Bernard Portet’s original winemaking tenets of balance, elegance and complexity still guide Clos Du Val’s winemaking pursuits today, including this oak-aged, jammy Napa Valley Merlot. With a deep ruby and garnet color, the wine’s nose is packed with ripe plums and blueberries, with subtle notes of blackcurrant. Integrated toast aromas add to the complexity of the nose. The wine’s lush entry leads to a voluminous mid-palate structure. The ripe fruit excites the senses as the finish draws to a lengthy and rich close.

Full-bodied and deep plum in color, the 2010 Merlot offers aromas of complex yet vibrant black fruit, spice, dark chocolate and a hint of toast. The mouth-feel is warm and rich, with a solid middle marked with flavors of black cherry and blueberry punctuated with a silky, lingering finish.

Producer

Clos Du Val, French for "small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972 in the now legendary Stags Leap District by John Goelet and French winemaker Bernard Portet. After a worldwide search to purchase vineyard properties from which to craft world-class Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals, 150 acres in the now legendary Stags Leap District and 180 acres in the cool Carneros District were chosen, from which Clos Du Val Winery, a true Napa Valley icon, was born. Today, for Clos Du Val winemakers John Clews and Kristy Melton, it’s the fruit from these distinctive vineyards that serves as the foundation for crafting the balanced, terroir-driven wines of elegance for which Clos Du Val is known.