Current Release

Sometimes a wine comes along that is so good that excitement becomes infectious.  That is how we feel about the 2009 Wild Iris Sauvignon Blanc. We seriously can’t wait to share it!  The ‘09 Wild Iris; crafted by new winemaker Frederic Delivert, is absolutely the stand out in five vintages of our Sauvignon Blanc. Past vintages of Wild Iris have graced the table of governors and Hollywood stars.  It has been poured at famous restaurants in the US, Hong Kong and Canada. Yet now; with its gorgeous aromatics, textured yet crisp mouth feel and lusciously long finish, the 2009 Wild Iris will take you to a whole new level of pleasure. Our 2009 Wild Iris is the perfect wine for an elegant first course, Spring and Summer sipping or a laid back evening with family and friends.  You too will be excited by this wine!

Only 380 cases produced so don’t be shy...   ORDER HERE

WINERY NOTES:
The fruit was harvested at optimum ripeness and then double sorted in the winery to assure that not a single leaf, stem, jack or flawed berry remained.  It was then gravity fed into the fermentation vessels.  80% went into stainless steel while 20% went into barrel; 6.6% new French Acacia, the balance neutral French Oak.  The stainless steel insured crisp varietal freshness while the barrel program; allowing stirring 3 times a week for two months following fermentation, gave the wine a subtle, yet rich texture.  

2006 ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
  1000 Cases Produced ~ Purchase Online

VINEYARD NOTES
2006 was one of those years that separated the novices from the seasoned artists. Due to challenging weather, the ’06 like the ’98 & ’00 vintages carried very low expectations.  Yet, Robert Parker called our 1998 a, “seamless classic,” and proclaimed that, “…the 2000 was outstanding.”  Both of those wines continue to astonish wine lovers with their elegant beauty, complexity and finesse.  The 2006 Clark-Claudon Cabernet follows down the same path.

TASTING NOTES
This elegant 2006 Clark-Claudon Estate Cabernet takes its place among a string of beautiful, low production artisan wines.  It greets with a deep purple color & layered aromas of ripe plums, sweet cherries, wild black berries & cedar with hints of roasted almonds & vanilla. In the mouth the wine is velvety & soft while fresh & beautifully balanced with a fine structure & well integrated tannins. Layers of flavors unwind revealing ripe black varietal fruit with hints of crushed stones, roasted coffee and sweet oak.  The finish is long with hints of asian spice, minerality, dark cigar box & chocolate.  The bright aromas & velvety smoothness encourages this wine to be drunk now, while the beautiful structure assures that it can age for a long, long time.

2005 ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
1,000 Cases Produced ~ Puchase Online

VINEYARD NOTES
Over the years we have grown to know our Estate Vineyard like a parent knows its children. Double planted on the terraces, with elevations from 800 to 1000 feet, it enjoys every exposure & varying soil depths. Therefore, each section of the vineyard has something unique to offer.  Each has to be raised to support its strengths. Consequently, we gently vinify and age the 5 harvest lots separately.  These become the blending pieces of Clark-Claudon Estate Cab. 

It is amazing that 5 such distinctive 100% Cabernets can come from a contiguous 18.5 acre vineyard.  But it is this distinction that gives our Estate wines their complexity while also revealing their common foundation.  Our ‘05 Vintage celebrates the joining of a beautiful season and place.

TASTING NOTES
The 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, darker than the most recent vintages, presents with heightened aromas of cassis, violets, fine cedar, & bright black cherries.  This medium bodied wine fills front, middle and back pallet with round, complex layers of fruit, spice and fine textured French Oak. To drink now, give this wine a chance to breath or allow it to evolve overtime in your cellar; well balanced, elegant and perfectly integrated, it leaves a long signature finish of roasted chocolate; Yes, 2005 was a very good year!  Drink now-2025

The 2005 is the first Estate Cabernet influenced by new winemaker, Douglas Danielak.  Instrumental in making the final winemaking & blending decisions, his touch is evident in this classically beautiful Cabernet.

2008 WILD IRIS SAUVIGNON BLANC
480 Cases Produced ~ Purchase Online  SOLD OUT

VINEYARD & WINERY NOTES
Our 2007 Wild Iris sold out quickly.  Now the muse  is back, more spirited & beautiful than ever.  A fresh varietal character shines through in this 2008 SB, with a pretty straw color,  aromas dominated by citrus & lime blossom & a hint of spearmint leaf. The taste is crisp & fresh with great minerality due to'08's cool growing season. 2008 Wild Iris will pair perfectly with oysters, seafood appetizers & moderately spicy paella. Yet, being sophisticated & beautiful, it is just as satisfying on its own. 
Now-2011.

WINEMAKING NOTES:
Blessed by a cool & moderate growing season in Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc was a highlight of the 2008 vintage. The grapevines provided good shading for the clusters, protecting the fruit from excess sun exposure and sunburn.  Consequently, the fruit reached perfect ripness without any damage to its delicate skin.

In the winery this 100% Sauvignon Blanc was stainless steel fermented to retain its varietal character while allowing a beautiful richness to develop.  The result is a very fresh SB with a lucious mouth feel.

2006 THREE STONES CABERNET SAUVIGNON
288 Cases Produced ~ Puchase Online SOLD OUT

VINEYARD & WINERY NOTES
Fine tuning has increased our knowledge of which vines, in which vineyard blocks, produce the most exceptional fruit.  It is all part of our process to find the ideal combination for our Clark-Claudon Estate Cabernet. Yet, we also found another beautiful blend that could not be ignored.  It became our 2006 Three Stones.

