It has been a great run for the southern Rhone again over the last five vintages (2015-2019). But on a hedonistic level, the 2019 vintage is perhaps the most striking. The wines have opulent, tender, round, engaging fruit and a sleek, supple palate feel right out of the gate. This surprising effort from Domaine de la Solitude is a pretty accurate poster child for what we are talking about.
There’s a lot of history here as the family are direct descendants of the Berberini family of Rome circa the 12th Century, and have a Pope (Urban VIII) and a couple of Cardinals in their family tree. That probably doesn’t make a lot of difference with respect to what is in the glass. The estate was formed in the 17th Century and has been in the hands of the Lancon family ever since. It was brothers Michel and Jean that took control of the estate in the 80s and raised the bar and now the estate is under the control of Michel’s son, Florent, who has maintained the traditional styling of the house but kicked up the farming aspects to improve the fruit. The 2019 vintage played nicely into Florent’s hands.
The Domiane de Solitude Cotes du Rhone 2019 is comprised of a selection portion of the traditional varietals of the southern Rhone. It is made up of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, and the last 5% of Counoise, Terret, Muscardin, and Vaccarèse, all from sustainably farmed grapes. The varietals and vineyard parcels are fermented separately and then blended after an eight-month stay in vats.
The nose is an inviting mélanges of ripe red cherries and berries, with earthy spice and subtle garrigue woven throughout. In the mouth, the wine has a wave of plush, layered, shamelessly outgoing red cherry fruits with flecks of spice, cocoa, and a hint of anise. Tender yet lifted, lush and smooth from front to back, it’s hard to imagine something more likable. It’s a versatile and pretty darned handy choice for a variety of scenarios, particularly at under $14.