Carlisle "Old Hill Ranch" Red Wine 2022
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California) - [WS 96] [JD 95+] [VM 95]

About the Winery:
Carlisle is a small 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.

About this Wine:
Sonoma Valley Old Hill Ranch Red Wine is a distinguished field blend, predominantly Zinfandel, complemented by over 30 other varieties including Mollard and Persan. With a balanced pH and T.A., and an alcohol content of 15.0%, this wine is produced in limited quantities. The vineyard, celebrated for its exceptional quality by Wine Spectator, benefits from the meticulous care of master grower Will Bucklin. Despite modest yields, the fruit quality remains superb. The wine undergoes an extended skin contact period before being pressed to French oak, with a small percentage of new barrels. Unfined and unfiltered, it presents a medium-dark ruby-garnet hue, complex aromas of plum, blackberry, sage, thyme, black licorice, and earth, and a full-bodied palate with dark berry flavors, underbrush, and a hint of cinnamon in the tannic finish. Best enjoyed several years after bottling. 

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Briary and brooding, this dark red offers distinctive blackberry and currant flavors infused with chunky chocolate, licorice and fruitcake spices while gathering richness and texture toward medium-grained tannins. Zinfandel. Drink now through 2035." - Tim Fish (Aug 2025)

95+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2022 Old Hill Ranch Red Wine is a field blend of mostly Zinfandel and a host of nearly 20 other red varieties, aged in 15% new French oak barrels. It has a deep red hue and reveals a layered and introspective nose boasting aromas of fresh leather, sage, mushroomy earth, and dried berries. Medium to full-bodied, it has a characteristic weightless feel, with ripe tannins and a well-balanced, even-keeled finish that slowly tapers away. It will be a wine to forget about in the cellar for a few years and return to as it opens up with bottle age in the next several years. Drink 2026-2040." - Audrey Frick (Jun 2024)

95 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Red Wine Old Hill Ranch is a wine of real stature and breeding. Whereas most of the 2022s I tasted for this report will drink well with minimal cellaring, the 2022 Old Hill is going to need a few years to come into its own. Readers will need to be patient. As is so often the case, this ranch in Sonoma Valley yields wines of extraordinary character. Proprietor and farmer Will Bucklin coaxes tremendous personality from a magical site defined by its unique terroir and the rich mosaic of varieties that is planted here. (Drink between 2028-2039)." - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2025)