Verite Le Desir 2009 / 750 ml.

Item#: 77550

JD9797 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - June 14, 2019
The 2009 Le Desir is mostly Cabernet Franc and is another wine drinking beautifully today. Classic cassis and dark fruits as well as notes of bay leaf, sandalwood, and spice all flow to a full-bodied, elegant, concentrated red that has fine tannins, perfect balance, and one great finish. Drink it over the coming 20–25 years. (Jeb Dunnuck)
ST96+96+? pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2013
Deep ruby-red. Vibrant nose offers cassis, blackberry, licorice, minerals, tobacco leaf and violet. Rich, tactile and deep, offering outstanding energy for the vintage. Boasts a rare combination of explosive fruit intensity and elegance. Builds and echoes dramatically on the vibrant, nuanced finish, which saturates the palate with dark fruits and minerals. This shut down in the glass but my recorked bottle showed uncanny freshness after three days in the refrigerator.
RP9393 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Dec 2013
Another big red is the 2009 Le Desir, a blend of 74% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. The densest, most tannic, and most forbiddingly backward of the 2009s, it exhibits an inky/purple color along with copious aromas of graphite, spring flowers, blackberries and blueberries as well as a crushed liqueur of chalk-like character, and a huge, multilayered and multi-dimensional finish that lasts nearly 50 seconds. It requires 4–5 more years in the cellar, and should keep for three decades. If you have not yet experienced the wines of Verite, they are true connoisseurs’ efforts that should be purchased by those with cold cellars and long lifelines.

Limited Inventory

Store Location: RR1B | 1 question-mark-circle

This is the location where you can find this item at our store.

'W' means it's located along the wall. 'RR' means it's in our Reserve Room. Otherwise, the item can be found on our sales floor in the marked aisle.

2 items or less in stock. We will confirm your order by email.

Usually ships within 24 hours. Also available for same-day pickup at our store.

red-wine-icon

Red Wine

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc | All Grapes: 74% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec

location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

How to Get It (Select available options below at checkout)

pickup-icon

Store Pickup

Available

In-Store/Curbside

1-2 Hours

FREE

Premier Wine & Spirits, 3900 Maple Rd, Amherst, NY 14226

shipping-icon

Ship to Home

Available

to select states

ships within 24 hours

Rates vary by location

Enter address at checkout for applicable rates.

delivery-icon

Local Delivery

Available

near our store

within 24 hours

Rates vary by zip

Enter address at checkout for applicable rates.

More from this Producer

Vérité

Critical Acclaim

JD97 97 pts. / Jeb Dunnuck (June 14, 2019)

The 2009 Le Desir is mostly Cabernet Franc and is another wine drinking beautifully today. Classic cassis and dark fruits as well as notes of bay leaf, sandalwood, and spice all flow to a full-bodied, elegant, concentrated red that has fine tannins, perfect balance, and one great finish. Drink it over the coming 20–25 years. (Jeb Dunnuck)

ST96+ 96+? pts. / Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (May/Jun 2013)

Deep ruby-red. Vibrant nose offers cassis, blackberry, licorice, minerals, tobacco leaf and violet. Rich, tactile and deep, offering outstanding energy for the vintage. Boasts a rare combination of explosive fruit intensity and elegance. Builds and echoes dramatically on the vibrant, nuanced finish, which saturates the palate with dark fruits and minerals. This shut down in the glass but my recorked bottle showed uncanny freshness after three days in the refrigerator.

RP93 93 pts. / Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate (29th Dec 2013)

Another big red is the 2009 Le Desir, a blend of 74% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. The densest, most tannic, and most forbiddingly backward of the 2009s, it exhibits an inky/purple color along with copious aromas of graphite, spring flowers, blackberries and blueberries as well as a crushed liqueur of chalk-like character, and a huge, multilayered and multi-dimensional finish that lasts nearly 50 seconds. It requires 4–5 more years in the cellar, and should keep for three decades. If you have not yet experienced the wines of Verite, they are true connoisseurs’ efforts that should be purchased by those with cold cellars and long lifelines.

Where It's From

District / Sonoma County

View more wines from Sonoma County

Sonoma County, just north of San Francisco is one of California's most famous wine districts. While sometimes overshadowed by the reputation of its rival and neighbor, Napa Valley, Sonoma County has a longer history of viticulture and is twice the size of the former.

