Wine Advisor
La Violette 2008
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Description
Violette, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Still, Red, 2013
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Fashioned from yields of 18 hectoliters per hectare with 13.5% natural alcohol, the opaque ruby-hued 2008 exhibits tell-tale floral notes intertwined with raspberries, sweet black cherries, licorice and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and strikingly pure as well as multilayered, the 2008, despite its precociousness, will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years. It is one of the top successes of the vintage.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the Syndicat de Pomerol. This is a barn-storming, ostentatious rich, almost honeyed bouquet with mulberry, super-macerated black cherries and blueberry jam. The palate is almost Napa-like on the entry, with rounded, velvety, lush black fruits and layers of new oak on the creamy, generous finish. It you like hedonism – this is for you, but it lacks a bit of freshness and tension for myself. Tasted December 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
All that has changed as evidenced by the profound 2008. This flowery, flamboyant, complex Pomerol exhibits incredible sweetness, an inky/ruby/purple color, and a sensational, full-bodied, velvety, lush texture (crammed with blue and black fruits) that caresses the palate with a delicacy as well as the incredible substance of a world-class dancer. The sweetness of the tannin, beautiful precision and purity, nuanced character from good acids, and incredibly low yields have resulted in an other-worldly, sublime wine that clearly merits its name. This 2008 Pomerol will be drinkable in 3-4 years, and should evolve for three decades. This is another estate that has been resurrected by the dynamic Catherine Pere-Verge and her winemaking team, led by Michel Rolland. Previously, La Violette, much like St.-Emilion’s Chateau Belair, was just going through the motions, taking no risks, never crop-thinning. Moreover, there was no selection in either the vineyard or the triage tables.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
Ruby-red. Violet aromas intermingle with pomegranate and sweet licorice notes. Lovely minerally, pure red fruit flavors are framed by fine acidity and polished tannins. A very pure and seamless wine with a finish that lasts for minutes. No excesses here, just a simply excellent wine with near-perfect balance. In a tasting of the three vintages of La Violette made thus far by new owner Catherine Pere-Verge (working with consulting winemaker Michel Rolland), the '08 is the best of the three. In fact, this is one of the top half dozen wines of 2008-no great surprise to insiders who know that La Violette's vineyards are extremely well placed, and that outstanding wines, albeit in a different style, were already being made back in the '80s by the previous owner.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby. Superripe aromas of blackberry and licorice. Fat, lush and sweet, with excellent depth of texture. Wonderfully layered, large-scaled, utterly seamless wine, yet I found myself wishing for some more floral high notes. Will give great early pleasure.
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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