Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Clos du Val Napa Cabernet 1991

Clos du Val Napa Cabernet 1991 BYOB at Ozark Bloomington

During our trip this week through Bloomington, IL, we dined at two different steak houses, Ozark House Restaurant and Jim's Steak House which I write about in a follow on blogpost. We discovered and stopped at Ozark House Restaurant and took BYOB this 1991 vintage Clos du Val Stags Leap District Napa Cabernet.

We had a reservation at the Ozark House and we were warmly welcomed on arrival by Nathan, the gracious and hospitable host. Ozark is a quaint setting with rustic knotty pine cedar paneling that feels much older than its 70's era founding. Its situated in a picturesque residential neighborhood opposite a city park.

The dining room is warm and inviting with the paneling, stylish artwork and corner booths with mood lighting and linen tablecloths.

The menu offers a broad selection of beef, chicken, seafood, porkchops, lamb and BBQ. The wine list is minimalist. Hence, we brought a special selection of vintage Napa Cabernet from 1991. I look forward to returning for the BBQ, especially given their BYOB friendly policy.

The dinner was homey with modest entrees and imaginative salads and sides but was highlighted by the attentive friendly personable service.

Clos du Val Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991 

There is a case of this vintage label on closeout in the premium wine cellar room at Binny's in Bloomington. Being one year removed from our son's birthyear, of which we hold a horizontal collection, and the birthyear of his girlfriend, we were drawn to obtain and taste this vintage selection.

The label represented on the '91 release is the vintage design which has in recent years been replaced by a distinctive differentiable design for the premium Stags Leap District label, versus the Napa label. Also, it was interesting to taste this relative to their current vintage release which has achieved high marks, which we've obtained for our cellar.

This was bright ruby color, medium-light bodied, bright expressive tart cherry fruit accented by tones of cigar and hints of earthy leather showing classic character from its age of 25 years.

RM 88 points.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=346629 

http://www.theozarkhouse.com/