-
100
/ 100
Jeb Dunnuck -
98
/ 100
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
99
/ 100
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Red
Classification
Cabernet Blend
Variety
2017
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
USA
Country
California, Sonoma County
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
100 / 100"(La Joie) Tasting like a great bottle of Château Lafite, the 2017 La Joie is based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon and brought up, I suspect, in mostly new French oak. Deep ruby/purple, with a heavenly bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil, cedarwood, graphite, and tobacco, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an incredible sense of elegance and purity, building tannins, and a great, great finish. This majestic, regal Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is going to require a decade of cellaring to hit maturity (although it’s far from unapproachable today) and will see its 50th birthday in fine form. I followed this bottle for three days and it never showed a hint of oxidation. This is easily my wine of the vintage in 2017."
- Jeb Dunnuck
98 / 100
"(Le Desir) What was the secret to achieving such impressive ripeness for Cabernet Franc in 2017? Pierre Seillan's daughter and one day successor, Helene, told me: “We make a lot of passes through the Cabernet Franc blocks—more than the other varieties. We drop any fruit that is not ripening at the same pace. We don’t pull out too much leaves, we need those for the ripening.” 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!"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
99 / 100
"(La Muse) “Our Malbec in 2017 was awesome, it usually gives the spice,” Pierre Seillan told me during the tasting of the 2017s with his daughter and one day successor, Helene. “But this year, we didn’t need it. The alcohol is only 14.2% this year—it has the energy, the minerality. I think it will age for 40 years at least. I think it is the best I’ve made.” 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."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasting Notes
With more than 50 “micro-crus� across four appellations, Vigneron Pierre Seillan carefully crafts each blend of Vérité. This mosaic of micro-crus provides Seillan with the palette of aromatics, flavors, textures and structural elements he needs to craft the wines of Vérité.
Each micro-cru is harvested and fermented separately, then aged in French Oak barrels of various custom toasts.
Seillan carefully tailors his winemaking techniques and oak regimens to the personality of each lot, providing him with hundreds of unique components he can use to create the architecture of the final blends of La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity