2006-01-27
by Diana Greenwood
The holidays are over and let’s face it; you didn’t get everything you asked for. Treat yourself to an afternoon at Clos Du Val to make up for that. You’ll feel optimistic welcoming a new year in the cozy tasting room while winter whirls outside. Now is the perfect time to visit; fewer crowds, jacket and gloves weather, clean country air. The hills are vivid green, thirst quenched with recent rains, and Clos Du Val will warm you with a Napa Valley-style welcome. While you’re there, join the Dusty Bottle Club and give yourself what you really want. One of the most creative wine clubs around, the Dusty Bottle Club offers members access to rare, limited quantity, library wines cellared for years at Clos Du Val. Serious collectors take note. This is a way for you to taste the history and passion behind Clos Du Val wines.
Since 1972 Clos Du Val has bypassed bells and whistles, focusing instead on the drama of nature to make great wine. It was Napa Valley weather that first intrigued founder Bernard Portet. In 1970, he was on a mission. French-born into a six-generation wine family, Portet had promised American businessman, John Goelet, he would find ideal new territory with potential to produce world-class wines. Two years and five continents later, Portet landed in California. He drove through the Napa Valley with his arm hanging out of the car window, sensing the microclimates, lifting a finger to test the direction of the wind, noting cool evenings and the tranquil terroir of the then-undiscovered Stag’s Leap district. He knew he was in the right place. Goelet purchased 150 acres of land and the duo founded the winery, calling it Clos Du Val, a “small estate of a small valley.”
As founding winemaker, Portet’s classic approach to winemaking, combined with Napa Valley fruit, established Clos Du Val’s tradition of limited release, handcrafted wines of balance, elegance, and complexity. The first vintage, in 1972, set the mark when it was one of only five California Cabernets selected for the now legendary 1976 Paris tasting. That same vintage took first place in a rematch ten years later, proving Clos Du Val wines age with grace.
In 1973, the winery became one of the first to recognize great potential in the cool-climate region of Carneros, purchasing 180 acres of fine hillside land. The terroir of Carneros is ideal for Clos Du Val’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir programs.
Today, Clos Du Val has earned a position in the industry by consistently producing world-class wines, just as Portet predicted. Currently, Winemaker John Clews, heads the winemaking and production teams and Portet continues to participate in blending decisions.
The winery sprawls across manicured grounds, a solid and understated presence on Silverado Trail. Rain or shine, when you visit be sure to walk the property, fragrant with the scent of rosemary and heather, learn planting and pruning in the demonstration vineyard, and sit for a while on benches placed for a quiet commune with nature. You can almost hear the vines grow. Iron tables and chairs embellish the extensive patio, the perfect place for a winter picnic and a bottle of wine.
The tasting room is refined and uncluttered, classic in design with rich chocolate-colored walls and better wine country gifts displayed with skill. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. There’s room to lean and linger at the counter and you can peek at the working winery through huge glass doors. It’s a place to relax and enjoy the taste and talk of wine. One of the friendly people you might meet is Michaela Baltasar, Clos Du Val’s Public Relations Manager.
“Don’t be afraid to ask our staff all the questions you want,” said Michaela. “Everyone is very approachable and so enthusiastic about sharing the Clos Du Val story. We want you to get to know our wines and the history behind them.”
Since Clos Du Val is situated in ideal Cab country, from estate vines surrounding the winery comes a soft and velvety Cabernet Sauvignon that illustrates the Stag’s Leap District region. Treat yourself to a taste of the 2001, deep and complex, full in fruit flavors with distinct underlying characteristics of this rich region.
From the cool and foggy Carneros region comes a very special Pinot Noir, one of John Clews’s favorite wines to make. The 2003 is sold out in 750 ml bottles but there are splits left at the winery and the 2004 is due in early spring, so put that on your calendar and plan another visit. Also try the Clos Du Val 2002 Ariadne, a proprietary blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, a versatile food wine and one that harmonizes especially well with spicy recipes.
Clos Du Val also makes award-winning Merlot and Chardonnay. It’s easy to understand why Clos Du Val has been honored as Winery of the Year four times by Wine and Spirits magazine. Join the Dusty Bottle Club and secure your spot for the members-only, intimate winemaker Valentine’s Day Dinner scheduled for February 11. The first of many exclusive events to come, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Clos Du Val is located at 5330 Silverado Trail in Napa. Open for tasting daily, from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m., the winery may be reached by calling (707) 261-5200 or 1-800-993-9463. For additional information and online ordering, visit www.closduval.com
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