Vérité Winery
About Vérité Winery
Described by Robert M. Parker, Jr. as “one of the most extraordinary men in the wine world I have ever met”, Jess Jackson had a vision for a winery that would treat Californian terroir with the same enthusiasm and respect as those in France. An encounter with Pierre Seillan in the early 1990s confirmed that Jackson had found his vigneron, and the pair founded Vérité (French for “truth”) with the express intention of being as truthful as possible to the more than 50 “micro-crus” across three appellations from which the estate sources.
Viniculture
Truth, transparency and terroir characteristics are the single most significant guiding principle of Pierre Seillan as a winemaker, who passionately repeats his mantra of “la droit du sol” - “the right of the soil”. Three distinct yet equally brilliant cuvées are produced, with each representing a unique blending of varietals, climate, soil and winemaking.
These three wines are titled La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir. La Muse is a Merlot dominant blend, with a touch of Cabernet Franc (5%) and Malbec (2%) - the resulting wine is elegant, graceful and impossibly silky.
La Joie is Cabernet Sauvignon based, supported by 11% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The resulting wine is incredibly pure, focused and aristocratic, displaying classic varietal notes of redcurrants, blackcurrants, menthol and fresh sage - gloriously complex with a savoury edge to temper the gorgeous fruit.
Finally, Le Désir is Vérité’s glorious expression of Cabernet Franc alongside 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec. One of the single greatest Cabernet Franc dominant wines in the world, it is beguilingly complex and spicy on the nose and palate, with hints of star anise, vanilla and warm toast are undercut by a pronounced iron minerality and beautifully fine tannins.
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Prices:
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California | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£950.42 |
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A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs. It contains one bottle of each: 1x75cl La Joie 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) 1x75cl La Muse 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) 1x75cl La Désir 2013 - 99 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) |
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California | 1 | 100 |
Inc. VAT
£757.22 |
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A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs.
More Info
It contains one bottle of each: 1x75cl La Joie 2015 - 99 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
1x75cl La Muse 2015 - 97 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
1x75cl La Désir 2015 - 100 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate) |
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California | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£765.62 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (La Joie) (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. |
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California | 3 | - |
Inc. VAT
£850.82 |
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LA MUSE 2017
More Info
100% Merlot 99 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous LA JOIE 2017 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot 98+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous LE DESIR 2017 80% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot, 3% Malbec 98 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 98 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous |
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California | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£788.42 |
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Containing 1 bottle each of: Vérité La Muse 2018 | 100 WA, 99 JD Vérité La Joie 2018 | 98 WA, 98+ JD Vérité Le Désir 2018 | 97+ WA, 98+ JD |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,023.62 |
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Wine Advocate (Le Desir) (100)The 2019 Le Désir is an exceptional blend of 83% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, offering complex, layered flavors, soaring aromatics and very detailed expression. Deep ruby-purple in color, its aromas unfold slowly and offer new nuances with each return to the glass: Morello cherries, warm chocolate, dried thyme, desiccated roses and dried herbs. The full-bodied palate offers concentrated, floral fruits, pixelated tannins, bursts of fresh acidity and a very long finish with layer after layer of detailed flavor. 2,500 cases were made. |
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California | 2 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£538.01 |
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Wine Advocate (96)A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the 2009 La Joie sports a very deep garnet color. It opens with baked plums, licorice and blackcurrant cordial notes—on steroids—with an undercurrent of oolong tea, aged meats, fragrant earth and new leather plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-filling evolved black fruits and earthy sparks with a foundation of firm, chewy tannins and soft freshness, finishing long with some herbal accents coming through. 2,400 cases were made. |
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California | 5 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,477.24 |
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Wine Advocate (96)A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the 2009 La Joie sports a very deep garnet color. It opens with baked plums, licorice and blackcurrant cordial notes—on steroids—with an undercurrent of oolong tea, aged meats, fragrant earth and new leather plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-filling evolved black fruits and earthy sparks with a foundation of firm, chewy tannins and soft freshness, finishing long with some herbal accents coming through. 2,400 cases were made. |
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California | 4 | 93+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£798.04 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£740.81 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,087.24 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,122.04 |
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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. |
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California | 59 | 97+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£579.41 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 97+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,112.63 |
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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. |
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California | 6 | 97+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£482.42 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£556.61 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£1,112.63 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,178.63 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 94-97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£345.20 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 94-97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£921.62 |
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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. |
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California | 5 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£750.80 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£4,150.84 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 93 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£5,634.58 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,741.24 |
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Wine Advocate (98)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 Muse, a blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec, tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol and spent 18 months in 100% new French oak. Incredibly youthful, this wine has an opaque purple color and a beautiful nose of espresso roast, white chocolate, blackberry and cassis, with mocha and a touch of oak. The wine is full-bodied, with magnificent structure, texture and density. I could drink it now. That said, most consumers should give this wine another 3-4 years, and drink it over the following 30+ years. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£2,193.89 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£538.01 |
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Vinous (96)The 2009 La Muse is a rich, sumptuous wine bursting with dark plums, black, cherries, graphite, espresso, spices and licorice. It shows gorgeous balance from start to finish. Persistent veins of minerality frame the long, beautifully articulate, creamy finish. This is a deceptively accessible wine today, but there is so much underlying power and sheer structure that I will not be surprised if it shuts down in the bottle. The 2009 is 86% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. |
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California | 4 | 94+ (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£798.04 |
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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. |
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California | 6 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£960.04 |
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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%. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£992.44 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£501.62 |
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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. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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California | 1 | - |
In Bond
£784.00 |
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A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs. It contains one bottle of each: 1x75cl La Joie 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) 1x75cl La Muse 2013 - 100 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) 1x75cl La Désir 2013 - 99 Points | Robert M. Parker, Jr. (Wine Advocate) |
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California | 1 | 100 |
In Bond
£623.00 |
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A collaboration between winemakers Jess Jackson and Pierre Seillan, Vérité was launched with the aim of creating wines from Sonoma that could rival that of Pétrus. Since its inaugural vintage in 1998, Vérité has achieved colossal success, including being awarded seven 100 point scores from Robert M. Parker Jr. Guided by Pierre Seillan’s micro-cru philosophy and over 50 years of experience, Vérité produces 3 blends – La Joie, La Muse and La Désir, from a myriad of over 50 distinct plots spread across 4 appellations across Sonoma - namely Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill and Bennet Valley AVAs.
