Our 11th Year !

$169

WA 93 (12/2000): The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon (2,800 cases from a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc) boasts an opaque purple color as well as a gorgeous nose of mineral-infused black currants, and spicy oak. Full-bodied, structured, muscular, and multi-dimensional, it is approachable, but best cellared for 2-4 years, and drunk over the following 20-25 years.

1997

Very Heavily Bin-Soiled Label

$169

1997

Lightly Bin-Soiled Label

$169

2003

Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L)

Heavily Bin-Soiled Label

$119

VM 90 (6/2006): Bright medium ruby. Bold aromas of blueberry liqueur, black raspberry, menthol, minerals and black olive. Offers concentrated, sweet dark fruit flavors but not quite the lush texture of the 2004. Dominant flavor of raspberry. The lingering finish shows substantial, slightly tough but nicely ripe tannins. This has filled out nicely since I sampled it from barrel a year ago. Incidentally, just prior to my visit Philippe Melka was hired as consulting winemaker here.

WA 88 (6/2013): I believe this 2003 was made during a period when much of the vineyard was being replanted. From the famous red soils in the Oakville Corridor on the eastern hillsides overlooking such great addresses as Rudd Estate and Screaming Eagle, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a classic, earthy, creme de cassis-scented nose, but it seems more narrowly constructed and clipped in texture than usual. Nevertheless, there is still plenty to enjoy, including the dark fruits, earthiness and the medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. Given the lofty expectations due to the greatness of so many Dalla Valle vintages, the 2003 is not one of their most noteworthy efforts. Drink it over the next decade.

2010

1-magnum OWC

$500

WA 95 (10/2013): The brilliant 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly richer, revealing more smokiness, graphite and creme de cassis notes as well as a dense purple color, a big, masculine, tannic mouthfeel and a full-bodied, rich finish. This majestic Cabernet Sauvignon should age effortlessly for 25-30 years. It possesses slightly more sucrosity and flesh than the 2009, but both of these are brilliant examples of hillside Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Cabernet Franc.

VM 94 (6/2013): (blended with 19% cabernet franc): Bright medium ruby. Sappy, deep aromas of dark raspberry, cassis and graphite. Silky, highly concentrated and seamless, conveying an impression of Outstanding density without weight. Wonderfully suave cabernet with a sappy, building finishing featuring sexy floral lift, noble tannins and terrific energy and length. A beauty, and impeccably balanced already.

2015

$325

VM 97 (11/2025): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is in great shape today. Deep, pliant and super expressive, the 2015 is just starting to open. A blast of dark cherry fruit, mocha, licorice and espresso makes a strong opening statement. Still very young, the 2015 will drink well for another decade or more. It's one of the most youthful, vibrant wines of the year. I underestimated this wine and its potential longevity in my original review. (Drink between 2025-2040). Antonio Galloni.

JD 95 (1/2019): The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon includes slightly less Cabernet than normal and is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc. It has loads of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as gorgeous incense, dried violets, vanilla, and flowery spice overtones. About as seamless as it gets, with full body and present yet sweet tannins, it’s a beautiful, elegant wine from this remarkable site sitting above Oakville. (Drink between 2019-2044).

2016

$255

2018

$245

VM 97 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful, explosive wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its finest. The energy and raw intensity are so pronounced. Inky dark fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and cedar add striking aromatic nuance, but it is the wine's phenomenal balance that stands out most. This is the first vintage that includes component wine aged in amphora. This is far from an easygoing 2018. Antonio Galloni.

JD 97 (1/2021): The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, which always includes a splash of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, is incredible juice and a wine readers should seek out. Showing the quality and style of the vintage beautifully, it offers a captivating bouquet of crème de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, bouquet garni, and violets, with just a touch of foresty, earthy notes in the background. Aged 22 months in barrel (with a small amount in amphora), it’s full-bodied and perfectly balanced, with integrated acidity and a great finish. I love this wine and don't make the mistake of overlooking this while only focusing on the Maya cuvee.

2021

$195

WA 98 (12/2023): With a much higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (91%, with 9% Cabernet Franc), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is less floral than the Maya but more obviously fruity and up front. Bold black cherries and cassis lead the way, framed by gentle oak shadings of cedar and vanilla, backed by deep bass notes of rich loam and hints of tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins are wonderfully judged, supple and velvety in one sip, then fine and silky in the next, while the finish lingers effortlessly, even if it lacks some of the seamless elegance of its sister.

2021

$225

2021

$255

2022

$190

WA 96 (2/2025): I appear to have underestimated Dalla Valle's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate prior to bottling, as this blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot is now showing more harmony and length. On the nose, intense black cherries join dark, loamy earth scents, while the medium to full-bodied palate is rich and velvety, showing admirable concentration, texture and terrific persistence on the finish.

