2019 Clos Du Val Estate Sauvignon Blanc Yountville 750 ml

On one of the most famous stretches of Napa’s Silverado Trail, heading north, there’s a straight-away just north of Oak Knoll, past Darioush and Signorello Estate, where folks in a hurry pass the cars idling along at 45mph in a 55mph zone. Of course, what those whipping by with their eyes focused solely on the broken yellow paint in the road do not realize is that it’s probably us they’re passing.

After all, this is no ordinary stretch of road. It is the beating heart of the hallowed Stags Leap District AVA of Napa Valley, where iconic producers like Regusci, Hartwell, and superstar new-comer Realm Cellars own vines, and where Warren Winiarski founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars back in 1970. That same year, Bernard Portet and partner John Goelet first began searching for vineyard property. After two years scouring five continents, they found a home, ironically, just down the road from Winiarksi and established their 150-acre pièce de résistance in 1972—Clos du Val.

The single-vineyard 2019 Clos du Val Estate Sauvignon Blanc floored us—it’s one of our absolute favorite Napa renditions of this classic variety, balancing layers of ripe California fruit with the lifted acidity we love in Old World whites. Sourced entirely from their State Lane vineyard in Yountville, just 500 cases were produced, and the Wine Access Wine Club is the only place outside the winery with these dazzling bottles. 

In the glass, fresh citrus and tropical fruit aromas give way to mandarin blossom and honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is grand and exciting with vibrant acidity, layers of green pineapple, quince, and Meyer lemon peel with a lengthy finish.  

Just four years after its founding, Clos du Val helped vault Napa Valley onto the world stage as part of the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting, with California's shocking victory against Bordeaux’s First Growth titans. Today, 44 years later, under the direction of Chappellet vets Steve Tamburelli and Jon-Mark Chappellet plus winemaker Ted Henry (a protege of the late Napa legend Dmitri Tchelistcheff, the son of André Tchelistcheff), Clos du Val has re-dedicated itself to small-production winemaking focused on the terroir of their estate vineyards.

Ample winter rains meant that during most of the 2019 growing season, there was no need to irrigate the vines—they were practically dry-farmed until a few hot days leading up to the harvest. Henry and his team were able to let the grapes hang on the vine until after Labor Day, delivering deeply concentrated clusters, with focused fruit flavors and real intensity. 

Aged five months in stainless steel, these bottles haven’t moved an inch since February. Primed for your glass, impossibly fresh, vibrant, and ready to drink now, at 13.9% ABV, this is an Old World postcard, marked with a brightly-colored Napa Valley stamp from our treasure chest to yours. 

Next time you find yourself in the Valley careening along Silverado Trail, take our advice—slow to a honk-worthy crawl, roll down the windows, and breathe in the pristine Stags Leap air. Be sure to look east to catch a glimpse of Clos du Val’s historic estate set against the vivid sun-soaked, craggy-rocked Vaca Mountains. Better yet, stop off, and let them know we sent you.