Thanks in part to a strong diversity of climates within Sonoma County, the district is home to outstanding examples from a whole host of grapes. Sonoma County Pinot Noirs are considered some of the finest in the state, and the Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels are remarkable. Chardonnays come in a variety of styles thanks to the varying temperatures in Sonoma County, and Cabernets and Merlots also thrive here.

Some of the more celebrated viticultural areas in Sonoma County include Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma Coast, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, and Carneros (parts of which fall within Napa Valley).

Region / California

View more wines from California

When it comes to US wine production, California is King. California wines account for almost 90% of all wines produced in the United States each year, and is home to the most celebrated vineyards and producers in the country. California is probably best known for its world-famous Cabernets and Chardonnays, many of which hail from its two most-acclaimed AVAs, Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Other prominent grapes used in California wines include Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Zinfandel (which California made popular).

Country / United States

View more wines from United States

The United States now ranks fourth in the world in wine production behind, France, Italy, and Spain. While about 90% of that wine is produced in California, other states like Oregon, New York, and Washington are establishing themselves as prime spots for wine production, as well. Just about any variety of wine can be found in production somewhere in the United States.

More Information

SKU 77550
Product Type Wine
Alternate Name Vérité Le Désir
Country United States
Region California
District Sonoma County
Product Location - Location-Appellation Sonoma County
Package Size 750 ml.
Wine/Spirit Brand Vérité
Bottles per Case 12
Vintage 2009
Can it Be Shipped Yes
Premier Pick No
Wine Type Table Wine
Wine - Color Red
Grape(s) 74% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec
Primary Grape Cabernet Franc
Dollar Sale (Y/N) No
Same Region, Same Vintage, Same Grape
Bevan Cellars EE | Showket Vineyard 2009 / 750 ml.

Showket Vineyard
2009 / 750 ml.

Item #: 68100

RP9191 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 22nd Dec 2011
The 2009 Red Wine EE Cuvee Showket Vineyard flows onto the palate with sweet roses, spices, flowers, all of which come together in a forward, juicy style meant to be enjoyed over the next few years. Floral notes round out the textured finish. This is another soft, totally inviting wine from Russell Bevan. The EE Cuvee is 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2013–2017.
grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

5 items or less in stock.

Compare at $164.99 $134.99

You save:$30.00 (18%)

Add to Wishlist

Add to Compare

Related Products

Navigating through the elements of the carousel is possible using the tab key. You can skip the carousel or go straight to carousel navigation using the skip links.
Château Cos d’Estournel Saint-Estèphe

2010 / 750 ml.

Item #: 72998

RP9999 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 5th Mar 2020
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Cos d’Estournel unfurls slowly, measuredly, releasing delicate notes of dried mulberries, stewed plums and blackcurrant pastilles before giving way to notions of potpourri, black cherry compote and chocolate box plus touches of dried sage, tobacco and new leather. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid foundation of very firm, grainy tannins and very lively acidity supporting the remarkable intensity of tightly wound fruit layers, finishing very long and fragrant. Give it another 4–5 years in bottle and this will be stunning!
RP97+97+ pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 27th Feb 2013
The 2010 is a more structured, restrained, less flamboyant version of the 2009. A final blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 14.5% natural alcohol, this wine (which represents only 55% of the estate's production) is full-bodied, classic and built along the lines of the 2000 (although that wine was made before Reybier acquired the estate and upgraded quality significantly). This wine exhibits beautifully pure notes of creme de cassis, blueberry liqueur, pen ink, graphite and hints of toast and vanillin. The wine is full and rich, and although aged in 80% new oak, the wood is a subtle background component. This beauty will take longer to round into shape than the dramatic and compelling 2009. Forget it for 5–8 years, and drink it over the following three-plus decades.
SP9595 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2013
An extremely well-sculpted, modern wine, with an enormous core of plum sauce, blackberry coulis and cassis fruit to match the ambitious roasted apple wood-, black tea- and tobacco-infused toast. Dense and chewy now, displaying the tannic spine of the vintage, this remains integrated, racy and incredibly long, offering a piercing chalky backbone that rivets everything together. Best from 2018 through 2038.
WE9595 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2013
This is a complex and rich wine dominated by superripe fruit. It is a wine of extremes, of fruit, of dark tannins allied to some bitterness from the black chocolate extract. Ripe plums and sweet black fruits are given a lift at the end with bright acidity.
ST94+94+? pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - Jul/Aug 2013
Full, bright ruby. Superripe but vibrant nose offers liqueur-like cassis, graphite, mocha and exotic oak scents; smells thick! Then plush, dense, large-scaled and seamless, offering extraordinary breadth and a 3-D texture to its dark fruit, graphite and mineral flavors. This very modern style of Cos finishes with outstanding, building, palate-saturating persistence and utterly sweet tannins.
location-marker

