Clos Du Bois

Clos Du Bois (Klo D’ Bwah) has always been known as “that California wine with the French name.” The wines of Clos Du Bois are pure California, and they glory in their California heritage and style of winemaking. The winery has been at the forefront of the fruit forward philosophy of wine making in which the basic direction is to stress the fruit flavors that a particular grape variety is capable of and not on imitating any other style of winemaking. At this they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and have become the epitome of the California style of winemaking, despite their French name.
One very interesting facet of the Clos Du Bois story is that they make a full line of wine varieties. Usually when a winery spreads itself out to cover a great many varieties of wine, several of the varieties will suffer. Not so with the wines of Clos Du Bois. All of their wine are considerably above the other wines in the same price range and in many cases better than wines selling a twice the price.

Clos Du Bois 2008 North Coast Pinot Noir ($15). If you have read us for any length of time, you know very well that we are most critical of pinot noir wines. The Clos Du Bois 2008 North Coast Pinot Noir is a California gem. It is not one of the currently prevalent limp pinot noirs but rather very reminiscent of the Great French Burgundies of the past but with a greater accent on the fruit. This wine has a deep red color (a rarity among many pinot noirs) and accents cherries, rose petals and a captivating earthy background in the aroma while cherries, oak and vanilla dominate flavor. It is a bright and open wine with a positive fruit flavor and a long and interesting finish. This wine is a fine example of a well made yet still affordable pinot noir. We enjoyed it and we are sure you will too.

Clos Du Bois 2008 North Coast Riesling ($12). Don’t look now but riesling wines are fast becoming the most popular white wine in this country; at least according to the wine publications. Personally, we believe that statement and as unabashed riesling lovers, the trend is long overdue. If you want to know why this variety is becoming so popular we direct your attention to a riesling gem, the Clos Du Bois 2008 North Coast Riesling. This wine offers a superb treatment of the grape variety. It is a very enjoyable wine that exhibits a broad spectrum of flavors and aromas with peaches, apricots, pineapple and apple being the most prominent. The fruit acid is finely balanced and adds a modest background of citrus to the flavor and finish.

Clos Du Bois 2009 North Coast Pinot Grigio ($8.99). Running a close second in popularity and catching up to the riesling rapidly, is the pinot grigio. This wine is very dry, crisp, and pleasant with the flavor and aroma of summer fruits, most specifically, apricots. There is also an understated raisin-like quality coupled with the acid bite of limes. In the background, there is an earthy mineral element that carries on through to the finish. One taste of this wine and you will know why pinot grigio is becoming one of the most popular white wines in this country.

Clos Du Bois 2009 North Coast Chardonnay ($12). This is a wine in which the fruit is boldly expressed both in the aroma and the flavor. The aroma stresses a floral note, which includes apple blossom and jasmine, coupled with a mélange of tropical fruits and a great deal of citrus. The citrus and tropical fruits carry over into the flavor where they merge with oak and vanilla. This wine is a true California chardonnay, big fruit, big flavor, and definitely enjoyable. The wine also fits nicely in the price and quality niche that makes it a great buy for the quality offered