Clos Du Val Yettalil Stags Leap District Napa Valley 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 94 Points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

A Bordeaux-inspired blend, the 2019 Yettalil Red Wine is considerably darker, deeper and richer than the Napa Valley Cabernet.  Scents of cassis, pencil shavings, loam and mocha all appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is expansive and velvety without getting jammy or overly broad.  Perhaps most important, for a wine that will presumably be consumed along savory dishes, it's nicely savory itself, with earthy notes and gentle tannins punctuating the long finish.

 

Rated 93 Points by James Suckling

 

A dense nose of blackcurrant, woody spice and crushed blackberry.  Full-bodied and rich.  Slightly chewy tannins.  Vanilla and toasted herbs on the cozy, plush palate.   Nicely balanced and intense.  Really pure dark-fruit character.  Best from 2024.

 

Rated 93 Points by Decanter

 

Reserved but ample nose of violet, crushed stone, black cherry, blackberry, bramble.  Young and vibrant, going to develop into something lovely.

 

Rated 92 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Shows solidly ripe plum, cassis and cherry preserves, which have a loamy edge to them while maintaining nice definition through the tobacco-and-cedar-accented finish.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Drink now through 2032.

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

Tangy and dry in cranberry and blackberry, this structured, ageworthy wine combines a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Given 16 months in a majority of new French oak, it is full bodied and dense, with strong notes of toasted oak and grippy tannin.  Enjoy best 2029–2034.

 

Clos Du Val Yettalil

 

Stags Leap District Napa Valley 2019

 

Ours is a timeless secret:

A love that anyone can see but only two can know.

A love that traversed the globe, bridging cultures with grace.

A love from whose vitality blossomed grand adventures

And birthed memories not soon forgotten.

Our dream, lived, my Yettalil.

 

Appellation:  Stags Leap District, Napa Valley

 

Composition:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

 

Aging:  51% New French Oak

 

Alcohol: 14.5%

 

Harvested:  September 24th - October 26th, 2019

 

Bottled:  July 22nd, 2021

 

Winemaker’s Insight

 

The 2019 Yettalil opens with aromas of fresh blackberry, ripe plum, and racy cassis layered with hints of violet, bay leaf, and thyme.  Beautifully balanced and elegant on the palate, vibrant acidity and polished tannins give way to a concentrated core of black cherry, vanilla, and cedar.  The texture is velvety and plush with a backbone of graphite and dark chocolate that lingers through a long finish.

 

Harvest

 

Following heavy rainfall in the winter season, the 2019 harvest was mild with only a few heat spikes.  Due to these ideal weather conditions, the wine’s flavor was able to develop on the vine for an extended period of time, resulting in powerful and impeccably balanced wines.

 

2019 Yettalil:  The Inaugural Vintage of An Icon

 

50 years ago, an entrepreneurial American living in France challenged a young French winemaker to travel the globe and find the best vineyard site in the world.  After two years of adventures, that winemaker found a little corner of the Napa Valley that would later be known as the Stags Leap District and the home of Clos du Val. 

 

This is the origin story we often share, but as with any story that attempts to condense 50 years into a single paragraph, those who have contributed to Clos du Val in other ways have largely remained just beyond the limelight. 

 

This spring, I am pleased to introduce to you Yettalil, Clos du Val’s new flagship blend and a long overdue tribute to the woman who has given us trusted guidance, insight, and support for over 50 years. 

 

To the world, she is Henrietta Goelet.  To me, she is my grandmother, Yetta, and to my grandfather, John, she is affectionately Yettalil.  We chose this name to represent the grace, elegance, and finesse we seek to express in every one of our wines, as well as the love my grandparents have shared throughout their life together.  When searching for a name for this wine, it was only fitting to look to the woman who has inspired generations of my family to pursue their passions, chasing adventure and embracing the joy of bringing happiness to others.  Her personality and grace, still exuberant today in all that she does, make her the perfect namesake for this wine. 

 

Driven by the terroir of our home in the Stags Leap District, we have created Yettalil as a forward-looking expression of our core winemaking philosophy: fresh and seductive aromatics, elegant balance, subtle power, and a layered conversation on the palate that lingers long after the last sip. 

 

This Bordeaux-inspired blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and power, Merlot for opulence and freshness, and Cabernet Franc for lively finesse.  The result is a wine that piques the senses, provoking curiosity for the next sip.

  

Opening aromas of fresh blackberry, ripe plum, and racy cassis are layered with hints of violet, bay leaf, and thyme.  The first sip gives way to a beautifully balanced palate of vibrant acidity, polished tannins, and a plush texture.  A core of concentrated black cherry, vanilla, and cedar notes culminates in a long finish of graphite and dark chocolate.  

 

To me, Yettalil is a wine that represents the future of Clos du Val winemaking, and I am excited to share this next chapter with you.

 

 

Clos Du Val

 

Clos du Val, French for “small vineyard estate of a small valley,” was founded in 1972 in the renowned Stags Leap District.  The winery was first recognized for its Cabernet Sauvignon at the famed Judgment of Paris in 1976, establishing its place as one of Napa Valley’s most iconic winery estates.  Still family-owned today, Clos du Val farms two estate vineyards in the Stags Leap District and Yountville appellations and continues to craft wines of balance and complexity, showcasing the fruit from the outstanding terroir on which our estate lies.

 

 

Rated 92 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Shows solidly ripe plum, cassis and cherry preserves, which have a loamy edge to them while maintaining nice definition through the tobacco-and-cedar-accented finish.  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Drink now through 2032.

 

 

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

Tangy and dry in cranberry and blackberry, this structured, ageworthy wine combines a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Given 16 months in a majority of new French oak, it is full bodied and dense, with strong notes of toasted oak and grippy tannin.  Enjoy best 2029–2034.