2013 Clos Solène Garnacha El Toro James Berry Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 92.6 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View jeagle's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/3/2021 - jeagle Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Decanted for three hours but still delicious when tasting the last dollop from the decanter the following morning. This bottle presented itself as finally ready with a bold yet soft fruit and textural entry which was consistent across the palate. Warmth at the finish does betray the wine's elevated alcohol level but barely detracts from the experience.

  2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View West Coast Wine's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/11/2020 - West Coast Wine wrote: 90 Points

  Purple in the glass with just some sediment near the end of the bottle. Initially heavy whiff of alcohol still and only primary fruit, definitely expecting a big wine.
  
  Alcohol is high by ABV. Med acid, light tannin and alcohol is still there.
  
  Not as heavy on the palate as expected. However this is a straight forward wine, fruit forward and a little disjointed as there is not a lot nuance or balance. It has “softened” a bit since release but the high alcohol seems to be a bit much.
  
  Well made wine with quality fruit but not as refined as other bottlings from this winery which is somewhat expected as this is not one of their typical wines. Drink now over next 5 years.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View jeagle's profile
  • Report Issue

  4/8/2019 - jeagle Likes this wine:

  Just a quick note as there is very little of this wine out there. Popped and poured on night one, but the bottle seemed out of sorts. Placed a stopper in the bottle and 24 hours later it was seriously amazing fruit handled with particular care.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View csimm's profile
  • Report Issue

  8/24/2015 - csimm wrote: 93 Points

  Tasted at Clos Solene alongside the 2013 La Petite Solene, L'Insolent, Cuvee Jean, and Hommage a nos Pairs.
  
  A big Grenache-driven wine, with powerful notes of dark cherry, strawberry, kirsch, Satsuma plum, and a nice, very subtle hint of underbrush, rosemary, and limestone chalk. A very young wine, but one that has truly been given special treatment.
  
  Not yet resolved, but shows its willingness to straddle power and finesse in a Grenache that isn't plagued with sharp, tart pommegranite and overly-herbacious notes as is sometimes the case in young Grenache wines. The small percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah added to this unique blend may account for some of the pleasurable roundness and more fuller coating on the palate.
  
  Only 25 cases, so if you scored a few bottles, hold until 2018+ for prime drinking.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.