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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.6 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 59 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by no leashes on 1/24/2024 & rated 91 points: Drinking beautifully, with plum dark fruit, some tar and cedar flavors, smooth texture and well integrated tannins. Really showing nicely right now. (I've seen the reviews indicating this wine is "over the hill" -- definitely not the case for wine bought from the winery and stored properly ever since. This wine is right in its drinking window.) (199 views) | | | Tasted by Eclectic Palate on 6/22/2023 & rated 90 points: I purchased this bottle from Spectrum auction back in 2019. (Temperature controlled storage since purchase.) Cork was pristine, upon initial pour nose showed plenty of fruit and no oxidation. First sips showed some tannin so I decanted the bottle. Plum like fruit, very napa ish in fruit flavors and opened up with a short 30 minute decant. 14.2 per cent alcohol was very slightly showing. Based upon the prior drinking notes and my prior experience with this winery and this vintage from 2 years ago I was surprised that this bottle was essentially at the peak on the beginning of the downward slope. I previously had another 2005 of this 2 years back and it did not show well as it was much more advanced than I expected. Not this bottle. The only reason why I popped it tonight is I needed a red wine to go with a South Philly pizza and I was thinking this was screaming to be drank a few years ago. I was wrong. (339 views) | | | Tasted by wilkinsmd on 1/19/2019: Over the hill. I had a 6 pack from the winery, and opened one every couple years. The first four were enjoyable. But alas when I opened the fifth today the fruit was gone, resembled cough syrup. So went ahead and opened my sixth and final - same thing. Ah well. (1763 views) | | | Tasted by csimm on 2/24/2018 & rated 81 points: Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting at Tre Posti (Saint Helena): Less old than the 2001, which was less old than the 1999, these wines (even with this 2005 at a little more than a decade old) are just plain old. Based on the stewed, plummy exhibitions of the most recent offerings, I'm thinking these wines are not built to age at all. There is no true core or concentration, no formidable acidic grip, no depth. This 2005 showed typical red and black currant, tobacco leaf, leather chair, and brick notes. More than just a style preference here; this seems to be lacking any sort of stuffing to really develop (or to have developed) into anything worth talking about. In the end, this is what many basic, entry-level Napa Cabernets start to taste like after about a decade+ of aging. (3911 views) | | | Tasted by no leashes on 10/29/2017 & rated 88 points: A bit too much tar and tobacco in front of the fruit. Still, enjoyable. Rich and smooth. (2130 views) | | | Tasted by rojoloco on 9/15/2017 & rated 91 points: Pleasant but much lighter than I anticipated. Not nearly the weight of most Napa Cabs, so I would drink up sooner rather than later. No distinguishing flavors but a fair anount of sediment. Lighter in flavor than full bodied Calif pinots, such as Kistler or Belle Glos. I would drink now for sure. (2054 views) | | | Tasted by 1961Vintage on 10/3/2015 & rated 92 points: Becoming more mellow with age. Really enjoyable but likely near peak. Not likely to improve as tannins have integrated extremely well. (3675 views) | | | Tasted by DielTone on 4/10/2015 & rated 90 points: Opened and decanted for 3 hours and served with grilled filet mignon. This was a good wine-nice bottle-but not a great wine. (3291 views) | | | Tasted by 1961Vintage on 2/27/2015 & rated 93 points: yup (2931 views) | | | Tasted by dischome on 11/15/2014 & rated 89 points: 5.5 / 10 Reorder $55 (3165 views) | | | Tasted by 1961Vintage on 11/9/2014 & rated 94 points: Coming together like a champ. A fruit forward incredibly well balanced prize fighter with several rounds left in the bottle. My remaining last two bottles just moved up to the top rope. (2927 views) | | | Tasted by Corkdork79 on 10/23/2014 & rated 90 points: Past prime approaching raisiny (1959 views) | | | Tasted by brianspross on 9/3/2014 & rated 93 points: Loved this bottle. Let it open for 2+ hours. (1601 views) | | | Tasted by winejnky on 10/12/2013 & rated 87 points: Shows some decent fruit character, but burnt flavor on the finish, green edges, not getting better with age. (2636 views) | | | Tasted by grayfont on 8/17/2013 & rated 88 points: 3-year Vertical of Clark-Claudon Cabernet (2003-2005) (My home, Falls Church, VA): tasted non-blind as part of a 3-year vertical (03-05). beautiful soft mouthfeel but a step down from the '04 with muted fruit profile and some bitter notes around the edges. (2794 views) | | | Tasted by winejnky on 8/8/2013 & rated 89 points: Restrained at this point, medium weight, showing some oak initially but fades quickly, tart fruit. (2375 views) | | | Tasted by AngryPrez on 7/22/2013 & rated 90 points: medium weight, bit tart - not much in the way of tannins now - modest, restrained nose - juicy and plenty of flavor (2397 views) | | | Tasted by VAD on 11/3/2012 & rated 90 points: Not a heavy cab. Very smooth, not too tanic, drinking well right now. (3246 views) | | | Tasted by VAD on 7/14/2012 & rated 90 points: Good wine. Not too heavy for a cab. Very smooth. Drinking well right now (2796 views) | | | Tasted by awineo on 5/9/2012 & rated 90 points: A good bottle. Unfortunately I drank it after a HUGE 1999 Dunn Howell Mountain.
