Clos du Val
Founded in 1972, Clos du Val Winery was one of the first wineries to settle in the Stag’s Leap District of Napa Valley. Clos du Val Vineyards was founded by John Goelet and Bernard Portet who both have family heritage in the French wine business. They began their quest in 1970 to seek out a location conducive to producing a world class Bordeaux red style of wine. Goelet purchased 150 acres of vineyard in the Stag’s Leap District two years after their search began, and another 180 acres in Carneros in order to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Clos du Val wines. They achieved world recognition almost immediately as the inaugural 1972 vintage of their Cabernet Sauvignon placed 8th in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting according to our Clos du Val wine reviews. Clos du Val produces wines from half a dozen Bordeaux and Burgundy based grape varieties across three different lines of wine. However it is still their flagship Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon that receives the highest accolades according to our Clos du Val wine ratings. Check out our Clos du Val Online Buying Guide below to see which of their wines is best suited for you.
Showing 1 thru -9 of 98
Clos du Val 1997 Vineyard Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford)
- $48
Impeccable fruit shines like a beacon. Opens with rich black-cherry and chocolate aromas, with beautifully poised earth and tobacco notes. In the mouth, the fruit speaks in sweet black-cherry and currant tones, and again, the tobacco accents pop up. Big, but refined; the mouthfeel is compelling; the full, even tannins portend a fine, long future.
— W.E.
(11/1/2000)
Clos du Val 1998 Vineyard Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford)
- $55
This is a lovely, supple 100% Rutherford Cabernet, made in a controlled style. It's stylish, with great flavors and class. The oak is plush. Balance and harmony characterize it all the way, from the brilliant aromas to the clean, thoroughbred aftertaste.
— S.H.
(12/1/2001)
Clos du Val 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
- Editors' Choice
- $95
Another classic wine from this fine Napa producer, and one that will live for a long time in your cellar. It is young and tight now, but through the tannins and acids the palate detects gobs of lush, ripe blackcurrants and plums, herbs and tobacco. The tannins are a wonder—rich, thick and intricate, and fully ripe. As good as it is now, this lovely wine will get…
— S.H.
(11/15/2003)
Clos du Val 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District)
- Cellar Selection
- $75
One thing you can depend on concerning Clos du Val’s Cabernets is that they’re elegant. The winery resolutely refuses to kowtow to the modern style of ultraripe, extracted fruit, high alcohol and massive oak. This lovely Cab, which contains a drop of Merlot, defines their style, and is a joy to drink. It has rich, complex cherry and blackberry flavors, flecked with…
— S.H.
(5/1/2012)
Clos du Val 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District)
- Cellar Selection
- $70
Clos du Val has gone as far as they intend to in order to make a ripe, opulent Cab in the modern Napa cult style. But they remain faithful to their Bordeaux-inspired house style, which is leaner and more tannic than most. The result is a natural cellar candidate, with an official alcohol of only 13.5%. Rich in blackberries and black currants, this wine should…
— S.H.
(12/11/2009)
Clos du Val 2007 Three Graces Blend Red (Napa Valley)
- Cellar Selection
- $65
Clos du Val has always made wines with long-term cellaring in mind. This blend, based on Cabernet Sauvignon, is dry and tannic, with spicy, toasty oak dominating. Beneath that are rich, compelling notes of cassis and dark chocolate. The alcohol is refeshingly low, below 14%. This dramatic wine needs a minimum of six years, and should develop for at least ten.
— S.H.
(6/1/2011)
Clos du Val 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District)
- Cellar Selection
- $75
Lots to admire in this Cab. It’s bone dry and rich in blackberry and cedar flavors, with overtones of mocha, anise and toast, and is very tannic. Clearly made in a leaner style than today’s high-alcohol cult style, it trades some richness for elegance and finesse. This is a wine that puts its bet on cellaring. Try after 2013.
— S.H.
(9/1/2010)
Clos du Val 1995 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
- $65
Shows the elegance and grace expected in Clos du Val wines, combined with deep rich fruit that leads to a long, silky finish. It should improve in the bottle for seven to ten years.
— L.W.
(10/1/1999)
Showing 1 thru -9 of 98
Most Reviewed Designations
advertisement
What We're Tasting
2010 Mira Stanly Ranch
Winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez left Robert Mondavi to do his own thing, and…
Facebook Activity
advertisement
Twitter Activity