‘Fabulous’ Vérité 2017s released

The 2017 vintage of the three wines in the ‘Vérité’ range have been released, wines that might almost not exist due to wildfires that year.

The three wines; ‘La Muse’, ‘La Joie’ and ‘Le Désir’ are the top cuvées made by Jackson Family Wines in Sonoma County.

The 2017s were harvested in the “perfect conditions” between 2 September and 2 October, a mere week before the devastating Tubbs wildfire moved across the region.

Had the fire arrived any sooner then the wines would exist in a very different form – if at all – due to the risk of smoke taint. In the event, however, the results appear to be wildly successful.

The Wine Advocate’s editor, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, said: “These 2017s from Vérité stand out among the top wines of this vintage – not just in terms of scores, but styles. Unlike a lot of the 2017 Bordeaux-variety wines from Sonoma and Napa, these wines do not appear at all forced or contrived. There is a seemingly effortless brightness about them.”­

The wines’ UK agent, Armit added: “We had the chance to taste the three wines last week and they were a revelation, displaying an aromatic intensity, purity of fruit and complexity of flavour that took us by surprise.”

The La Joie is based around a classic Bordeaux blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. The Le Désir is 80% Cabernet Franc, 17% and 3% Malbec and has picked up a lot of praise from all quarters, with Antonio Galloni calling “off the charts fabulous” and the La Muse is, for the first time, 100% Merlot.

Normally blended with a dash of Malbec, winemaker Pierre Seillan is reported as saying that, “this year, we didn’t need it. The alcohol is only 14.2% this year—it has the energy, the minerality. I think it will age for 40 years at least. I think it is the best I’ve made.”