Winemaker Notes
A tribute to Clos du Val's founding matriarch, Henrietta Goelet, Yettalil is the fullest expression of their Stags Leap District Estate. A blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is supported by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Carménère, and Petit Verdot.
Yettalil draws you into the glass with captivating aromas of blackberry, plum, cherry compote, fresh sage, and spice. Expressive yet composed, the layers foretell a wine of character and complexity. As you taste, the wine sweeps across the palate with polished tannins and flavors of pure blackcurrant. The 2022 vintage's vibrant acidity carries the wine towards along, smooth finish.
Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 5% Carménère, 3% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fragrant and expressive with aromas of red and black currants, lavender and fresh spearmint. Medium- to full-bodied with supple texture and fine, integrated tannins. There’s a cool-fruit elegance, layered with floral spices and a touch of cedar. Balanced and refined with quiet persistence. Very good. Drink now or from 2028.
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Vinous
The 2022 Yettalil, the estate's top wine, is superb. Elegant, silky and refined, this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend offers lovely balance and plenty of class. This is a fine effort for the year. Pretty floral and spice notes lend nuance to this sophisticated, polished offering
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Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship here and based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 5% Carmenere, and 3% Merlot, the 2022 Red Blend Yettalil offers classic ripe, perfumed aromatics of red and black fruit, chocolate, incense, and spicy, savory nuances. It's rich and full-bodied, with a plump, rounded style, velvety tannins, and a good finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from the estate's Hirondelle Vineyard, the 2022 Yettalil Red Wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec, 5% Carménère and 3% Merlot. Aromas of ripe cherries mingle with scents of menthol and hints of pencil shavings on the nose, while this medium to full-bodied wine is supple, even creamy at first, slowly fanning out across the palate and showing a bit more tannic structure before finishing long, mouthwatering and harmonious.
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Wine Enthusiast
In this satisfying blend of Bordeaux varieties, well-integrated tannins and balancedacidity carry aromas of flowering herbs through flavorsof currants, plums, and a cascade of spices, finishingwith cracked pine and fresh tobacco. Appealing whilestill understated, with still more to reveal from time inbottle.
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Wine Spectator
The warm gush of cassis and plum sauce is rather up front, with gently singed alder and apple wood notes helping frame the licorice-coated finish. Its moderate underlying energy is in line with the vintage, but the finish shows staying power. For the hedonist crowd. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenère and Merlot.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.