California
California is one of the most renowned wine regions in the world, known for producing exceptional wines that reflect the unique character of the region.
One of the most famous vineyards in California is the Napa Valley's Robert Mondavi Winery, which produces a range of high-quality red and white wines, including the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, the Fumé Blanc Reserve, and the Chardonnay Reserve. The estate is committed to sustainable farming practices and is known for its focus on traditional winemaking techniques.
In California, there is also a strong focus on producing organic and biodynamic wines, with vineyards such as the Frog's Leap Winery and the Benziger Family Winery using these practices to produce exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region.
Overall, California is a region known for producing exceptional wines, with famous vineyards such as Harlan Estate, Dominus, Opus One, Screaming Eagle, Robert Mondavi and many others. With a focus on sustainable and organic farming practices, and a commitment to traditional winemaking techniques, wines from California are gaining increasing recognition and popularity among wine enthusiasts worldwide.
Read More
California
Photo
AI Chat
-
(1x150cl) 2011Vinous (93+)
(13.8% alcohol; a blend of 74% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 7% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 3% malbec): Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today.Inc. VAT£407.29 -
(6x75cl) 2011Vinous (93+)
(13.8% alcohol; a blend of 74% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 7% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 3% malbec): Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today.Inc. VAT£1,333.55 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 crme 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.Inc. VAT£735.19 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 crme 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.Inc. VAT£1,246.78 -
(3x75cl) 2013Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.Inc. VAT£833.54 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.Inc. VAT£1,295.98 -
Vinous (97+)
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.Inc. VAT£583.12 -
Vinous (97+)
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.Inc. VAT£1,116.43 -
Vinous (97+)
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.Inc. VAT£405.18 -
Vinous (96)
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.Inc. VAT£559.12 -
Vinous (96)
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.Inc. VAT£1,117.63 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Another perfect wine is the 2016 La Joie, which is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot sourced all from the estate vineyards in the Pocket Peak portion of the Alexander Valley. This full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon couldn’t be better and has incredible purity, layers of crème de cassis, white flowers, tobacco leaf, and flowers, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, and loads of ultra-fine tannins. I’d confidently put this up against any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. As with the La Muse, it has the balance, purity, and class to drink spectacularly well even today, but it’s another wine that will benefit from a decade of cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.Inc. VAT£1,171.63 -
Vinous (94-97)
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.Inc. VAT£288.23 -
Vinous (94-97)
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.Inc. VAT£1,737.10 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder of Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is compact and unfolds more slowly in the glass. The nose is rich with graphite, sage oil, and black plum. The palate is full of kirsch, fresh leather, currant, and tobacco, with fine tannins that go for ages, along with the fruit and well-balanced acidity. This will warrant 3-5 years cellar to express its full potential over the following 20 years.Inc. VAT£1,436.74 -
Wine Advocate (95)
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the debut vintage of La Muse is composed of fruit from Sonoma (62%) and Napa (38%) vineyards. It appears to have reached full maturity, but it possesses the density and richness to last another 10-15 years. From a challenging vintage, it reveals a dark plum/garnet color along with a full-bodied nose of coffee, fruitcake, underbrush, forest floor, mocha and chocolate. This outstanding effort is one of the top 1998s from northern California.Inc. VAT£743.60 -
Wine Advocate (95)
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the debut vintage of La Muse is composed of fruit from Sonoma (62%) and Napa (38%) vineyards. It appears to have reached full maturity, but it possesses the density and richness to last another 10-15 years. From a challenging vintage, it reveals a dark plum/garnet color along with a full-bodied nose of coffee, fruitcake, underbrush, forest floor, mocha and chocolate. This outstanding effort is one of the top 1998s from northern California.Inc. VAT£4,115.32 -
Vinous (93)
Bright, dark, moderately saturated red to the rim. Very sexy scents of black raspberry, mocha, graphite, tobacco, licorice, game and spices, lifted by a floral topnote. Moderately sweet on entry, then shows a fine-grained texture and lovely savory concentration to its berry, spice and floral flavors. At once dense and juicy, even if it doesn't show quite the complexity or detail of the better later vintages of this bottling. Finishes with firm, dusty, slightly drying tannins and very good subtle length. I wanted a bit more sweetness of fruit. With 48 hours in the recorked bottle, this was the supplest and juiciest of the three Vérité 2001s but not the densest or richest. And the tannins turned a bit more clenched.Inc. VAT£5,634.58 -
(6x75cl) 2008Wine Advocate (100)
A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec (52% Chalk Hill, 45% Alexander Mountain Estate and 3% Bennett Valley fruit), the 2008 may have even greater intensity and richness than the 2007. Still young and unformed, it exhibits phenomenal richness and equilibrium as well as a finish that lasts nearly a minute. Its dense plum/purple color is accompanied by notions of black fruits, forest floor, truffles and spring flowers. It should age for 25-30+ years.Inc. VAT£1,862.00 -
(6x75cl) 2011
