95pts Wine Advocate
Finishing at 14.6% alcohol, this wine (generally a blend of about 60% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon) has incredibly gorgeous aromatics of black and blue fruits, forest floor, violets, and an almost Graves-like, scorched earth, gravelly nuance. The wine hits the palate with a full-bodied richness and terrific harmony among its structural elements such as alcohol, acidity, tannin and wood, with moderately sweet tannins in the finish. It is a good 30- to 35-year wine, as most Mayas have tended to be, and is impressive and surprisingly structured for a 2014. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 35-40 years.
95pts Vinous
The 2014 Maya is powerful, compact and closed in on itself. That's not much of a surprise given the was just bottled a few months ago. Dark, powerful and intense, the 2014 offers plenty of energy, but is also holding back much of its potential at this stage. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, which is to say more Cabernet than has been the norm in recent years. There is plenty of intensity to the pomegranate, plum, red cherry and blood orange flavors, but the wine needs time to come into its own. (Oct. 2016)
91pts Wine Spectator
The dark berry, licorice and mocha-laced oak flavors are years from reaching a peak, but this is headed in the right direction. Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2020 through 2034.
History
In 1983, Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle began planting vines on the hillside of Oakville, overlooking Napa valley. Their vineyards produce excellent quality grapes, resulting in wines of great intensity, complexity and balance. Gustav passed away in 1995 and Naoko Dalla Valle continues the legacy of Dalla Valle wines. Dalla Valle Vineyards produces three wines: Maya (55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc), Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Pietre Rosse (100% Sangiovese).