2023 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

An expressive vintage with the potential to age, this Cabernet from Clos du Val captures the inky dark fruits, dark chocolate, and cascade of fresh herbs so classic to the cuvee with the intensity and lengthy structure of the vintage. Concentration with verve are a highlight. (ECB)

I'm a huge fan of the Clos du Val wines for many reasons. First and foremost, in a world where so many Napa Valley wines have become ludicrously expensive, the value delivered by this estate is nothing short of incredible. Clos du Val has a long and storied history in Napa Valley, dating back to its founding by Bernard Portet in the early 1970s. Portet, who grew up at Château Lafite in Bordeaux, was sent on a scouting mission around the globe to find a truly special place to grow Cabernet Sauvignon. Landing right next door to Warren Winiarski's Stag's Leap Vineyard and Nathan Fay's eponymous property, Portet immediately recognized that this was somewhere extraordinary. He fell in love with this remarkable slice of Napa Valley, and what began as a reconnaissance trip turned into four decades of leading Clos du Val as its winemaker and figurehead. Today, Clos du Val is owned by the third generation of the Goelet family, who first sent Portet on his search some 54 years ago. The estate has become a leader in progressive farming, meticulous winemaking, and genuinely warm and welcoming hospitality. More recently, in 2021, winemaker Carmel Greenberg joined the team to help usher in Clos du Val's next chapter. Having spent the previous five years as Assistant Winemaker at Dominus Estate, along with earlier stints at Buccella and Cakebread, Greenberg has brought yet another level of refinement and precision to the wines. Fruit for the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is predominantly grown at the Riverbend Estate Vineyard, just across the Napa River in the Yountville AVA. This site sits on deep river gravels, much like the great vineyards of Bordeaux, and enjoys a cooler, southern Napa Valley climate that allows the fruit to retain wonderful balance, freshness, and varietal typicity. Smaller portions of Stags Leap District fruit are blended in from the Hirondelle Estate, which surrounds the winery, adding power, depth, and density from its volcanic soils. The wine is a true Bordeaux-style blend, incorporating small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot alongside the Cabernet Sauvignon. The result is an exceptionally complete wine with layer upon layer of deliciousness. The nose is redolent with dark cherry, mulberry, leather, cigar box, and pencil shavings. Medium-plus bodied, the palate is beautifully refined and pure, with notes of cassis, wild blackberry, graphite, and subtle oak spices. There's a lovely interplay between the plush, generous fruit and the savory, mineral-driven elements that give the wine such complexity and sophistication. It's remarkably approachable in its youth thanks to pristine tannin management and measured extraction. However, I also think the wine possesses the natural balance, structure, and freshness to enjoy a long life in the cellar...if you can keep your hands off it! This wine is an absolute showcase of what can still be achieved with estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley at a very reasonable everyday price of $60. The pedigree, meticulous farming, world-class winemaking, and sheer quality in the glass make it compelling even at full retail. But at our special Insider's Advantage price of 40% off, this wine is truly in a league of its own!