Clos Du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Opening with fresh aromas of blueberry and black cherry, this classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases plush tannins and a rich, velvety mouthfeel. Vibrant flavors of blackberry, plum, and toasty oak are followed by a long, smooth finish.
Clos du Val was born from a simple dream: to make the best Bordeaux-style wines in the world, and to do so outside of France. In 1972, after years of global exploration, founding winemaker Bernard Portet discovered his perfect site in the Stags Leap District. He named it "Clos du Val," or "vineyard within the valley." Now entering their generation of family ownership, Clos du Val is proud to produce strikingly elegant, enticingly fresh, and remarkably ageable wines.
| Wine Spectator: 92 |
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| A sleek, polished style, with cassis and plum notes driving through, carried by a graphite spine and backed by tobacco, briar and savory notes. Drink now through 2030. |
| Wine Advocate: 91 |
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| The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon includes small proportions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec and was aged 16 months in 44% new French oak. For entry-level Napa, it's a solid effort, marrying ripe cherries and hints of cassis with gentle notes of sage and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, it's soft enough to drink now, yet it shows enough velvety tannins to age at least through 2030. Nicely done. |
| Wine Enthusiast: 92 |
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| This is a well-balanced red with small amounts of other varieties like Merlot. Spicy, it shows well-integrated oak and tannin within a taut, elegant and lengthy palate of blueberry and black currant. |
| James Suckling: 93 |
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| This shows lots of ripe dark and blue fruit on the nose, together with some leafy character. Notes of spices, cedar wood and walnuts, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh, juicy-fruit profile. Polished and smooth with an array of succulent berries and blue flowers in the aftertaste. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years. Try after 2024. |