Twee derde Cabernet Sauvignon, één derde Cabernet Franc: dit is de Maya uit het oogstjaar 2017, een rode wijn geproduceerd bij Dalla Valle, in de Napa Valley.
2017 was een zinderend jaar. Hoewel de hittegolf rond Labor Day de groei van de wijnstokken tijdelijk tot stilstand bracht, was de rijping begin oktober voltooid en werden alle druiven geoogst voordat de bosbrand later die maand Napa trof.
Deze wijngaard op een heuvel beslaat 10 hectare, waarvan 8 beplant is met wijnstokken en wordt verbouwd volgens biodynamische principes. Naoko Dalla Valle is de oprichtster en eigenaresse, en Andy Erickson maakt hier sinds 2007 wijn.
Hoewel de wijn nu al prima drinkbaar is, kunt u hem het beste een uurtje in een karaf laten ademen. Hij komt het best tot zijn recht tussen 2021 en 2045.
Robert Parker (97)
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.
This is truly one of the most magical vineyards to visit in Napa Valley—poised on a ledge in the Vaca Mountains foothills, just below Ovid on Pritchard Hill and just above the valley floor overlooking Screaming Eagle. Out of the 26 acres in total at Dalla Valle, 20 acres are committed to vines. Andy Erickson has been winemaker at this estate since 2007 and Michel Rolland is the consultant enologist. Founder/Proprietor Naoko Dalla Valle’s daughter, Maya, has been working closely with Andy Erickson while slowly taking over the reins over the last few years.
“In 2017, after the Labor Day heatwave, the vines did shut down for a brief period but managed to complete ripening by early October,” Andy Erickson said. “We experimented with shade cloth for the Cabernet Franc, and it worked well. We also opened up the canopy for filtered light. We have misting in the vineyards to help too.” Everything was in before the fires and the winery had generators to perform pump-overs.
As for the 2018s, Erickson said, “We are really excited about the 2018s—dark, aromatic, rich, lots of components.” The 2018 blends have not been finalized, but I did taste a number of the component parts during my visit and they are looking very promising indeed!
James Suckling (95)
The plum and chocolate, as well as hazelnut and dried-flower character is prevalent here. It’s full-bodied, yet very refined with lovely, polished tannins and a long, crisp finish. Balanced and focused.
Decanter (95)
Tiny production from the eastern hills of Oakville. If you love Bordeaux wines it's such a treat to taste a blend of just Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, something that you rarely see in the Médoc. It works extremely well, with an aromatic kick of raspberry leaf and violet flowers but the key to the body is coffee, bilberry, rosemary, mulberry and cloves. Great acidity set against power and concentration. The savoury edge that makes Cabernet such a delicious food-friendly wine is here, and is extremely elegant and refined but with a punch and undertow. Good stuff, with long ageing potential. 75% new oak.
BOW (9)
The Wine Independent (96)
