Carlisle Papera Ranch Zinfandel 2016
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Dunnuck
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Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Medium-dark to dark garnet-ruby with a prismatic luminescence. A very deep, concentrated nose of cherry-raspberry compote. No sign of herbaceousness as in the 2015. Just pure, lip-smackin’ zinberry goodness! On the palate, incredible texture and balance with electrifying acidity in the finish.
Blend: 96% Zinfandel, 4% Carignane
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
More blueberry, spice box, leather, and cigar emerge from the 2016 Zinfandel Papera Ranch, which is incredibly complex and layered aromatically. The palate doesn't lose a beat either and is full-bodied, deep, and layered, yet tight, fresh, and ethereal, with a great finish. It's a killer Zinfandel! This awesome wine is 96% Zinfandel and 4% Carignan, aged 16 months in 22% new French oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered. It’s undeniably one of the greatest Zinfandels in the vintage!
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Wine Spectator
A stunning wine, jammed with fruit and personality yet retains a sense of refinement. Aromas of blackberry and violet open to complex cherry and licorice notes and a hint of garrigue. Tannins are broad but polished. Drink now through 2027.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 96% Zinfandel and 4% Carignane from vines planted in 1934, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Zinfandel Papera Ranch reveals wonderfully intense Indian spices, baked cherries and dried mulberries notions with hints of prunes, raisin cake and faded flowers. Full-bodied, rich and with amazing tension, it has a firm, chewy frame and epically long finish. 1,005 cases produced.
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Wine Enthusiast
From the great site planted in 1934, this wine has 4% Carignan in the mix. It's dark, brooding and yet bright, with a concentration of cranberry, blood orange and cassis. The acidity is focused and in balance, underlining the wine's winning succulence and energy.
Other Vintages
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Carlisle is a small “Mom n’ Pop” Sonoma County winery specializing in the production of old-vine, vineyard designated Zinfandels and red Rhône varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah). They also produce three delicious white wines, two of which are blends from historic, old-vine vineyards plus Sonoma County's first ever Grüner Veltliner.
While Carlisle likes their wines to be bold and intensely flavored, each reflecting its vintage and vineyard, they also strive to create wines of balance, complexity, and nuance.
The goal is always the same - grow and source the finest fruit, do as little as possible to it, and bottle outstanding, pleasurable wine at the fairest price possible.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.