Carlisle Winery & Vineyards

Mike Officer started making wine as a hobby in his San Francisco apartment in 1987, bringing the curiosity of a former software developer to the craft. He and Kendall relocated to Santa Rosa in 1991, continuing to refine their approach before launching Carlisle commercially in 1998 with a modest 650-case debut. The name came from the estate vineyard the Officers acquired in Russian River Valley, a 9.5-acre block planted in 1927 whose ancient field-blend vines would define the winery's identity. Growth was deliberate, and by the mid-2000s Carlisle had established itself as one of California's most respected boutique producers, reaching peak production of around 8,000 cases while maintaining the small-batch ethos of its founding.

• Mike Officer began winemaking as a hobby in 1987 in a San Francisco apartment before any formal commercial venture
• Carlisle launched commercially in 1998 with 650 cases; Mike's background was in software development
• The Officers moved to Santa Rosa in 1991, spending years refining their approach before going commercial
• Peak production reached approximately 8,000 cases; the final 2024 vintage produced only around 2,700 cases

Carlisle remained a first-generation family enterprise from its first vintage through its last, with Mike and Kendall Officer holding ownership throughout. Jay Maddox joined as primary winemaker in 2001 and became integral to the house style over 24 consecutive harvests, one of the longest tenures of any winemaker at a California cult producer. The Officers' son eventually joined the team as assistant winemaker, hinting at a potential second chapter that never materialized. In July 2024, the Officers announced the winery would close after the 2024 vintage, citing exhaustion from regulatory burdens and the demands of running a small business; they had sought buyers willing to maintain quality standards but found no suitable match. A wind-down period of two to four years was planned to sell remaining inventory.

• Mike and Kendall Officer held ownership throughout the winery's entire 27-harvest lifespan
• Jay Maddox joined in 2001 and served as primary winemaker for 24 harvests
• The Officers' son served as assistant winemaker, representing a nascent second generation
• Closure announced July 2024; founders cited regulatory burdens and the failure to find a buyer meeting their quality standards

Carlisle's vineyard program was built around a network of historic Sonoma vineyards, most of them planted before or shortly after Prohibition. The estate Carlisle Vineyard in Russian River Valley dates to 1927 and harbors more than 43 identified varieties in a classic California field blend. Beyond the estate, the winery sourced from Papera Ranch (planted 1934, Russian River Valley), Mancini Ranch (planted 1922, Russian River Valley), Montafi Ranch (Russian River Valley), Pagani Ranch and Old Hill Ranch in Sonoma Valley, Papa's Block in Russian River Valley, and the Piner-Olivet Ranches blend. The program extended beyond Sonoma into Santa Lucia Highlands and Napa Valley for selected Rhône varietals, giving Carlisle one of the most geographically and varietally ambitious old-vine portfolios in California.

• Carlisle Vineyard (9.5 acres, planted 1927, Russian River Valley) is the estate block and contains 43+ identified varieties
• Mancini Ranch, planted 1922, is among the oldest sourced sites; Papera Ranch dates to 1934
• Pagani Ranch and Old Hill Ranch in Sonoma Valley provided fruit for some of the winery's most celebrated Zinfandels
• Sourcing extended to Santa Lucia Highlands and Napa Valley for Rhône varietal wines alongside the core Sonoma program

Carlisle's winemaking philosophy placed site expression above all else, relying on uninoculated, native-yeast fermentations to preserve the character of each vineyard. New oak use was kept minimal so that the fruit and the field-blend complexity of century-old vines could speak clearly. Wines were bottled unfined and unfiltered, a commitment that required careful cellar work but delivered textures and aromatics that more processed wines rarely achieve. The portfolio centered on single-vineyard Zinfandels from the historic Sonoma sites, complemented by Rhône varieties including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Petite Sirah, as well as an unusual Sonoma Mountain Steiner Vineyard Grüner Veltliner. The result was a small-batch, artisanal program recognized for consistency at the very top of critical scoring for Zinfandel.

• Uninoculated, native-yeast fermentations used across the portfolio to preserve vineyard character
• Minimal new oak policy applied to allow old-vine fruit and field-blend complexity to dominate
• All wines bottled unfined and unfiltered
• Portfolio spans Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, and Grüner Veltliner alongside field-blend bottlings

Carlisle's legacy rests on two pillars: critical achievement and cultural advocacy. The winery's 21 Zinfandels scoring 95 points or higher from Wine Spectator is a record for the varietal, demonstrating that old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel can compete with any wine in California for critical recognition. Beyond the scores, Mike Officer co-founded the Historic Vineyard Society, an organization that has documented and helped protect dozens of California's oldest vineyards, ensuring that the raw material for wines like Carlisle's survives future generations. The announcement of the winery's closure became Wine Spectator's most-read story of 2024, reflecting how deeply the winery had resonated with the wine community. Carlisle proved that a first-generation, artisanal operation built on authenticity and restraint could define a benchmark for an entire category.

• 21 Carlisle Zinfandels rated 95+ by Wine Spectator, a record for any Zinfandel producer
• Mike Officer co-founded the Historic Vineyard Society to identify, document, and preserve California's oldest vineyards
• Closure announcement in July 2024 was Wine Spectator's most-read story of the year
• Demonstrated that first-generation, small-batch artisanal production could set the critical benchmark for California Zinfandel