Wine Advisor
Verite, La Joie 2005
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Description
Verite, La Joie, Sonoma County, California, Red, 2012
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The myth perpetrated by Old World wine proponents is that California wines don’t age. Those critics need to taste Verité, because these wines are aging far slower than I imagined. The 2005 La Joie (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec) tips the scales at 14.7% alcohol. It received the same 18 months in 100% new oak. It is interesting that Pierre Seillan said that he thought the high-elevation vineyards of Sonoma that go into Verité (self-serving, os course) are his greatest sites in the world for Bordeaux varietals. But remember – he’s from Bordeaux! This multidimensional wine, which enjoyed a 4-5 day cool, pre-fermentation maceration, has a provocative bouquet of blackberry, cassis, new saddle leather, Christmas fruitcake, graphite and high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco. It is profound, extremely full-bodied and massive in the mouth, but not heavy or astringent in any way. This is perfection in a glass, and a tribute to what Sonoma can achieve. Give this wine another 4-5 years, and drink it over the following 30+ years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A riveting blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and a dollop of Malbec, the 2005 is developing gorgeously, revealing everything a profound, world-class wine should. It boasts a dense plum/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of subtle barbecue smoke intermixed with truffles, black currants, black cherries, licorice and earth. There are thrilling levels of intensity, a skyscraper-like mouthfeel and a phenomenal finish lasting 50-60 seconds. This full-bodied beauty is a perfect, haut couture, seamlessly constructed wine that is still a pre-adolescent in terms of development. It is capable of evolving 30+ years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2005 La Joie is rocking, and if La Muse was closed and dominated by tannin at my tasting, the La Joie was strutting its considerable potential. A blend of 66.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.7% Merlot, and 12.3% Cabernet Franc as well as some Petit Verdot and Malbec, this is a wine with a dense ruby/purple color, a glorious nose of lead pencil shavings intermixed with cedar wood, black currant liqueur, espresso roast, and chocolate. It also possesses huge amounts of fruit and tannins. The tannins are elevated, but the wine is so enormously endowed, I don’t think there’s a doubt that it will come together brilliantly, as everything seems to be in proper proportion. This a colossal/compelling proprietary red wine that should be at its prime in about 2015 and last for 30+ years. Previously recommended: 2004 Le Desir (94+), 2004 La Joie (93+), 2004 La Muse (93). Tel.(800) 273-0177; Fax (707) 431-1261
About the Producer
Verite is a local boutique winery located in Sonoma County, California, USA. Verite Winery is a winery owned by Jackson Family Wines. The winery name "Verite" means "truth" in French, which means that the wines produced by the winery can faithfully show the local terroir characteristics. The winemaker of the winery is Pierre Seillan, a famous winemaker with 22 years of winemaking experience in Bordeaux, France. (Haut-Medoc) winemaker and technical guide of 7 Bordeaux wineries in the production area. In the 1990s, Celine, who was a winemaker at a winery in Bordeaux at the time, met Jess Jackson, president of the Jackson family wine business, and the two hit it off. Soon Celine accepted Jess' invitation to come Sonoma County makes great wines. With the joint efforts of the two, Winery Truth released its first vintage in 1998. Over the years, the winery has been adhering to the winemaking philosophy of interpreting the truth of the soil and showing the unique terroir. The winery’s vineyards are located in the Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Knights Valley and Chalk Hill appellations. These appellations vary in terroir and hill topography, elevation and slope orientation, resulting in a diverse range of micro-vineyards under the estate’s entire vineyard. There are more than 40 different types of soil in the vineyard, among them, rocky and red volcanic soils provide ideal conditions for the growth of Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Merlot (Merlot). In addition, the vineyard is also planted Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. During the grape growing process, the winery precisely controls the differences between different vineyards, the characteristics of the grape plants and even the subtle differences between each spore or tendril, so that the wine produced can reflect the characteristics of the local terroir. Currently, the wines released by the winery are Verite La Muse, Verite La Joie and Verite Le Desir. Among them, the creation of the Muse of Truth is inspired by the Pomerol wines and made from the quality Merlot of Sonoma County, which is balanced and elegant; the Joy of Truth has the depth and elegance of a good Cabernet Sauvignon. Strength, reminiscent of Pauillac-style wines from Bordeaux; Desire of Truth red wines with the suppleness of Saint-Emilion Cabernet Franc. The three series of blends, Le Desir, La Joie and La Muse, have all been awarded full marks by the Robert Parker Points.
