Clos du Val 2013

Description

Clos Du Val Description Antonio Galloni – Vinous: 95+ Points The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Powerful and dense in the glass, with utterly mesmerizing balance, the 2013 hits all the right spots. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs, black cherries and incense form a tapestry of aromas and flavors that simply dazzles. The 2013 needs time in bottle for the tannins to soften, but it is a real head-turner. The combination of intense tannin and opulent fruit is classic 2013. Rating: 95+" The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Powerful and dense in the glass, with utterly mesmerizing balance, the 2013 hits all the right spots. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs, black cherries and incense form a tapestry of aromas and flavors that simply dazzles. The 2013 needs time in bottle for the tannins to soften, but it is a real head-turner. The combination of intense tannin and opulent fruit is classic 2013. In 2013, Clos du Val made 33,800 cases (405,600 bottles) of their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a significant amount of wine. Clos du Val bottled the 2013 over a two week period. The passage of time has resulted in some amount of bottle variation, which readers should be aware of. For the money, the 2013 is still a terrific value in Napa Valley Cabernet. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& In his October, 2015 Napa Cabernet report covering the outstanding 2013 vintage, Antonio Galloni busted a monster review and 95+ score on the 2013 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. He wrote: The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Powerful and dense in the glass, with utterly mesmerizing balance, the 2013 hits all the right spots. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs, black cherries and incense form a tapestry of aromas and flavors that simply dazzles. The 2013 needs time in bottle for the tannins to soften, but it is a real head-turner. The combination of intense tannin and opulent fruit is classic 2013. 95+ points. People were wondering,Really? 95 points for a $30 bottle of Cabernet? Gallonis NEVER done that. That would make this wine the greatest Cab deal in the universe! It was understandable that maybe he made some kind of mistake and put the wrong number on the wrong one or maybe the winery poured him in the wrong order. Hey, it happens more often than you think, though many reviewers dont fess up to it. In this instance after receiving Im sure more than a few phone calls, he appended his original review with the following footnote to clarify and solidify his previous note: Editors Note: This review is for the Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, and not one of the other Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings Clos du Val has made over the years. Last updated: November 5. 2015.No mistake. That was the wine, right? Or was it? It looks like Galloni was still spooked by his own monster score, and maybe second-guessing himself. The mystery deepened after Galloni posted this little number on February 2nd, several months after his initial review. Following my rave (95+) review of Clos du Vals 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, I was curious to taste the wine again from multiple sources, which we do at Vinous from time to time. I purchased two bottles at retail, while another two bottles were sent by the winery. I encountered quite a bit of variation. The best bottle was sweet, silky and perfumed, with plenty of crème de cassis, blueberry jam, spice and new leather. I scored that bottle (purchased from a merchant in New York) 94. Other bottles presented a more red fruit-leaning profile, less mid-palate generosity and drier tannins. I rated those bottles 92. Because of the variation in this wine, current review reflects the lowest sc