2016 Carlisle Zinfandel Rossi Ranch
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Tasting notes
Black fruits, tobacco, black plum, asphalt, and spice define the 2016 Zinfandel Rossi Ranch, a richer Zinfandel from Mike that still shows the fresh, elegant, classic style of the vintage. It has beautifully integrated acidity, fine tannin, and an awesome finish. This wine comes from vines planted in 1910. Winemakers Mike Officer and Jay Maddox have hit pay dirt with these latest 2016s and across the board, they’re the finest set of releases I’ve tasted from this estate. While Mike’s wines are always deeply colored and powerful, the more elegant, balanced style of the 2016 vintage is front and center and these 2016s just glide over the palate, with perfectly integrated fruit, tannin, and acidity. In addition, most are approachable today given their purity of fruit, yet they’re going to evolve beautifully on their balance. Hats off to the team here and readers should not miss these wines!
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This is made mainly from vines planted in 1910, which include a few interloper vine varieties and 3% Petite Sirah. The 2016 Zinfandel Rossi Ranch is medium to deep garnet-purple with gorgeous scents of black plum preserves and Black Forest cake plus nuances of allspice, tilled soil, balsamic and black olives. Full, rich and decadent in the mouth, it sports a chewy frame and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note. 191 cases produced.
The 2016 Zinfandel Rossi Ranch is a deep, powerful wine. There is a real sense of gravitas underpinning this intense, virile Zinfandel-based red. The Rossi Ranch is not especially refined, but it certainly has a lot of character. Big, chewy tannins power the finish. The Rossi got a bit more new oak than most of the 2016s, around 37%.