A pretty wine with lovely balance and an understated personality to match. Plums, black cherries, tobacco, cedar, flowers and mint are laced into the silky, expressive finish. Overall this is an attractive, mid-weight Cabernet built on a classic sense of structure. It should drink well for the next decade or more. Part of the Stags Leap District, Napa Valley.
Grape Varietals:
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
94 Points - James Suckling, "Unctuous red with blueberry, blackberry and hints of vanilla on the nose and palate. Full body, very fine tannins and a fresh, clean and beautiful finish. Better in 2018 but already a joy to taste."
90 Points - Wine Enthusiast, "Dense and briary, with black and red plum notes complemented by a strong sense of clove, this wine is cushioned in tar, oak and cigar box, showing nicely resolved tannins. Blended with 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, it is enjoyable now and will cellar well for many years to come."
90 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, "The flagship wine that made Clos du Val famous (I especially remember their 1973 and 1974) is the Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District. The 2012 possesses sweet, ripe (but not overripe) blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, dusty, loamy, forest floor notes, medium body, attractive elegance, and a broad, savory mouthfeel. The tannins are present, but well-integrated. This elegant, finesse-styled Cabernet should drink well for 10-15+ years."
