WINEMAKER’S COMMENTS:
The 2012 vintage provided us with perfect conditions to make this classic wine in our hallmark style. The color is an inky garnet hue and the nose opens to aromas of carob, red fruits and juicy plum. A creamy and complex core of chocolate, spice and purple fruits elevate the palate. The textures are juicy, and vibrant with tannins that are well integrated and perfectly approachable alone or with food.
HARVEST:
The 2012 harvest season came as a great blessing to us in Napa Valley. A calm and beautiful spring resulted in a large crop of fruit that ripened slowly and evenly through a near perfect season. Temperatures in the summer were consistent and warm, resulting in great fruit flavors in all varietals. As we approached fall, it was apparent this would be one of the largest crops we have seen in recent memory with incredible quality. We began harvest on August 31 with Sauvignon blanc. Fruit from our Carneros vineyard followed, culminating with picks of the Cabernet Sauvignon wrapping up at the end of October.
HISTORY:
Clos Du Val, French for “small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972 in the now legendary Stags Leap District by Franco-American entrepreneur John Goelet. After a worldwide search to purchase vineyard properties from which to craft world-class wines, 150 acres in Stags Leap and 180 acres in Carneros were chosen, solidifying Clos Du Val’s iconic stature and formidable place in Napa Valley history.
Today, for Clos Du Val Winemaker Kristy Melton, it is the bounty from these renowned vineyards that acts as the foundation for the distinctive, terroir-driven wines of balance and elegance for which Clos Du Val is known.
COMPOSITION:
98% Merlot
2% Petit Verdot
AGING: 18 months in 25% new oak
ACID: 5.4 g/L
pH: 3.65
ALCOHOL: 14.1%