2006 Vérité La Joie

98 POINTS

Wine Enthusiast

Massive essence of Cabernet Sauvignon, a triumph. Shows huge waves of blackberries, black currants and cassis, dark chocolate, earthy minerals and considerable oak, which is tasteful and unobtrusive, With its dryness and perfect balance, it will easily negotiate the years. Should be fine well past the year 2020.

96 POINTS

Stephen Tanzer - Vinous

Bright ruby-red. High-pitched, vibrant aromas of cassis, flowers and licorice. The palate offers terrific sappy cut and intensity, with powerful, mouthcoating flavors of cassis, violet, lavender, minerals, spices and crushed rock. This very young wine is most impressive of all today on the booster rocket of a finish, which stains the palate with flavor. This wonderfully deep and concentrated wine has fruit of steel and seems destined for a glorious evolution in bottle. As good as Napa's best cult wines at a fraction the price.

94 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

This blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec is a broodingly burly, masculine wine with lots of intensity and richness, but not the finesse, charm or overall complexity of top vintages of La Joie. More undeveloped and monolithic than usual, it may simply need additional time in the bottle.

94 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, the inky/purple-colored 2006 La Joie (1,300 cases) reveals aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and incense. It possesses a rich, full-bodied personality with mouth-filling levels of tannin, extract, and fruit. Forget this 2006 for 5-7 years as it is a long-term monster in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2045. With Bordeaux winemaker Pierre Seillan in charge, owner Jess Jackson has clearly positioned Verite as one of the two or three flagship wines in his impressive empire. These cuvees represent California versions of Bordeaux appellations, with the Merlot-dominated La Muse very Pomerol-like, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated La Joie a hypothetical California version of a Medoc, and the St.-Emilion look-alike, the Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend, Le Desir. These wines are fashioned from the finest Sonoma vineyard sites owned by Jackson, and are meant for long-term aging. In 2007, the Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot) grown in California’s North Coast exhibit sweet tannins as well as superb fragrance and purity. Yet, Verite’s wines are among the more structured, dense, and powerfully backward of the vintage. Available through Vin Lux Fine Wines, tel.(866) 462-4641; Fax (866) 853-1707; www.vinluxfinewines.com

94 POINTS

Erin Brooks - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2006 La Joie is made up of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Deep garnet, it opens with a flourish of savory spices: mushroom, green olive, decaying leaves and tea tree oil mingle with tones of iron and old leather. The palate is holding onto a core of dried cherry fruit, juicy acidity and grainy, softening tannins, finishing long and layered. It's a touch more mature than the La Muse at this stage, although it will continue to offer pleasure over the next 5-8 years.

Stephen Tanzer - Vinous

(63% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 12% cabernet franc, 8% petit verdot and 4% malbec) Good full ruby. Medicinal cassis, licorice, minerals and graphite on the nose; I would have placed this in St. Julien or Pauillac. Then large-scaled and sweet but with terrific grip and sappiness for a wine so plush. A real fruit bomb today, with outstanding depth and concentration of black cherry and dark berry flavors. Finishes with noble tannins and terrific peppery lift. As I tasted this wine, it crossed my mind once again that Pierre Seillan's top efforts under the Verite label are as good as just about any of California's cult wines-at about half the price.