Get an inside look at Napa Valley’s prestigious Clos du Val winery and the owner’s passion for the Stags Leap District. A must-read for wine lovers!
For someone who grew up near Baltimore, Maryland, a place celebrated for its famous Maryland Blue Crab and seafood culture, and who got his advanced degree in Aquaculture Science, dedicated to farming clams and oysters in the sea, Olav Goelet is the person you would least expect to be the head of one Napa Valley’s most celebrated wineries.
As CEO of Clos du Val Stags Leap District Napa Valley, he is responsible for continuing the vision and legacy of his grandparents, John and Henrietta Goelet, to create a winery in California that would approximate the fine wines of their native Bordeaux.
To this end, they enlisted the expertise of wine expert and Clos du Val co-founder Bernard Portet, who went on a ’round the world search of several years, before settling upon the Stags Leap District for the home of Clos du Val winery.
“This was a unique legacy that we felt very strongly about. We also felt that it should continue,” Goelet told me in a short afternoon downtime from his many responsibilities at the winery. “When my grandparents transitioned ownership of the company to their grandchildren, they had to make a choice to commit to preserving the winery and its legacy.
“They also needed a family member to be directly involved in the business, and not just act as passive shareholders.
“That’s where I came in. I saw a personal opportunity to transition my background in production and development and an opportunity to translate those skill sets. Becoming a part of Clos du Val allowed me to get immersed in the management team at Clos du Val and derive knowledge from the expertise of others.”
After five and a half years as Director of Wine Growing, Goelet transitioned to become CEO of Clos du Val at just 35 years old.
Clos du Val has a storied past that is steeped in Napa Valley legend. Under Bernard Portet, the winery gained world renown at the Judgement of Paris in 1976.
“My purpose as CEO is to get Clos du Val back to the focus and vision that was once our identity,” Goelet emphasized.
“We’ve made a conscious effort to narrow our focus to a philosophy and a house style that is consistent with our core beliefs.”
Clos du Val 2021 Yettalil Stags Leap District Napa Valley-$200
Don’t let the cute name fool you. (It was grandpa John’s pet name for the love of his life). This is one serious wine. Clos du Val’s newest wine, 2021 Yettalil, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. In addition to leaning heavily on the pedigree of Clos du Val, it points a new direction towards its future.
“This wine is the best expression of our Hirondelle Estate property,” Goelet said. We wanted to leverage our 50 years of knowledge and history to tap into the form that Bernard Portet created. In that way, we were able to create a skeleton of what that wine would look like.”
Hirondelle afforded Goelet and his winemaking team the opportunity to grow different Bordeaux grape varietals in the same unique vineyard space.
“In the past, we were always constrained by having to create wines that were 75% Cabernet Sauvignon. “We’ve since learned that the best wine is an unconstrained expression. That is the sole intent and purpose of Yettalil.”
Clos du Val 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon-Napa Valley-$60
“If Yetalil is our ‘halo,’ ” Goelet explained, “then Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is our flagship. At the core, it’s a wine that remains true to the Clos du Val story.
“The wine is an expression of our two estate properties. It has basically the same objective as Yetalil, in terms of remaining true to our house style, while over delivering on quality and potential. The idea is that we are making our Cabernet more accessible to the broader market.”
Yetalil retails for $200, while Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is $60 a bottle. “At that price point, we’re providing value to the consumer. At the same time, we have a strong conviction that the wine is right in line with our style.
“It achieves exactly the purpose that we want, to create a wine that is food friendly, with a long, complex finish. The wine also has a tannin structure and acid profile that makes it nimble and lively and not too heavy on the palate.”
Clos du Val 2023 Sauvignon Blanc-$55
“The third wine that we present to the broad market is our Sauvignon Blanc, which is a Semillon blend.
“This is a white expression of our house style.”
The current vintage is a blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon, fermented in stainless steel and aged in a combination of new and neutral French oak to achieve balance.
“This wine is comparable to a Bordeaux Blanc,” Goelet declared. “It’s got great floral and fruit aromatics with a hint of that stone fruit character. It’s very crisp and focused on the palate, while it still has depth and complexity. This wine has a great mouth feel with a nice long finish. In a word, it’s just very fresh!”
From its very beginning, Clos du Val has had its origins in a philosophy that marries wine to food.
“Our objective has always been to be cross-cultural and remove barriers by creating wines that compliment food.
“My grandfather, when he created Clos du Val, felt that wine alone was not the spotlight, but that it should accompany and enhance the experience of good food. This is critically important.
“If wine is only built to stand on its own,” my grandfather said, “then it is not really a true wine.”
For more on these terrific wines and their history, visit closduval.com.
Be sure to Drink Responsibly.
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