94pts Wine Enthusiast

Seductive oak spices and a plush mouthfeel come with abundant red and black fruits in this full-bodied, appropriately tannic wine that needs time to reach its full potential. Pine and rosemary accents merge nicely with the blackberries and blueberries. Best from 2028–2038.

93pts James Suckling

Spiced and creamy character with ripe dark berries and a chocolate and bark undertone. Lots of cassis and floral notes. Medium- to full-bodied, polished and sleek with chalky texture and hints of graphite at the end. Lingering finish.

92pts Wine Spectator

There's a nice streak of warm earth and singed cedar running in lockstep with the core of cassis and gently mulled plum fruit, with savory and mineral accents checking in. Restrained in feel overall, with judicious toast that lets all the elements play out on the finish. Best from 2025 through 2036.

90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Clos du Val's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 1% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Hints of thyme and sage accent cassis and cherries on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is on the fresher, leaner side of that spectrum, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing with a strong note of mocha. It's a solid, all-around effort at what is a realistic price for Napa Valley.

Winemaker Notes

Opening with fresh aromas of blueberry and black cherry, this classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases plush tannins and a rich, velvety mouthfeel. Vibrant flavors of blackberry, plum, and toasty oak are followed by a long, smooth finish.

Winery Notes

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 220 acres of estate vineyards in the Stags Leap District, and Yountville appellations and continues to craft wines of balance and complexity, showcasing the fruit from the outstanding terroir on which the estate lies.