Carlisle "Papa's Block" Syrah 2021
(Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California) - [JD 95] [WS 94] [VM 94]
Regular price $65.00 Sale price $48.97 Save $16.03
12-PACK PRICE = $45.97 per item (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
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:
Very dark black-purple. Verging on opaque. Iris, blackberry, charcuterie, and fresh cream spill from the glass. Mouthwatering! On the palate, medium-full bodied with typical Syrah flavors of blackberry, game, white pepper, and violets. Oh so good. Tannins build to a crescendo in the lip-smacking finish. Papa’s is often quite precocious in its youth but this version, perhaps my favorite to date, is definitely built for aging. Hands off until 2026 and then enjoy the show to 2038, perhaps even longer!
Tasting Notes:
Similar to many of our other vineyards in this vintage, yields were right around the 2.5 ton/acre mark. Although that’s about 20% below average, the fruit looked stunning going over the sorting line. Nothing to discard! Since stem maturity was quite high in the vintage, we increased the whole cluster percentage from the usual 20% to 30%. Twenty-four days on the skins. Aged in all French oak, 20% new, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. (MRO - 01/17/23)
Technical Data
Ratings & Reviews
95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Pouring a deep purple, the 2021 Syrah Papa's Block is ripe with dark scorched earth, boysenberry marmalade, and forest spices. Full-bodied and generous, with a rounded feel, it offers a good deal of ripe tannins, with cocoa, black plum preserve, and turned soil. Drink this ripe, round, ample red 2025-2040." (Jul 2023)
94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Deeply structured and simmering with intensity, this Syrah unfurls with blackberry and raspberry flavors laced with smoked meat, licorice and Asian five-spice, finishing with broad-shouldered tannins. Drink now through 2033." - TF (Oct 2023)
92-94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Syrah Papa’s Block is packed with dark fruit, herbs, scorched earth and strong peppery accents. Powerful and muscular in feel, the Papa’s Block is also the biggest Syrah in the range. In many ways, it reminds me of the early wines here, wines that prized intensity over finesse. The 2021 saw 30% stem inclusion, a bit higher than the 20% or so that is typical for this bottling." - Antonio Galloni (Aug 2023)