Clos du Bois
19410 Geyserville Ave, Geyserville, CA 95441
Website: http://www.closdubois.com/
Clos du Bois is nestled in northern Sonoma in the Alexander Valley appellation. I had a preconceived notion of what this winery would be like and it turned out to be much less than what I expected, but in a good way. I was imagining something much more prominent and of a grander scale. This is because I had heard about and seen the Clos du Bois name quite a bit back home and thought it might be comparable to a winery like Robert Mondavi or Beringer in Napa Valley. Instead, Clos du Bois is in a quiet section of Alexander Valley with a modest tasting room and outdoor picnic area under a gazebo. The building that houses the tasting room looks like a large modernized wood barn. Vineyards surround the road leading into the winery and parking area. In retrospect, I think the architecture is very befitting of the rustic nature of Alexander Valley.
The inside of the tasting room is brightly lit due to all of the windows that bring natural light into the room. The high ceiling makes the room feel very wide open. As I first entered the tasting room, there were small tables with wine gifts to the left and right and a large U-shaped tasting bar that took up two-thirds of the room. I have visited the winery a couple of times, and I learned on my second trip that the tasting room can get very busy. Fortunately, the extra-large tasting bar can accommodate a lot of guests. On both occasions that I visited, the server was friendly and willing to answer any questions that I had. They also offered to pour 1 or 2 additional wines that weren’t on the tasting menu when I inquired about them. To be truthful, I wasn’t a huge fan of Clos du Bois when I had tried their classic wines at home. I thought those wines were good, but nothing exceptional. Yet, I was still interested in checking out the winery and I’m glad that I did because they have some really lovely wines that are sold exclusively at the winery. My personal favorites were the deliciously fruity 2007 Cabernet Franc that tasted of cherries and dark chocolate and the 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel made from 75 year old vines and tasted of blackberries, cloves, and vanilla.
Between 2007 and 2019 the winery was one of several in Napa and Sonoma owned by Constellation Brands. In April 2019 the winery was sold to Gallo as part of a $1.7 billion deal that included 30 wineries in total. There are a few tour and tasting options available, including a stroll through the vineyards or a tour of their restored wetlands. They also have a “movie under the stars” event each month in the summer. Check their website for additional information. I definitely have a new appreciation for Clos du Bois wines after visiting the winery.