The back label indicates that the wine is "predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon". Expensive and not nearly so polished as its pricing might suggest, this wine gets its points for its deep, ripe black cherry and cassis fruit and its undeniable richness. Still, it smacks into gruff tannins at the finish and will likely remain on the tight side for six to eight years.

There's superb fruit here, and what some term grip or structure. In our context, this implies weight and flavor and not heaviness or overpowering density. The purity of the fruit of Verite La Joie is hard to resist now, but it will become even more velvety, without losing its dark fruit, during the next decade. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot

Full ruby color. Smoky aromas of currant and roasted tobacco. Lush, sweet and rich; a huge wine with a silky, utterly mouthfilling texture but also plenty of underlying structure. Finishes with very fine tannins, superb sweetness and lingering notes of black cherry and violet. Built to age but distinctly user-friendly today.

Rating: (94-96) - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 132 on Dec-00

Rating for United States-California: 88 (average year)<br/><br/>Drinkability: too young, let it sit<br/>