France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Estephe

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Compare at $449.99 $359.99

You save:$90.00 (20%)

Add to Wishlist

Add to Compare

Vérité La Joie

2012 / 750 ml.

Item #: 82338

RP100100 pts. - 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.
ST95+95–98 pts. - 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.
VN9494 pts. - 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.
VN93+93–95 pts. - 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.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Limited InventoryWe'll confirm your order by email.

8 items or less in stock.

Compare at $449.99 $347.99

You save:$102.00 (23%)

Add to Wishlist

Add to Compare

More from this Producer
Verite La Muse 2012 / 750 ml.

2012 / 750 ml.

Item #: 82339

RP9797 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Oct 2015
The 2012 La Muse, which is 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, is a smaller cuvée of 1,840 cases. The wine has plenty of spice box, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake and Asian plum sauce, along with black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Ripe, round, full-bodied and opulent, this is a wine that can be drunk now or cellared for another three decades. Interestingly, the alcohol levels are not all that high in any of these wines, with most of them rarely exceeding 14.3%.
ST94+94–97 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2014
Deep ruby. Wonderfully pure aromas and flavors of crushed cassis, minerals and exotic spices. Huge, sweet and plush but utterly primary for a wine with so much flesh. Boasts the chocolatey richness of a topnotch Pomerol from a great year, but the wine’s huge, ripe tannins will require at least five or six years of aging. Finishes with outstanding length.
VN9494 pts. - Vinous - Feb 2016
The 2012 La Muse is plump, juicy and forward; in other words a very typical expression of this vintage. Now at nearly five years of age, the 2012 is beginning to develop pretty aromatic notes that add complexity and nuance. Sweet tobacco, licorice, raspberry jam, mint and anise are all pushed forward. With time in the glass, the 2012 turns delicate and more refined, but it also seems to be going through a bit of a lull today.
VN93+93–95 pts. - Vinous - Jan 2015
Mocha, chocolate, dark plums, smoke and cloves are some of the notes that inform the 2012 La Muse. Dark, sumptuous and impeccably balanced, the 2012 is super-impressive. The flavors are bold and intense, and while there is plenty of size and volume, the wine’s balance is simply impeccable. I imagine the 2012 will reward drinkers with a good 20 years or so of very fine drinking pleasure.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Merlot

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

11 items or less in stock.

Compare at $449.99 $309.99

You save:$140.00 (31%)

Verite Le Desir 2014 / 750 ml.

2014 / 750 ml.

Item #: 87961

RP9898 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 28th Oct 2016
The 2014 Le Désir (53% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec) has an inky purple color and a sweet kiss of chocolate, black truffle, forest floor, black raspberry and black currants. Opulent, but again structured and super-dense and pure, this is another massively concentrated wine meant for the long haul (and for our grandchildren). Give it 4–6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 35–40 years. Remarkably, Pierre Seillan told me that 2014, while a drought year, was not actually that hot in the micro-terroirs he was working, but in terms of quality, it turned out to be the most surprisingly positive vintage he’s ever witnessed.
VN9797 pts. - Vinous - Mar 2017
The 2014 Le Désir is the most inward of these 2014s from Vérité. Dark raspberry jam, wild flowers, spice, pencil shavings, mocha, lavender and licorice infuse this deep, powerful, structured Cabernet Franc-based blend. The interplay of dense, sumptuous fruit and aromatic freshness makes for an absolutely compelling wine.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

8 items or less in stock.

Compare at $499.99 $329.99

You save:$170.00 (34%)

Verite La Joie 2015 / 750 ml.

2015 / 750 ml.

