2012 Vérité Le Désir
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Tasting notes
64% Cabernet Franc, 24% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec. Fruit from Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Bennett Valley, Knights Valley. Harvest 13 September to 5 October. Aged 15 months in 100% new French oak. There will be no 2020 release, so Vérité are instead offering three-bottle verticals of 2019, 2015 and 2012. Still impressively youthful at the core with plush ripe fruit. The tannins are just as youthful, providing a chalky backbone against seductive black fruit. This is very smooth and now delicious to drink, melding fruit and spice together. Another excellent expression of Cabernet Franc. (TP)
Critic scores
Robert Parker
The Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Le Desir has a medium garnet color and woodsy, musky scents of mossy bark, fir needles and desiccated flowers. The palate has firm, velvety tannins, unexpectedly bright currant fruit and a long, tobacco-laced finish. I would be inclined to drink this over the next 5 to 7+ years.
The 2012 Le Désir is striking. It is also the richest and most powerful of the Vérité 2012s. An exotic, alluring bouquet melds into layers of dark red fruit as this ample, voluptuous wine shows off its personality. The 2012 simply oozes with Cabernet Franc floral and spice notes. Although the 2012 is quite expressive today, it will be even better with more time. Over the last few years the Désir has clearly emerged as Vérité's top wine. Today, it is absolutely gorgeous, although it needs time to be at its best.
The Cabernet Franc-based 2012 Le Désir is the most aromatic and nuanced of these three 2012s. Savory herbs, mocha and spices meld into a core of punchy pomegranate and red stone fruit in a wine that is both silky and powerful. Here, too, readers can look forward to a long drinking window that will last two decades or so. In 2012, Le Désir is all about finesse.
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.