sante Recommended
Big with aromas of ripe blackberry and plum. Spice and sweet tobacco on the palate; structured with a nice long finish. Braised short ribs; Stilton. (October 2007)
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 88
Shows fine qualities, from the balanced, rich mouthfeel to the cherry, violet and cocoa flavors to the long, spicy finish. Plenty of restrained elegance and finesse in this dry, polished Merlot. (July 2007)
Abilene Reporter News (TX) Recommended
...Is a Cab lover's merlot, dense and smooth with silky tannins. It is enjoyable now and does not need aging. The wine is deep purple in color, and has aromas of plum and dried herbs. The fruit flavors are balanced by a dollop of vanilla oak. (April 11, 2007)
Washington Examiner Recommended
Cooler-than-normal weather kept the crop yield low, but a mid-summer heat wave forced an early harvest that resulted in a powerful merlot, with jammy black plums and notes of coffee on the vibrant
nose. More black plums are joined by flavors of cola, dried herbs and tobacco on the lush, full palate. This self-assured but silky merlot would be right at home with braised short ribs. (April 5, 2007)
Wine Review Online Rating: 89
Doing just what Merlot should, with its plum and blackberry fruit fl avors kept in focus with pliant tannin, this wine feels soft and supple but in no sense insubstantial. It may be fashionable to denigrate California Merlot these days, but the category continues to sell very well. A sip of this wine helps explain why. (March 27, 2007)
Wine Skinny Recommended
Enticing exotic spices mingle with lush, concentrated blackberry and plum flavors, picking up dried lavender and herbs on the full-bodied, but smooth finish. Easy to fall for. Drink now and over the next four or five years. (February/March 2007)
Island Packet (Hilton Head, SC) Wine of the Week
The nose on this wine was exceptional, layers of ripe raspberries and lavender filled the glass and started waking up the taste buds before the first sip. The flavors flowed like silk across the tongue; blackberry jam, plums and dried fruit all framed perfectly with just the right amount of oak. The flavors are layered well to produce a complex delicious merlot. The finish is soft and not overpowering, making this an approachable wine now, but it will have the ability to age. (March 7, 2007)
2003 Merlot, Napa Valley
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 90
This classic Napa Merlot is instantly appealing. It’s very ripe, exuding black cherry pie, violet, chocolate and leather aromas and flavors, and the structure is impeccable. The smooth, intricate tannins, partial new oak and balancing acidity are just right. This is a great price for a Merlot of this quality. (November 1, 2006)
Annapolis Capital
A good value in the merlot, this blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc has complex plum and olive flavors, licorice and herbs. Good length on the finish and very quaffable. (August 30, 2006)
Appellation America Clos du Val makes wines for the long haul. It so happens that this Merlot is built for short-term drinking – let’s say, over the next five, six years. But that’s not to be construed as a negative. Because this is an excellent wine, and when one factors in the price (what with the average cost of a Napa Valley red being 50 bucks these days), we have a good deal here.
Winemaker John Clews has designed the wine utilizing perfectly ripened fruit from various locales in the valley – mostly from the Stags Leap District. There are aromas of cherries, strawberries and cassis. While there may not be great complexity, this Merlot has a lot going on and it will reward the consumer.
The wine was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 25 percent of which were new. I also like the fact that the listed alcohol is 14.1 percent and it doesn’t reveal itself in any sort of hotness or grip. There were 5,250 cases produced, not a small number, but a quantity large enough that in the hands of a lesser winemaker, there wouldn’t be this attention to detail. (August 22, 2006)
Food & Wine Spicy, plummy. Perfect pairing for Caesar Salad with Meatballs. (July 2006)
California Grapevine Rating: Highly Recommended; 88
Medium ruby; attractive, spicy, cigar box and black cherry fruit aroma that developed with airing in the glass; medium-full body; supple, herbal, cedary, black cherry fruit flavors with notes of green olive and tobacco; medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Easy and enjoyable to drink now. (June / July 2006)
Florida Keys Keynoter Rating: Exceptional
For more than 30 years, Bernard Portet has made wines of restraint and elegance when all around him other vintners were cranking up the fruit and alcohol to produces wines more suited to fueling Formula 1 racecars than enjoying with food. That commitment is what makes Clos Du Val wines consistently some of California's best and is reflected in the winery's 2003 Napa Valley Merlot ($25).
Though its origins are in the Napa Valley, its heritage is equally French. The fruit here is lighter than most California Merlots - think ripe yet tart cherries-with a deep well of subtle aromas and flavors - toast, cloves, cedar, licorice, even a suggestion of something floral. Though the fruit is lighter, tannins and acidity are firmer, making this wine an excellent candidate for aging. If drinking it now, I'd pair it with lighter meats like veal or pork or a great roasted chicken. (June 16, 2006)
Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences Rating: Exceptional A classic example of a Clos Du Val red, with Bordeaux-ish aroma of earth/leather and deep black fruit. Tannins a bit evident now but this is a house with a long tradition of aging Merlots. (May 18, 2006)
Houston Chronicle Rating: 4 1/2 stars With a good dollop of cabernet sauvignon and a teaspoon of cabernet franc; solid, black fruit with a bit of dried herbs, making it more complex and not off-putting; a serious merlot. (April 5, 2006)
2002 Merlot, Napa Valley
St. Helena Star Rating: Empty Glass / 1st place in tasting Nice flavor and finish -- a good dinner wine...heady mix of plum and tomato...a good food wine...one of my favorites -- worth a great kiss...(February 9, 2006) Wine Enthusiast Rating: 88 This is an elegant, sexy wine, softly luxurious and velvety, with impressive flavors of blackberries, chocolate, plus and oak. It’s fairly tannic, and should improve over the next five years. (October 2005).
The Register-Guard (OR)
Aged about 16 months in French oak, this wine has 6 percent cabernet sauvignon blended in for more texture and body. I loved the nose: herbs, vanilla and some spice. The wine has fig, plum and black fruit flavors with a nice hint of spice. Let this wine breathe so you can enjoy the soft tannins and its complex character. (May 4, 2005)
Wine Lovers Page – Bucko’s New Releases
Rating: 88/88
Faultlessly balanced, the wine is silky smooth and fruity, with berries, black currants, herbs, toasty oak and violets coursing throughout the Merlot. (May 1, 2005)
The Anniston-Star ( AL)
This is a powerful merlot. Had I tasted this wine and the cabernet blindly, I would have probably said that this was the cabernet. Delicious with big dark concentrated fruit yet approachable with a balanced finish. The favored wine of the evening. (April 13, 2005)
Julian Schultz newsletter (MA)
Wine Pick: Clos Du Val Merlot, $25, blended with 6 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, is a splendid wine! Assertive black currant and blackberry nose is enhanced with nuances of herbs, black olives and toast; aromas are transferred to the palate and balanced with sweet toast and black pepper spice; soft tannin, smooth finish, and lingering complexity in the aftertaste beg your attention and purchase. (March 19, 2005)
