Clos du Val
Clos du Val was founded by John Goelet and Bernard Portet in 1972. The winery owns vineyards in Stags Leap and Carneros.
| Region: | Napa Valley |
|---|---|
| Sub Region: | Stags Leap |
| Wine: | View all wines |
In 1972, Jonh Goelet and Bernard Portet bought 150 acres of land and founded Clos du Val, which is French for, “small vineyard estate of the valley.” The following year, Geolet and Porter acquired an additional 180 acres in Carneros.
The first wine Clos du Val made was the 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was one of the five that was chosen for the famous 1976 Paris Tasting. Clos du Val continues to produce premium quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and various blends. Bernard Portet is the head winemaker.
The 2001 Merlot is a medium bodied example of the varietal. It has a good blend of oak, fruit and spice. No one component is overwhelming, making this is a nice wine to drink with food.
The Ariadne is a classic white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. It is made entirely from vineyards located on the estate. The crisp Sauvignon Blanc and heavier Semillon work nicely together.
stuart said:
Good morning everyone, My name is Stuart George and I work at The World of Fine Wine magazine. I find your comments on Californian wines very interesting, and was wondering what you might think of a tasting that we held a while ago of the 2001 Californian Cabernet vintage...I've put a PDF of this article, and another about the 1974 Californian vintage, on our website www.finewinemag.com. Please let me know what you think about the articles and the website. And why not subscribe?
Posted 555 days ago.
4bottles said:
I have to agree with NapaSpa, their 04 Chardonnay is one of my favorites in recent memory.
Posted 583 days ago.
napaspa said:
I've enjoyed all the Clos Du Val wines year after year. They make quality product for all price points. The "iron fist in a velvet glove" is exemplified in thier high end Cabs. The Ariadne and Chardonnay are fantastic and I really like the Sangiovese.
Posted 584 days ago.