2004 Vérité La Joie
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Tasting notes
(14.3% alcohol): Dark, bright, youthful ruby. Ineffable aromas and flavors of dark berries, black cherry, minerals and brown spices. Suave and wonderfully silky, communicating an impression of power with finesse. Like Le Désir, this is not overly sweet but boasts a wonderfully fine-grained texture and outstanding inner-mouth lift. The juicy, very slowly mounting finish features serious but seamless, pliant tannins and outstanding length, with a late suggestion of licorice.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Another great showing for a wine from this vintage, the 2004 La Joie is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The majority of the fruit came from the Alexander Mountain Estate, followed by Knight’s Valley, Bennett Valley and Chalk Hill. Full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it is richer than either the 2003 and 2001, and comes closer to the 2002’s personality. Sweet notes of caramels, espresso roast, forest floor, camphor, plums, chocolate and blackberries emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously textured, chewy, fleshy 2004. It requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for two decades or more. Tel. (800) 273-0177; Fax (707) 431-1261
(65% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot) Bright ruby-red. Black and blue fruits complicated by licorice, minerals and fresh herbs on the nose. Rich, broad, lush and full, even if it conveys less easy sweetness and personality today than the Muse (but then this is Seillan's Pauillac-style blend). Best today on the sensational back half, which features a major coating of suave tannins and an extremely long, aromatic finish that reverberates with subtle floral tones. Interestingly, this cabernet-based wine has a higher pH than the merlot-based Muse: 3.78 vs. 3.64.
Another great showing for a wine from this vintage, the 2004 La Joie is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The majority of the fruit came from the Alexander Mountain Estate, followed by Knight’s Valley, Bennett Valley and Chalk Hill. Full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it is richer than either the 2003 and 2001, and comes closer to the 2002’s personality. Sweet notes of caramels, espresso roast, forest floor, camphor, plums, chocolate and blackberries emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously textured, chewy, fleshy 2004. It requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for two decades or more. Apr 2014, www.robertparker.com
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.