Located on the famed eastern hillsides of Oakville, at elevations reaching 450 feet, it is a site that effortlessly straddles the line between a valley floor and a mountain vineyard. While a predominantly western aspect provides the vines plentiful sunshine, constant breezes off the San Pablo Bay bring a cooling influence that helps the grapes retain lovely natural acidity. Dalla Valle's distinctive mineral-rich volcanic soils provide excellent drainage and just the right amount of stress for the vines to yield profoundly complex and concentrated grapes. The vineyard is tended by a dedicated vineyard team, with a focus on winegrowing, as opposed to grape growing. In keeping with the sustainably minded, multigenerational approach that guides Dalla Valle, the vineyard has been farmed organically since 2007 and is Certified Organic by the CCOF. Beginning in 2019, the team has shifted to biodynamic farming.
TASTING NOTES:
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.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 pts.
Subtle yet transparent blackberry, black licorice and cassis bush. Some sage and lavender as well. Graphite, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised on the palate, with tight and refined tannins that are compact in the mouth. They are layered and run vertically down the wine. Turns nicely austere at the end. Very well done for the vintage. Give this three to four years to open up.
- James Suckling, 96 pts.
