February 2025

 Introducing our new and only release

Cru Des Bernardines 2019
MonoClone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Plus

2019 Solitaire and 2019 Les Griottes

2019…the most extraordinary growing season in the history of Soliste, generously gave us all the ingredients to craft our very best wines in accordance with our love for Burgundies.

In The World of Pinot Noir, the most delicate of cépages, in normal times, it is a rarity to have all the planets align, especially with the climatic chaos. Pinot Noir is the canary in the coal mine; any subtle changes are magnified in the vineyard and, therefore, in the barrel.

Because of this exceptional harvest, with fruits of great complexity, we decided to isolate one parcel that had a significantly unique character, and we call it Le Cru Des Bernardines in homage to the Bernardins monks, instrumental in vineyard development in the Rhone Valley and in Burgundy with the Cistercians. This will be the first and only release of this Unicorn, a once-in-a-blue-moon event never to be reproduced at Soliste. 

[Jump to Ordering Infos] 

2019 Vintage Notes
We characterized the 2018 growing season as "near-perfect." It was a welcome break from drought, fire, and unpredictability. 2019 started with record-breaking rains in February and, over the season, up to 51 inches of groundwater replenishing precipitation. The vines properly rested thanks to persistent cold, wet conditions over winter. Bud-break was slightly delayed, helping to avoid early Spring frosts. A bit of late May rain caused minor shatter. August was largely fog-free, and an overall warmer growing season in comparison to the previous year. Harvest timing was unhurried, promoting more uniform flavor development and stem lignification essential for whole cluster vinification. We carefully monitored flavor development and acids, and as is our practice, used multiple picks to select specific blocks as they matured. Two near-perfect growing seasons...Sacre Bleu.

This exclusive set of our MonoClone Pinot Noirs allows you to experience the distinct clonal differences and precise vinification of the 2019 vintage. The wines in this exclusive set include:

• 2019 Cru Des Bernardines MonoClone^® Pinot Noir
• 2019 Solitaire MonoClone^® Pinot Noir
• 2019 Les Griottes MonoClone^® Pinot Noir

In addition to the Prix-Fixe set, you may also select any of these wines a la carte in any combination you desire.

CRU DES BERNARDINES

2019 CRU DES BERNARDINES MonoClone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Clos De La Roche...West

Tasting Notes 

Le Regard / The Look
L’Scintillating Ruby robe, crystalline gem brilliance showing great fruit purity and energy.

Le Nez / The Nose
An exquisitely defined bouquet with layers of pure red fruit, crushed rock, violets, and a light sea spray influence, it is very focused and conveys a sense of great energy. After a couple of swirls, the aromas are very lively, stacked with dried raspberries, blueberries, red cherries, weaved with musty sous-bois, citrus rind, and salted caramels. As the wine opens in the glass or decanter, the aromatics become more chiseled and earthy with superb red fruit laced with Kirsch scents spiked with floral notes, dried maple leaves, rose petals, and spices like cardamom, clove, and cinnamon. Superbly exotic in spice and dry floral tones, accented with graphite and saline minerality.

Degustation / The Taste
The front palate delivers great energy of defined red fruits: tart Montmorency cherries, raspberries, and pomegranate, with layers of exotic spices, violets, and citrus rind, all macerated in Kirsch. This is a wine of great energy, lively and vibrant, very chiseled and linear, with a high pitch upper palate, very racy and fresh but with palpable fruit density. The second taste and mid-palate are rich and suave, with broad-shoulder pure, chewy red fruits framed with raspberry liquor, red cherry stew, wet limestone, tobacco, and dried tea must. The freshness of the red fruits is impeccably balanced with dried maple leaves, rosehips, Kirsch, anise, white pepper, cedar wood, and a touch of leather, stemming from the 25% whole cluster press. The finish is extremely lively and elegant, elevated by smooth tannin and red fruit acidity, giving the wine energy and lift. This wine is structurally perfect, chiseled, and lean, yet with a suave texture showcasing pure red fruits laced with exotic spices and Meyer lemon zests.

Le Cru Des Bernardines, only made once and never again, is a pure representation of a Chambollesque Pinot Noir: Chiseled elegance, sensual, red fruit purity, and high pitch finish, all in perfect harmony…Soliste.

