Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Revealing a deep but reflective purple color, the 2021 La Muse is made with a slightly different philosophy and is the Bordeaux blend in the lineup. Based on 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec, raised for 16 months in 95% new French oak, it offers a layered and complex profile, with detailed aromas of blackberry liqueur, mushroom earth, sweet tobacco, savory, lush herbs, and polished leather. The palate is vibrant and fantastic with pure and energetic red apple fruit, ripe acidity, refined ripe tannins, and a long, long finish.
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James Suckling
Elegant with some muscle behind it, this merlot-based wine is dazzling for its velvety texture and pure fruit flavors. A silky texture at first sip gives way to a firm but light grip of fine-grained tannins supporting rich red and black fruit, dark chocolate and spearmint flavors. Made from 90% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 4% malbec.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 La Muse is composed of 90% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Malbec, and the wine was matured for 16 months in 95% new French oak. Although it’s youthfully shy on the nose, it can’t hide its jewel-like quality and offers bright flashes of violet, cast iron, cassis, dark plums and blackcurrant bud. The palate is surprisingly light on its feet, its concentrated flavors supported by lacy tannins and bright bursts of acidity. Pure and plush, it opens dramatically over several days and will be very long lived in the cellar.
Rating: 96+
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.