Item #: 90936

RP9999 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 28th Feb 2018
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2015 La Joie features a very deep purple-black color and almost electric nose of crushed blackcurrants, ripe black cherries and mulberries with sparks of raspberry pie, wild blueberries, unsmoked cigars, charcuterie and crushed stones. Medium to full-bodied and charged with the most amazing energy, the youthful, vibrant black-fruited palate is framed by very firm, very finely grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with lingering crushed stones and earth layers. 4,000 cases produced.
JS9797 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Thursday, November 22, 2018
This is a beautiful cabernet sauvignon-based red with blackcurrants, blueberries and a light mint character. Full-bodied, firm and tight with a compressed fruit structure and polished tannins. Extremely long and focused. A beautiful wine. Mostly cabernet sauvignon. Drink in 2021.
VN9696 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2018
Vérité’s 2015 La Joie is deep, powerful and structured, with tons of Cabernet savoriness running through a core of intense, dark fruit. Grilled herbs, leather, menthol and licorice all develop in the glass. Sumptuous and yet also structured, La Joie is another winner from Vérité.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

2 items or less in stock.

Compare at $424.99 $339.99

You save:$85.00 (20%)

Verite Le Desir 2012 / 750 ml.

2012 / 750 ml.

Item #: 82340

RP100100 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Oct 2015
The 2012 Le Desir (64% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec) reminds me of a young vintage of Ausone, such as 2005. The wine has amazing minerality and an explosive blueberry nose intermixed with blackberries, new saddle leather, charcoal and camphor. It is full-bodied, with espresso notes emerging on the palate. There are 1,900 cases of this super-endowed, prodigious wine that should drink well for 35–40 years. How fun it would be for mega-millionaires to put this in a blind tasting of a great vintage of Ausone in 10, 20 or 30 years from now.
ST95+95–98 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2014
Bright, deep ruby. Seriously dark aromas of cassis, violet, bitter chocolate and espresso. Hugely rich and ripe but with uncanny energy and definition to the flavors of black raspberry and musky bitter chocolate. This has the density of a top vintage of Chateau Ausone. Finishes with a boatload of ripe tannins that are buffered by the wine’s palate-staining fruit. Another monument in the making.
VN9595 pts. - Vinous - Feb 2016
The 2012 Le Désir is striking. It is also the richest and most powerful of the Vérité 2012s. An exotic, alluring bouquet melds into layers of dark red fruit as this ample, voluptuous wine shows off its personality. The 2012 simply oozes with Cabernet Franc floral and spice notes. Although the 2012 is quite expressive today, it will be even better with more time. Over the last few years the Désir has clearly emerged as Vérité’s top wine. Today, it is absolutely gorgeous, although it needs time to be at its best.
VN94+94–96 pts. - Vinous - Jan 2015
The Cabernet Franc-based 2012 Le Désir is the most aromatic and nuanced of these three 2012s. Savory herbs, mocha and spices meld into a core of punchy pomegranate and red stone fruit in a wine that is both silky and powerful. Here, too, readers can look forward to a long drinking window that will last two decades or so. In 2012, Le Désir is all about finesse.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

10 items or less in stock.

Compare at $449.99 $299.99

You save:$150.00 (33%)

Verite Le Desir 2017 / 750 ml.

2017 / 750 ml.

Item #: 96017

JD98+98+ pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 5/21/2020
Lastly, the 2017 Le Desir is 80% Cabernet Franc, with the balance mostly Merlot mixed with a splash of Malbec. It has a wonderful Cabernet Franc floral character as well as awesome black raspberry, cedarwood, forest floor, violets, rose petals, new leather, and who knows what else. Incredibly complex, it takes lots of air to show at its best and is medium to full-bodied, has a bright spine of acidity, fabulous tannins, and a great, great finish. The elegance of this wine paired with its richness and depth is something to behold. It’s another damn near perfect wine from this estate, and to see this quality from a challenging vintage like 2017 boggles the mind. Hats off to the father-daughter team of Pierre and Hélène Seillan. (Jeb Dunnuck)
RP9898 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th May 2020
Blended of 80% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot and 3% Malbec, the 2017 Le Désir has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It comes galloping out of the glass with all the grace and precision of a thoroughbred, sporting notions of kirsch, potpourri, warm plums and wild blueberries plus hints of chocolate box, cardamom and star anise. The medium-bodied palate (just 13.9% alcohol) is at once powerful and wonderfully elegant, with firm, very fine-grained, exquisitely ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the red and blue fruit layers, finishing with incredible length and depth. Wow! 2,500 cases were made.
VN9898 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2020
The 2017 Le Désir is off the charts fabulous and also one of the most compelling wines I have tasted from Vérité. Mocha, chocolate, licorice, leather, menthol, pine and spice soar out of the glass. The 2017 is vertical, heady and extravagantly rich yet not at all overdone, a hugely appealing combination in my book.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc

