2011 Vérité La Joie

Pierre Seillan is a Bordeaux-born vigneron who came to Sonoma with a clear vision, to express the truth of California soils through the lens of classical French blending. At Vérité he works a mosaic of more than fifty micro-crus across Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Knights Valley and Bennett Valley, practicing what he calls droit du sol, translation, the right of the soil. La Joie is his Pauillac-inspired wine, built primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon from the steep volcanic hillsides of the Mayacamas.

The 2011 vintage opens with sweet red and black fruits, red and black plum, ripe red currant and tart black cherry balanced by pencil lead, pen ink, powdered mushroom, fresh cut herbs and menthol. Oak frames the fruit with powdered cocoa, toast, clove and nutmeg, while a subtle note of freshly turned topsoil runs through the finish. It is a medium-bodied, classically structured wine with fine tension and length, reflecting a cooler, longer growing season that favored balance and aromatic precision over sheer power.

Grape: 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec

Appellation: Sonoma County, California, USA

-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points