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.

This wine shows the wonderful complexity and ageability of the Vérité house in the inaugural bottling of La Joie. Without a doubt, this wine has improved over its years. Anise, violet and rose petal aromatics hint at the elegance of the wine. Concentrated red and black berries are met with a beautiful savouriness.

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.