2004 Clos Du Val Napa Valley

I know it's a big production wine, but I consistently like Clos Du Val. This is their new basic bottling release, sourced from vineyards throughout the valley.

For a new bottle just released, this was very interesting and appealing. Nice dark purple color. Balanced, quite dry nose. On the palette-this is not a fruity or oaky/caramelly Napa wine at all! The tasting notes were right-there is definitely black olive and blackberry here. What was really nice was the freshness created by the acidity. I also noted a very nice "mineral" character-am I reaching to speculate about Stag's Leap volcanic soils??? Some drying tannins, but not overboard. Not even a whiff of the dread VANILLA on this pour. ***1/2+

The Merlot Napa Valley was quite nice, too. Big and rich and good fruit, but not "sweet" at all. A cab-lovers' merlot, and not badly priced at $26 ($1 more than last vintage). ***

I also liked their 2002 Stag's Leap bottling (a "Reserve"), which showed very well today, with even more austere mineral notes. Here's a case where the QPR becomes a factor, though-the basic bottling is so good that I'm not sure you need to spend twice as much on the Stag's Leap bottling.

While they do not seem to generate a lot of press, year in and year out Clos Du Val is a solid producer. Three I tried recently:

2004 Clos Du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, $32, 34,000 cases. This crimson-colored wine is medium to full on the palate, with youthful tannins. It is disjointed at this point and needs time to integrate. Black fruit, herbs and cedar are the dominant players; 86/86.

2005 Clos Du Val, Chardonnay, Carneros, California, $22, 13,000 cases. Sporting nice balance, this wine is crisp and creamy, with aromas and flavors of pears, citrus, toasty oak and roasted cashews. Good value; 87/88.

2004 Clos Du Val, Merlot, Napa Valley, California, $26, 10,000 cases. Elegant on the entry, the wine is full, ripe and easy to drink. Blackberries, herbs, cedar and a splash of violets underscore the wine’s profile; 86/86.

Thanks, Randy. I agree with you that the 2004 Cab needs some more time. I tend to score wines like CdV higher because they are a style I prefer (not jammy!)