La Muse, Sonoma,

The 2013 La Muse is wonderfully vivid and expressive from the outset, especially in the aromatics. Graphite, smoke, lavender, menthol and licorice are all super-expressive. Those notes carry through to the palate, where the wine is dense, powerful and bursting at the seams with energy. Hints of mocha, chocolate, spice and leather add the final shades of nuance. Today, La Muse is the most expressive of Vérité's 2013s, with plenty of floral and savory notes that add complexity to the super-rich dark fruit. I tasted the 2013 from tank just prior to bottling.