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*** Sorry - the Vertical is SOLD OUT - limited quantities of 2014 and 2015 are available ***

Renaissance 2014, 2015, 2016…the Heart of Soliste.

Renaissance comes from one of those unique vineyard sites that truly exemplifies the Soliste philosophy and style. The hilltop vineyard has three different exposures, facing north, south, and west. This geography funnels brisk marine winds over the vines reducing vigor, extending the ripening period of the grapes, and allowing distinctive aromatics to develop. Once you have tasted Renaissance Pinot Noir, you will always be able to identify its origins. 

If you remember the story of “Never Say Never” and the adventure that produced 2010 L’Age D’Or Chardonnay, we made reference to another wine called Les Cailles. From a small section of the vineyard we fermented the grapes Sur Lie in Ermitage Cigar Barrels and Puncheon for 30 months.

We always look forward to this time of year to celebrate the arrival of Soleil Rouge – our crisp, vivacious refreshing Rosé with complexity and balanced acidity that, we will promise you, will not last long in our cellars. The only thing better than a chilled glass of Rosé, is another glass of Rosé, followed by a glass of Soliste Pinot Noir. Share the joy. 

Soleil Rouge is "Le Vin des Amis" – fresh, lively, served chilled to warm your heart and fill you with joy and conviviality. Enjoy with charcuterie, oysters, or our favorite, fire pit paella. Just a few cases are available – this year we will work even harder to drink them all first!

This Syrah is a muscular, powerful wine with trademark Soliste elegance, length and balance. It has the finesse of a great Côte Rôtie or Hermitage but the animal power of a Cornas. It also has the ability to age for decades. Out of the Shadows comes from a sliver of a vineyard in the Bennett Valley hills. The site has a western exposure, gravelly soil and sits on the side of a small mountain. This provides excellent drainage, even sun exposure, and a cool climate. The vineyard has a breathtaking view of the Santa Rosa plain and is meticulously farmed.

As followers of the Soliste philosophy are aware, in 2009 we made the decision to return to the roots of Burgundy and the craftsmanship of the Cistercian monks of Vougeot to focus on single clones from single vineyards and matured in single cooperage: MonoClone® our amazing L’Espérance, Sonatera, L’Ambroisie, Nouveau Monde and Forêt.

From this disciplined approach, we realized we had a unique and rare opportunity to create a Single Cuvee from the other great barrels from each of our vineyards. We blended the best barrels together and aged to harmonize the once separated wines to craft Narcisse Pinot Noir -- an exceptional wine of great depth, fruit concentration and elegance, a pure representation of Soliste wines.

In Burgundy, a winemaker may reserve a special barrel for friends and family. They call this barrel Soliste. CONTREBANDE defines the origin and the promise of Soliste. From one barrel only 23 cases of 750s were produced and bottled and waxed by hand. Although it hurts to part with so few bottles, sharing this special release with you, the very few that have been loyal supporters of our journey, fills us with joy and pride.

In Burgundy, a winemaker may reserve a special barrel for friends and family. They call this barrel Soliste. L’ERMITE ROUGE defines the origin and the promise of Soliste. From one barrel only 23 cases of 750s were produced, bottled and waxed by hand. Although it hurts to part with so few bottles, sharing this special release with you, the very few that have been loyal supporters of our journey, fills us with joy and pride.

In the end, once you have tasted L’Ambroisie, I assure you, words cannot adequately describe how you will feel. I have always talked about that our wines are crafted with finesse and elegance so they can be the perfect pairing and marriage with great food, and this is certainly true for L’Ambroisie.

L’ENFANT PRODIGUE of Soliste

The paradoxical concentration and intensity of L’Espérance embodies our philosophy: Focus on a single clone gave birth to this absolutely stunning Pinot Noir. Powerful, yet refined, what a pinot noir should be and rarely is.

If you remember the story of “Never Say Never” and the adventure that produced 2010 L’Age D’Or Chardonnay, we made reference to another wine called Les Cailles. From a small section of the vineyard we fermented the grapes Sur Lie in Ermitage Cigar Barrels for 16 months.

Les Griottes Pinot Noir has sold out in less than 48 hours. Our heartfelt thank you for your sustained support. Claude and I debated what we should do. “It’s simple Don,” he exclaimed. “Since we hold back wines so restaurants can serve older vintages, let’s go deeper into our library and bring out an allocation we’ve been saving. Now is the time.”  So we are offering 2012 Forêt MonoClone Pinot Noir, at the wholesale price of $35. It comes from the same vineyard as Les Griottes, and likewise, has been featured on wine lists in many fine restaurants.  

2019 and 2018 Soleil Rouge are Sold Out!  We found a few last cases held for a restaurant - enjoy!

Soleil Rouge is "Le Vin des Amis" – fresh, lively, served chilled to warm your heart and fill you with joy and conviviality. Enjoy with charcuterie, oysters, or our favorite, fire pit paella. Just a few cases are available – this year we will work even harder to drink them all first!