2018 Clos du Val Chardonnay

2018 Clos du Val Chardonnay

2018 Clos du Val Chardonnay

Made exclusively using grapes from our own acclaimed Carneros estate vineyard, which we have been farming for more than four decades, this Chardonnay leads with vibrant aromas of cotton, vanilla and jasmine flower. On the palate, balanced acidity gives the wine a smooth mouthfeel with a refreshing green apple finish.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (90/100)
The 2018 Chardonnay Estate comes barreling out of the glass with ripe pears, apricots and honeydew melon scents, followed by nuances of lemon butter and crushed almonds. The medium-bodied palate reveals a spicy hint of oak, complementing the juicy stone fruit and melon-inspired flavors, finishing long and creamy.

Clos Du Val, French for “small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972, an era that wine writer Hugh Johnson referred to as “the turning point in modern wine history.” Two years before, the Goelet family tasked talented French-born winemaker Bernard Portet with finding vineyard land, anywhere in the world, capable of producing a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon.

Clos Du Val’s legendary debut Cabernet Sauvignon was one of only six California Cabernets selected for the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting, where California defeated some of Bordeaux’s finest wines. Ten years later, Clos Du Val’s reputation for creating some of Napa Valley’s most gracefully age-worthy wines was solidified, when its 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon took first place in the Judgment of Paris rematch.

Still family-owned today, Clos Du Val farms 350 acres of estate vineyards in the Stags Leap District, Carneros and Yountville appellations and continues to craft wines of balance and complexity, showcasing the fruit from the outstanding terroir on which the estate lies.

Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.

This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.