Wine Advisor
La Violette 2007
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Description
Violette, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Still, Red, 2013
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The first vintage from new proprietor Catherine Pere Verge, the 2007 La Violette is a 100% Merlot made from yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare. Aromas of violets, blueberries, raspberries, and lavender emerge from this perfumed wine. It is not the biggest Pomerol in 2007 (Clinet and Le Gay qualify for that prize), but it is ethereal in its finesse, purity, intensity, and layered mouthfeel. Luscious and delicate with admirable intensity, this beauty comes from a very special terroir. Sadly, production is so tiny, few consumers will ever get a chance to taste it. The 2007 should drink well for 10-15 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Rated - No tasting note given.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good deep red. Plum, graphite, licorice, fresh herbs and spices on the nose, plus a whiff of smoky underbrush. On the lean side but sweet and perfumed, with insidious intensity and good ripeness to its flavors of dark fruits, flowers, pepper and herbs. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins and good spicy persistence. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed sexy blackberry and violet notes and a classic caramel quality I associate with Pomerol.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright medium ruby. Highly perfumed nose offers blackberry, violet and mint. Dense and sweet but at the same time juicy and bright, with lovely mineral and floral lift giving the flavors a deceptive lightness. There's something Burgundian about this wonderfully suave Pomerol. Finishes with fine tannins and captivating lingering perfume. One of my sentimental favorites of the vintage. No one could accuse consulting winemaker Michel Rolland of overextracting; on the contrary, this is delicate and refined.
About the Producer
Although Chateau La Violette dates back to the late 1800’s when it began to earn a reputation for its wines. In those formative years, the property was owned by a cooper, who made wine barrels for other estates, Ulysse Belivier. It is only quite recent that Chateau La Violette has produced some of the best wines in all of Pomerol. Purchased in 2005 from Frederic Dumas, Chateau La Violette made its debut for the new owner, Catherine Pere-Verge with the 2006 vintage. The small 1.8-hectare vineyard of La Violette is now fully planted to 100% Merlot. At one point in time, there were also Cabernet Franc vines planted, but those vines have been removed and replaced with Merlot. The vineyard has some very old Merlot vines that are close to 75 years of age. The tiny production makes this one of the harder wines to find in Pomerol! The terroir at La Violette is a complex mix of clay and limestone with gravel and iron deposits that run deep into the soil. The vineyard consists of 4 plots in two main parcels. Those 4 main plots are further divided into 20 smaller parcels. The best terroir is placed between Le Pin and Trotanoy. Those vines are the heart and soul of La Violette. The second parcel, which is close to Feytit Clinet is not on the plateau and thus, those vines are placed in Chateau Montviel, one of their other estates. The vines are planted to a density of 5,500 vines per hectare for the old vines. The young vines are planted at a much higher density of 7,700 vines per hectare. At Chateau La Violette, vineyard management requires three days a week be spent manicuring each individual bunch, removing any green or pink berries from around the “wings” to ensure a perfectly uniform ripening of the grapes. At its best, Chateau La Violette is filled with countless layers of dense, rich, opulent dark berry, floral and chocolate tones. The palate enjoys a bath of pure velvet and satin. This is a very sensuous style of Pomerol that marries opulence with the concentration and purity of fruit. One of the key characteristics of this Bordeaux wine is the haunting smell of violets.
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