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Tasting notes
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec. Deep ruby-purple. Earthy and savoury on the nose. The oak is meaty and rich, slightly dominating the fruit for now but there is a depth of cassis underneath that should integrate in time. Deep, succulent blackcurrant on the palate is evidence of this. There is energy and drive to this wine, despite its fleshy flamboyance. Just a hint of warmth on the palate knocks my impression a little, but there is certainly real potential for this to improve in bottle and I would be intrigued to see this wine at a decade old. (TP)
Critic scores
Average Score
Tom Parker MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Lastly, the 2018 La Joie does everything right and offers a Château Lafite-like style in both its aromatics and its elegant, seamless mouthfeel. Gorgeous blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, damp earth, unsmoked tobacco, and woodsmoke nuances all develop with time in the glass and this is one of those wines that offers something new every time you come back to the glass. Rich, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and incredibly elegant, it has ripe, polished, yet substantial tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a thrilling finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and it will keep for 30 years or more.
Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2018 La Joie displays an opaque purple-black color, slowly unfurling to offer profound notes of crème de cassis, preserved plums and boysenberries, with hints of rare beef, pencil lead, black olives and lilacs, plus touches of fertile loam and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate has jaw-dropping elegance and poise, featuring a solid backbone of firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the intense mineral-laced black fruit layers, finishing long with loads of savory and floral sparks. Simply breathtaking!
Plump damson flavours, touches of oak grilling, vanilla bean, chocolate shavings and tobacco, feels confident and powerful with an uptick through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, but these are fully ripe Cab flavours, richly textured berry fruits without a hint of green. The precision, and the carefully placed tannins become clearer as it opens, so make sure you leave it in a carafe for a good few hours if drinking any time soon. Highly enjoyable
About the producer
The winery was the dream of Jess Jackson, the man who founded the incredibly successful Jackson Family Wines. He, however, wanted to produce truly fine wine in Sonoma County.