2011 L'Ambroisie Pinot Noir
L’Ambroisie 2011:
Emotion in a Glass, Legendary…Soliste SINGLE VINEYARD, SINGLE CLONE, ONE BARREL – MonoClone®
When we released and tasted our first barrel of L’Ambroisie in 2010, instantly we knew that this Pinot Noir was the One that would epitomize our Philosophy at Soliste. It exemplifies our commitment and passion to craft compelling Pinot Noirs that are deeply rooted in our admiration of the magnificent, peerless wines of Burgundy.
L’Ambroisie is not an experiment, it benefits from its siblings L’Espérance and Nouveau Monde, and from being in the conversation with Great Burgundies – anything else for us is simply not acceptable. Some may feel that it is presumptuous of us to even declare such ideas, others, closer to us hint it is just madness…obsession.
We could tell you so much more about this fascinating wine, the magnificent vineyard, steep slope in the middle of the redwoods, just a few rows lost in the fog, the historical mystery about its DNA and origins of the clone. “By the way, this is the 828 clone,” it was whispered. Could it be, the rumored La Tâche clone? Mystère…
The other night over one of our legendary dinners, we opened the first bottle of the 2011 – to be sure that L’Ambroisie was ready, as with only one barrel waiting longer was certainly entertained. Because of the magnificent 2010, our hopes were high but we try to keep a realistic set of expectations, after all, it is the Femme Fatale Pinot Noir that we are talking about! L’Ambroisie 2011 is the true definition why we are so infatuated, obsessed with Burgundies: Amazing exotic nose, earthy aromatics, layers and layers of pure wild cherries, truffles, bacon, peppery black tea, such a long finished of refined tannins – and of course similarities to the great Burgundy, you know, the one with the three-letter acronym. L’Ambroisie 2011 was ready, it is ready now, and will age magnificently for years to come because of its tannic structure, if you can resist.
The 2011 Vintage is one for the ages, a difficult vintage, only proving the rule that Henry Jayer cited “Good wines are made in a great vintage but Great Wines are made in a difficult one.” A very cold growing season culminated by spiking heat meant that management in the vineyard had to be rigorous, precise and selection of clusters impeccable; it also meant very little yield. We also made the decision to age the wine for 16 Months in French Oak to create a few more layers of complexity, a velvety texture and fruit concentration.
In Burgundy, a winemaker may reserve a special barrel for friends and family. They call this barrel Soliste. L’Ambroisie defines the origin and the promise of Soliste. From one barrel only 29 cases of L’Ambroisie were made and are so precious we bottled individually, 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.
L’Ambroisie 2011. Let the Legend continue.
2011 Soliste Pinot Noir L'Ambroisie, Sonoma Coast
Tasting Notes
As with the 2010 vintage, Claude was without words, “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. But for me, just this once, I will retreat with a bottle and my glass, as a hermit without any distraction to experience it in deep Zen and simple bliss. There are no tasting notes as I want the wine to speak for itself. But if you insist, please email me at claude@soliste.com and I will be happy to compare notes. It will be fun!!! Don will post the dialogue on our Facebook page to share the experience as if we sat around the same table.”
12.8% alc. 29 cases