Dalla Valle

Dalla Valle was founded in 1986 by Naoko and her husband Gustav Dalla Valle. The winery is considered one of the most prominent family businesses in Napa Valley. Daughter Maya Dalla Valle also works in the winery now. She joined the company after successfully completing her courses in Viticulture & Winemaking and Vineyards & Winery Management.

A total of eight hectares are planted with mainly Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This area is divided over 18 different plots. The vineyards are located in the Oakville appellation at 120 meters above sea level. The soil here is very rocky and contains many minerals. The vines have been grown organically for many years, but biodynamic techniques are also being introduced step by step. The entire vineyard is managed by Dalla Valle’s own specialist team led by Edgar Alfaro.

Dalla Valle releases three different wines each year. These are Collina, Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon and Maya. Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon was the very first wine the winery ever produced. This is a blend, but as the name suggests, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend. The cuvée Maya is the top wine of the house and only the best plots are used for this wine. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks and the wines are then aged in French oak barrels, 70% of which are new wood. The wines are layered, complex and the aging potential can reach up to 20-30 years!

The exceptional vintages are 1992 and 1997. In these years, the Maya wine was awarded 100 (!) points. The wines generally receive high scores and appreciations. Production is small-scale and availability is limited. This makes the wines rare and that is why there are waiting lists to get hold of such a bottle!