Perfected far beyond our inaugural 2005 Three Stones, we gave it a new label and bottled it under the Clark-Claudon name.  Yet, we chose to maintain the $48.00/bottle price.  It is our hope that this incredible value will entice you to give the '06 Three Stones a try.  You won't be disappointed.

TASTING NOTES
The '06 Three Stones is bright garnet in color, with aromas of ripe black cherries, brambly black berries, plums & toasty oak accompanied by hints of violets & dark chocolate.  This wine is beautifully balanced while 2.5% Merlot softens the tannins & 2.5% Cab Franc contributes a rich, silky smooth mouth feel.  The long finish assures that this is a very good Napa Valley Cab; a perfect wine for every day or special occasions.

REVIEWS
To date, we have only had our 2006 Three Stones reviewed by restaurateurs, wine shop owners & people like you.  From our perspective, those are the opinions that really matter.   The consensus; the 2006 Three Stones is better than many wines twice its price!

2005 THREE STONES CABERNET SAUVIGNON
323 Cases Produced ~ Sold Out

Balance, that perfect state we strive for; balance in the vineyard, in our wine and in our lives. This beautiful wine invites you to slow down, be in the moment and enjoy. 323 cases produced.   $48.00 a bottle.

TASTING NOTES:
Three Stone's deep purple hues hint at the rich complexity of this beautiful wine, while the wine's savory mixture of ripe plum, melted chocolate and cassis assure it. The '05 Three Stones is as harmonious and balanced as its label stunningly illustrates. The mid palate is chewy while the acidity of the Cabernet Franc contributes a certain lift and lively fruitiness. The long finish echoes the up front fruit while being supported by firm round tannins from the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  Drink now to 2020. 

VINEYARD NOTES:
Three Stones is a beautiful Cabernet blend of mountain & valley floor fruit.  After the 2005 harvest we had seven exceptional harvest lots including one from our tiny, re-planted Howell Mountain Eternity Vineyard.  We were so excited to see this special Estate Vineyard back in production. But, rather than bottle just 25 cases, we decided to create a special blend from our two Estate vineyards with the addition of some wonderful Merlot & Cab Franc sourced from the Napa Valley floor.  The resulting wine is beyond delicious!  From vintage to vintage Three Stones will be a unique wine built on the foundation of our Estate Cabernet. 

2007 WILD IRIS SAUVIGNON BLANC
440 Cases Produced ~ Sold Out

The 2007 Wild Iris Sauvignon Blanc has the seductive aromas of our previous SB's with a wonderful balance of acidity. It is absolutely our best Sauvignon Blanc to date.  Douglas Danielak, our new winemaker, did a beautiful job with this wine.  '07 Wild Iris is generous from its beautiful nose, to its fruit-filled, round, crisp mouth-feel to its amazingly long finish. The 2007 Wild Iris will stand up with the best of what the industry has to offer.  It is a perfect white all year around, but especially in the upcoming spring and summer months.

Like her namesake, Wild Iris is exotically
beautiful & delicate, while complex. 

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:
The 2007 Wild Iris was cold fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness and varietal character while its two clones bring complexity & harmonious acid balance to the blend. Clone 1 contributes aromas of fresh mint & cut grass while Clone 317, (similar to Musque), adds exotic notes of linden flower, honey, tropical fruit and refreshing impressions of fresh citrus. This '07 offers a perfect balance between varietal character and lively acidity reinforcing the joy of drinking young Sauvignon Blanc in the Spring.

450 cases produced. $26.00 a bottle

2004 ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Sold Out

Leading Our Second Decade of Exceptional Terroir Driven Wines At Clark-Claudon Vineyards the 2004 vintage was a convergence of season, terroir and raising the bar; leading to a classically beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon. Place and commitment to excellence again made the difference in 2004. It was a condensed growing season with early bud break, warm days, cool nights and one challenging heat spike. The result was a small harvest of intense, flavor packed fruit. Hence, the 2004 vintage, from an unusual, but exceptional year, is making Cabernet enthusiasts smile.

VINEYARD NOTES
Clark-Claudon Vineyards contains multiple exposures that translate into a broad range of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit expression. The highest portions of our mountain estate yield rich, deeply-colored Cabernet with impressive tannins. The lower portions enjoy more shade where vines thrive in deeper soils producing gentle and perfumed wines. As a result, we can play to the strengths of each vintage and build complexity in the blending process.  This proved to be essential in 2004. Our commitment to excellence meant excluding the Cabernet Sauvignon lots from the highest elevations where the vines were exposed during the October heat spike.  The middle and lower parcels of our estate were harvested nearly 2 weeks later under perfect ripening conditions.  The result of this rigorous selection is one of our most elegant, classically beautiful, Estate Cabernets.

TASTING NOTES
Using only 70% of our production our 2004 Estate bottling is a pure varietal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. A compelling mixture of cassis, violet and cherry dominate the aromas while 24 months of aging in French oak imparts a fine-grained texture and lingering chocolate finish. The hallmark of this vintage is an elegant, silky texture that is imparted from mature vines and gentle handling in the cellar. At the table enjoy this wine with richly flavored beef dishes, lamb, earthy wild mushrooms and savory cheese. Drink now-2020.