Compare at $499.99 $399.99

You save:$100.00 (20%)

Verite La Joie 2018 / 750 ml.

2018 / 750 ml.

Item #: 96799

JS9999 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Blackberries, black mushrooms, violets, flowers, and dark tobacco. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, yet in check and pretty. The fine tannins frame the wine perfectly. Really long and focused. Seamless. Elegance with power. This will age incredibly well, but already so gorgeous to try. 76% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot and 3% malbec. Try after 2026, but attractive now.
JD98+98+ pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 7/22/2021
Lastly, the 2018 La Joie does everything right and offers a Château Lafite-like style in both its aromatics and its elegant, seamless mouthfeel. Gorgeous blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, damp earth, unsmoked tobacco, and woodsmoke nuances all develop with time in the glass and this is one of those wines that offers something new every time you come back to the glass. Rich, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and incredibly elegant, it has ripe, polished, yet substantial tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a thrilling finish. Give bottles 4–5 years and it will keep for 30 years or more. (Jeb Dunnuck)
RP9898 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 30th Jul 2021
Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2018 La Joie displays an opaque purple-black color, slowly unfurling to offer profound notes of crème de cassis, preserved plums and boysenberries, with hints of rare beef, pencil lead, black olives and lilacs, plus touches of fertile loam and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate has jaw-dropping elegance and poise, featuring a solid backbone of firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the intense mineral-laced black fruit layers, finishing long with loads of savory and floral sparks. Simply breathtaking!
VN94+94–97 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2020
The 2018 La Joie exudes class from the very first taste. Firm underpinnings of structure provide a gorgeous framework that wraps around a core of intense dark fruit. Lavender, sage, mint and grilled herb accents exalt the aromatic intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

11 items or less in stock.

Compare at $499.99 $399.99

You save:$100.00 (20%)

Verite La Joie 2014 / 750 ml.

2014 / 750 ml.

Item #: 87960

JD97+97+ pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 12/29/2017
The estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon dominated release is the 2014 La Joie. It’s an incredible wine based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot. Reminding me of a top vintage of Ducru-Beaucaillou (the 2010?) with its classic Cabernet character, it offers thrilling notes of crème de cassis, exotic flowers, liquid rock-like minerality, and graphite and lead pencil nuances. Deep, concentrated, and backward, it has perfect balance, good acidity, and an undeniable Bordeaux-like weight and texture. Nowhere near primetime, it needs 5–7 years of cellaring and is going to keep for three decades. (Jeb Dunnuck)
RP97+97+ pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 28th Oct 2016
The 2014 La Joie has a spicy black purple color and a big, sweet kiss of camphor, black truffle, pen ink, blackcurrants and unsmoked cigar tobacco, followed by layers of fruit and glycerin in an opulent, beautifully savory, pure and multidimensional wine. The final blend Seillan produced in 2014 was 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. This is a compellingly great effort once again. It should be given 2–5 years of bottle age, then drunk over the following three decades.
VN9797 pts. - Vinous - Mar 2017
The 2014 La Joie exudes freshness, energy and intensity. Black cherry, plum, licorice, lavender espresso and expressive spiced notes are all beautifully delineated in the glass. Raspberry jam, wild flowers, mint and gently spiced notes are laced into the super-expressive, silky finish. A final kick of Cabernet Sauvignon intensity adds lift in the 2014 La Joie, Vérité’s Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

8 items or less in stock.

Compare at $499.99 $319.99

You save:$180.00 (36%)

Verite La Joie 2009 / 750 ml.

2009 / 750 ml.

