2013 Maya

Naoko Della Valle's 2013s are just as compelling as they have always been. The wines are ample and dramatic, two qualities that encapsulate the personality of this site in eastern Oakville. Fans of the estate can look to the more approachable 2014s for medium-term drinking, as the 2013s are likely to require quite a bit of time to unwind. In 2014, the Maya has much less Cabernet Franc than has historically been the norm, while the Collina is distinctly Cabernet Franc influenced. I also tasted a number of 2015s from separate lots that had not been blended yet. Those barrel samples point to another successful vintage for this reference-point estate. A recent chance encounter with the 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon was a poignant reminder of just how special these wines can be.

My most recent tasting at Dalla Valle was memorable, as I had a chance to revisit the 2012s along with catching up with the 2013s and 2014s. Proprietor Naoko Dalla Valle and winemaker Andy Erickson are on a roll. The 2012s are stratospheric in their beauty, and I am saying that as someone who is not a huge fan of the vintage. But the 2012s here simply won't be denied. These are utterly magical wines. The 2013s and 2014s are all shaping up to be superb. Readers will have a great time comparing the wines from these three important Dalla Valle vintages for the next 20+ years. Since 2013, Erickson has begun to move pick dates up slightly in order to catch more freshness and energy in the wines. Dalla Valle fans will note the addition of a new wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon MDV, which emerges from the Maya Cabernet Sauvignon blocks and carries the initials of Naoko Dalla Valle's daughter, Maya, who is currently working at Chateau Latour. Made only once before in the estate's history (1999), the 2013 MDV is shaping up to be terrific. Early signs point to the 2014 being bottled as well. The two samples I tasted of the 2015 look good so far, although yields are down 30% and there will therefore be less wine to go around. Once again, the Collina Dalla Valle, the estate's second wine, is one of the best wines in its price range. Naoko Dalla Valle told me she is hesitant to raise the price. "After all, wines are for drinking," she adds. I have said it before, but I will say it again. In a region full of big personalities and big egos, Naoko Dalla Valle cuts a decidedly un-Napa Valley-like figure with her understated, elegant demeanor. But then again, she doesn't really need to say or do anything. It's all right there, in the glass.

Naoko Dalla Valle and winemaker Andy Erickson made some of the most powerful, structured 2012s readers will come across. As was the case throughout the valley, the harvest was quite late. I visited the property in late September, a day or two before harvest was scheduled to start. Erickson subsequently decided to wait another week. I tasted the 2012s from bottle twice. If opened young, the wines require quite a bit of aeration, as they are dense and opulent, yet also remarkably structured. As magnificent as the 2012s are, the 2013s may very well turn out to be better and more complex because of their greater freshness and mineral-inflected drive. In time, 2013 is likely to be regarded as one of the best vintages ever made here. The wines are every bit that special. Dalla Valle and Erickson opted to give the 2013s slightly less time on the skins, as the wines extracted easily. New oak is around 70% across the board, with a few more newer barrels for the Maya. At press time, the plan was to let the Maya spend a little more time in barrel, as was the case with the 2010. Dalla Valle fans might enjoy this complete retrospective of the flagship Maya.

Naoko Dalla Valle and winemaker Andy Erickson made some of the most powerful, structured 2012s readers will come across. As was the case throughout the valley, the harvest was quite late. I visited the property in late September, a day or two before harvest was scheduled to start. Erickson subsequently decided to wait another week. I tasted the 2012s from bottle twice. If opened young, the wines require quite a bit of aeration, as they are dense and opulent, yet also remarkably structured. As magnificent as the 2012s are, the 2013s may very well turn out to be better and more complex because of their greater freshness and mineral-inflected drive. In time, 2013 is likely to be regarded as one of the best vintages ever made here. The wines are every bit that special. Dalla Valle and Erickson opted to give the 2013s slightly less time on the skins, as the wines extracted easily. New oak is around 70% across the board, with a few more newer barrels for the Maya. At press time, the plan was to let the Maya spend a little more time in barrel, as was the case with the 2010. Dalla Valle fans might enjoy this complete retrospective of the flagship Maya.