La Joie "20th Anniversary" Case 1998,2008, 2018

La Joie 1998: 90+ Punkte 

Deep medium ruby. Bright, ripe aromas of cassis, black cherry, tobacco and minerals. Quite dense but much more backward and less sweet than the Verite merlot. But this is ripe, layered and deep. Finishes with big tannins that avoid dryness. - Stephen Tanzer (05/2001)

La Joie 2008: 94+ Punkte 

(14.3% alcohol): Saturated ruby-red. Slightly medicinal aromas of black cherry, tar, licorice, menthol, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate. The sweetest of this trio of '08s on entry, then firm acidity kicks in to keep the fine-grained black cherry, blackberry, mineral and leafy flavors under wraps today. Quite light on its feet and wonderfully energetic in the way of a tightly coiled spring, even if it's not yet showing the texture of the Vérité "Right Bank" blends. Finishes classically dry and very long, with some medicinal reserve and a firm tannic spine to ensure a very long life in bottle. - Stephen Tanzer (03/2018)

La Joie 2018: 94-97 Punkte 

The 2018 La Joie exudes class from the very first taste. Firm underpinnings of structure provide a gorgeous framework that wraps around a core of intense dark fruit. Lavender, sage, mint and grilled herb accents exalt the aromatic intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon. - Antonio Galloni (2020)

La Joie 1998: 91 Punkte 

This is holding on beautifully for a very difficult and wet vintage. Fresh and clean with currants, lime and hints of cedar and meat. Medium body, firm and velvety tannins, and a savory finish. Drink now. (02/2018) 

La Joie 2018: 99 Punkte 

Blackberries, black mushrooms, violets, flowers, and dark tobacco. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, yet in check and pretty. The fine tannins frame the wine perfectly. Really long and focused. Seamless. Elegance with power. This will age incredibly well, but already so gorgeous to try. 76% cabernet sauvignon, 9% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot and 3% malbec. Try after 2026, but attractive now. (2021)

La Joie 1998: 94 Punkte 

Fully mature yet still with ample life and longevity ahead of it, the 1998 La Joie reveals a ruby color as well as classic tobacco, bay leaf, saddle leather, and cassis aromas and flavors. Possessing full-bodied richness, a layered texture, good purity, and plenty of length, drink it any time over the coming decade or so. (06/2019)

La Joie 2018: 98+ Punkte

Lastly, the 2018 La Joie does everything right and offers a Château Lafite-like style in both its aromatics and its elegant, seamless mouthfeel. Gorgeous blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, damp earth, unsmoked tobacco, and woodsmoke nuances all develop with time in the glass and this is one of those wines that offers something new every time you come back to the glass. Rich, medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, and incredibly elegant, it has ripe, polished, yet substantial tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a thrilling finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and it will keep for 30 years or more. (2021)

La Joie 1998: 94 Punkte 

The 1998 La Joie, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, is deep garnet-brick colored. Notions of ginger cake, Chinese five spice, dried figs, black currant jelly, and Morello cherries burst from the glass, followed by hints of iron ore and dried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate is plush and opulent, with loads of exotic spice layers and a refreshingly vibrant lift on the finish. 1998 was the first vintage release for Vérité. At this time, the only labels made were La Joie and a Merlot-based blend simply called "Vérité," later to become "La Muse." (06/2022)

La Joie 2018: 98 Punkte 

The 2018 La Joie is made from 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it swaggers out of the glass with classic creme de cassis, cedar, and pencil-lead notes, giving way to notes of bay leaves, fertile loam, and cast-iron pan with a waft of charcuterie. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid structure of fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and multi-layered. 2,500 cases were made. (2022)

La Joie 1998: 90 Punkte 

A mix of up-front, supple-textured mocha, currant and vanilla, and harder-edged tannins that gang up on the finish, firming, with leather, herb and a chewy, gritty aftertaste. Drink now through 2008. 1,859 cases made. - J.L.

La Joie 2008: 88 Punkte 

Very dry and earthy, with a strong leathery edge to the crushed rock and dried berry flavors, maintaining a rugged personality on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2004 through 2014. - J.L.

La Joie 1998: 96 Punkte 

The 1998 La Joie, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, is a pleasure to drink. Medium garnet in color, it maintains a core of dried red cherries complemented by tones of mushroom powder, wet tobacco, dust and iodine. The palate is velvety and surprisingly fresh, with high tertiary complexity and a very long finish featuring haunting touches of dried flowers and tobacco. - Erin Brooks (08/2023)

La Joie 2008: 99 Punkte 

How much fun collectors will have comparing the 2007 and 2008 La Joies over the next three decades. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (48% from Alexander Valley Mountain Estate, 34% from Chalk Hill and 18% from Knight’s Valley), the 2008 has similar technical numbers to the 2007 (a pH of 3.68 and 14.4% alcohol). Wonderful notes of roasted herbs, asphalt, black truffles, blackberries, cassis, camphor and subtle oak are present in the majestic aromatics. In the mouth, the wine is extraordinarily concentrated, pure and dense with amazing length. It is another 30-40 year wine that confirms the confidence the late Jess Jackson had in both his vineyard sources and his winemaker, Pierre Seillan. - Robert M. Parker, Jr. (05/2011)

La Joie 2018: 98 Punkte 

Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2018 La Joie displays an opaque purple-black color, slowly unfurling to offer profound notes of crème de cassis, preserved plums and boysenberries, with hints of rare beef, pencil lead, black olives and lilacs, plus touches of fertile loam and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate has jaw-dropping elegance and poise, featuring a solid backbone of firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the intense mineral-laced black fruit layers, finishing long with loads of savory and floral sparks. Simply breathtaking! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (07/2021)