I love the inspired stories of Paso Robles. Such is the case with Clos Solene, a tale of romance and following the heart. Clos Solene is an inspired story fueled by the love of two people who founded this outstanding winery. Guillaume Fabre met the love of his life, Solene Fabre and they both eventually settled in Paso Robles. Fast forward to today, the Fabre Family is now a family of five: Clémentine (their oldest daughter), Jean (their middle son), and Juliette (their youngest daughter). Guillaume has named all his favorite wines after his children – Sweet Clémentine, Cuvée Jean and the arrival of Cuvée Juliette in 2019. After purchasing an estate in 2017, the family lives at the farmhouse on the property, as their boutique winery lies the west side of Paso Robles in the heart of the Willow Creek District.
The new wines were simply outstanding across the board. The 2020 Clos Solene ‘La Rose’ Rose (OB, 92) is fresh and beautifully textured with insanely good range. Even better is the sinfully good 2018 Clos Solene ‘Cuvee Jean’ Syrah (OB, 97) which takes you straight to Cornas with the crazy good aromatics and salty tones Learn more about these beautiful new wines at https://www.clossolene.com Here are the outstanding new release wines by Clos Solene.
2020 Clos Solene ‘La Rose’ Rose- A simply delightful blend of 61% Grenache with 20% Mourvedre, 17% Cinsault and a splash of Syrah, this shows off a beautiful pale hue with a silky texture and vibrant sense of verve. Sour red fruits collide with minerals, honeydew melon, green papaya and wet stone on the palate. This is very Paso meets Provence. Drink 2021-2027- 92
2020 Clos Solene ‘Hommage Blanc’ White Wine- The 2018 ‘Hommage Blanc’ is a compelling blend of nearly all Roussanne (78%) with smaller portions Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Beautifully textured, this is super refined stuff with gooseberry, lemon zest, cantaloupe and stony undertones. The silky texture and wonderful sense of weight and finesse makes this stunning wine have some cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2028- 93
2018 Clos Solene ‘Harmonie’ Red Wine- The Grenache dominant ‘Harmonie’ has smaller parts Mourvedre and Syrah blended in, as this is very Paso meets CDP. Aromatically the Grenache really dominates with its high-toned red rose peatals, orange rind and red fruits, while smoky undertones also add to the enjoyment. The palate is seamless and beautifully textured, with a great combination of pomegranate seed, Yakima cherry cordial, cigar box, and blood orange zest with salty undertones. Focused and highly poised, with good richness, this outstanding wine is utterly sensational to savor now and will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2033- 95
2018 Clos Solene ‘Hommage A Nos Pairs’ Syrah- Inky and brooding once in the glass, with just a touch of Viognier and Grenache blended in, this Syrah wine saw 23 months of French oak before bottling. The palate is seamless with a massive wall of blackberry and huckleberry fruits, with creosote, black licorice and anise, as well as nectarine undertones from the Viognier. With a light dusting of salinity, this terroir-driven and dense Syrah will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95
2018 Clos Solene ‘Cuvee Jean’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘Cuvee Jean’ is a blend of nearly all Syrah with 3% Viognier co-fermented. Quite simply, this is one of the great California Syrah wines that I have tasted over the past year. The nose quite simply explodes out of the glass, unveiling deep layers of black olive tapenade, black tea and blackberry cordial, with a light dusting of white pepper encrusted smoked brisket. The palate is seamless and plush, with intense black fruits that collide with smoke, bacon fat and tar, as well as herbs de provence and green peppercorns. If smelled blind, I would go straight to Cornas. Rich and layered, yet showing insanely good tension, viscosity and terroir, this highly collectable wine will surely satisfy any serious collector of Paso Robles Syrah. Drink 2021-2038- 97
2018 Clos Solene ‘Fleur de Solene’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Fleur de Solene’ blends 51% Syrah with 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Grenache. The resultant wine is dense and highly perfumed from the Grenache with a silky texture. Red currants and roasted figs mingle with shades of dark chocolate and tobacco leaf on the palate. With good restraint and tension this outstanding and novel blend will cellar well over the next decade or more. Drink 2021-2035- 94