Clos du Val Chardonnay

One of the earliest wineries in the now famous Stags Leap district, Clos du Val was founded in 1972 by American businessman John Goelet and French-born winemaker Bernard Portet. Bernard's father had been manager at Chateau Lafite, where he and his brother Dominique (ex Taltarni) were raised. Clos du Val began life as 150 acres of vineyards on some of the finest land in the Stags Leap district. In 1973, an additional 180 acres of vineyards were purchased in the cool-climate Carneros region.

The winemaking team, now led by Ted Henry and Mabel Ojeda, are building further on an already outstanding reputation, utilising the very best Napa fruit to produce handcrafted, estate wines famed for their balance, elegance and complexity. The late maturing Cabernet Sauvignon is the benchmark variety for wines from the Stags Leap district whilst Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of the Carneros region. It's understandable that the rare delicacy of these wines makes them so sought after.

Beginning in 2014, the winery affirmed its commitment to the importance of its own estate fruit by dramatically reducing production and concentrating almost entirely upon estate-grown wines. Clos Du Val has also ceased using any herbicides or pesticides in its vineyards, and the estate is halfway through the three year process of full organic certification.

Clos Du Val participates in the Napa Green scheme, a comprehensive sustainability certification program for vineyards and wineries in the Napa Valley. Its soil-to-bottle stewardship includes protecting and restoring the Napa River watershed; saving energy and water; reducing waste and carbon footprint; and being conscientious employers and good neighbours. Independent, third-party certification of farms and winemaking facilities makes Napa Green one of the most rigorous sustainability accreditations the wine industry offers.

Chardonnay,

The Chardonnay grapes are sourced from the coolest blocks of the Carneros Estate vineyards with a soil of clay loam on fractured bedrock. The Clos du Val team started picking grapes in late August and complete harvest by the end of September. The grapes develop real intensity of flavour from a long, cooler growing season.

The wine was 100% barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels (16% new) for 10 months.

Brilliantly executed classic Californian Chardonnay - think baked apples and ice cream!

Toasted salty caramel aromas combine with crunchy appley characters. Mouth-watering with poise and fine texture. Fresh green pear, peach and apricot fruit flavours balanced with nutty oak. This is an elegant and complex Chardonnay with well-balanced oak and a long finish.

Ideal with roast chicken, guinea fowl, lobster, fish in a creamy sauce.