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2015 Clos Solène L' Insolent

Removed from a temperature and humidity controlled wine storage unit; Purchased direct from winery

2 available
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Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

95Wine Enthusiast

Very dark and thick...dark chocolate, soy and black currant. Grilled beef, violets, roasted coffee and elderberry... Dried oregano and black pepper arise on the finish.

95+ Jeb Dunnuck

...big, sweet, Pomerol-like nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, leafy herbs, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil, this beauty hits the palate with full body, building tannin, and good acidity...

94-95Vinous / IWC

... Deep, smoke-accented dark berry liqueur, licorice, pipe tobacco and mocha aromas; peppery spice and floral nuances add energetic lift. Sweet, broad and concentrated on the palate, offering intense blueberry, cherry-vanilla and fruitcake flavors given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Manages to be both rich and lively, finishing with superb clarity, smooth tannins and lingering floral notes.

93-95The Wine Advocate

...vibrant red and black currant notes with a dried herb, dusty earth, garrigue and tree bark undercurrent, plus a touch of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of red and black fruits on the palate and a complex, earthy undercurrent, it has a good frame of chewy tannins and lively acid, finishing on an earthy note.

92.9CellarTracker

91Wine Spectator

Dense and concentrated, this is a potent offering, with extracted dark berry, gravel, graphite and cedary oak notes...

PRODUCER

Clos Solène

Clos Solène’s origin story is about as charming and romantic as it gets. The estate was founded in 2007 by a young French winemaker who wooed his French girlfriend with a plane ticket from France to Paso Robles and marriage proposal. Guillaume Fabre was born in Narbonne in Southwest France and comes from a family of winemakers. He worked in Bordeaux before a trip to California’s Central Coast convinced him that he’d found his new home. Fabre worked at L’Aventure in Paso Robles then brought his Solène for a visit. They had met years earlier while she was completing studies to be teacher of Spanish language and culture. Guillaume started making a few barrels of his Rhone-style wines in 2007 and by 2014 he felt confident enough in his label – which he named after his wife – to quit his job at L’Aventure and devote himself full time to Clos Solène. Fabre sources grapes from 16 vineyards in the region and produces small amounts of Syrah, Syrah-based blends, Bordeaux blends, Grenache-based blends, and Roussanne/Viognier blends. Reviews have given the wines ratings in the mid to high 90s, and noted that Fabre is one of the region’s most promising young talents.

REGION

United States, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

Paso Robles AVA is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and it is considered one of the West Coast’s most exciting winemaking regions. With its hot, sometimes searingly dry and sunny weather, it is especially good country for growing warm climate grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Because many Paso Robles wineries have been successful with blending these grapes into Rhone Valley-style wines, it is known as the Rhone zone of California. The AVA was created in 1983 and there are 32,000 vineyard acres. In late 2014 the AVA was divided into 11 smaller sub-appellations, so starting with 2015 vintages labeling will become more specific on Paso Robles wines, which will now also list sub-appellations. Located in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles, the town and its surrounding area, was traditionally a farming and ranching region. But from a few dozen wineries in the early 1990s to more than 200 today, the area is quickly becoming known for wine and risk-taking winemakers.

VINTAGE

2015 Clos Solène L' Insolent