Winemaker Notes
Blend: 93% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Semillon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
With the addition of 7% Sémillon, this wine exhibits the gift of crystal clarity. Honeysuckle, lemon blossom, and salted caramel-covered pear are ignited by an electric charge of acidity. The midpalate is gentled by a caress of melon that lengthens the well-styled finish of wet stone.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh, crisp and almost chewy, this lively wine combines appetizing acidity, subtle oak spices and bright apple, lemon and kiwi flavors. The wine offers great balance and food pairing possibilities for lunch, appetizers and first courses.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is terrific, with a great perfume of exotic citrus, papaya, and mint herbs in a medium-bodied, clean, balanced, nicely textured style. It will be incredibly versatile on the dinner table.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sémillon, Clos du Val's 2022 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented in a mix of barrels and stainless-steel tanks, then aged in so-called cigar barrels, where it is stirred regularly for five or six months. Despite the wood, this medium-bodied wine is bright and fresh, with notes of key lime, grapefruit and riper hints of nectarine, fig and melon.
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and precise, offering pear, Fuji apple and tangerine notes that are focused and fresh, with lemon blossom and white pepper accents. Reveals a touch of salty minerality that emerges on the finish, with a refreshing impression that lingers. Drink now. 2,365 cases made.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the world's most highly regarded regions for wine production as well as tourism, the Napa Valley was responsible for bringing worldwide recognition to California winemaking. In the 1960s, a few key wine families settled the area and hedged their bets on the valley's world-class winemaking potential—and they were right.
The Napa wine industry really took off in the 1980s, when producers scooped up vineyard lands and planted vines throughout the county. A number of wineries emerged, and today Napa is home to hundreds of producers ranging from boutique to corporate. Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely the grape of choice here, with many winemakers also focusing on Bordeaux blends. White wines from Napa Valley are usually Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that claim specific wine characteristics based on situation, slope and soil. Farthest south and coolest from the influence of the San Pablo Bay is Carneros, followed by Coombsville to its northeast and then Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. Above those are the warm St. Helena and the valley's newest and hottest AVA, Calistoga. These areas follow the valley floor and are known generally for creating rich, dense, complex and smooth red wines with good aging potential. The mountain sub appellations, nestled on the slopes overlooking the valley AVAs, include Stags Leap District, Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley (farther east), Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mountain District and Diamond Mountain District. Napa Valley wines from the mountain regions are often more structured and firm, benefiting from a lot of time in the bottle to evolve and soften.