2022

$265

2002

3-bottle OWC

$1,650

WA 100 (6/2012): As stunning as this basic Cabernet Sauvignon is, the 2002 Maya, a proprietary blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, is pure perfection. It boasts an inky purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of incense, black fruits, charcoal and forest floor. Full-bodied, with monumental intensity, a multidimensional texture/mouthfeel, and a stunning finish, this beauty reveals the brilliant quality of the Dalla Valle Cabernet Franc plantings meshed with their powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.

VM 95 (6/2014): Rich, ripe and explosive, the 2002 Maya emerges from the glass with layers of dark, voluptuous fruit. There is plenty going on in the glass, although today the 2002 isn't as expressive as it was when I last tasted it, about two years ago. Dark raspberry jam, cloves, mint and flowers are layered into the finish with substantial weight and silkiness. This is one of the great vintages of Maya and as it turns out the last Maya made until 2005.

VM 92+ (6/2005): (a 55/45 blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc) Good ruby-red. Blueberry, licorice, violet and leather on the perfumed nose. Supple on entry, then sweeter, broader and lusher than the 2002 cabernet, with lovely depth of flavor. Bright and nicely delineated. Finishes with huge, building, horizontal tannins that dust the palate and front teeth and are distinctly finer than those of the basic cabernet bottling, which seems a bit green and dry by comparison. This wine needs several years of patience and should be long-lived.

2005

3-bottle OWC

$1,200

WA 95+ (12/2007): The 2005 Maya Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc. Many experienced observers believe that the Cabernet Franc grown in the red soils of Dalla Valle’s vineyards is the finest in California, and this cuvee has always reflected that. The dense ruby/purple-hued 2005 reveals a lovely, sweet perfume of scorched earth, black and red fruits, truffles, and a whiff of pain grille. The flavor profile possesses notions of chocolate and smoky oak along with rich, layered fruit, an enticing texture, and a long finish. This Outstanding red wine will age well for 20-25 years. It is one of the most graceful, approachable Mayas made recently.

VM 93+ (6/2008): Deep ruby-red. Brooding aromas of bitter cherry, licorice and minerals, with the wine's classic floral perfume in the background. Then lush, sweet and seamless if a bit medicinal and backward today. Conveys an impression of serious thickness without weight. With aeration, the wine's floral character came through. Still a bit youthfully grapey, with the big, broad tannins calling for a good eight to ten years of cellaring. An impressive return for Maya, which was not made in 2003 and 2004. This is the last vintage to include some of the estate's oldest cabernet franc vines, dating back to the mid-'80s. Phylloxera exacerbated by leaf roll virus and oak root fungus has required wholesale replanting of vines here in recent years. Total production of the estate's two red wines in 2005 was just 700 cases, vs. 4,500 in the early '90s.

2006

3-bottle OWC

$975

WA 94+ (12/2009): A blend of two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Maya reveals an exceptional bouquet of sweet blue and black fruits intermixed with notions of flowers, roasted herbs, and charcoal. Dense, full-bodied, and powerful, with superb richness, complexity, and potential, this is a super example of this Cabernet Franc-dominated wine. Surprisingly approachable now, it should evolve for 15-20+ years.

VM 92 (6/2009): (an 85/15 blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc) Good medium ruby. Suave, claret-like nose offers black cherry, bitter chocolate, graphite, violet and cocoa powder. Lush, sweet, fine-grained and pure, with a distinct mineral element contributing energy to the middle palate. Fruity, primary and very stylish wine, finishing with a fine dusting of tannins that make the regular Napa Valley bottling seem a bit tough by comparison. The percentage of cabernet franc was so low, said proprietor Naoko Dalla Valle, because the team thinned the vines too much for fear that the fruit wouldn't get ripe and ultimately harvested a very small crop during one of the estate's latest harvests ever. Dalla Valle's top Maya vintages of the 1990s generally featured about 45% cabernet franc.

2007

$525

WA 98 (12/2010): The 2007 Maya borders on perfection. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by abundant aromas of graphite, blueberry liqueur, hoisin sauce, smoked meats and red and black fruits. The extraordinary aromatics give way to a full-bodied, stunningly concentrated wine with everything in balance, fabulous density and richness, and a finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. This is unquestionably one of the all-time great Mayas. In keeping with the exuberance and flamboyance of this vintage, it is approachable now, but should age effortlessly for 30+ years.

