(86% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 5% malbec): Bright, deep ruby. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, bitter chocolate, violet and orange zest. Otherworldly merlot, boasting great clarity and intensity and an utterly seamless texture. Strong acidity (the pH is 3.63, the lowest of the three Verite 2009s) frames the wine's flavors and accentuates its classical dryness. Finishes with noble tannins, great palate-staining length and floral lift. High class!

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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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