Vinous (94+)
(14.4% alcohol; 89% merlot, 7% malbec and 4% cabernet franc): Deep ruby-red. Terrific lift to the aromas of cassis, licorice, mint, minerals and bitter chocolate, accented by herbs and rose petal. The middle palate offers outstanding depth for 2011, as well as terrific definition and energy to the dark berry, nutmeg and cassis leaf flavors. Finishes classically dry, with subtle building length. Seillan told me he uses the malbec for spice, not to add color or volume. A huge success for the vintage.Inc. VAT£1,261.24 -
Wine Advocate (97)
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%.Inc. VAT£1,795.02 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.Inc. VAT£555.19 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.Inc. VAT£1,107.58 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases ) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. This is a spectacularly fragrant and, at the same time, dense wine, with enough structure (somewhat surprising in this vintage) to last 35-45+ years. The final blend was 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.Inc. VAT£524.39 -
Vinous (95)
The 2015 La Muse is developing beautifully. Ripe, ample and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 exudes character. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 has quite a bit of freshness to balance out the ripe, racy Merlot-based fruit. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, mocha and spice notes build into the racy, inviting finish.Inc. VAT£1,118.18 -
(3x75cl) 2015Vinous (95)
The 2015 La Muse is developing beautifully. Ripe, ample and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 exudes character. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 has quite a bit of freshness to balance out the ripe, racy Merlot-based fruit. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, mocha and spice notes build into the racy, inviting finish.Inc. VAT£1,039.22 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Including the highest percentage of Merlot (at the moment anyway), the 2016 La Muse checks in as 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec that spent 15-16 months in roughly 90% new French oak. This magical wine shows how good Merlot (and Sonoma) can be and offers extraordinary notes of crushed violets, spring flowers, scorched earth, graphite, black cherries, and crème de cassis. As elegant and seamless as they come, it’s full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has an incredible spine of acidity and tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the class and purity to drink well even today, but it’s not going to hit prime time for at least another decade and will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!Inc. VAT£1,171.63 -
Wine Advocate (99)
“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. 2,500 cases were made.Inc. VAT£332.71 -
Vinous (93-96)
The 2018 La Muse, 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, is floral, elegant and light on its feet for such a rich wine. Hillside vineyards in Chalk Hill, Alexander Valley, Knights Valley and Bennett Valley confer structure and a good bit of savory intensity. The 2018 is full of intrigue, that much is clear.Inc. VAT£1,547.72 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
The 2019 La Muse offers a luxurious and layered perfume of red apple, sweet tobacco, and fresh leather. The palate is generous, with velveteen texture, noes of cassis, violets, and fresh earth, and a weightless feel. The most open of the three presented by Verite, this is an incredible wine and will be fantastic to check in on over the next two or more decades.Inc. VAT£1,436.74
-
(1x150cl) 2011
Vinous (93+)
(13.8% alcohol; a blend of 74% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 7% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 3% malbec): Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today.In Bond£333.00 -
(6x75cl) 2011
Vinous (93+)
(13.8% alcohol; a blend of 74% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 7% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 3% malbec): Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today.In Bond£1,092.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 crme 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.In Bond£606.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
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 crme 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.In Bond£1,019.00 -
(3x75cl) 2013
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.In Bond£686.60 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.In Bond£1,060.00 -
Vinous (97+)
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.In Bond£479.50 -
Vinous (97+)
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.In Bond£917.50 -
Vinous (97+)
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.In Bond£328.00 -
Vinous (96)
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.In Bond£459.50 -
Vinous (96)
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.In Bond£918.50 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Another perfect wine is the 2016 La Joie, which is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot sourced all from the estate vineyards in the Pocket Peak portion of the Alexander Valley. This full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon couldn’t be better and has incredible purity, layers of crème de cassis, white flowers, tobacco leaf, and flowers, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, and loads of ultra-fine tannins. I’d confidently put this up against any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. As with the La Muse, it has the balance, purity, and class to drink spectacularly well even today, but it’s another wine that will benefit from a decade of cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.In Bond£963.50 -
Vinous (94-97)
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.In Bond£237.00 -
Vinous (94-97)
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.In Bond£1,438.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the remainder of Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is compact and unfolds more slowly in the glass. The nose is rich with graphite, sage oil, and black plum. The palate is full of kirsch, fresh leather, currant, and tobacco, with fine tannins that go for ages, along with the fruit and well-balanced acidity. This will warrant 3-5 years cellar to express its full potential over the following 20 years.In Bond£1,183.50 -
