La Joie
2013
Vintage
The 2013 growing season was truly a perfect one in Sonoma County. Very little rain during the winter, along with careful pruning and work in the vineyard, was key to controlling the energy of the vines. The growing season was ideal in terms of temperature: an absence of excessive heat allowed for very even ripening. In the spring, the moisture in the soil and the temperature permitted the vines to build a beautiful canopy from budbreak to bloom. Moderate, steady sunshine and temperatures throughout the whole season and cooler nights in August helped balance the acidity and tannins. The 2013 vintage must be one of the top five vintages of Vérité. The wines are intended to age over the next 20 years or more. Harvest took place September 3rd through September 17th.
Notes
The nose is rich, complex and creamy, dominated by fruit with a very discreet nose of oak. The wine shows itself on the palate without restraint and expresses its complexity, power, delight and richness with notes of ripe, round black fruits such as cassis and black cherry. The finish is pronounced by the Cabernet Sauvignon, similar to a grand Pauillac. This La Joie is a grandiose wine in an excellent vintage and will age for 30 years or more.
Composition
71% Cabernet Sauvignon
16% Merlot
8% Cabernet Franc
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.