Now this is what I’m talking about! Best of this Bouchard haul. I wonder how much vintage played a role. Dense and intense, yet so chiselled. Aromas of pears, peaches, brioche, white flowers, spices, and even a touch of jackfruit were just bursting out of the glass. Super dense, precise, and long on the palate. Has a really interesting plummy mid-palate note, and lovely salinity. Loved it! — 2 months ago
In a nice place at shade under 10 years. Popped and poured and was surprisingly ready to go, though 30 mins in the glass helped for sure. Nice mouthfeel and density. Tannins are there but very well integrated. Good dark berry fruit and some pepper on the long finish. Delicious with steak and a pork chop at The Grill. — a month ago
Still closed up but nice fruits — 2 months ago
A great Chardonnay! It could make a Chardonnay drinker out of me. Wonderful floral aromas. Flavors of peach, honeysuckle and apple blossom. — 2 months ago
Pretty pretty pretty good. Umami on the nose. Raisins. — 2 months ago
Delectable Wine
Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.
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)
— 25 days ago