Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate from Clos du Val is the most interesting of all the wines. The estate was founded by John and Henrietta Goelet in the early Seventies when the couple challenged recently graduated winemaker Bernard Portet to create a Bordeaux-inspired estate in Napa. Clos du Val attained global recognition when its inaugural 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the wines poured blind by Steven Spurrier at the epochal The Judgement of Paris, so this bottle of 1976 was one of their earliest bottlings that, incidentally, came directly from Clos de Val’s apparently meager reserves. It is very elegant and perfumed on the nose, typical old school, classic Napa Cabernet in all its unfettered glory, beautifully defined with wilted rose petals and a light fish scale element. Supple, very pliant tannins define the palate. There remains ample freshness and poise, a fine silver thread of acidity and a clove-tinged, rounded, exquisitely balanced finish that would surpass practically every other Bordeaux from this vintage. Outstanding. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
— 2 months ago

Amy Yan

9.0

Prob one of the top Cote Wine club picks. Had with I sodi takeout porkchop, pasta and pasta. — 2 years ago

Eliza Ramirez

9.5

One of my all time favorite wines! — 4 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

RRV has never been one of my favorite Zin regions, but an old vineyard like this trumps that. Even at this young age the nose is lively, with deep spicy blackberry fruit and gravelly earth notes. intense and quite structured on the palate, with full body and nice acids. I’m drinking it way too young. It will age beautifully. 9.32 right now, likely higher in a few years. — 5 months ago

PM

9.5

What a good wine! — a year ago

Christian Fischer

9.6

It has been too long till I last had his beauty. An acquired taste for sure but one of the great liquors of the world. — 4 years ago

Amanda Moreland

9.4

This is the kind of Pinot I love. Fruit in the nose, dirt and tannins in the taste. I’m a big fan of this one. The comments are ridiculous. — 4 years ago

Todd Anderson

9.3

This is a big, bold, , powerful, chewy wine. Not a nuanced one. Very nice if that's your thing. — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

An “intermezzo” as we prepared for the reds flights. This was served blind. The 1978 shows really young for its age. Most at the table, including myself, were convinced that this was classified growth Bordeaux with maybe 20-30 years of age. However at least one of us thought it was Napa…and whoa. The color was dark and handsome though there was some sediment (to expected). The fruit was bright but I felt it was secondary to the dried leaf tobacco, earth and leather notes. There was good acid too. Tannins have integrated. Lots of wows when this was revealed while the Napa holdouts gave a smile. Bravo. This could easily live well for another 10 or so years. — a year ago

Robert S.

9.4

Consistently one of Bedrock's best blends. Decant for 30min and enjoy. — 4 years ago