Clark Claudon is on the back side of Howell mountain. The fruit was much softer and the tannins a lot more intergrated. Good balance and finish. (2851 views) | | | Tasted by tplskylrk on 10/16/2011: P&P. Dark purple to the core. Nose is Alch, oak, vanilla, heavy fruit. On the palate big heavy, bad boy w some dense blue black fruits, liquid sludge, then some vanilla, structure there, tar, licorice, charred earth. Lingers nicely. (3616 views) | | | Tasted by winejnky on 9/18/2011 & rated 91 points: Smooth, easy drinking cab, but also with real complexity; nice fruit, oak note on the finish; opened up nicely with one hour decanting. (3599 views) | | | Tasted by awineo on 8/1/2011 & rated 90 points: Part of our 05 cab night. Another well made cab. Good fruit and balanced tannins. "typical" Clark Claudon... A good drinking wine. (3174 views) | | | Tasted by awineo on 7/2/2011 & rated 92 points: Balanced fruit with smooth tannins. Nice finish. Drinks like a good bordeaux. (3335 views) | | | Tasted by Colia on 6/25/2011 & rated 91 points: It took 24 hours to really develop. Lean at the start, with acid perhaps too much out-of-balance. But with time, the fruit came forward and it became lovely. An elegant wine, with cassis, blackberry, spices and oak flavors. The tannins were ripe. The acid stayed present, however, making the wine seem lean at times, and pretty; not generous. (3668 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (8/25/2008)
(Clark-Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown) Clean cassis nose; tasty, ripe cassis and plum with structure; medium finish 92+ pts. (2 years in French oak, 1 yr in bottle) 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Clark-Claudon Producer Website
In 1974, shortly after their Peace Corp assignment in Colombia, Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon came to the Napa Valley, new baby boy in tow. Immediately caught up in the infectious energy, they were ready to take their place among a small group of visionary grape growers and winemakers. Together, that group of pioneers laid the foundation for the unrivaled status of today’s Napa Valley.
Over the next four years as their family grew. Tom continued to refine his grape growing expertise and Laurie learned along with him. In 1979, Tom founded Clark Vineyard Management and began developing and managing vineyards under his own company.
Then in 1989 pressed by a friend, Tom and Laurie hiked a piece of property on the north east side of Howell Mountain. Though unproven, it was the proverbial love at first sight and ideal for a Cabernet vineyard. Because of Tom’s considerable reputation, the sellers desire to support the purchase and the couple’s willingness to bet on themselves, they leased and developed the property while eventually exercising their option to buy. Working together, the family joked about calling it Sweat Equity, but the vineyard they developed would become Clark-Claudon Vineyards.
Their business was founded in the old tradition of family winemaking where the art begins in the vineyard and ends with a beautiful bottle of wine. The name Clark-Claudon and the logo's meeting of the two feathers represent a joint commitment to the pursuit of their dream and to the preservation of the environment that supports it. Since then, Clark-Claudon Vineyards has received critical acclaim for their Estate Grown Cabernet, Eternity Reserve Estate Cabernet and their Wild Iris Sauvignon Blanc.
To this day, Clark-Claudon Vineyards is a family affair.
Laurie, the soul of Clark-Claudon, manages the business, public relations and marketing while staying in close contact with the vineyard and the winemaking.
Tom directs production and manages the vineyard with son Joshua who now owns Clark Vineyard Management with his wife Heather.
Daughter, Briana, a professional photographer, is the resident photographer and design guru; www.brianamariephotography.com.
Son-in-law Brian, often Tom's assistant, plays too many roles to list!
The third generation: Brandon, Trevor, Josephine, Paxton and Finley are growing up in this very special world.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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