Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 1.5L

Clos Du Val Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 1.5L is a magnum-format Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon bottled at 14.5% ABV from the historic Stags Leap District estate. This vintage earned 94 points from Jim Gordon at Wine Enthusiast and 93 points from James Suckling, affirming its standing among Napa's most compelling mid-tier Cabernets.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.5%  |  Origin: Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California  |  Vintage: 2021  |  Winery: Clos Du Val

Production & Heritage

Clos Du Val was founded in 1972 by French winemaker Bernard Portet, who identified the Stags Leap District as one of Napa Valley's premier growing sites. The winery gained international fame when its 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was one of only six California reds selected for the legendary 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting — and later took first place in the 1986 rematch. The 2021 vintage is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend incorporating Merlot and small percentages of complementary varietals, aged 18 months in 25% new French oak barrels — a deliberate restraint that preserves fruit expression over heavy oak extraction, a hallmark of the Clos Du Val style.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: An inky purple wine that opens with concentrated blackberry, mulberry, and cassis. Deeper passes reveal baking spices, dark chocolate, leather, and a subtle violet top note.

Taste: The entry is rich and immediate, with ripe berry pie and black plum flavors leading into a mid-palate layered with mocha, cedar, and black pepper. A thread of cranberry and red plum brightness keeps the wine from feeling heavy, while vanilla toast emerges on the back end courtesy of the measured oak program.

Finish: Long and smooth, with supple tannins that resolve into lingering notes of dark fruit and spice. The balanced acidity carries the finish well beyond what many Napa Cabernets at this level achieve, giving the wine real staying power in the glass.

How to Drink Clos Du Val Cabernet

This wine shows best at cellar temperature — around 60–65°F — with 30 to 45 minutes of decanting to let the tannins soften and the aromatic layers fully develop. The magnum format naturally slows aging, making this an excellent candidate for cellaring through 2030 and beyond. For cocktail-adjacent applications: use it in a Cabernet Reduction for steak sauces where its berry intensity and pepper character shine; try it in a classic Sangria Roja where the dark fruit and spice add depth without overwhelming citrus and brandy; or serve it as the base for a Mulled Wine during colder months, where the chocolate and baking spice notes integrate seamlessly with warming spices.

Best For

• Hosting a dinner party where the magnum format serves 10–12 guests from a single bottle
• Cellaring for a milestone anniversary or birth-year collection
• Gifting a Napa Valley wine enthusiast who appreciates Stags Leap District pedigree
• Pairing with a holiday prime rib or other centerpiece roast

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Clos Du Val Cabernet taste like? It delivers a core of ripe blackberry, plum, and mocha balanced by cedar, black pepper, and vanilla, with bright acidity and supple tannins that give the wine structure without harshness.

How does Clos Du Val Cabernet compare to Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis? Both hail from the Stags Leap District and share a fruit-forward profile with structured tannins, but Clos Du Val uses notably less new oak (25% versus Artemis's higher percentage), resulting in a more fruit-driven, less oaky character. The 2021 Clos Du Val scored 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, while Artemis typically scores in a similar range, making them genuine peer wines from neighboring estates.

Is Clos Du Val Cabernet good for cellaring? Yes — the magnum format is ideal for aging because the larger volume-to-surface-area ratio slows oxidation, and the wine's balanced tannin structure and acidity suggest a drinking window extending through at least 2030–2033.

Where is Clos Du Val Cabernet made? Clos Du Val is located in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California, a sub-appellation renowned for producing some of the region's most elegant and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons.

What foods pair well with Clos Du Val Cabernet? Grilled bone-in ribeye, where the wine's tannins cut through the fat; braised short ribs, whose richness matches the wine's depth; aged Gouda or Comté cheese, which echo the toasty oak and dark fruit; roasted lamb with rosemary, complementing the cedar and spice notes; and dark chocolate truffles, which mirror the wine's mocha undertones.

What sizes does Clos Du Val Cabernet come in? This expression is available in the standard 750ml bottle and this 1.5L magnum format, which holds the equivalent of two standard bottles.

Is Clos Du Val Cabernet worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with multi-critic acclaim — 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, 93 from James Suckling, and 92 from Wine Spectator — delivering considerable quality and historic pedigree relative to its price tier in the competitive Stags Leap District category.

Why Clos Du Val Cabernet?

Few Napa Valley wineries can claim a direct connection to the 1976 Judgment of Paris, and Clos Du Val's Cabernet program has maintained that legacy for over five decades. The 2021 vintage earned high marks across four major publications — a rare breadth of critical endorsement that reflects genuine consistency rather than a single favorable review. The restrained 25% new oak aging regime sets it apart from many Napa peers that lean on heavy extraction, resulting in a wine where fruit and terroir lead. In magnum format, this bottling gains the added benefit of slower, more graceful evolution — making it both a serious cellar candidate and an impressive pour for any gathering.