Vérité Le Désir 2003/04/08

Sonoma County, California

The 2003 Le Désir is muscular and intense. An intense purple hue in the glass barely fades at the rim, in no way showing the wine’s age. Powerful but supple tannin is buoyed by a streak of fresh acidity, enlivening the wine. The palate shows luscious chocolate-covered Bing cherries, black raspberry coulis, dusty earth, mint, cinnamon, clove and rose petals. After forty to fifty minutes in the decanter the wine begins to blossom aromatically, unleashing opulent fruit and baking spice. After another hour, the fruit recedes slightly, and more savory components 44% Merlot 41% Cabernet Franc, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Malbec

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 99 Pts                                                                                      Hints of graphite, mulberries, black cherries, blackcurrants, licorice, dusty loamy soil, truffles and spice emerge from this strikingly fragrant, complex 2003. Full-bodied with formidable intensity, sweet tannin and a long, layered finish that lasts for nearly 50 seconds, this is a tour de force and a compelling 2003. Accessible now, it should continue to drink well for two decades. Bravo!

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