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2018 Clos Solène Hommage a nos Pairs Reserve

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

April 23, 2023 - $66

Estimate

RATINGS

98Jeb Dunnuck

Cassis, black raspberries, ground pepper, and violet notes all emerge on the nose, and it’s full-bodied, with an incredible mid-palate, flawlessly integrated tannins and acidity, and a great, great finish.

97Wine Enthusiast

...overloaded with lush layers of umami and expertly captured fruit. Aromas of baked black plum, currant, cappuccino, dark chocolate and black pepper play on the nose. Framed by firm yet forgiving tannins, the palate combines dry elderberry and prune flavors with charred lamb and beef, asphalt and cracked pepper.

96Vinous / IWC

Deep-pitched, smoke- and spice-tinged cassis, cherry liqueur, incense and floral aromas show superb definition and a touch of espresso. Sweet and broad in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated black/blue fruit preserve, floral pastille and candied licorice flavors, along with suggestions of black cardamom and vanilla...extremely long, chewy finish...

94The Wine Advocate

...lush cassis, licorice, dried herbs and floral hints with lots of underlying aromatic nuances. The full-bodied palate is loaded with mineral-laced fruits in an expertly grainy frame, and it finishes very long and extraordinarily juicy.

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.