SOLITAIRE

2019 SOLITAIRE MonoClone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
The Unicorn

Tasting Notes 

Le Regard / The Look
Deep intense crimson gemlike clarity in the glass with dense amethyst reflections.

Le Nez / The Nose
The rich bouquet is intense and complex, very exotic and opulent. As the wine unfurls, earthy aromas of sous-bois, stacked with black cherries, raspberries, and peppery black figs, emanate from the glass. As the wine evolves in the glass or decanter, the aromatics become richer and more voluptuous with dark cherry, cassis, and plum compote layered with floral notes of violets. Secondary aromas of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon are spiked with tea must, leather, graphite, and dried herbs. Superbly refined, earthy, a classic Grand Cru Burgundian nose.

Degustation / The Taste
The front palate is full-bodied and possesses very broad shoulders, denoting a wine of great character and lineage. Solitaire is powerful and delivers a remarkable balance of freshness and concentration. Pure dark and red fruit concentration, balanced by a creamy texture with layers of dark cherries, blackberries, Cassis, plums, violets, exotic spice, black tea, and a mineral core, crafts a wine of superb roundness. Great layers of complexity emerge with the second taste: generous and expansive, silky and smooth, reflecting the pedigree of the vineyard with a backbone that provides energy and tension. The mid-palate is unctuous at first, then lifted with musty sous-bois, truffles, dried maple leaves, a concentration of caramelized dark cherries, peppery plums, and figs elevated by a raspy (citrus zest) but smooth tannin from the 25% whole cluster press. The wine has been aged in a single 600 Liter French barrel, allowing the tannins to integrate slowly, boosting the aromas with exotic spices. The generous dark fruits and soft tannins balance each other to create an absolute spherical wine, generously coating the palate to infinity. The finish is sensual, exotic, and smooth, with persistent fruit and mineral notes lingering on and on; Solitaire shows exquisite elegance and a rare spherical harmony…Soliste

LES GRIOTTES

2019 LES GRIOTTES MonoClone Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
Vosne Romanée...West

Tasting Notes 

Le Regard / The Look
Deep Ruby luminosity shows concentration and structure, long legs, and thick texture from the whole cluster press. Brillant clarity.

Le Nez / The Nose
The front nose is intense, exotic, and fragrant. Intoxicating aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, and wild plums are complemented by notes of roasted herbs, tobacco, and graphite. As the wine opens up, aromas of black cherries and cassis are layered with Sous-Bois (forest floor underbrush), dried mushrooms, and a potpourri of iris and peony. As the wine evolves in the glass or decanter, the aromatics become voluptuous and sweeter with black cherry compote spiked with star anise, burnt orange rind cardamom, and licorice. Superbly elegant and powerful, this is one of the greatest bouquets, which shows the wine’s focus and concentration.

Degustation / The Taste
On the front palate, the wine is rich, powerful, and structured. It is full-bodied with ripe black fruit compote and a hint of licorice, vanilla fat, and smoked meat. The tannins are dense but finely grained, providing structure and a firm backbone yet remaining smooth and well-integrated. The second taste is superbly unctuous and creamy, providing the ever-present concentration of black and blue fruit with weight, density, and focus. The mid-palate reveals the wine’s broad shoulders and floral character, vanilla and dark fruit density, and concentration of dark cherries, blackberries, and blueberries accented with bitter caramel, tobacco, licorice, and violets. Les Griottes reveals its heritage in Vosne Romanée; caramelized cherries, sous bois, truffles, violets, minerality, all the high pitch notes, from fruit to spices, to minerality and to whole cluster tannins, which elevate the texture of the wine creating a perfect harmony between the richness of the fruit and mineral undertone. The finish is exceptionally long and well-balanced, lingering with nuances of dark fruit compote and earthiness. The acidity is refined and spiked by fatty meat dripping and a hint of smoke.

Les Griottes…A Wine of great Heritage. Vosne Romanée West…

Our February Release

To celebrate the one and only release of Cru Des Bernadines, we are offering a set of three wines from this spectacular vintage. Respecting our Restaurant Partner's wine lists, we no longer list wholesale prices on our website. In addition to this release, we will continue to honor the pricing reserved for our loyal customers on request. Please contact Don to receive restaurant-direct wholesale pricing and availability.