Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2014 Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon is voluminous and stately. The wine—incorporating a long-standing Bordeaux tradition of blending Merlot and Cabernet Franc into the blend— compares well with its Médoc counterparts. It shows ripe red currants, bright minerality, dried herbs, and complex flavors. (Tasted: February 14, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Fresh currant-leaf and berry character follow through to a medium body, a solid center palate of fruit and soft, delicate tannins. Consistently an outstanding bottle. Drink or hold.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.