VM 96 (6/2014): What a difference a year makes. The 2007 Maya is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Sexy and racy to the core, the 2007 captures the sensuality of the year in spades. Raspberry jam, white flowers, mint and spices are nicely shaped by silky tannins. Production was tiny, at around 270 cases, partly because 2007 is the vintage in which Dalla Valle introduced their second wine, Collina Dalla Valle. It's great to see Maya back on track after the less than stellar 2006.

VM 94 (5/2010): (includes 30% cabernet franc) Good full ruby-red; brighter than the Napa Valley bottling. Darker, impressively vibrant aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, violet and licorice. A step up in density and verve; quite young today but this really saturates and perfumes the palate. Spreads out and echoes impressively on the very long, subtle back end, where the tannins are currently hidden by bright fruit. I never would have guessed this wine was carrying 15% alcohol. Incidentally, the 2002 Maya was the last vintage from the old plantings; Dalla Valle skipped 2003 and 2004 and then restarted with 2005.

2010

Nicked Label

$349

WA 98+ (10/2013): The 2010 Maya is a less evolved, more backward, brooding wine with a dense opaque blue/purple color, explosive richness, and abundant notes of incense, camphor, charcoal, blackberries, blueberries and hints of violets and forest floor. Full-bodied, pure, deep, structured and powerful, this massive Maya comes across as even bigger and richer than the 2009. Forget it for 3-5 years and drink it over the following 30+ years.

VM 96+ (6/2013): (two-thirds cabernet sauvignon and one-third cab franc): Deep, bright ruby. Crushed blueberry and violet on the perfumed nose. Densely packed and wonderfully aromatic, with terrific floral lift to the sharply delineated dark berry flavors. Almost painful in the early going, but has great energy and class. Finishes with big, broad tannins and Outstanding vibrating persistence. Should turn out to be one of the monuments of the vintage. I've long been a sucker for cabernet franc from this red volcanic soil on the eastern hillside above Oakville.

2011

Maya Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

3-bottle OWC

$837

VM 94 (6/2014): One of the wines of this challenging Napa Valley harvest, the 2011 Maya is impressive. Textural beauty is front and center, but it will be at least another few years before the aromas and flavors start to show the full breadth of complexity and nuance that has always been present in barrel. The deep, intense finish is simply dazzling in a magnificent Maya that should drink well for many, many years.

VM 93+ (5/2014): (65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% cabernet franc): Bright ruby-red. Higher-pitched on the nose than the cabernet bottling and tighter today, offering hints of dark berries, violet, minerals and licorice. Then big, rich and mouthfilling, conveying a texture of liquid silk and a powerful impression of the site's red soil. Saline mocha and graphite flavors display terrific definition and underlying spine. Finishes with substantial building, sweet tannins and Outstanding length. Zero impression of underripeness here. This classy, highly concentrated wine may yet merit an even higher score. An exciting 2011.

2017

$700

WA 97+ (10/2019): The 2017 Maya is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Cabernet Franc and was bottled one week before I tasted it. Very deep purple-black in color, it opens with profound earthy notions of truffles, damp soil, crushed rocks and tar over a core of Black Forest cake, black raspberries, blueberry compote and aged meat plus touches of wilted roses and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is solidly structured with firm, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness lifting the multilayered blue and black fruits with a long, perfumed finish. Stunning.

JD 97+ (1/2020): The tiny production 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Maya is another thrilling wine. The normal blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in two-thirds new French oak, it offers a full-bodied, concentrated, yet sensationally elegant style as well as fab notes of crème de cassis, chocolate, graphite, and scorched earth. It’s a primordial example of this cuvée that has ripe tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Do your best to give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age. (Drink between 2024-2054).

VM 96 (1/2020): The 2017 Maya is not only gorgeous, it also appears to have handled the rigors of the growing season more successfully than the others. Ripe red cherry and plum fruit, blood orange, pomegranate, mint and spice all build as this racy, sumptuous wine shows off its considerable allure. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are just magic here. (Drink between 2023-2042). Antonio Galloni.

2020

$300

WA 97 (3/2023): Perhaps there's a subtle added touch of leafy complexity to the 2020 Maya that the Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't show, but otherwise, this 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is reasonably similar, with black cherries, dark loamy notes, hints of cassis, cedar and vanilla. It's medium to full-bodied, richly textured and tannic but with a slightly open-knit feel and a ripe, softly wooly finish.

JD 96+ (2/2023): Even better, the 2020 Maya Proprietary Red Wine checks in as the usual blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc, and it's another full-bodied example of this cuvée that has a brilliant core of both red and black fruits as well as dark chocolate, leafy tobacco, spring flowers, and a kiss of chalky minerality. Structured, concentrated, and perfectly balanced, it doesn't get any better in 2020.

2022