Wine Advocate (95)
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the debut vintage of La Muse is composed of fruit from Sonoma (62%) and Napa (38%) vineyards. It appears to have reached full maturity, but it possesses the density and richness to last another 10-15 years. From a challenging vintage, it reveals a dark plum/garnet color along with a full-bodied nose of coffee, fruitcake, underbrush, forest floor, mocha and chocolate. This outstanding effort is one of the top 1998s from northern California.In Bond£617.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the debut vintage of La Muse is composed of fruit from Sonoma (62%) and Napa (38%) vineyards. It appears to have reached full maturity, but it possesses the density and richness to last another 10-15 years. From a challenging vintage, it reveals a dark plum/garnet color along with a full-bodied nose of coffee, fruitcake, underbrush, forest floor, mocha and chocolate. This outstanding effort is one of the top 1998s from northern California.In Bond£3,410.00 -
Vinous (93)
Bright, dark, moderately saturated red to the rim. Very sexy scents of black raspberry, mocha, graphite, tobacco, licorice, game and spices, lifted by a floral topnote. Moderately sweet on entry, then shows a fine-grained texture and lovely savory concentration to its berry, spice and floral flavors. At once dense and juicy, even if it doesn't show quite the complexity or detail of the better later vintages of this bottling. Finishes with firm, dusty, slightly drying tannins and very good subtle length. I wanted a bit more sweetness of fruit. With 48 hours in the recorked bottle, this was the supplest and juiciest of the three Vérité 2001s but not the densest or richest. And the tannins turned a bit more clenched.In Bond£4,657.00 -
(6x75cl) 2008
Wine Advocate (100)
A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec (52% Chalk Hill, 45% Alexander Mountain Estate and 3% Bennett Valley fruit), the 2008 may have even greater intensity and richness than the 2007. Still young and unformed, it exhibits phenomenal richness and equilibrium as well as a finish that lasts nearly a minute. Its dense plum/purple color is accompanied by notions of black fruits, forest floor, truffles and spring flowers. It should age for 25-30+ years.In Bond£1,531.00 -
(6x75cl) 2011
Vinous (94+)
(14.4% alcohol; 89% merlot, 7% malbec and 4% cabernet franc): Deep ruby-red. Terrific lift to the aromas of cassis, licorice, mint, minerals and bitter chocolate, accented by herbs and rose petal. The middle palate offers outstanding depth for 2011, as well as terrific definition and energy to the dark berry, nutmeg and cassis leaf flavors. Finishes classically dry, with subtle building length. Seillan told me he uses the malbec for spice, not to add color or volume. A huge success for the vintage.In Bond£1,035.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
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%.In Bond£1,480.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.In Bond£456.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.In Bond£903.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2014 La Muse (2,800 cases ) is a legendary effort. The wine offers an opaque purple color and a gorgeous nose of lead pencil shavings, blackberry, incense, Asian spice, cocoa, plum, and a touch of chocolate and barrique. On the palate, more cassis and blackberry come to the forefront. The wine is unctuous, with adequate acidity and a stunning energy underneath the massive fruit and body. This is a spectacularly fragrant and, at the same time, dense wine, with enough structure (somewhat surprising in this vintage) to last 35-45+ years. The final blend was 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec.In Bond£427.00 -
Vinous (95)
The 2015 La Muse is developing beautifully. Ripe, ample and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 exudes character. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 has quite a bit of freshness to balance out the ripe, racy Merlot-based fruit. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, mocha and spice notes build into the racy, inviting finish.In Bond£918.50 -
(3x75cl) 2015
Vinous (95)
The 2015 La Muse is developing beautifully. Ripe, ample and voluptuous in the glass, the 2015 exudes character. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 has quite a bit of freshness to balance out the ripe, racy Merlot-based fruit. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, mocha and spice notes build into the racy, inviting finish.In Bond£858.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Including the highest percentage of Merlot (at the moment anyway), the 2016 La Muse checks in as 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec that spent 15-16 months in roughly 90% new French oak. This magical wine shows how good Merlot (and Sonoma) can be and offers extraordinary notes of crushed violets, spring flowers, scorched earth, graphite, black cherries, and crème de cassis. As elegant and seamless as they come, it’s full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has an incredible spine of acidity and tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the class and purity to drink well even today, but it’s not going to hit prime time for at least another decade and will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!In Bond£963.50 -
Wine Advocate (99)
“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. 2,500 cases were made.Inc. VAT£328.80 -
Vinous (93-96)
The 2018 La Muse, 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, is floral, elegant and light on its feet for such a rich wine. Hillside vineyards in Chalk Hill, Alexander Valley, Knights Valley and Bennett Valley confer structure and a good bit of savory intensity. The 2018 is full of intrigue, that much is clear.In Bond£1,277.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
The 2019 La Muse offers a luxurious and layered perfume of red apple, sweet tobacco, and fresh leather. The palate is generous, with velveteen texture, noes of cassis, violets, and fresh earth, and a weightless feel. The most open of the three presented by Verite, this is an incredible wine and will be fantastic to check in on over the next two or more decades.In Bond£1,183.50
