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The April 2023 Auction: Part 2
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1 / 2Lot 1412
Estimate: $375
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Collection name
Reviews
97RP
"The 2012 La Muse, which is 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, is a smaller cuvĂ©e of 1,840 cases. The wine has plenty of spice box, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake and Asian plum sauce, along with black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Ripe, round, full-bodied and opulent, this is a wine that can be drunk now or cellared for another three decades. Interestingly, the alcohol levels are not all that high in any of these wines, with most of them rarely exceeding 14.3%. I suppose the arguments against giving perfect scores far outnumber those for giving them, but after 37 years of tasting just about everything of quality thatâs been produced, I believe Iâm in a position to recognize truly world-class efforts that are as complete and compelling as good wine can be. And if thatâs the case, then why hold back? I realize that it creates possibly unreal expectations among readers, and there is the argument that nothing really is perfect. But if a wine is as good as you think it can be made, then I have no reservations about offering accolades to those rare wines. When one considers the winemaking effort that goes into producing these cuvĂ©es of VĂ©ritĂ©, from Bordelais Pierre Seillan, the fastidious attention to detail and the use of only the crĂšme de la crĂšme of fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the Jackson family empire, the results are not that surprising. The 2013s are the pinnacle of what VĂ©ritĂ© has produced, and probably all wines that will be better at age 25 or 35 than they are showing today, but they are simply the essence of a vineyard site, a vine and a philosophy of no compromise. All of these wines, basically, are aged in 100% new French oak, given 3-4 day cold pre-fermentation, cold macerations, treated like spoiled children during Ă©levage, and bottled with no fining or filtration. The entire philosophy is that La Muse is the Right Bank Pomerol look-alike from VĂ©ritĂ©, La Joie the Medoc-like clone, and Le Desir a St.-Emilion in the style of Ausone. These are legendary wines of great extract, richness and potential of longevity and complexity. No compromises are made and the credit goes certainly to the Jackson family for supporting the efforts of winemaker Pierre Seillan."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"The 2012 La Muse, which is 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, is a smaller cuvĂ©e of 1,840 cases. The wine has plenty of spice box, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake and Asian plum sauce, along with black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Ripe, round, full-bodied and opulent, this is a wine that can be drunk now or cellared for another three decades. Interestingly, the alcohol levels are not all that high in any of these wines, with most of them rarely exceeding 14.3%. I suppose the arguments against giving perfect scores far outnumber those for giving them, but after 37 years of tasting just about everything of quality thatâs been produced, I believe Iâm in a position to recognize truly world-class efforts that are as complete and compelling as good wine can be. And if thatâs the case, then why hold back? I realize that it creates possibly unreal expectations among readers, and there is the argument that nothing really is perfect. But if a wine is as good as you think it can be made, then I have no reservations about offering accolades to those rare wines. When one considers the winemaking effort that goes into producing these cuvĂ©es of VĂ©ritĂ©, from Bordelais Pierre Seillan, the fastidious attention to detail and the use of only the crĂšme de la crĂšme of fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the Jackson family empire, the results are not that surprising. The 2013s are the pinnacle of what VĂ©ritĂ© has produced, and probably all wines that will be better at age 25 or 35 than they are showing today, but they are simply the essence of a vineyard site, a vine and a philosophy of no compromise. All of these wines, basically, are aged in 100% new French oak, given 3-4 day cold pre-fermentation, cold macerations, treated like spoiled children during Ă©levage, and bottled with no fining or filtration. The entire philosophy is that La Muse is the Right Bank Pomerol look-alike from VĂ©ritĂ©, La Joie the Medoc-like clone, and Le Desir a St.-Emilion in the style of Ausone. These are legendary wines of great extract, richness and potential of longevity and complexity. No compromises are made and the credit goes certainly to the Jackson family for supporting the efforts of winemaker Pierre Seillan."
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The fourth-largest wine producer in the world, led by California. American fine wine is defined by ripe, expressive fruit and a spirit of innovation, with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon among the most sought-after wines globally.
A large, geographically varied California region producing cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay near the coast and richer Zinfandel and Cabernet inland. Its wines range from elegant to bold.
An aromatic red grape lending perfume, red fruit and a leafy, savory edge. It thrives in the Loire and as a key blending partner in Bordeaux, especially Saint-Emilion.
Yields dark, plush reds with ripe black fruit and soft tannins. A traditional Bordeaux blender, it found its greatest fame in Argentina.
Produces plush, supple, fruit-forward reds with plum and chocolate notes. Softer and earlier-maturing than Cabernet, it adds flesh and roundness to blends and stars in Right Bank Bordeaux.