Item #: 77547

RP9696 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Dec 2013
The 2009 La Joie (14.5% natural alcohol, and a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec) boasts an opaque purple color along with abundant notes of wood spice, barbecued meat, new saddle leather, creme de cassis and forest floor. Rich, full-bodied and powerful with moderately high tannins, it needs to be forgotten for 5–7 years, and drunk over the following 25–30 years.
ST95+95+ pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2013
Bright, full ruby. Complex, vibrant aromas of cassis, cherry pit, licorice and graphite, with a floral topnote building as the wine opens in the glass. Dense, pliant and suave, with a compellingly layered, fine-grained texture to the dark berry, licorice and mineral flavors. A wine of major dimension but today the firm, noble tannins clamp down on the fruit. I’d love to see this again in six or seven years — in a flight of top 2009 Medoc wines.
SP8888 pts. - Wine Spectator - Web only – 2013
Dense and chewy, this presents a rugged mix of textures, featuring flavors of crushed rock and dried berry, with a dash of cream and bitter mocha woven in. Finishes with drying, extracted tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2014 through 2024. 1,000 cases made.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Limited Inventoryinformation-circle We'll confirm your order by email.

1 items or less in stock.

Compare at $429.99 $299.99

You save:$130.00 (30%)

Verite La Muse 2017 / 750 ml.

2017 / 750 ml.

Item #: 96019

RP9999 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th May 2020
Composed of 100% Merlot for the first time this year, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2017 La Muse rolls sensuously out of the glass with scents of black raspberries, Black Forest cake, boysenberries and cinnamon toast, followed by nuances of a garrigue, forest floor, beef drippings and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the richly fruited palate slowly builds in the mouth to a crescendo of black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, framed by exceptionally ripe, round tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Stylistically, it stands apart from previously vintages, possessing the same magical intensity, but with less weight and more pop. 2,500 cases were made.
JD9898 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 5/21/2020
Not far behind, the Merlot-dominated 2017 La Muse offers a big, rich nose of chocolate-covered black cherries, espresso, damp earth, and leafy herbs that gains more bass notes and richness with time in the glass. It tastes like a great Pomerol from La Conseillante. Full-bodied, it has an incredible sense of elegance and purity, plenty of mid-palate stuffing, and a great, great finish. Made from 100% Merlot (this is the first time this cuvée has been all Merlot), it’s another incredible wine from this estate that has the flesh and texture to shine today yet the freshness, purity, and balance to evolve for 30 years or more. (Jeb Dunnuck)
VN9696 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2020
The 2017 La Muse is 100% Merlot for the first time. In this vintage, La Muse stands out for its freshness, energy and red-toned fruit. It will be interesting to see if the 2017 represents a longer-term shift. To be sure, the 2017 is aromatically deep, beautifully persistent and just impeccable in its balance. I liked it more than the 2016.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Merlot

Compare at $499.99 $399.99

You save:$100.00 (20%)

Verite Le Desir 2016 / 750 ml.

2016 / 750 ml.

Item #: 96018

JD9999 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 6/14/2019
The 2016 Le Desir checks in as 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec. Readers looking for world-class Cabernet Franc should beg, borrow, or steal to get hold of a bottle of this. Incredible floral, violet, forest floor, lead pencil, and cassis notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied red that’s flawlessly balanced, has ultra-fine tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. More intellectual and elegant than the La Joie, it’s still a wine of incredible intensity and class that builds incrementally on the palate, has an exotic, singular character, and the class to evolve for 30 years or more. (Jeb Dunnuck)
RP9999 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Oct 2018
Composed of 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec, the very deep purple-black colored 2016 Le Désir is a little closed to begin, opening out to reveal absolutely stunning scents of potpourri, roses and orange peel over a core of crushed blackcurrants, black cherries and dark chocolate with touches of cinnamon stick and cloves plus a waft of forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is exquisitely delicate and refined, with super ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with epic persistence. 3,500 cases produced.
VN9898 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon takes center stage in the 2016 Le Désir. Graphite, menthol, lavender, spice, pine, dried herbs and licorice give the 2016 striking aromatic depth to match its mid-weight personality. Elegant and nuanced, but with plenty of richness, the 2016 has a ton to offer.
location-marker

United States | California | Sonoma County

grape-icon

Primary Grape: Cabernet Franc

Compare at $499.99 $399.99

You save:$100.00 (20%)

Write Your Own Review
Only registered users can write reviews. Please Sign in or create an account
loader
Loading...