“The 2018 Zinfandel Pagani Ranch is a total knock-out. Racy, silky and beautifully perfumed, the 2018 is exceptionally well-balanced, not to mention incredibly delicious. Super-ripe red cherry, blood orange, pomegranate, mint, sweet spice inflections build in a Sonoma Valley Zinfandel-based field blend that oozes class and personality. Pagani was Carlisle's latest Zinfandel pick in 2018. (AG)” (04/2020)

“A wine with richness and presence, this is both supple and deeply flavored, with expressive notes of blackberry cobbler, black licorice, clove and other dark spices. Builds tension on the finish toward fine-grained tannins. (TF)” (11/2020)