2018 Clos Solene El Toro
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The Grenache-dominated 2018 El Toro also comes from James Berry Vineyard in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. It’s a pure, elegant, medium to full-bodied wine offering lots of kirsch fruit as well as complex notes of rose petals, graphite, and freshly crushed stone-like minerality. I love its balance, and it has considerable elegance as well as the pure, seamless style of the vintage.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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Deep ruby. Vibrant, spice-tinged cherry and red berry and floral scents, along with suggestions of licorice, vanilla and cured tobacco. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry and cherry liqueur flavors that are sharpened by a vein of smoky minerality. Plush and seamless in texture, with smooth tannins lending shape and gentle grip to an impressively long, spicy finish.
The 2018 El Toro is a blend of 90% Grenache, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Syrah, co-fermented and made with about 20% whole clusters. Medium ruby-purple, the nose explodes with red and blue berry fruits accented by bitter citrus peel, dried roses, aniseed, amaro and earth. In the mouth, it's medium-bodied with ripe fruits reined in by lovely bitter accents, gently grainy and super fresh with a long, spicy finish. 150 cases were made.