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27/02/2025
La Vérité (The truth) about wine is that it is only as good as the quality and integrity of the winemakers. I visited the Vérité Estate yesterday touring their barrel room, various tasting cellars, and dining rooms before sitting down for a vertical tasting followed by their “Library Wine and Food Pairing” curated by their Estate Chef. A family endeavor, Pierre Seillan is the winemaker, his daughter Hélène joined as assistant winemaker in 2006. Pierre’s wife of over half a century, Monique is a powerhouse behind the scenes while their son Nicolas is also intimately involved with the estate. We spoke of wine, the complexities of managing “micro-crus” (a term coined by Pierre to describe how each vine in a cru section is exposed to micro climates and must be cared for individually) and how the soil which is part of the terroir must be respected. The same grape, in the same conditions grown in different soils taste and produce wines completely different. He learned this decades ago in Bordeaux and applied his knowledge here in Sonoma County. We met for almost five hours. He and Hélène didn’t sugarcoat the rough patches, and I learned so much about their hearts intertwined with the branches of the vines. As Pierre explained their success is completely dependent upon their team and their decision making philosophy, “…we decide as a team which direction we go after everyone gives input and even after many opinions, we come to an agreement and move forward together.” The result is a solid truth for Vérité, exceptional palettes of wines with no compromise on quality or taste. More later… I could write a book alone about my day yesterday. Cheers!
