Vérité La Joie 2012 | 750 ml.

ST95+ Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/Jun 2014

"Bright ruby. Pungent, sappy, mineral-driven aromas of dark berries, licorice, bitter chocolate and coffee liqueur. Remarkably layered and deep, boasting great mid-palate energy and spicy lift. Noble tannins saturate the palate on the extremely long, mounting back end. Still a baby (the wine was just racked to tank in late February) but potentially monumental." (95–98 pts.)

VN94 Vinous Feb 2016

"Dark cherries, smoke, graphite, licorice, menthol and plums are some of the notes that open up in the 2012 La Joie. Here the flavors are bold, intense and incisive, with notable freshness and intensity. Give this large-scaled Cabernet Sauvignon-based red another few years in bottle. The finish alone is striking." (94 pts.)

RP100 Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 29th Oct 2015

"The 2012 La Joie, which is a blend of 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, blew me away. A profound effort, with 55% of it coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 31% from Knights Valley and the balance from Chalk Hill, the wine shows great minerality, oodles of crème de cassis fruit, incense, licorice, crushed rock, and a provocative full-throttle mouthfeel. A wine of great intensity, purity and equilibrium, this definitely begs for 4–7 years of bottle aging and should drink well for at least 30+ years." (100 pts.)

VN93+ Vinous Jan 2015

"The 2012 La Joie hits the palate with serious depth, power and structure. Dark plums, blackberry jam, graphite, grilled herbs and smoke literally jump from the glass. Deep, powerful and brooding, the 2012 is likely to require at least a few years to come together, but it is compelling, even at this early stage." (93–95 pts.)