Clos Du Val Winery

From France to California In 1970, American businessman John Goelet sent off French-born winemaker Bernard Portet on a mission to find new territory to grow world-class wines. In 1972, they co-founded Clos Du Val in the Stags Leap district of Napa Valley. The name means "small estate of a small valley". The estate is situated amongst 150-acres of vines beneath the famous palisades of Stags Leap, known for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In 1973, Clos Du Val became one of the first wineries to stake a claim on the finest hillside terroir in Carneros, now recognized for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and today farms 180 acres for its estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Clos Du Val's old-world approach to winemaking combined with extraordinary Napa Valley fruit established Clos Du Val's tradition of classic estate wines with balance, elegance, complexity and longevity. Bernard's inagural 1972 vintage was one of only six California Cabernets selected for the legendary Judgement of Paris tasting. The same vintage took first place in a rematch ten years later, proving that Clos Du Val wines stand the test of time. Today, winemaker John Clews runs day-to-day winery and vineyards operations, working closely with vineyard manager Al Wagner to farm the land gently and sustainably. Once the grapes are harvested, John and Bernard make blending decisions together to produce a renowned portfolio of wines which are truly expressive of the terroir from which they came.

 



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