More Info
It contains one bottle of each: 1x75cl La Joie 2015 - 99 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
1x75cl La Muse 2015 - 97 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
1x75cl La Désir 2015 - 100 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate) |
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California | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£630.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (La Joie) (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. |
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California | 3 | - |
In Bond
£701.00 |
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LA MUSE 2017
More Info
100% Merlot 99 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous LA JOIE 2017 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot 98+ Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous LE DESIR 2017 80% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot, 3% Malbec 98 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate 98+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points - James Suckling 98 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous |
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California | 1 | - |
In Bond
£649.00 |
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Containing 1 bottle each of: Vérité La Muse 2018 | 100 WA, 99 JD Vérité La Joie 2018 | 98 WA, 98+ JD Vérité Le Désir 2018 | 97+ WA, 98+ JD |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£845.00 |
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Wine Advocate (Le Desir) (100)The 2019 Le Désir is an exceptional blend of 83% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, offering complex, layered flavors, soaring aromatics and very detailed expression. Deep ruby-purple in color, its aromas unfold slowly and offer new nuances with each return to the glass: Morello cherries, warm chocolate, dried thyme, desiccated roses and dried herbs. The full-bodied palate offers concentrated, floral fruits, pixelated tannins, bursts of fresh acidity and a very long finish with layer after layer of detailed flavor. 2,500 cases were made. |
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California | 2 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£443.00 |
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Wine Advocate (96)A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the 2009 La Joie sports a very deep garnet color. It opens with baked plums, licorice and blackcurrant cordial notes—on steroids—with an undercurrent of oolong tea, aged meats, fragrant earth and new leather plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-filling evolved black fruits and earthy sparks with a foundation of firm, chewy tannins and soft freshness, finishing long with some herbal accents coming through. 2,400 cases were made. |
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California | 5 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,215.00 |
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Wine Advocate (96)A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the 2009 La Joie sports a very deep garnet color. It opens with baked plums, licorice and blackcurrant cordial notes—on steroids—with an undercurrent of oolong tea, aged meats, fragrant earth and new leather plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-filling evolved black fruits and earthy sparks with a foundation of firm, chewy tannins and soft freshness, finishing long with some herbal accents coming through. 2,400 cases were made. |
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California | 4 | 93+ (VN) |
In Bond
£649.00 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£612.00 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£890.00 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£919.00 |
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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. |
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California | 59 | 97+ (VN) |
In Bond
£477.50 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 97+ (VN) |
In Bond
£916.50 |
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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. |
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California | 6 | 97+ (VN) |
In Bond
£394.00 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£458.50 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£916.50 |
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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. |
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California | 29 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£971.50 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 94-97 (VN) |
In Bond
£285.00 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 94-97 (VN) |
In Bond
£760.00 |
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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. |
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California | 5 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£623.00 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£3,443.00 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 93 (VN) |
In Bond
£4,657.00 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,435.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)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 Muse, a blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec, tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol and spent 18 months in 100% new French oak. Incredibly youthful, this wine has an opaque purple color and a beautiful nose of espresso roast, white chocolate, blackberry and cassis, with mocha and a touch of oak. The wine is full-bodied, with magnificent structure, texture and density. I could drink it now. That said, most consumers should give this wine another 3-4 years, and drink it over the following 30+ years. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,809.00 |
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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. |
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California | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
£443.00 |
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Vinous (96)The 2009 La Muse is a rich, sumptuous wine bursting with dark plums, black, cherries, graphite, espresso, spices and licorice. It shows gorgeous balance from start to finish. Persistent veins of minerality frame the long, beautifully articulate, creamy finish. This is a deceptively accessible wine today, but there is so much underlying power and sheer structure that I will not be surprised if it shuts down in the bottle. The 2009 is 86% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. |
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California | 4 | 94+ (VN) |
In Bond
£649.00 |
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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. |
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California | 6 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
£784.00 |
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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%. |
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California | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£811.00 |
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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. |
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California | 2 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
£410.00 |
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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. |
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