Le Désir
2011
Vintage
This year started out as another great vintage; cool nights, sunny days and low humidity. The 2011 season had late spring rains and flowering, followed by a not-too-hot summer. It was a long growing season, which produced lower alcohols and very balanced fruit with good acidity and great expression of micro-cru distinction. We began picking September 26th with Merlot from Chalk Hill and finished October 19th with Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Mountain Estate.
– Pierre Seillan, Vigneron
Notes
While Le Désir’s bright and youthful appearance and compelling nose present crunchy blackberry, fresh pomegranate seed, black plum and blueberry, the real star is the floral and herbal signature of the Cabernet Franc, which comes alive on the nose and palate. Fresh rhubarb, dried rosemary, fresh cut flower stems, violet blossoms and green coffee beans all come together to form a signature that could easily be mistaken for an expressive vintage of Cabernet Franc from Saint-Émilion. Only on the palate does this wine truly reveal its Sonoma County parentage, showing a full complement of New World fruit. While compelling now, the 2011 Le Désir will truly blossom with time.
Composition
54% Cabernet Franc
36% Merlot
5% Cabernet Sauvignon
5% Malbec
My favorite of the 2011s, it displays lots of mulberry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit intertwined with hints of underbrush as well as a subtle herbaceousness, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, beautiful density and sweet tannin.