Clos Du Val
2009 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
California: Stags Leap District (Napa)
Mission Briefing
e·voc·a·tive
Napa Cabernet Sauvignon lovers, prepare to cry tears of joy… Today’s Clos Du Val 2009 Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon is everything you want from a Napa Cab - and more.
We tip our spy shades to Clos du Val and their masterful approach to producing such an iconic, evocative, and classically styled Cabernet. Made in the style that Clos du Val has maintained for decades, today’s wine is still a real blast from the past. Only the finest Napa Valley wineries still make Cabernet Sauvignon in this bold and elegant style.
Like the Cabernets of the 70s and 80s, this wine has a great tannic structure and wonderful balance. Ripeness and mouthfeel, too, are just right.
Clos du Val achieves this level of greatness by farming the finest fruit, but it is their intensive vinification processes that really gets the most from the fruit. Extended barrel aging (in the finest French barrels), extended maceration (where Cabernet grape skins are left in contact with the juice) of up to 40 days, and extended bottle aging all make for the best wine possible.
One of our esteemed panelists who has been drinking Clos du Val Cabs since the 70s declared this wine to have extraordinary aging potential. We agree! The winery itself says that this wine could age quite gracefully for 30+ years. We hope that you’ll enjoy some now - and for years to come. We’d love to cellar two cases to enjoy over the next 24 years!
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Gorgeous and dark, with inky burgundy hues throughout. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | A plethora of dark fruit leaps out of the glass to greet you on the nose. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, |
| Taste: | Bold, lush and very full on the palate, with dark mixed berry fruit, black olive, black tea leaf, tobacco, and brown spice. |
| Finish: | Long and lush with dark fruits tailing off to the more earthen elements, with the strong tannins adding grip at the edges of the palate. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy this wine with a perfectly grilled cowboy cut ribeye steak or go old school and enjoy with a plate of walnuts and bleu cheese - or some premium dark chocolate. Collectors wine. Buy a case and drink one bottle per year. http://www.closduval.com/assets/client/File/trade/fact_sheets/09%20SLD%20CS.pdf http://www.closduval.com/reviews-sldcab.php 92 Points - Robert Parker |
What the Winery Says
Our Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon hails from our renowned Stags Leap District vineyard, best known for elegant and opulent wines. Deep garnet in color this wine is aged in French oak for 24 months. The wine is full bodied and accented with complex flavors of black fruit, chocolate, and mocha. The 2009 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits extraordinary complexity and balance, bolstered by fully integrated, silky tannins. Enjoy now or cellar for at least 10+ years.
Robert Parker - 92+ Point Review A big, dark wine, the 2009 is one of the richest wines I have tasted from Clos Du Val recently. An exciting mélange of black fruit, incense. tobacco, licorice and pencil shavings hits the palate with notable depth and sheer power. Darker fruit, tons of melted road tar, smoke and scorched earth add weight on the deep, plush finish. The formidable Stags’ Leap tannins are going to require patience.
Vinous / Antonio Galloni - 90 Points The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags’ Leap District (Napa Valley) is quite pretty in this vintage. A warm, resonant bouquet laced with espresso, plums and spices meld into expressive dark berries as this mid-weight, polished Cabernet opens up in the glass. Hints of raspberry jam, rose petals and mocha are layered into the persistent finish. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is rarely inexpensive, but this is about as good as it gets for the money.
- Winemaker
- Kristy Melton
- Accolades
- 92+ Points - Robert Parker, Gold Medal - 2013 Sunset International Wine Competition, 90 Points - Antonio Galloni
- Appellation
- Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California
- Varietal Composition
- 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot
- Cooperage
- 24 months in French oak barrels, 50% new
- ABV
- 13.5%
About the Winery
40 years ago, Clos Du Val Winery was founded on the honored principles of individuality and independence which guide us to this day.
Being Vindependent means we remain proudly defiant of passing trends and influences, steadfast in our commitment to crafting refined wines of elegance and balance, reflective not of winemaker ‘magic’, but rather as a fluent expression of the varietal and terroir from which our wines are born.